Hey, Jose! What are you up to today?
Just working and backing up photos on Flickr.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself? What do you do for a living? And
how did you get into photography?
I currently work as a project specialist for an Australian website and have
been for the past seven years. From hiring translators to making sure that
the design and translations of our site looks perfect in the languages that I
handle. Attention to detail is key in what I do.
Now, what started as something “fun” to do on vacations, my passion for
photography—street, specifically—quickly turned into a “full time” hobby
during the weekends. From the time I held a film camera that I bought in
Farmer’s [Market] when I was in high school, turned into a DSLR camera,
and—until I had enough money to buy one—a mirrorless camera with two
lenses that I lug around during my photowalks.
What made you start The Manila Project?
The “aha” moment happened during my first visit to Intramuros a
couple of years ago. Having grown up in the province, I didn’t really get
to experience the “real” Manila—not until I decided to relocate here after
studying and working in Cebu. Admittedly, I’m not really much of a
history buff before I started this project. It was more of like point and shoot
whatever I find interesting, then post it on Instagram. Back then, I only had
around 143 followers. I started to realize that I can turn this into a lifetime
project if I really commit myself to it.
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Jose Bautista, Opposite page:
Luneta Park, Manila, Previous
spread: Binondo, Manila