#95 Sunset in Seloton

www.PostcardsFromManila.com

www.PostcardsFromManila.com

And where did you say you took that picture? Here. Where? Right here. Here? Where here?

We were on the northern banks of Lake Seloton in the town of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato. Lake Seloton is a sunrise lake, the best place for dawn photography in this lake town. Little did we realize the sun sets here too. We were pleasantly surprised as the dusk painted the sky, and the surrounding lake, a fire-y orange. Even the resort owner couldn't recall seeing the sky quite like this. Not on his lake. Beginner's luck? We can live with that. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: At twilight, when the sun begins to turn the sky into a palette of light, one of your best friends are reflections, specially when you are beside a big body of very still water. Remember to shoot low and close to the ground, that can increase the apparent size of the reflections. And don't forget to take your polarizer off because you don't want to filter them out!)

Where in the world is the Lake Sebu in South Cotabato?

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Say hello: Bobbyw59@yahoo.com

But wait, there's more...

For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)

#94 Rainbow at Sunset

www.PostcardsFromManila.com

www.PostcardsFromManila.com

A most unexpected sunset on the shores of a sunrise lake? Now you know it's possible.

Shortly before sunset, we arrived in barrangay Seloton in the town of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato. Our home for the next 4 days would be a quaint little cottage right along the shores of Lake Seloton, one of three lakes in the area, where the best vantage for sunrise can be found. I pointed my camera to the east, across the placid lake and over them hills on the horizon... that's where the sun will greet us tomorrow morning. But the sun has to set today before it can come around again tomorrow, and that's when we were pleasantly surprised to see wonderful dusk colors develop in the east. Look closely and you'll even see a rainbow. How we can be so lucky when the locals don't even remember such a fire-y sunset on this lake? Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: Twilight photographers know that at twilight, clouds can light-up where you least expect them to, like in the direction opposite to where the sun is rising or setting. It depends on cloud formations of course, and where they are relative to the sun. Just keep your eyes open.)

Where in the world is the Lake Sebu in South Cotabato?

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Older postcards at www.PostcardsFromManila.com
Say hello: Bobbyw59@yahoo.com

But wait, there's more...

For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)

#93 Beasts of Burden

www.PostcardsFromManila.com

www.PostcardsFromManila.com

When opportunity knocks it's often when we are least prepared.


We were outside Tabuk in the Mountain province, climbing up the Maligcong Rice Terraces when we suddenly found the path forward blocked by a most unusual sight. A farmer was coming down the steps, and behind him, his water buffalo in tow. Now we all know low-land farmers use carabaos to plow their fields, but how do they do it high up on the terraces? They've taught their beasts-of-burden to climb, of course, and quite deftly so. There wasn't time to ponder our composition. We quickly got out of their way, some of us dropped down onto our knees, and then gave it our best shot. Will it work? Not all the time, but an opportunity is a terrible thing to waste. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: When shooting into the light, you can over-expose and loose all semblance of color. But there are ways to save a cherished photograph. I took the simplest route by converting it into black and white.)

Where in the world is the Maligcong Terraces in Bontoc, Mountain Province?

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Older postcards at www.PostcardsFromManila.com
Say hello: Bobbyw59@yahoo.com

But wait, there's more...

For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)

#92 A Spanish Galleon in Manila?

www.PostcardsFromManila.com

www.PostcardsFromManila.com

A real Spanish galleon in Manila? Yup. And it's not 1521!

We were on Pier 13, at the port of Manila, perched in awe beside this beautiful wooden replica of a Spanish galleon. It was built in Spain, sailed across the Pacific Ocean, and docked in the Philippines on a mission of discovery and friendship. From here we were told they will proceed to Cebu and then Bohol, places where a common history is shared between our countries.

The throngs to get onboard were long beyond imagination but we were lucky to be in front of the line. The galleon itself wasn't huge but walking its deck transported us several hundred years into the past. It's the closest experience to time travel if you could manage it! Find yourself such an opportunity and don't think twice. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: The wooden hull was smooth and mildly glossy. Due to the direction of the light, I had to use a polarizer to "lift the reflections." That saturated the colors somewhat and revealed details that would otherwise be lost. Don't leave home without it.)

Where in the world is Manila, Philippines?

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Older postcards at www.PostcardsFromManila.com
Say hello: Bobbyw59@yahoo.com

But wait, there's more...

For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)

#91 SeaShells by the SeaShore

www.PostcardsFromManila.com

Seashells by the Seashore?

We were on Puka beach, a relatively deserted strip of white sand on the northern-most tip of Boracay Island in Aklan (named after the Puka shells found along its pristine shore.)

I normally shun tourist traps selling wares from the sea, but brightly-colored-scallops-turned-hanging-decor caught my eye. Can it be...? The vendor insisted they're naturally-colored and indigenous. I've seen them before but skeptical they're found in the waters around Boracay. Back home and thanks to Google, indeed Philippine waters teem with the colorful varieties photographed above. A grand landscape may tell the best story but don't discount the small things you see along the way. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: I sharpen sparingly (because my old eyes can't tell the difference anyway, joke ) because somehow the glass I use produce pixel grain that don't sharpen very well. But this shot contained a lot of hard detail "that just begged to be sharpened". A few minutes using a new approach... bingo.. low edge-sharpening, high surface-sharpening. Greek? I know, I speak it too.)

Where in the world is Puka Beach on Boracay Island in Aklan?

Sign-up to receive new postcards weekly FREE
Older postcards at www.PostcardsFromManila.com
Say hello: Bobbyw59@yahoo.com

But wait, there's more...

For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)