Easelyn Pineda was on a trip to Laiya Beach, a three-hour drive from her home in Quezon City, Philippines, last September when she captured a striking image of two local spearfishers working in deteriorating weather. The photo has been shortlisted in the motion category at the 2026 Sony World Photography Awards.
Pineda and her friends were exploring the beach in the late afternoon when the breeze picked up and a light rain shower began, turning the sky progressively gloomier. "This scene unfolded in front of me," she said. "Two young men from the local community were spearfishing right off the shore. It seemed like they were braving the weather to see if they could add some food to the table for the day."
She waded into the water with her phone to get closer, later making adjustments to ensure the fishers were not lost in silhouette. The rain and fading light, she noted, emphasised the challenging and labour-intensive nature of traditional spearfishing. "It made the subject's effort stand out even more," she added.
Reflecting on the experience, Pineda called it "a very humbling thing to witness and capture" and said it reminded her of the "enduring strength and resilience of the Filipino spirit." She was "thrilled to capture such unscripted authenticity, and even more than that, relieved that I got the shot without my phone ending up in the sea!"
