Photo Walk Photo Talk, Ifugao

March 11, 2011 - Foggy morning on the main view deck of rice terraces in Banaue, Ifugao.  Farmers started planting rice on the amazing handmaid terraces. By summer, empty slots will be filled with yellows and greens for a picture perfect wonder.

Photo: Ronaldo Santiago

KIANGAN, Lagawe and Banaue Ifugao are destinations for the two day PhotoWalk PhotoTalk with Sherma Godoy.   This photo walk is my first out of town 1 on 1 digital photography tutorials.  I haven't been in Ifugao and even I have been there I will say yes.  I said yes to Ms. Sherma, packed my gears and took an eight hour bus ride adventure...

One Foggy Morning.  A view of Ibulao river from a lodging house up a on a hill in Kiangan, Ifugao.

Photo: Ronaldo Santiago 

At the attic of the lodging house.

March 10, 2011, 5:15am, finally arrived in Lagawe, Ifugao where Ms. Sherma live.  Her husband, Mr. Ronald took me to a three minute tricycle ride to a lodging house in a nearby town, Kiangan.  

   It's was early in the morning, so it is really dark on the road. I was observing. All I clearly see is the road lit by the tricycle's head light.  Other than the smell of smoke from the muffler, you can smell nature you can feel the morning dew. Motor sound and a few chat with Mr. Ronald strikes in the ear. I heard the trees shook because of the blow of the wind. We passed through a bridge, and I heard water flows. It's a river, 99%. The sound river flows endlessly until we arrived at the lodging house, 500 meters away.  My room is up on the peak of the hill and overlooking darkness.  I still hear the river flows. Intriguing.

     Until the break of dawn.  I took pictures. Actually, I was excited, the picture of the river revealed, but it was not the right time though.  I mounted my camera on my tiny tripod and took phases of the morning. It was foggy that time. The breeze was cool just like the light temperature.  I  tried tweaking white balance to get what I wanted. 

   Exactly, sun risen at 6:15am, I decided it is my last shot of a amazing foggy morning view of Ibulao river, rice fields and mountains. And clouds too. I slept.

PhotoWalk PhotoTalk Begins

Earlier, I was told by Ms. Sherma that we will be expecting cloudy weather and few drizzles in Ifugao.  

   It was not the best time to photograph because we cant bring out the color of the scene, specially on cloudy and foggy times. 

  

Sun Shines - Still cloudy but a clearer view of a Kiangan over looking scene at 8:25am

Photo: Ronaldo Santiago 

Ibulao river flows endlessly.  Photo: Ronaldo Santiago

Mr. Ronald Godoy poses on Ibulao river.  Photo Ronaldo Santiago

 

 

Err.. Shutter Problem!

THE last time I clicked on my Nikon D300, it created two exposures. Image left, shows a shutter malfunction and at the LCD shows ERR for error  every time I press the shutter release button. Most of the time it wont click or lucky, if you have three successful frames before error occur. A have a friend encountered the same error but on a different Nikon body, Nikon D60. It happens with the D3 and Canon DLSRs. It is a shutter actuation game over even my cam just shot 25k.  I've browsed the internet to find solution to this dilemma. And I'm searching for the cheapest. 

   Let's face it! Nikon service center will charge you Php9k up to get the shutter run good. Man, that's tight. The last time I brought my Nikon F SLR (a film camera) and make Nikon replace its shutter, it cost me Php4,500 for each shutter, and that was in 2003. Some friends from photography forums suggested Mang Ady Balce.  In my search, Mang Ady never advertise himself, people recommend him through word of mouth or blogs. Google his name and you'll see everything about him.

Shutter and mirror didn't synchronized. 

22 years in service

Mang Ady is a camera and lens technician, repairman, handyman... name it! He's the MacGyver of cameras. He is fixing cameras for 22 years and counting. Mang Ady woked with Fuji Film Quiapo and now working solo.  I had my fingers crossed and let him fix my precious D300.  I told him "do whatever you can to save my cam or else it will I'll make it paper weight". To make it short, I brought it Wednesday got it Saturday and payed Php2,500. You can even have a chance to chit chat with him and other photographers who come and see Mang Ady to have their gears fixed.

