Ilocos Norte 2.0 - Himala sa Buhangin by Night

Himala sa Buhangin is the culminating event of the La Virgen Milagrosa Festival in Ilocos Norte held this May. To cap off the event, they invited top musical artists in the country including Up Dharma Down and Wolfgang. We had the privilege to cover the event in the guise of "official lomographers" (hehe), as delegates of our local film photography group Shutter Revolution.

As part of the festivities, local belly dancers graced the event and even influenced the guests and the Governor herself to join in the dancing. Personalities like Carlos Celdran, the town mayors and even the councilors were invited to participate. It was a frenzy and not a bad one at that. In the middle of all those smiling faces and gyrating hips, the Ilocano's sense of community is as palpable as the cool air from the beach.

As the event came to a close, fire dancers took the stage and truly, the crowd's interest caught on fire reaching a crescendo as the fire dancers ran towards the art installations, lighting the torches lining the walkway and igniting the installations ala Burning Man Festival. The installations blazed as the skies are made bright by fireworks which lasted as long as the fire. 

Analogue Tips: 

• Flash, it's night after all. 
• Camera with exposure control
• Leave your slides at home, negs will do here. The lights are as beautiful even with color negatives. 

Ilocos Norte 1.0 - May Himala!

First week of May, I received a call from a friend connected with Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol inviting our local photography group, Shutter Revolution to send some delegates to cover the event, LO-FI style. To say I was ecstatic to join is an understatement. 

The event Himala sa Buhangin was the culmination of the week-long La Virjen Milagrosa Festival of Ilocos Norte. Himala is derived from that infamous line uttered by none other than Nora Aunor, "Walang Himala!" (There are no miracles!) which Ilocos Norte took as a battle cry yelling "May Himala"  (It's a miracle!) instead. 

The star of the event is a massive art installation, "Chrysalis," aptly named by its artist, Leeroy New. In science, chrysalis is that material covering the pupa of a butterfly. I can only guess at Leeroy's intention but I suppose this is in reference to Ilocos Norte as a budding tourism destination that as of now is still covered by its Chrysalis but by night time will be symbolically burned to signal its emergence as a full-pledged butterfly. However, seeing that the installation is such a magnificent work of art, they decided not to burn it and instead create another in its stead. Hence, the one above named Galleon. 

Overlooking the installation is the tent city composed of two VIP tents reminiscent of Moroccan nights complete with colorful mats, pillows and scented smoke from hookahs and a dozen or more tents that houses the food concessionaires. Faithful to the Moroccab vibe, there's even a camel and an elephant (?) out back for photo opportunities. haha.

One of the tents houses the murals depicting two of characters that are specially close to the heart of the Ilocano. First is a mural of Nora Aunor and her trademark pose when she uttered "walang himala" and the other is of Lam-Ang in the epic Biag ni Lam-Ang. The murals were made by the Gerilya Artists Collective. (There will be a separate post about this. haha) The murals were commisioned to be finished the day before but they were still painting Lam-Ang on the day of the event itself. I think this made the murals so much more interesting anyway. It was fun seeing the painters collaborate and flesh out the Ilocano hero right before your eyes. 

Himala sa Buhangin was held on the enormous expanse of the Paoay sand dunes, an adventure-nut's paradise. It is sprawling sand on all sides, some trees on one end and the roaring seawaves on the other end. Sand boarding is the activity of choice but there's also Zorb riding down the rolling dunes, 4x4 leisure driving and a host of other activities. 

On this day though, the event kicked off with some 4 x 4 racing and sand castle building on the seaside. The sand castles weren't visible from the tent city nor from the installation as it is a long aways but when we walked about a hundred meters towards the horizon, the sea opened up and there were the sand castles! Whew! We almost missed it. That one below that looked like Paoay Church snagged the first prize. 

The cool wind and the sea waves were a refreshing sight for someone who has been walking on the desert for quite some time. I couldn't resist the sea froth so I went ahead and dipped my feet. The waves get so high sometimes that they almost got me and my cameras, so a word of caution.

The excitement simmered down somewhat as the sun set so we went back to the VIP tents just in time for a late snack and the start of the concert. :)

Analogue Tips: 

• Any camera really.
• Slide filmsssss! They'll just love the sky, the clouds, the sand, the waves, everything! 
• All weather cameras are preferable to keep the sand off your lenses.

Sculpture Hunting 2.0 - Chrysalis up North

This May's sculpture hunt brought me all the way up North as part of the Shutter Revolution delegation, to see up close and personal Leeroy New's latest art installation located on the Paoay Sand Dunes of Ilocos Norte during the province's Himala Sa Buhangin Festival.  

