The Heidelberg
Filed Under Personal Insights
My late grandfather owned a printing shop in Quiapo in the Philippines. It is now operated by my aunt and still going strong. I used to go there because I had a small printing business too. Although my aunt has already embraced modern technology a few years back, the old machines like the offsets and letterpresses are still operational and being utilized in some printing jobs.
Everything is black and huge; and makes clanking and whooshing sounds. You can smell oil, ink, and other chemicals and the large moving parts fascinated me. I would stare at one of the machines as it picks up a single sheet of paper, rollers rolled, inks imprinted, and then an arm would quickly but gently transfer the single printed paper into a neat stack next to it. The whole process would start again in just a matter of a few seconds.
Before my Philippine visit last December, I already have visualized the places I wanted to shoot and this was one of them. Unfortunately, I did not have much time so I only have a couple of handheld shots taken. I will definitely go back there when I get the opportunity.
I will post more photos soon.