Get in Touch

He usually do business in in Trinoma every Wednesday and Saturday, 5pm to 6pm or call him; 09179394487.

Caphai Profilers

Zi Pintes - Vocalist and hairstylist.

FEW steps to home, I hangout with some friends, and took some street portraits for their Facebook profiles.  These homies had fun posing in the streets of a nearby computer shop.

Ping Zoleta

Gumey Cern

Gibson Matias

Mhark Aguila

Kiong Hee Huat Chai

Enter the Dragon - Dragon dance for a prosperous 2011performed during the Chinese new year celebration in Chinatown, Manila, Philippines.  Photo: Ronaldo Santiago 

Drum beats, cymbal clangs and loud firecrackers leads you to dragon dance. Crowd gathers to witness the Chinese traditional dance. Dragons are believed to bring good luck as well as the rabbit which is the fourth sign of the Chinese Zodiac.

Check out some street photography of the February 3, 2011, Chinese new year in Chinatown, Manila.

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Dragon dancers performed on the streets of Chinatown in Manila.

  

Tagaytay Bulalo

Bulalo Point's Bulalo - Basically, it is served hot with vegetables, not Tagaytay's finest but budget friendly. Got this for Php299.  Photography: Ronaldo Santiago

Bulalo ( Beef bone marrow soup) is cooked in different ways. Every restaurants, canteens and households have their own versions of the dish.  But, why most people say "Bulalo is best in Tagaytay?" They would even suggest best restaurants and canteens that serve bulalo affordable.  That's crazy!  I can make my wife cook bulalo and bring it to Tagaytay and toss hard liquor with some friends in a park. That's economic and fun for me. You guys may have more interesting gigs in mind. Share.
  January 2011, I road tripped with some friends to Tagaytay to take pictures, unwind, feel the cool breeze and eat hot bulalo.  It was an amazing experience. I guess it is more than what they mix in the dish, it is more on having quality time with your family and friends.
  In these trips, we are looking not the cheapest or delicious bulalo. We are looking for the restaurant or canteen that serve what we want in terms of our budget, the warmth of place, and specially the food. I am not a food critique, I go with the budget.  We have Php1,500 to spend and we checked out Leslie's bulalo, Bulalo Point and M and M Bulaluhan. These restaurants have different class or market, but in some ways each have fair critique. let's see.


First Stop. January 8, 2011, we arrived at Tagaytay at around 7p.m. We are looking for a carinredia style bulaluhan.  My friend Aeron suggested M and M Bulaluhan.  We got our bulalo for Php299. (I guess:D) We had additional pork sisig, and pancit. I all cost for about Php800. Not bad.

It was windy and freezing cold that night. We decided to have a little liquor to kill the cold We brought some gin and juice and paid extra Php100 for our one hour drinking session. Yes. You can only rent a table for Php100 per hour and bring food and drinks.  I knew it, we should have brought our own bulalo.
  This place is cool for people who have a tight budget and want to experience a Tagaytay getaway.

We're back. It's my wife's birthday celebration and together with us are her officemates. We went to Tagaytay last January 22, 2011.  We headed to Leslie's restaurant, one of the famous bulalo restaurant in Tagaytay.  It's a nice place to bring birthday celebrants, tourists and balik-bayans. You can see a panoramic view of the Taal Volcano while having your meal and photo opportunity with your love ones and friends.

Time to check the price.  It's a Php599 for a bulalo served with veggies, corn etc. It's a big bowl for five to seven person, but not in the budget.  We want to have a taste of at least five dishes in the menu. Maybe next time Leslie. But two thumbs up for you!

Get to the Point.  We got back to the road and continued our search for the restaurant that serves bulalo with an affordable budget.  A few meters from Leslie's is Bulalo Point and right in front of their parking lot say's "Bulalo for Php299 only".  This is the spot!
  For almost Php1,500 we got 1 Nilagang Bulalo, 1 Sinigang na Bulalo, fried tawilis, 1 crunchy pork sisig that cost for about Php160, boiled kang kong with tomatoes, chopsuey, rice for five persons and drinks. We're belly full after the meal.
  Try and experience Tagaytay and it's bulalo while still in the cold months. The cool breeze and quality time with family and friends are the main ingredient.


Cheers!