Journal of a freelance photographer in Spain: Asia

Showing posts with label Asia. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 03, 2018

A Villa in Manila

A mix of images and video I shot for the Wall Street Journal. Brings back many good memories...

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Before Manny Pacquiao, there was another multi-world-champion Filipino. Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno, from Manila, has won the World Cup of Bowling four times. He won it in three different decades and is the youngest bowler to have won it (at age 19). He is considered the greatest bowler of all times. The Michael Jordan of bowling.

Paeng Nepomuceno training in Manila © Nacho Hernandez

More photos of the Philippines in my website.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Manila North Cemetery

Sunset at Manila North Cemetery, its biggest and one of its oldest. Home to thousands of families and a million of souls. The living among the dead.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital: The busiest maternity ward in the world

The maternity ward at the Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila is dubbed the "baby factory" for a reason. It is considered the busiest maternity ward in the world, with more than one hundred deliveries every day. As many as four or five exhausted mothers and their newborn babies often share double beds in an open space that oddly does resemble more a factory plant than a maternity.

The Philippines, with a population of almost one hundred million, has one of the highest birth rates in Asia and could double its population in three decades.

The Philippines Supreme Court recently declared constitutional the Reproductive Health (RH) bill approved last year. Thus, it ended a long tug of war between the government and the very influential Catholic Church which in the past went as far as threatening President Aquino with excommunication if such a law was ever passed. This law aims to provide family planning education and access to birth control to those Filipinos who didn't have it in the past for cultural, religious or economic reasons.

Friday, August 09, 2013

Manila American Cemetery

The Manila American Cemetery is the biggest American military cemetery outside of the US. Over 17,000 soldiers from the Pacific war rest there.

It is also, probably, the best taken care of park in the country.

Tuesday, April 09, 2013

The Catholic Church in the Philippines

The French journal Le Monde published recently some of my photos about the Catholic Church in the Philippines.

Although during the Holy Week the catholic fervor is particularly evident, it is also very present during the whole year.

It is estimated that 80% of the Filipino population is Catholic, making it the third biggest Catholic community in the world. In the Philippines the Church is still extremely influential, not only in the day to day life of the Filipinos, but also at the political level.

Many more photos from the Catholic Church in the Philippines in my website.

Thursday, March 07, 2013

Speakeasy

In a recent, fun assignment for the Wall Street Journal, I had to photograph a cocktail bar in Makati, the Blind Pig, for an article on speakeasy bars in Asia.

Speakeasies were created during the prohibition in the US. Hidden, you could only access them if you were in the know and informed about on which door to knock. A slot in that door would then open and a guard would decide if you were allowed into the sanctum or not.

Today, some cocktail bars recreate that speakeasy environment. This comes as a nice surprise in a city like Manila -in my view, the noisiest in the world- as clients are also expected to be quiet inside.

The biggest challenge shooting this assignment was that the Blind Pig is very, very dark, and flash photography is not allowed (which is, by the way, also a great idea). Therefore I had to go for the blurry and out of focus effect so in vogue these days (the fact that I "had to" try a few of their delicious concoctions may have also helped with the out of focus effect). I blame their fantastic barman, Tog, pictured above.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Slasher Cup: Cockfighting in the Philippines

A banner at the top of the Araneta coliseum in Manila reminds us that this place was home to one of the most epic fights in history: The "Thrilla in Manila" that in 1975, for the third and final time, brought face to face Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier to fight for the Heavyweight Boxing Championship of the World. The cocky but totally exhausted Ali prevailed, after the coach of a heavily punished and almost blind Frazier stopped the fight before the 15th and last round.

These days other fighters, cocky in their own way, engage in a no-prisoners combat at the same venue. During the World Slasher Cup, the Olympic Games of cockfighting, hundreds of fights take place in a pit almost identical to a boxing ring.

As each fight is about to start, the shouting among the Kristos or betters starts to go in a crescendo until it becomes generalized yelling in the arena. The roosters are given the go. They study each other for a few seconds. Then a flash, a cross or two of their sharp blades, feathers flying around and the fight is over, one of them biting the dust.

