Vewd Student Contest - Latest Comments in Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

estan — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:17:33 -0000

now, I can access the comments.

Matt, thank you very much for this feedback. Frankly, I also got a comment regarding the wide angle usage and lately, I've been conscious of using it too much. This really is still a work in progress and your inputs would greatly help me in how to push this forward.

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

estan — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:25:12 -0000

Hi Matt,

I'm really having difficulty viewing the comments beyond the jump. Nothing happens when I click on the "show more comments."

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

matteich — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:41:33 -0000

Judges Comments:
Stanley – You’ve chosen a fascinating but visually difficult subject here. How do you show the lack of something or someone? There are some strong single images within the essay you submitted but as a story it only strikes a couple chords. You want to take the viewer on an emotional journey – think of yourself as a conduit between the subject and the viewer. How do you convey their loss so that someone in another country can understand? On a technical level, the images are beautifully toned but you overuse the wide angle a bit. Oftentimes photographers struggle to get indoors but you’ve succeeded to get that access – now push for the visual variety of the family outside or anywhere else (we desperately need a scene-setter). Take the opportunity to tell this unique story by pushing hard on it and seeing what comes. Find a variety of subjects who have been affected to round out the narrative but definitely continue pursuing this story.

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

estan — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:49:29 -0000

i'm having difficulty with the comments. clicking on "show more comments" doesn't open the rest of the page.

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

Loy — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:19:09 -0000

A painful subject - but I should commend you for choosing this. Good luck and best regards!

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

Loy — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:17:49 -0000

This is a very painful subject - but very commendable of you to choose it.

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

Loy — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:15:06 -0000

This is very commendable, Estan! The subject matter is quite painful.

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

estan — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 05:56:44 -0000

Panos, I've made a quick edit and posted it online at my blog.

For easier reference, I've designated numbers per photo. Regarding the last three images, I think that these are redundant or might not add to the final edit.

Photo 4: I'm having second thoughts including this one. Is this just redundant to the first image?

Photo 11 and 13: I'm really having second thoughts of including these two even when I submitted this for the contest. Visually, I don't really find it striking. I'm not just sure why I added it in the first place :-)

What do you think? By the way, can you please elaborate more on what you said below as "esoteric approach?"

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

panosskoulidas — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:54:10 -0000

Again, great approach...( from inside ).
There are usually two ways..... like "theatrical performance" vs "movie"...
Everything could happen in a room and let the imagination do the rest or
go to a war and describe everything in a graphic way...
I liked your more esoteric approach..

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

estan — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 09:45:06 -0000

Hello Panos,

I'm looking forward to have a great discussion with you. I will also try to do a quick edit of the work and provide a link online.

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

Nat — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 18:56:29 -0000

Great work!

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

panosskoulidas — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 03:29:28 -0000

STANLEY ( Estan )....
i really wanna talk and discuss more about the "subject" you chose to "expose"....
I'm just exhausted... its almost 12:30am... just left the hospital...E.R..
A very dear friend of mine is in critical condition... but thats no excuse...
I will help you as much as i can...EDITING..
your project demands the "ultimate" attention...
Have you ever heard of JAMES NACHTWEY...??
iF NOT , please google him...
Is a "friend" of David Alan Harvey ( dearest friend of mine )... and i had some long long discussions with him...
about what "makes" a great photojournalist...More tomorrow...!

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

ako655 — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:34:01 -0000

Lossing your love ones with nautral causes is a very painful experience even if you are prepared for it, but it is more painful if it is done forcefully, without you knowing what really happened. Great photo essay Estan, conveying to everyone the harsh realities happening in our society.

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

estan — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 13:13:06 -0000

Catalina, thank you for your comment. I'm appalled that so many families has suffered in your country. While the Philippines hasn't gone to that level, losing someone through this means is just unspeakable.

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

Matt Blalock — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 08:17:08 -0000

We decided to remove the vote button. Joining the conversation is your vote. :)

You can read the post here: http://vewd.org/contest/?pa...

