On the problem at hand, I wonder if the accidental is not also cultural, instilled in some insinuous way (to become with catholic upbringing)? I instantly thought of 2 filipino “working class” families I know here, in San Francisco. Not especially financially challenged, but no “higher education”.

Both had daughters who got pregnant at about 17, . The concern from both parents gave quickly way to expectation of the grand child. While vaguely hoping the kids can complete their schooling.

In one of these families, the other child, the son had a child at 18, the mother being younger. He splits his time between the US (where he flips burgers, having quit school) and the phillipines where mother and child live.

The main of my argument is that the pregnancies have been easily accepted by the families, nothing to commiserate upon, and certainly not a misfortune even though it derails the children schooling, which is at best wished, but not on the table anymore.

It may correlate with teen pregnancy in the P.

Something has to be done . Not just for the health and well being of the young mothers and their children , but for the country . How can The Philippines support and care for 142 million people ?

Please continue to tell this and other stories , both in words and in pictures. Do not be discouraged , your work is worth viewing and I for one will continue to follow your essays .

Thank you .

a very solid start to a piece that could be global in it’s universality (if pursued in the long-long-term)… would be excellent to see as many different stages (and angles) as possible, childbirth especially comes to mind and there is a definite potential for many other empathy-building images within this story to make it a memorable investigation.

Cheers
Seth

Here in NZ we have the third highest rate of teen pregnancies in the developed world. Yet there is ample sex information out there and no church pressure regarding contraception etc. Why? I don’t think anyone seems to know..

I wonder if there are many out there, who like me, intend to submit to EPF but are holding back until the deadline…

Personally, I’m driving myself nuttier editing and sequencing for the submission. In fact after reading the comments about the type of photographer (strong, clear subject vs ‘invent’ the concept), I’m seriously rethinking what I want to send in. Further, I’ll admit Panos’ thoughts about subjects like Lisa’s ‘Teenage Pregnancy’ are causing me to pause and actually reconsider my whole outlook on the pictures I take (”Africa” being a big theme).

BURN keeps me thinking, inspiring me to try new ideas…that’s for sure.

Doug

Best, audrey

you have certainly done an amazing job of fielding all the feedback here!!! you are a class act my dear, class act….well, you told me you wanted it, and you certainly got it!!…i was going to close your essay to comments actually (as we will do for essays in the future), but i could not figure out how to do it , and Anton was flying to Tokyo…i want comments of course, but i think it best if they all come under Dialogue , so your essay can stay “up” on the front longer without the conversation drifting away to Aunt Sara’s birthday cake…know what i mean???

now you have brought up a very interesting thing..funding…very few people seem to be aware of the Emerging Photographer Fund grant….you would imagine many would seek the 10K grant..and they would..they just do not know about it…maybe even you?? i mean, it is right here…when i was ready to publish Mike Brown the other day, he said he knew nothing of it even though he read Burn pretty regularly…anyway, i am not a juror…so it is quite legit for me to say to you…apply!!

since there is an overall lack of awareness on this EPF grant, i may extend the deadline by two weeks..i am just not the “banner ad” type, but i have worked hard to make sure there was funding for a worthy photographer, so it would be a shame from my viewpoint to have someone who deserved funding who somehow did not know of this fund…oh yes, and in your case, there is also the Inge Morath grant for women, that Magnum photographers give in June…apply, apply…the Aftermath Fund, W.Eugene Smith grant, the Alicia Patterson grant , all are very good funding sources as well…

cheers, david

Best wishes,

Mike.

Part of me thought I should hold back the images until the project is completely finished but I realized I needed help and Burn has enabled me to display this project in its infancy and learn from the constructive comments made by so many of you. They are invaluable!

I am currently trying to obtain funds to continue this project. But its so so tough…….I just hope something comes through so I can give this my full attention. If anyone knows of any avenues to obtain funds, please let me know. Again thank you all so much I have been truly inspired by many of you.

In fact I’ve had to stop twice in writing this small critique in order to comfort a crying kicking baby who is hungry. I came home from briefly working at the studio and my wife was nearly at her wit’s end as she was out of milk, the baby wanted to keep eating, and wouldn’t settle.

So I hope Lisa takes the piece a bit further. I would actually say it needs more pj and less art.

Okay, now I gotta go change a diaper….

Important, important work… these kids having kids for all sorts of reasons is just really another example of the non-sustainability of the way we are living now. I don’t know who wrote it but really if this stuff is not published we would not even think outside our own little worlds. THINK people, if Lisa had not photographed this then would we even be discussing critical over-population?

This because of catholic dogma as well…

To me this is a fantastic example of the beginning of a long term story and one which Lisa is absolutely perfectly suited to do, for her compassion and talent as a photographer.

I would never be as arrogant to think that there is much that I could offer in terms of critique except to say, Lisa you just go for it- its great work on every level!

PANOS- Pull your head in brother, sometimes I even shut the f*** up and learn!