Morning Glory /  by John Javellana

Pampanga Countryside
The countryside has always been special for me. A place where the bliss of serenity could be found in such simplicity. Away from the chaos of trying to keep up with the ruckus of the city life, I saw this farmer walking his way through a seemingly endless sight of the rice fields under the glorious first rays of the morning sun. It is a pleasant thing to realize how they have the privilege of making their way to work in all of this glory day in and day out.

Tough Love /  by John Javellana

Peekaboo
It’s funny how this world can seem to take away one’s utopian sense of idealism and just simply haul it back down to earth and replace it with the verisimilitude of realism. Both have their advantages and disadvantages but I have always chosen to be an idealist. Because it is with that mindset that we get to use our heart and employ its will and sincerity to whatever we are doing. As an idealist, everything we do is a journey filled with excitement and powered by raging adrenaline to fulfill the desires that our hearts so strongly shouts. We let go, we fly, we flee to world that seems to be a playground. But once the realities of life come into play, rationality kicks in. We try to be in control of the things and factors in our life that we have always set us free. We try to be in control because we don’t want to be controlled. For me, it is like putting a glass over a fire on a wick, with the aim of protecting it from the wind. But that barrier itself is thee that extinguished the flame. Innocence give us a state of mind that we can do and accomplish whatever we want to, just as long as we put are hearts in it. But as experiences and bumps on the road come along, the hard facts of life make themselves more and more pronounced therefore otherwise.

Simple Lavishness /  by John Javellana

Feast of Nuestra Senora

Filipinos love to feast. Festivities have been an inextricable part of Filipino culture as far as I know. Most of them have to do with religious persona such as the Virgin Mary or the Santo Nino. For reasons other than of devotion, feasts have provided the prosaic citizen an escape from the uniformity of difficult situations they have to endeavor day in and day out.

PHILIPPINES/

I took these photos when I stumbled upon the small barangays in Guadalupe as they caroused during the feast of Nuestra Senora. It wasn’t the most propertied of areas, making it ironic as it is located in the country’s financial district. The feast itself is not as big as the famous ones such as the Dinagyang and Sinulog. Yet, the place was overflowing with booze, food and the most noticable of them all - laughter, as much as any bigger feast would have.

Somehow, it reflected within me how my countrymen have this uncanny ability to take pause and have a marvelous time no matter what the circumstaces may be. With all this talk of corruption, recession, oil, food and even LPG prices going up, it’s nice to see our sense of making marry never withers. For a day, residents enthralled themselves is lavishness - even if how simple it could be.

At Heart /  by John Javellana

Laguna De Bay
At Play
Kariton
Children romping around, dousing in all gaiety at random is a wonder that never fails to snatch my attention. I revel in shooting children at play. Not because they’re the most effortless of subjects to take photos of, but rather because they are the strongest reminders of how free and fun life used to be way back when we were all innocent.

Pananampalataya /  by John Javellana


“Pananampalatayta” denotes faith in my native tongue. Our country is considered as the eminent Catholic country in south east Asia. I was born and raised as a devout Catholic, ever zealous of all its teachings and praxis, but I do admit that mine has dwindled in recent years.I have always been fascinated by the event ever since I became a photographer, and this year was my first time to actually be there.

Black Nazarene

I never imagined for the life of me that an unbelievable mass of people actually go to this event year in and year out barefooted and all, risking life and limb to touch or even get a glimpse of the revered statue. I incessantly get to watch this event on television but it was flat out when you see it in all its actuality.

Black Nazarene

Everybody told me that I would be a fool to get myself in the crowd. As the devotees started to push and shove one another just to get to the rope, I immediately understood why my friends were all telling me not to go in. The feeling was literally like being dragged by the waves of the sea. Seeing an unconscious body being passed on in front of me gave me a perturbed feeling that I was going to be next.

Black Nazarene

There seemed to be no sign of attrition form the devotees as the procession carried on. Vast amounts of people ranging from the senescent to infants; the healthy and the frail were all there walking barefoot in their devotion. I found it weird that I was enthralled in stupefaction as I was witnessing the whole thing instead of being moved by it.

