It is our routine. Almost every Sunday, if it’s not raining, no other commitments, I pick him up around 8:30 in the morning. His house is just 10 minutes away. Two beeps and a minute later, he comes shuffling out, usually accompanied by his eldest of this three Granddaughters Daphne. We proceed to the UP Chapel for his Sunday worship. Then we go to the UP Oval, park the car beside Law Building, greet all our snacks provider selling Taho, Ice Cream, Carioca, Banana cue, Lumpia and then we start walking towards the Admin/UP Theater Buildings.
The UP Oval is about 2.2 Km. It is a pedestrian only area on Sundays. Giant Acacia Trees, some measuring nearly 2 meters in diameter, line both sides of the Oval. There were planted more than 60 years ago then this former US Base was converted into a University after the WWII. The trees are so huge that it forms a canopy that gives shade to almost the whole length of the Oval. No danger of being sunburned, no vehicular traffic to pollute the air for the Oval is closed to all motorized vehicle during Sundays. It is really a fun place on Sundays. You can walk, bike, jog or run, walk the dog, picnic, skateboard or the most enjoyable, in my opinion, is sit and watch the people.
There is a habit that I learned from Emil. During my early years with the club, Emil never travels without his Leica M3 with him. In appointments, club meetings and possibly even in bed. So I adopted this, not the Leica, mind you, but with my now trusty Sony Nex5 that goes with me wherever I go. Not in bed, though, for there is that line my wife drew.
I also saw Amang Jose carrying his big Gitzo that can function as a car jack and weighs like an anchor. He never takes a picture without a tripod and his obsession for sharpness and lens quality will make Ansel proud.I have also adopted this. I always bring my tripod along to assure myself that I can blow up the photo to its maximum enlargement. But my tripod is like a feather compared to what was used during the WWII days.
Nowadays Amang is mellowing. No longer using his tripod. He relies on speed, multiple shots, high ASA and Photoshop to see him through the shot. There is a reasonable explanation for this. During the Jurassic Era, meaning Film, highest ASA/ISO possible was 400 and result is oftentimes grainy or noisy. Today, Amang shoots at 12,600 ASA, a full 5 stop more than ASA400, full open and three successive shots, tap, tap tap, like any seasoned photojournalist or wedding photographer.
From Rudy, I have learned to be frugal with my shots, to think, or ponder if you have the time on what you want to do. I don’t think I will reach or fill a Terabyte of photos for I cull my photos after downloading into Excellent, Good w/ possibilities and Trash. My percentage of keepers is about 15 %. Seems like a low figure, in comparison, Rudy is about 80% a rather high figure. But if you consider that he only press the shutter, 15-20 times during OTS, he is splurging. Before during medieval times, film era, he used to lament that he had a hard time using one roll of 24 shot film.
Today, we never seem to talk much. I have exhausted my quota of unanswered questions. Emil has always been helpful, cooperative, and most of all patient during our early years of walking. It does not matter if the questions were puerile, meaning childishly foolish, immature or trivial, he answers them all. Maybe with a bit of sarcasm ala Dr. Sheldon Cooper of Big Bang Theory. Let me digress a little bit and tell you a true story of a question posed by a person, presumably a photographer to Ansel Adams. “Mr. Adams, do you bracket your shots? Meaning take one at f32 and another at f64?” The reaction of Ansel was classic, he chortled! Meaning he laughed his head off but only for a few seconds. He answered patiently, like talking to a small child, no, my son, I take a second shot, same settings, mainly as an insurance, in case something unfortunate happens to the original during processing and he added the maxim. IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, YOU DON’T HAVE TO BRACKET!! But this was film, view camera, Landscape scenes, and Ansel, while today is digital, almost free shots and a nobody. It is ok to bracket, just to be sure you got everything, especially in rapidly changing lights and action. The aim is to capture the decisive moment ala Henri Cartier Bresson. So, I bracket, I move around the subject, try all the permutation that Nex5 will allow, but eventually comes the culling, Excellent, Good, Trash.
Today, we talked about family and friends and antics of his two grandchildren. We talk about CCP friends that were not around. Sometimes he gets careless and reveals something juicy, which is not for public consumption. Again, let me digress. In politics, all juicy facts are not revealed unless absolutely necessary. This is the glue that binds everyone in the group not unlike the Omertà. The gatekeeper of all this info is usually the oldest politician, thus he becomes untouchable .. almost, because when the s… hits the fan, he has more s… to throw to the fan than all the rest of them combined. So it is not wise to put him into a corner for he might just reveal everything! But I think the denouement is coming! I think my slip is showing. I think I am happy!
After walking and talking we arrived at our starting point and another phase of our routine, recovering whatever energy we spent with usurious interests. Taho and Banana Cue for Emil and an additional Ice Cream for me if I felt that I have exhausted my glycogen supply with all the physical and mental effort I spent. Then we talk some more, sometimes other people, Sunday walkers, I call them. Some are Bikers who naturally talk about the qualities of Titanium, Carbon Fiber frame and endlessly debate about their choices and where they are going to travel next. Reminds me of CCP meetings. Some are families whose kids drag their Parents to buy them snacks. You don’t have to be psychic to predict what will happen if a Grandparent and Grandchild comes along, even Dante, our Taho provider, starts scooping even before they reach him. There is a lesson to be learned here, Grandparents and Grandchildren are natural allies! Who do you think is the dominant one?
Sometimes, we walk the whole oval. 2.2 km. long. This happens, once a year, when all the stars align, meaning, fully rested, 8 hrs. of sleep, no aching, back, knees, ankles, indigestion or constipation. Usually it is about 1.5 km. Walking under the canopy of branches and leaves is a very pleasant experience, if you let go of everything. Forget all your problems and other matters, just concentrating on the people and activities around you and you begin to enter an almost Zen state where everything is in its proper place. Join us. There are those whose purpose is to exercise. Some with gritty determination you can see in their faces and labored breathing, in their stride and countenance, trying to take that extra step that hopefully will reduce some fat in their bodies, bellies, usually, some are just here for the fun, that carefree, come what may, outing of couples with their children in tow.
Oftentimes, I don’t shoot anything. But sometimes with the right amount of light and mistiness falling on a familiar object, I get lucky and shoot a photo that I will not get tired of looking. Till next Sunday!