Xyza Cruz Bacani spent two weeks looking for people to shoot in Makati City.

“As in buong Makati,” the photographer exclaimed in an exclusive interview with Inquirer Lifestyle.

Bacani didn’t mind the heat, rains and possible dangers to complete her mission—a photo exhibit that recalls the “Humans of New York” blog and, later, the book by Brandon Stanton that chronicles the lives and thoughts of the city’s natives through photographs.

Dubbed “Humans of Makati,” Bacani’s exhibit recently completed its two-week run at the Ayala Triangle Gardens. It was commissioned by Ayala Land Inc. and is considered the signature campaign of its “Make It Makati” project.

But first, Bacani, a natural-born Filipino, had to go to Hong Kong and work as a domestic helper for 10 years before realizing she could use a camera to tell stories.

Initially, her photographic narratives were about fellow workers who suffered abuse at the hands of their employers.

Different moods

Although “Humans of Makati” is her first exhibit in the country, Bacani is now regarded as one of Manila’s premier street photographers.

She has been featured in the New York Times’ Lens Blog. Many international media companies like CNN and the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) have already taken notice.

Bacani had no requirements when she scouted for subjects for the Makati project. “Different moods” were all she needed.

She noted, however, that the most interesting people were the ones whom she shot at night.

“Personalities change when night falls. Walang mask, mas totoo, mas prangka. Mas maganda ang kuwento, mood and lighting,” said Bacani, a former nursing student of St. Mary’s University in Nueva Vizcaya.

Makati’s locals are approachable, she noted. “You talk to them first, make them like you. Except that some are really busy,” Bacani added.

Her 80 subjects were eventually trimmed to 32. Blown-up photos of the edited list were featured in huge panels that lined the open area of the Ayala Triangle Gardens.

“I didn’t want the exhibit to be at Ayala Museum. It’s better to make it public, better if everyone will see the images in an accessible place,” she said before looking up to see rain clouds forming above the city.

“Huwag kang umulan, utang na loob, please,” Bacani whispered to the heavens.

Cauldron of characters

As expected, the demographics in Bacani’s work reflected the cauldron of characters coexisting in the city.

Mariana Zobel de Ayala, who works in Ayala Land Corp., is a scion of the family that developed Makati’s business district. Then there’s Felipe Lorica, a security guard assigned to Tower One that houses the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Warren Tait, vice president for culture of the call center Telus International, rides a Harley Davidson and makes heads turns with his tattoos.

Sid Maderazo is a commercial director, while the couple Thea de Rivera and Gab Bustos uprooted themselves from the cozy confines of BF Homes and put up a new restaurant in Makati.

De Rivera, in an e-mail interview, said they never planned to leave Parañaque where their previous restaurant “The Girl and The Bull” left a huge hole in the dining circuit.

“We’ve heard many great things about Makati, but it was only when we got to know its culture and lifestyle deeper that we saw how perfect our restaurants fit in,” she explained.

De Vera noted that the market in Makati is different. “A lot tougher and a lot more diverse,” she said.

Gritty, difficult

Security guard Lorica takes pride in having worked in the city since 1999. From a rental in Pembo district, the husband and father of two saved enough for a car and is now paying for a house in Cavite.

He said he enjoys working in Makati because “people follow rules and regulations.”

Maderazo was not exactly walking around the city when Bacani photographed him. Rather, Bacani met Maderazo in his office, Central Digital Lab, she made him pose inside the film room.

He said Bacani captured how “directing can be a gritty, oftentimes difficult profession.”

Bacani noted that the project marked the first time she has shot in color. “It’s very, very interesting for me. I said to myself, ‘Challenge accepted!’”

She said one lesson learned from the entire experience is that “we are all the same. We are all human beings with the same dreams, hopes and fears. We’re all fighting different battles in the same wars.”