Christened "Chrysalis", this installation by avant-garde artist sculptor Leeroy New was the star of the show. Made from 100% organic material, namely bamboo and abaca, the Chrysalis is reminiscent of the galleon which brought the patron saint la Virgen Milagrosa to the shores of Paoay. 

This event was rumored to be the Governor's idea herself and it was a great one, I must say. The original plan was to set the installation ablaze ala Burning Man Festival however, upon completion of the Chrysalis, they were too astounded by its beauty that they decided to create three additional bamboo installations, smaller but no less complicated, that will be set ablaze instead. They were the images of a half-submerged fisherman and his net and his upturned boat which was named Galleon. 

If you're anywhere near Ilocos Norte, on your way to Bangui Windmills or Boreador Lighthouse or perhaps enjoying the foodie havens in Vigan and strolling around Calle Crisologo, I suggest you drop by Paoay Sand Dunes and see it for yourself. You won't regret it anyway because there are a lot of acitvities that are open for visitors, such as sand boarding, Zorb Riding on the dunes or even 4 x 4 riding. Well if you're an adventurous nut like I am, I bet you're already bounding on your seat and planning your Northern getaway.  

Analogue Tips:

• Wide angle cameras to get that ultrawide view. :)
• Slide films for those awesome blue skies and texture filled sand
• All-weather camera for getting that priceless shot even while sand boarding

To view more of Leeroy New's art installations and works, check his site or his Facebook account.
To know more about Shutter Revolution, you may check their Tumblr, Facebook or their Projects.

Enjoy!

Enjoy!

Sculpture Hunting 1.0 - Nine Muses and Rajah Soliman in Diliman

Sculptures hold a certain allure for me. More so of human forms, of bodies undulating, of expressions set in stone. University of the Philippines Diliman is an Sculpture-lover's paradise. You'll find one in every corner, every building front and even hidden behind bushes. Some will surprise you with the artist that crafted them, some will enchant you. But mostly, all of them will make you appreciate the three-dimensional artform.

One such gem is the Nine Muses sculpture by none other than National Artist Napoleon Abueva which according to him represented the nine arts—architecture, music, painting, sculpture, literature, dance, painting, cinematography and computer arts. Nine Muses may be found in front of the UP Diliman Faculty Center beside Vargas Museum.

Just beside the Faculty Center is Vargas Museum, one of the largest museum in Quezon City. In front you'll find the sculpture of Rajah Soliman which was made by Anastacio Caedo in 1987. He is shown holding a kris in one hand and the other on his waist. 

Just to the left of Vargas Museum, you'll find an abstract sculpture. I can't find any information regarding the sculpture so please leave a comment below if you can contribute any. 

Analogue Tips: 

• Fisheye camera for the taking a picture of the Nine Muses right beneath it. 
• Ultra-wide camera so you can get close to the sculptures and still manage to get everything on the frame
• Camera with flash to combat the heavy shades inside the campus due to the trees 
• Slide films - because they look better in it, than in regular negs. :)

Disneyland Hong Kong--Shutter happiest

Fisheye 2 x Ektachrome 200

I find it ironic that I haven't even been to Enchanted Kingdom but I've been to Disneyland HK. This trip was a surprise and I didn't really think I'll make it because of passport issues but to say I was happy it did, is an understatement.

The day we were scheduled to go to Disneyland, I didn't know what to expect. I decided to bring almost all my cameras, intent on not missing a single shot. :P

Fisheye 2 x Ektachrome 200

While my folks were busy scouring the stores for souvenirs, I was busy clicking away on Main Street. On one of the shops, I found a collection of old cameras, even the large-format ones. It was enchanting. 

Fisheye 2 x Ektachrome 200

Fisheye 2 x Ektachrome 200

However, back then I only had my Vivitar UWS and Fisheye 2 so that's what I used. I'm hoping I can come back soon to try out my Sprocket Rocket or Black Bird Fly. 

Vivitar UWS x Eurocolor 200

And I'll probably bring a camera capable of zoom lens and has bulb setting or some kinda exposure control to take better pictures of the fireworks display. Check out my bumbling attempt below. Fisheye 2, about 30 seconds exposure, on top of my head. HAHA. 

Fisheye 2 x Ektachrome 200

Analogue Tips:

• Ultrawide angle lens or camera
• Fisheye camera for those extra wideness
• Camera with exposure control for those indoor shots, or bring a flash
• Camera with Bulbmode
• Slides, lots and lots of them! This place is just bursting with colors that you'd like to capture on contrasty films. 
• Lots and lots and lots of film! 

UP Diliman Sculpture Garden--Hidden, Not Forgotten

Bridge of Love by Abueva | BlackBird Fly TLR x Elitechrome 400

"Whoa! Sculpture garden? In UP Diliman?! Where is that?"

