Photography group visits Pampanga (Sun.Star, Monday, November 26, 2007)

Photography group visits Pampanga
By Ian Ocampo Flora

ANGELES CITY -- It was in 2006 when US-based Victor Ancheta, along with another Filipino photo enthusiast, set up an Internet site that hosted free photo posting for mostly Filipino photography enthusiasts drawing members who have peculiar penchants for religious art.

The group has visited Pampanga and its rich religious and cultural heritage.

The Flicker Group, an organization of photography enthusiasts from different parts of the country, recently visited the Center for Kapampangan Studies for a "real world encounter" of religious and cultural art.

"This group was initially a non-formal one. We all met in the Internet through their site where they provide free hosting of photos mostly of Santo's that we see in religious activities," Alex Castro said, adding that most of the organizers were surprised to discover that the members are mostly young individuals.

The site, which initially started as a venue for photographers, began hosting photos for its members who somehow had the same interests in religious art. These people bonded together for a real-life tour of their interest.

"These are diverse people; we have professional and amateur photographers. This is a sort of a real world experience for the group. The visiting group came from as far as Manila and Bulacan in the south and Baguio and Pangasinan in the north. In our experience, older people have interest in religious art but now we are amazed that such young people are into this," Castro said.

The visit dubbed as "Visita Pampanga" aimed to invigorate the awareness and interest of the young in culture, most especially in religious art and traditions. The groups have initially visited parts of Bulacan and Villa Escudero.

The Visita Pampanga included trips to the Archdiocesan Museum in San Fernando as well as the tour to the churches of Bacolor and Betis.

"We hope that through these activities we can renew the interest in culture as well as propagate and perpetuate it," Castro said, adding that the group is coming up with projects for religious enthusiasts who want to have their own Santo images.