It's awfully windy up here and we're holding on to dear life.
When combing the sights in Batanes, you inevitably find the grand Mahatao lighthouse, perched on the edge of an ocean bluff, overlooking the hills of Vayang and of its rugged coast. The lighthouse is on my left. Between it and a ramshackle hut is a narrow corridor that channels the wind's fury through these reed fields. Flexible stalks flap violently with each oncoming gust, offering parallel and valuable lessons how to survive in life. Those who learn to bend won't ever break. Grandpa Darwin believed it's the fittest and most adaptable that eventually survive. Not the fastest nor the prettiest, not the richest nor the smartest, but those who pull themselves up every time. Now we know why we're all still here! Enjoy.
(Pixel-peepers: Wind is invisible, until you find a way to catch it in the act. It was a very bright day so I attached a polarizer plus f/22 to get down to 0.3 seconds. That doesn't sound slow enough for what you see in this postcard, but the sheer intensity of motion before me proved it was enough. In the background, private farmsteads are delineated by hedges from similar reeds. In the land of violent gusts, what else did you expect?)
Where in the world is Batanes?
Past 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.)
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.)
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Batanes is such a sight! Now only if it was easy to get there.
ReplyDeletevery nice.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, your exif shows f/1.8.
Peter, part of the reason for its pristine state is due to its relatively inaccessibility!
ReplyDeleteSteve, the exif shows f/1.8 because that f/stop is hard-coded onto the computer chip that is glued to the lens adaptor, which in turn is how I attach Leica lenses to my 5DM2 body! (The f/stop for that shot was f/22.) Why do I need a computer chip on my lens adapter? So that my camera body thinks I have a Canon lens attached, and allow the viewfinder's focusing points to work! You do what you have to do...
ah, Bobby..thanks for the explaination...wasn't aware you were using Leica glass on the Canon body via adapter...
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the most beautiful landscapes I've (n)ever seen.
ReplyDelete