One of the photos of Ian that make his mother’s eyes glow with joy, contentment, and peace.

Hovering low over Navotas on board a four-seater helicopter piloted by Capt. Alan Agahan, Ian Po exclaimed, “I want the blue boat, the blue boat, the blue boat.” He repeated, “I want the blue boat, the blue boat, the blue boat.”

“Make a turn, Capt.” commanded John Chua of Adphoto who was seated behind me and beside Ian. “Lower. Be careful of the electric lines. Turn slowly, slowly.”

“The blue boat, the blue boat.”  Again, Ian shouted with suppressed excitement. Perhaps he saw the blue boat again. He clicked and clicked his Canon Powershot G10 although not with an automatic reflex action from John Chua’s prodding. For six times our chopper circled the area for Ian to capture more angles of the blue boat. 

The less than one hour aerial photography with Ian thrilled me to the bones. I would have regretted again if I happened to have a scheduled final exam at PWU with this second invitation from John Chua.

As John viewed Ian’s shots on Mac screen, we were behind him, including Ian’s Malaysian mother, her face beaming with joy.  Are these Ian’s shots?  His lines do not show distortions, surprisingly observing the rule or thirds especially his horizons. Most compositions show accent.  His colors blend. The elements in the frame display contrast in sizes, tones and shapes. I am sure he is not concerned with these tips in photography.  He just shoots with his heart. His eyes. His instinct.  I emphasize these tips to my photography students at PWU (Philippine Women's University) and FPPF (Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation). Ian has never attended any photography seminar except perhaps the personal tips shared on the spot by John Chua to his autistic protégé. I even doubt if there are such tips.     

Ian Po was born with autism, a condition where patients are deeply absorbed in subjective  mental thoughts without much processing (fantasies, daydreams and hallucinations). His condition is often accompanied with seizures, so his mother (or a male alalay) is always by his side physically to prevent bad fall or to administer necessary emergency pills.

A couple of years ago, John Chua went to the bay side at CCP to rent a yacht to shoot a conceived presentation of a product. There he met Ian’s .mother who resides with her son in their yacht.  Seeing the Canon cameras hanging on John’s neck, she requested John to meet her son, for she was probably thinking that Ian might develop an interest in photography which could be therapeutic for him.

 Ian and his pictures have occasionally  graced  local dailies, some of them spread on the front pages. Not only has Ian found a new interest, but also his mother who now enjoys shooting with Ian. Even before the gate was opened to the public, John took Ian to the Manila Zoo on his first shooting spree after Ian received a brand-new camera from his father. He met Maala, John’s pet elephant and captured her in charming poses. He also pictured all the other animals in the zoo especially the amphibians.  Yes, even some green algae growing on a plank. Asked why he pictured it, he gave me a curt answer, “I like.” I was suggesting for him to shoot a red flower, and he simply uttered, “Nah.” His ambience revolves around the area of the yacht club where he lives with his mother. He pilots a small dinghy around the CCP waters.  Twice he bragged that he would buy a generator that could run household appliances including an air conditioner unlike what his brother bought.

At the light aircraft hangar as we waited for our pilot to arrive, he simply went around the area and clicked and clicked his camera to capture the parked light planes or the crew doing some routine. Taken aground or up in the air, Ian’s pictures are good.  Some glass reflections are registered in a few  compositions.  But then, the pictures simply tell a story that they are taken on board a plane a thousand feet above the ground.      

The pictures of Ian make his mother’s eyes glow with joy, contentment, peace.  Somehow her   autistic child, looking hefty at 27 years, has discovered a therapeutic activity through John Chua who is not only passionate with his art but also passionate in helping others acquire the same passion.  Bonding between Ian and his mother is becoming stronger and stronger each day. They go out together, shoot together, view their pictures together, laugh together. Seizures are less, sumpong very seldom.  

Landing on the ground, Ian embraced his father very tightly.  Mr. Po patted his back. All words expressed sans sound.