Black Nazarene

I don’t think it’s faith that I gave up on but more of the system and the formality of the church. The church’s red tape decorum limited me in truly experiencing God. It seems as if they have so many conditions and requirements for us to have him in our lives. This is the reason why I find the thought of the church somewhat noxious. I’d rather see and feel God outside on my own in whatever way he wants me instead of having to go through priests, requirements, ceremonies and suchlike. The aspect of God in our lives should be a natural emphatic choice, not enforced and conditional.

Black Nazarene

I was all set to pull out and go back to the office at around 4pm since I have been working from 8am when I suddenly got assigned to take a position atop the church to shoot the arrival of the statue which was expected to be back at 6pm. It got back at around 9 instead. I was enervated. I am well accustomed to waiting for long hours but this was different.

Black Nazarene

Being there on the tower with a correspondent from the BBC somewhat gave me an insight how the western world perceive these kinds of events. One part he was so amazed on with all that was happening while on the other he couldn’t believe how desperate all these people looked. During this time I was balancing on two resonant sentiments. One for my own practice of my faith wherein which I try to control the way I relate to God and on the other hand the austere surrender of the people below were showing; totally submitting one’s self is a different high that one could get. The event in my opinion is the epitome of the thin borderline separating unfeinged faith and the fraught undertakings us Filipinos would go through to escape the pangs of life on this earth. The latter especially evident once you get to talk to the Devotees.

Black Nazarene

As the Nazarene was slowly brought back home, the perspective atop the church was a spectacle that moved the numbed reception I had all day for this event. My antipathy for traditional religious praxis was replaced with awe and reverence by the sight of an ocean of people who collectively came as a whole for something that they believe in. The devotees sang and chanted hymns of praise and worship. To see it all happening from up there was stupefying - it was as close of a view you can get if you were in heaven. It was a milieu so moving, not even God and the angels could afford to ignore it.

Perfekt /  by John Javellana

2009

‘08 was a year filled with genial stupefaction. It was a year that made me appreciate the fact that the best things come in the most abrupt of natures. Finally finding a set of amigos who are genuine and staunch has carried me to significant heights both as a person and a photographer. I’ve always thought that I could be just fine on my own but as I found myself surrounded by such good company made me see how uplifted an individual could be because of nonpareil camaraderie. Masked in idiocy and ridicule, my friends have never failed to give me that push and inspiration when life’s situations ultimately requires profoundness.

Baseco

It was one of those years in which everything seemed to go your way. Career was great. No awards, no grants nor recognition but I’ve never been a fan of those. It was a great year in the sense that I felt like I was able to do my job well and at the same time quench my thirst to know and learn more about the world I live in. I got to see and share stuff that elicited robust sentiments within me. The trip to the Angkor photography workshop opened my eyes even more, giving me that conviction to see the world with further acuteness.

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But it was at the end of the year that I conceded to the fact that it was mine. Something that I refused to assume. There is no better feeling for me than the moment we encounter someone who fits immaculately with your being.. Someone who effortlessly drenches your actuality with ardor and benevolence.. Someone who could just embezzle you away from life’s throbbings and bring you the most elusive of life’s stupefaction which is peace. That’s when I knew I have found what I have been looking for.

That Bay Feeling /  by John Javellana

Manila Bay

Time and again I have traipsed to Manila Bay whenever I am in search for a fleeting moment of repose and tranquility. I adore how the warmth of the glorious sunsets kiss my face and how the scene enclasps me with all its splendor. I have seen a profusion of sunsets everywhere but nothing compares to the ones here at home. It’s great to be back.

Uhm /  by John Javellana

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I turned 24 a couple of days ago. Initially it felt like an ordinary, wonted day.. No plans, no celebrations, no nothing. But when good friends started to come in and be part of my day, that’s when it becomes different. The best things in life are those that happen in such stupefaction that you are swept away by the moment no matter how effortless they could be. Good company is somewhat scarce in our time today. I’m glad I have mine.