Digital technology slowly kills the livelihood of street photo ID photographers in Tacloban City says veteran photographer

Veteran Photographer Romualdo Ramirez, sits along sidewalks of downtown Tacloban waiting for his clients.
(photo by: lottie salarda)

Tacloban City – Early in the morning, a group of young and old street ID photographers gathered and waited patiently in Zamora Street in downtown Tacloban to encourage the by-passers to have their photo ID.

One of them is the veteran photographer Romualdo Ramirez, 62-year-old a resident of Cogon San Jose District in this City. He was 17 years old then when he learns that he has a talent on photography. He graduated only his elementary grade. He pursued his passion in photography although he wasn’t able to acquire a formal education in this field. Through reading magazines about photography, he learned the techniques and the art of taking beautiful pictures.

On 1978 to 1986, he worked at Ram’s studio in Manila until he was pirated to work in Saudi Arabia in the same field. He works at Albustan Damamm studio in Saudi Arabia for 8 years. Through this job, he was able to send all his children to College and made them all graduate.

Martinez is a proud father of 5, who graduated BS Criminology, Mass Communication, Computer Science, Electronic Engineering and Information Technology.

After his 8 years in Saudi, he returned to Manila and worked as a freelance photographer. Later on, he decided to stay in Tacloban City together with his family until his wife died. All his children have their own families now except her daughter and her grandchild who is living with him.

His daughter wasn’t capable of working so he being the grandfather, he sends her grandchild to school who graduated high school this year.

From Monday to Sunday he goes to his permanent place in downtown sidewalks asking almost every passer-by to have their photo ID together with other individual of young and old street photographers.

“Kelangan kong kumita para sa araw araw namin ng anak ko at apo ko lalo na magka-college na siya ngayon,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez first camera was stolen, the second was taken by typhoon Yolanda and now his Nikon D3100 which he considered as his best partner was bought earlier after the typhoon from the proceeds of the sale of his property.

“Matagal na ako dito sa trabahong ito, 46 years na. Hindi ko ito libangan kundi ito ang aking pinagkakakitaan. Saka kahit anong pasukin kong negosyo o trabaho hindi ako nagtatagumpay, ewan ko ba bumabalik pa rin talaga ako dito,” said Ramirez.

With the advent of digital technology, Ramirez said that it affects their means of livelihood so much, that he can say that about 70% of their customers were gone because of this.

“Naku! Ang laki ng epekto sa amin, masasabi kong halos 70% ng mga customer namin ay nawala. Kasi ngayon kung meron ka lang cell phone na may camera pwede kanang mag picture. Tapos pwede nang i-deretso sa printing shop. Sa mga birthday parties wala nang nag-hire ng photographers kasi mabilis nalang ngayon mag picture at ilagay sa computer. Wala nan gang photo album ngayon,” Ramirez added.

As of this day, street photo ID photographers like Ramirez experience on the absence of those who wanted to take their photo ID. “Madalas sa isang lingo, dalawang araw ang walang kita. Swerte na kung magka 200 kami sa isang araw.”

They agreed to collect 120 pesos for 6 pieces of 2x2 ID pictures for non-students while 100 pesos for students.

He was obliged to work despite his age because of two reasons: one; because he needs to support the needs of his family and second is he needs to send his grandchild to school.

Despite the challenges he faced with the advent of digital technology, Ramirez remained determined until his last breath to take pictures of people who still believed in photo that is printed which they can keep and cherish the memories forever. ###