That's the standard reaction I get whenever I mention this area in Diliman. I've studied there for four years and the only reason I've noticed this is because I'm predisposed to staring outside when I ride the jeepneys in UP than, say, talk to my companions. haha. I'm also more interested in sculptures rather than paintings or drawings or any other forms of art. Something about sculptures or installations that captures my interest, must be because they are so lifelike? I don't know. 

The Blood Compact by Abueva | BlackBird Fly TLR x Elitechrome 400

You'll find a number of sculptures seemingly haphazardly placed here. One of which seems to be either a copy or the rough draft of "The Blood Compact" sculpture by National Artist Napoleon Abueva, who himself was an alumnus of the UP Diliman College of Fine Arts. The sculpture on the gate is called the "The Bridge of Love" done by Abueva as well. Come to think of it, there are a lot of Abueva sculptures in Diliman, I might just embark on an Abueva Sculpture-themed photowalk someday soon. 

You'll find this gem beside the College of Fine Arts Building with the gate to the Garden located near the Parking lot of CFA. As you enter UP Diliman Campus via the University Avenue, turn Right at the Checkpoint and about 250 meters down, you'll see CFA.

Analogue Tips:

• Cameras that can take square format pictures
• High ISO film because the tree shade will block most of the sun out, no matter what time of day. 

La Mesa Ecopark--Manila's Oasis

For a country-born lass like me, being in the city for too long makes me antsy. There are times I just want to see some lush greenery, to rest beneath the shade of a tree or hear birds chirping. Living in Manila, I have a few choices--one of which is La Mesa Ecopark.

Located in East Fairview, quite a long bus ride from Ortigas where I am nearest, the breathtaking view of towering trees and flowering shrubs, is well worth the ride. The Lopez Picnic grounds consists of over five hectares of picnic spots to  choose from. There is also a Boating lagoon similar to Baguio's Burnham park and for the adventure lover, there's the Petron Fitness and Mountain Bike Trail. There's also a Paintball Field somewhere there but for the life of me, I still haven't seen it. There's also a public swimming pool for those eager to beat the summer heat.

I've visited the Park twice and I've only been to the Picnic grounds and the Fitness trail, hence the sparse pictures. I should probably head there one day soon. Wanna come with?

Analogue Tips:

• Wide lens cameras for panoramic shots
• Macro lens if you wanna get upclose and personal with the flora
• Fisheye lens to get those spindly branches on a sphere :P 
• Films--ISO 200-400, because of the shade. If you're bringing cameras with no exposure control, that is. 
• All Weather camera - If you wanna shoot (paintball guns) and SHOOT (with your camera). 
• Underwater camera -  if you're heading for the swimming pools. :P

For more info, check their website.

Capones Island--That No-Slippers' Land

Fisheye 2 x Lucky Super 200

If you're visiting Anawangin or Nagsasa cove, best visit this island as well. Sitting atop its rocky shores is a lighthouse where you can get a view a of the surrounding islands and seascapes. Capones island is but a 45-minute boat ride from either Pundaquit or Anawangin Cove.

Fisheye 2 x Lucky Super 200

The boat ride to Capones island is quite rocky so best visit in the morning where the tides hasn't come in yet. The resident boatmen suggested so citing that when noon comes, the waves are bigger and more treacherous since the location of the island is considered open waters. 

Black Bird Fly TLR x Sensia 200

Once you get there, it won't be beach sand that will greet you but big rocks and some sand that is surely not for the flimsy-footed.  We've seen quite a number of torn footwear littering the rocky shores to conclude as such. Add to that, my own rubber slipper got torn. Haha. 

Trekking up the hill to the lighthouse is also another hurdle.  It might not look that high but add the sweltering heat of direct sunshine and you're up to a daunting task. However, the view on top is worth all the sweat. Whew! 

Fisheye 2 x Lucky Super 200

The Capones lighthouse is open to the public and anyone may climb up to the view deck. Climbing up the hill is one but going up the very lighthouse is another matter. The stairs are narrow and as metal spiral stairs go, they tend to wobble. Not for the faint-hearted indeed. However, when you get to the view deck, you're treated to a 360 degree view of the surrounding areas and I'm telling you, it's well worth the climb.

Analogue Tips:

• Bring light cameras. You wouldn't want a bulky SLR to weigh you down when you're climbing. :P
• Slide films. Bust out those 64ASAs and 100ASAs that you can't use on normal days coz they eat a lot of sunlight. Here, they're getting a lot of that. 
• Wide angle lens cameras for the view on top. :) 
• Fisheye camera for having your pics taken with the lighthouse while on the viewdeck. :P