What is so exciting and unique about the art of photography? With brain and hands, photography seizes the moment, captures a fragment of eternity, and preserves it forever. We immortalize beautiful sceneries and memories.
Batanes, northernmost and smallest province in Philippines, declared a World Heritage site by Unesco, remains pristine and unchanged. A great place to experience nature at its best, to engage in spiritual bonding with friends, and certainly, to photograph the best moments of our lives.
This year we go back again on February 24-27; March 9-12 (sold) and 24-27; April 6-9 and 6-11 for those flying to stay overnight in Itbayat; April 27-30 (sold) or 27-May 2 (with Itbayat); May 4-7, 11-14, and 25-28, 2012.
I have conducted my photo workshop in Batanes since 2006, where participants hone their skills in portraiture, fashion, architecture, naturescape, macro and jumpology. All shoots have breathtaking panoramic backgrounds, velvet green grass, and gentle farm animals. There’s the deep blue sea, lighthouses, falowa boats and the iconic stone houses.
Bonded
What is beautiful about this photo safari are that participants come together with a common bond, which is love for photography and travel. They are from different ages and professions but by the end of the tour, they have bonded like friends from long ago.
You learn photography hands on, by doing. The best and finest in you will bloom in the short time we are together with kindred souls.
Participants bring a wide angle lens, lot of patience, and perseverance to succeed. Also bring a long lens for portraiture shoots. I require them to bring colorful shirts, scarves and props, or their fantasy outfits for their portraiture. It is an experience of a lifetime.
Our Batanes Photo Safari is where you learn the secret of great photography—lighting coupled with passion, creativity, and technique. When you have merged creativity and technique, you can say you have arrived as a photographer.
I would add that a good photograph does not happen by chance. You prepare for everything—background, setting, composition, colors, shapes, texture, etc. With proper lighting you get the right volume of your picture.
The camera is a slave; it is your brain that takes the picture. However, it helps to have an expensive camera and lens for an expensive looking output. But a true photographer can make do even with a pocket digital camera. As Tourism Secretary Mon Jimenez would say: It’s more fun in the Philippines.
Call Mandy Navasero at 0915-5430482 or 8963208; e-mail luzamandolina@yahoo.com; visit https://mandy-navasero.blogspot.com.