About the Photoshop workshop and the things we want to be

Taking the Photoshop workshop at CCF yesterday made me realize that there's a big difference between a photographer and a photo-artist. A photographer would want his or her photo to remain untouched. Thus, he or she would take the best care to not screw his shot up. A photo-artist, meanwhile, is confident about his or her photo editing skills, so a botched up shot does not matter. A little bit of Photoshop magic is all that bad shot needs.

I am a bit torn between the two. On the one hand, I want my shots to require as little photo editing as possible--or none at all. On the other hand, photo editing tickles the frustrated painter in me. I wanted to be a painter when I was in grade two. But my mother said it's not a good idea because painters earn too little to nothing. And I believed her. I shouldn't have, really. All my happiness rests in creativity--writing, photography, museum-hopping, cooking. Parents should really encourage their kids to explore things, no matter how seemingly senseless those things are.

So I was thinking...I would really be happy if in the future, my (future) kid would tell me he wants to be a Jesuit. I think that's one of the best things to be in the world. Only intelligent, strong, and faithful people are allowed to enter the Society. And it would be an honor to have a Jesuit in the family. I see Jesuits around Ateneo, and I like them a lot. I admire them a lot. They are great examples of true men in God.

Of course if my future kid wants to be an artist, an entrepreneur, a professor, or what-not, I'd be happy with that, too.