BIBICLAT, Philippines (AP) — Aaron Favila has worked for the Associated Press in the Philippines for 26 years, covering everything from politics to crime and sports to disasters and everyday people. He was at the Mudman Festival in Bibiclat in the northern Philippines for the first time since 2016, when he took this extraordinary photo. Here’s what he had to say about the shot.
Why this photo?
There are many religious festivals in the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines, and each one has its own character. The Mud People Festival, or “Taong Putik,” is unique and was worth revisiting, as we last covered it in 2016. We planned the logistics and looked at old photos to get a better idea of how the annual event is run.
I was looking for an interesting subject and this boy caught my attention because not many young people participate in the event. The custom has been going on for generations and the villagers told me that most of them started participating when their parents brought them. For most of them, it was both a religious and a nostalgic experience. Believers participate to pray for a favor or to give thanks.
I saw the boy’s father smear mud on his child’s face and then place the banana leaves over his body. The boy walked ahead of the father. I ran and followed them because I thought this would represent the story well – it shows the rural setting, the mud, the boy’s face (probably still half awake) and the banana leaves. All of these elements helped to make a good photo of the Mud People Festival that tells a story.
How I took this photo
We left our hotel around 3am. We met up with photographer friends who knew the area much better than I did. A local photography student led us to a field where water buffalo bathe under trees. Several photographers and vloggers also came to the area with LED and flashlights. This destroyed the natural atmosphere and I knew I had to break away from this group. I put a fixed lens (F1.2) on my camera because I knew it would be difficult with the lighting conditions.
This image was taken just after 5am and the sun was just coming up. I waited for the subjects to move away from the muddy patch to get a clearer picture. I walked several metres in front of the boy and selected an image where his feet were clearly visible and his face was partially obscured by banana leaves. When I looked into the viewfinder and framed the photo, I just knew that was it. My heart was racing and sweat was pouring down my face – that’s my barometer when I see a great image. I stared at the subject until I chose the right frame.
Why this photo works
The scene looked like a movie set. The lighting was also surreal. The image was shot in almost full frame with a 50mm prime lens. I am grateful for the Sony A1’s autofocus as it tracked the subject closely and allowed me to shoot off-center using the rule of thirds. The shallow depth of field of the F1.2 also helped isolate the subject from the other participants and the background, allowing viewers to focus on the mud-covered boy and the banana leaves. The lines formed by the paths drew the viewer’s eye to the other participants and the surroundings.
On the ground, I always try to stand out from the crowd – capture a unique moment that tells the story. I knew this day was going to be difficult because I expected to take a lot of pictures, but this one stood out. A good photo should be easy to digest, but still leave the viewer with questions. Emotion plays a big role in images. The eyes help tell how your subject was feeling in that moment. In this image, the boy seems lost, wondering what he’s doing – or just walking around half awake. The blue flip flops and shirt provide a good contrast.
Light, subject, eyes, color and atmosphere all play an important role in creating a good photograph that tells a story. With luck, it all comes together to create an aesthetically pleasing frozen reality. An image that makes you stop and reflect on life and appreciate it.
___
You can find more extraordinary AP photos here: Here.
