During our first few nights in the Philippines, we were parking to get dinner when we saw Jason (13 yo) and Billy Joe (12 yo) hustling outside our restaurant. For a few pesos (43 pesos to 1 USD), a “watch a car boy” will help guide you fit into a tight parking space and perform rudimentary security duties by checking up on your car while you go about your business.

When we first approached Jason and Billy Joe, Karen spoke to them in Cebuano, the predominant dialect of the Visayas region of the Philippines, and asked them if I could take their pictures. At first they flatly refused, and thought I was going to kidnap them. Karen convinced them I was just a curious Filipino American and didn’t understand a lick of Cebuano. They asked me a few questions to which I gave a puzzled look and told them I couldn’t understand and they laughed in return. Karen further broke the ice by buying them a couple Pepsis and they slowly opened up and let us photograph them hanging out and working.

Before we parted ways, we bought them a few chicken sticks and rice for their troubles. It was interesting to watch them work and a good reminder how fortunate our family is.

Jason and Billy Joe eating their rice dinner by hand.

Our kids are enjoying the first week of our month long vacation here in the Philippines. As photographer parents, Karen and I are furiously snapping away as our children are adjusting to their new environs for the next several weeks. Here are a few snippets of Amelie (5 yo) and Julien (2 yo).

Amelie asking Julien to find his belly button.

She’s a poser just like her daddy.

Julien getting snuggle-kiss-tickled by mom.

Julien is such an Apple fanboy.

Julien got a haircut right before his 2nd Birthday last Monday. Happy birthday, son.

And now for a different kind of post on a more personal level… Karen and I are spending the entire month of December in the Philippines to renew our vows for our 10 year wedding anniversary. Our super talented good friends Brandon and Katrina are shooting our wedding and we can’t be more excited. They took a few “engagement” photos of us back in May and they totally killed it (more from the session on their blog). We’ll be posting more personal updates while we’re on travel, so stay tuned friends!

New Shoot Like a NINJA Photo Workshop coming this Sunday January 22, 2012! We pre-announced the workshop earlier this week to those on the interest list and there now only have a few spots left for the workshop. Sign up now.

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