Filipinas: Cory

I photographed Mrs. Aquino in 2005 as part of my FILIPINAS series. She arrived early for the shoot, and had a bodyguard along with her carrying 2 sets of clothes. One set was cream, the other was yellow. Which really did not matter since they both translate into a whiter shade of grey in black and white, so I chose yellow of course.

The shoot went fairly quickly. I asked her what her life would've been like if she hadn't become President. Her answer, "well, what would my life have been like if they hadn't killed my husband?". Enough said. It was inevitable, the Presidency. She also mentioned that the last time she had been in a studio setting like that, it was as Time Magazine's Man of the Year.

The whole thing was done in fifteen minutes. I must have shot about five rolls. This is the photograph that ultimately made it to the show, and to the book. The book I am very proud off; the show I am very grateful to have assembled with DOR such a strong set of women to learn from and be inspired by.

As she was leaving, she stopped and turned around and said, ' doesn't your family own Pancake House?'. To which I say that a brother does, to which she says, 'they always run out of food in the Tarlac branch. I ate there last week with Japanese guests and they ran out of batter.'

So human, and so down to earth.

Goodbye Mrs. Aquino, thank you.