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

estan — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 05:36:09 -0000

thanx sanvalente. unfortunately, desaparecido cases in the country is still not being resolved while suspected perpetrators are still very much on the lose.

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

estan — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 05:33:54 -0000

Catalina, I'm appalled on the great number of families who have experienced such loss in your country. While here in the Philippines, it has not come to that, still, losing a loved one through political undertakings is still unspeakable.

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

estan — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 05:30:08 -0000

Panos, thank you for your comment. As one who is just starting out with documentary photography, your constructive criticism is something that I can learn a great deal with. I agree that it would benefit a tighter edit and this is still something that I have to learn. Editing is one of the challenges that I encounter and sometimes, images are hard to exclude especially if I get attached to it. I do hope that this will be an opportunity for me to improve my editing skills.

As for the story, I first came to know about it when there was a call for volunteers to document the lives of families of desaparecidos. It was not so much about the issue that drew me but it was more of an opportunity to make a difference on these people's lives and expressing it through a medium that I'm comfortable with, Photography. When the family representatives started to tell their stories, I was particularly drawn with the harrowing experience of Cris Hizarsa, on losing her husband and how they are coping with the loss of Abner.

I lost my father too but this was through natural causes, a cardiac arrest while he was in India. It is difficult to lose a loved one. For me, my relationship with my father is not really that close. Once he was gone, I realized that I will never have the opportunity to know him better. Now, what if you lost a father through unnatural means? Through a kidnapping that you just don't get to know if he is still alive? Or have any news? That would be more tragic.

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

estan — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 05:19:03 -0000

Panos, thank you for your comment. As one who is just starting out with documentary photography, I find your constructive criticism very important in developing my stories. As you have noticed, the editing can still be tightened and I agree that there are some repetitious images here. I guess, I still have to learn to be more of a thinking photographer especially on choosing what goes into the final edit. And I just hope that this opportunity of being a finalist in this contest will open the doors for me in doing better photo documentaries in the future. The Philippines is a fascinating country and it has so many beautiful and tragic stories that needs to be told beyond the usual corruption and poverty issues.

About the work, first, I came to know about it during a call for volunteers to document the lives of families of desaparecidos in the Philippines. It's not so much about the issue that drew me into joining but I saw it as an opportunity to do something for these people who lost a loved one and doing what I am confident at, through photography. When the family representatives started to tell their story, I was very much touched with the plight of Cris Hizarsa, to what happened to her husband and how her family is coping and hoping that one day, he will be with them again.

I lost my father too but that was through natural causes. A cardiac arrest while he was in India. Losing a loved one is painful. I'm not so close with my father but once he was gone, I realized that the opportunity of knowing him better is lost forever. Now, what if you lost a father through unnatural means? Through a political kidnapping that you don't get to know if he is still alive? That would be doubly painful.

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

ley — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 00:46:22 -0000

Nice! Nice Estan! where's the vote button? :-)

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

Catalina — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:38:02 -0000

In Argentina we are saddly familiarized witht his situation and your essay is a touching portrait of what over 30.000 families have been through in our country.

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

panosskoulidas — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:24:14 -0000

STANLEY.. bravo, you touched a very important...
subject... you are brave and sensitive....
but i had to read the story to get it.... Tighter , tighter edit my friend...
you are close but again, i see lots of repetition here , 2 or 3 photos
that tells the "same" story... but not the whole story...
You also need to detach yourself from your own photos....
Although "emphasis" is important to wake up the numb consciousness,
... repetition is not... again you are up to something but not quite yet!
Question to you too:.. Why this subject was so important to you...
How do you mirror yourself in this essay? or is this clear PJ ( photojournalistic ) work?

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

cyril — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:25:21 -0000

well done bai stan...

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

sanvalente — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 06:28:23 -0000

the message has to be send.... well done bai...

Re: Coping with a Desaparecido by Stanley Cabigas

Farl — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 04:51:12 -0000

gritty, insightful and sensitive. well done bai estan!