This video essay centres around the formation of Kolambugan, a lumber town established by an American businessman in the Philippines, and that takes its name from the tree species which grows prominently in the surrounding area. Shireen Seno incorporates archival photographs from the American Colonial Era (1898-1946) to explore the roots and growth of photography and capitalism in the Philippines. “There’s a tension to image-making that makes it so interesting – to keep moments of life with you, but in doing so, perhaps you also take something away from them. As a friend once said to me, it’s kind of like picking a flower: it’s beautiful and you want to take it, but you’re killing it at the same time. The camera enables us to straddle that fine line between life and death.” (Shireen Seno)