Photo Me

Child and Family Service Philippines turns 19 this year. Having served Baguio (a city in the northern part of Luzon) and neighboring areas for almost two decades, CFSPI continues its commitment to children, youth, families and communities. Through caring, healing and teaching (CFSPI's anniversary theme), they have reached out to offer programs such as protective social services, youth leadership and early child development training among others, touching lives and giving hope.

A few months ago, the Idea!ists were engaged to document their programs in preparation for the production of their annual report. With photographers extraordinaire Bernice de Leon and Marc San Valentin, we trooped up north for three days of shutterbugging (and interviewing for me). The result: almost 4 gig of photos and a full IC recorder of interviews.

For an organization that relies on a steady communication stream with several stakeholders, great photographs are incredibly important. A good stock of well-composed, high-resolution photographs in documentation reports and communication materials is absolutely indispensable. Great visuals make compelling cases. They bring personalities, faces and emotion to development work, and literally provide a view of an organization's progress and circumstances. They make the advocacies and social issues real. Photos tell stories in themselves and can relay what words and numbers sometimes cannot.

For children's organizations, there is always the challenge of standing out among the cute sea of faces that drive people to coo and indulge the tugs at their heartstrings to help. Thoughtfully composed images help. I'll post more from that trip in later entries.

Marc and Bernice in action, padding in bare feet while photographing a sleeping baby in the next room. Earlier photo of kid playing with building blocks by Marc San Valentin.

Ah, starting early. Baby boy takes to Bernice's camera.