Next fight.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Hong Kong: Best city in the world?

Apparently, or according to the smart people at the Economist Intelligence Unit, Hong Kong is the best city in the world.

I was there recently, taking photos of the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens. Although briefly, I got to explore the city a little bit. I confess I loved it. Can't wait to be back and I could definitely see myself living in Hong Kong. A photographer's dream to be sure. (They make some mean noodles too).

Saturday, July 07, 2012

Manila skyline

Ominous sky.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Hong Kong Rugby Sevens: The South Stand

The Hong Kong Sevens is considered the world's best rugby sevens tournament, but it is much more than that.

For three days every March, as the best teams in the world compete to conquer one of rugby's most coveted trophies, a boisterous crowd in costumes goes totally wild in their support. This is particularly true at the infamous South Stand, a sold-out party where rugby marries carnival. Hong Kong's craziest annual event.

Don't be fooled by people in their costumes peacefully drinking their beers (guys) or Pimm's (gals) on Friday, at the beginning of the tournament. By Saturday morning those beers and Pimm's will be flying around, the boldest (drunkest) fans will try to jump naked to the pitch and the whole South Stand will be on fire, a boiling pot ready to explode in a thousand colors.

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter".

More photos of the Hong Kong Sevens in my website.

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Palau

I was recently in Palau shooting an assignment for International Inspiration, a legacy program created by the Olympic Games London 2012. One of my photos will be used in an exhibition at the Museum of London during the upcoming games, and this is probably as close as I will ever get to fulfilling one of my childhood wildest dreams, participating in the Olympics. But that is another story.

Beautiful Palau is one of the smallest and youngest countries in the world. Its people are laid back, relaxed and friendly. The kind of place where strangers greet you on the street (happens to me also in New Zealand). The name Palauans gave their national congress, "the house of whispers", is also very telling about their character.

Palau is, above all, about island life. One of the world's top diving destinations, formed by some 300 islands. On my first day I had to go to work on a speed boat, trapped between a emerald sea and a blue sky. Beats catching a cab or a bus any time.

Monday, January 23, 2012

The Year of the Dragon

Chinese New Year in Binondo, Manila, the oldest Chinatown in the world.

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Thursday, September 01, 2011

The hunter, hunted

The Spanish newspaper El Pais published last week one of the photos from my project about the catholic church in the Philippines, to illustrate an article about family planning in the country and how the church opposes it. I was happy they followed my suggestion and picked this photo, which illustrates that "war" in a non-literal way.

I took the photo last Easter in San Fernando, Pampanga, where real crucifixions are still done every year. Excellent photographer and friend Miguel Pereira was with me, and he took some photos of yours truly at work.

The hunter, hunted.

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Good Friday Crucifixions in the Philippines

Every Holy Week some twenty men from the city of San Fernando, in the Pampanga province, are crucified on Good Friday. When I write crucified I mean literally nailed to the cross. Many of the local young men also wander around town flagellating themselves until their backs are raw and bleeding.

The whole event was a mix of deep religious fervor, rite of passage and touristic attraction, with a splash of gore. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

While taking the photos and maybe to compensate, I could not take this song off my head. Perfect ending.

All photos © nacho hernandez. All rights reserved.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Manila 6 AM

Sunday, April 10, 2011

"If you can smell the street by looking at the photo

... it's a street photograph". - Bruce Gilden

Sunday, February 27, 2011

People Power (in the Philippines)

Filipinos claim the "copyright" to people power revolutions. These days, as we watch dictators in Northern Africa fall one after another like domino pieces (cliche!), they seem to be thinking "been there, done that". Last Friday marked the 25th anniversary of the EDSA revolution that toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos and Filipinos came out "en masse" to celebrate.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

New colors

I have made some changes to the design my photography website. The main one is its color. Or maybe I should say its lack of color. Or, more correctly, the sum of all colors at the same time. Anyway, white is the new black ...

I hope you will enjoy it.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Dragons and bunnies

At the Chinese New Year celebrations in Manila, today.
Happy year of the rabbit!