on Sail Boats, Beaches and Panoramas

It has been awhile...

I have been planning to write a blog for weeks now and yet I haven't had the inspiration to actually start writing; until now.

I finished stitching up some panoramas from a recent trip the island of Boracay. These photos were taken during our island hopping trip via sail boat or known locally as Paraw. While the weather during the trip was sketchy, there were times that we had clear blue skies. It was my idea to ride a Paraw instead of the regular boat with an outboard motor. It was fun, sometimes harrowing because of the wind and waves, and a very unique way to explore the island.

Here are the panoramas I took during the trip.

Station 1 Boracay

Station 1 was our jump off point. We were picked up by the boat there. It was around 6Am when I took this photo and in the distance the clouds were looking very ominous.

Magic Island

Magic Island is a small island not far from the main island. The trip to the island was a bit scary because we were facing the huge waves. There were times when one side of the boat would get lifted up to about 10 feet or get swallowed by waves. It was like a roller coaster ride of sorts; one that lasted about 30 minutes.

Puka Beach

The last photo was taken from Puka Beach at the tip of the main island. The scenery made the trip worthwhile. The sand was powder white, the breeze was cool and the waters were crystal clear. I could imagine myself staying in the beach, with a book and a nice milk shake. I promised myself that when I return to Boracay, I will spend a day there.

I only had a short stay in Boracay and only got to shoot a few times mainly because of the weather. I plan on returning probably in a year or so just to explore more of the island. I hope the next time I will be blessed by good weather.

PS: All photos were taken with my  Nikon D7000 and stitches in photoshop CS6.

Where Butterflies Hang Out

I am at home out in the grassy areas as I am in the street. Yes, wildlife and nature photography is a passion that is second only to street photography for me. I find it fun to shoot insects, birds and whatever wildlife I come across; even in the urban jungle. But my favorite spot to look for creatures is just across the street from our house. You’d find a host of insects like butterflies, beetles and dragonflies there as well as spiders and bugs. I really enjoy shooting these critters.

But this set is about a place for butterfly lovers, Davao City’s Butterfly Sanctuary. I know for the wildlife photography purists this is tantamount to cheating. But trust me, it isn’t that easy to capture great shots of butterflies when there are is a horde of people scaring them away. And just a sneak peak, my next butterfly set will come again from that patch of greenery in front of our house.

The Pearl of the South

“Trust me, it's paradise. This is where the hungry come to feed. For mine is a generation that circles the globe and searches for something we haven't tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, you know what? It's probably worth it.” – Leonardo DiCaprio (The Beach, 2000)

The beach is one of those places that I will never be sad. The waves keep my spirit calm, and the wind keeps me cool. It is for me, a sanctuary; a place where I can find peace. Nothing ever bothers me when I’m walking along the shore or when I am sitting and watching the sunset.

And this is one of the best beaches here in my hometown; this is the Pearl Farm Beach Resort. Only forty-five minutes from Davao by boat, this is a very accessible island getaway. What you pay for here is money well spent. How I wish I could afford to go there every weekend; that way I won’t ever be stressed out.

I hope that I’ll take more trips to the beach this summer and that I can take more photos to share with you guys. Enjoy the rest of the summer!