Caught from Behind

I just love photos of the bride helped into her wedding gown. I shot a wedding yesterday and captured this scene. I also have wider shots, but I especially like this one. You can see only the hands busy fixing the dress. One pair of hands was actually sewing on the band of pearls to the dress.

It is also important to me to shoot photos of the brides back. This is the only part that the bride cannot see herself in the mirror. She would definitely want to know what she looks like from behind. Also, the gown's sexy and elegant back is showcased in this photo.

Majestic Mayon

Relishing the summer interlude, I brought my camera with me to Albay Province where I got to see for myself the famed Mayon Volcano. Situated 15 kilometres northwest of Legazpi City, it is renowned for its perfect cone. I took less than an hour to reach Legaspi via plane from Cebu.

Mayon Volcano has the most symmetrical volcano in the world. Mayon Volcano bares its serene exquisiteness with sporadic tendrils of smoke rising from its crater. Clouds every now and then wrap the volcano, concealing its grandeur from the admiring eyes of the sightseers. It’s also amazing that you can see the volcano from almost every part of the province and even from the neighboring island province of Catanduanes.

I then hopped on a van for an hour's trip to Tabaco, Albay port where a ship transported me, after another two hours, to San Andres, Catanduanes. This pearly island in the pacific offer scenic natural surroundings. A laid back rural charm virtually untouched, unspoiled and unexplored. If one looks for a serene feel, a lifestyle among gracious people away from the bustling urban pace, Catanduanes Island is just perfect!

Simple and Serene

August of last year, a few of my photographer friends and I decided to go on an impromptu photo safari/road trip. It was already late in the afternoon and the day had worn me down. We stopped to catch the last couple of hours of sunlight. While everyone was taking pictures of an old man sitting by a big rock, I noticed, from a distance, rows of young mangroves in the sand.

From afar, the sight of the seemed insignificant and did not present any obvious photographic promise. Curiosity caught me and I started walking towards them. As soon as I was close enough, I took out my telephoto zoom lens and took several frames. It wasn't my best photo of that day but my curiosity rewarded me with this simple and serene image.