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When it comes to travel and photography, Filipinos stand out. And being the social media capital of Asia, you’re sure to find worthwhile Pinoy accounts on Instagram to offer you the best of both travel and photography inspo.
We’ve rounded up 6 travel blogger-photographers and asked them about what inspires them. Read on!
Nicole Villaluz
IG: @thestillnessinmoving
Blog: http://www.thestillnessinmoving.com
What is your favorite subject to photograph?
My photos are all mostly on travel, but for subjects, I’d say people and sunsets. They both hold so much story, soul, and magic. I love capturing that.
Who do you look up to in terms of photography?
I am a big fan of Porter Yates. His travel and documentary photography is the kind I’d want to be able to achieve someday. And it’s not just his style. It’s the way he sees things. I want to be as open, as grounded, and as understanding of the world.
Have you undergone photography classes?
Just in college. I want to, though! I’ve only really been kind of winging it since my photography started out as just a way to document my travels.
What inspires you to take photos?
Life! That sounds cheesy as hell, but I’ve been so blessed with this life of such grand adventures. And I don’t ever, ever want to forget. I feel like my photos are all rooted in gratefulness. Like, “Thank you for passing by my life. Here, let me preserve you in a picture.”
What publications do you usually contribute to, if any?
Not regularly, but my photos have appeared in local travel magazines and websites like Northbound Magazine, Expat Magazine, We Are Sole Sisters, and When in Manila.
Any accolades?
I’ve landed international gigs, too, in issues of Berlin-based photography platform EyeEm Magazine, and in the website of Dutch travel start-up, Withlocals 6. My most favorite photo I’ve ever taken, shot in Palawan, got into the top 25 of an international photography festival in 2015. There were over 200,000 entries from around the world. That photo traveled places, and got lit up on a wall in exhibits in London and New York.
Allan Barredo
IG: @lantaw
Blog: https://www.lantaw.com
What is your favorite subject to photograph?
Outdoor and travel photos. Love shooting sunrises and sunsets along coastal areas, as well as waterfalls.
Who do you look up to in terms of photography?
Too many mention. For landscape, probably Chip Phillips and local photographer Edwin Martinez. NatGeo photographer Michael Yamashita for travel photos.
Have you undergone photography classes?
No formal classes. Learned by reading articles and’ watching YouTube videos.
What inspires you to take photos?
Nature’s grandeur and beauty – too difficult to simply ignore. I take photos in the hopes that I can freeze that beauty.
What publications do you usually contribute to, if any?
iMag, InFlight, but not regularly.
Any accolades?
You’d probably be able to get some from here! http://www.lantaw.com/p/about-lantaw_20.html
Christian Sangoyo
IG: @lakadpilipinas
Blog: https://www.lakadpilipinas.com
What is your favorite subject to photograph?
I mostly take travel photos; landscapes, culture, people, and food. But if I’m gonna choose between those, my main love, really, is hardcore landscape photography. My mind just gets lost in setting up the tripod, tuning the camera settings, and waiting for the perfect timing in preparing for a single well executed shot. It’s like therapy for me. On Instagram, I let out my love for lomographs rule; lo-fi smartphone photos, squared, grainy, and heavily filtered.
Who do you look up to in terms of photography?
The landscape photography masters, Jay Jalorina, Edwin Martinez, and Raymond Cruz. I also admire Hannah Reyes-Morales and Larry Monserrat-Piojo when it comes to photographing people.
Have you undergone photography classes?
No, the Internet taught me everything I know about taking pictures. During the digital photography boom of 2007 to 2010, armed with a prosumer camera, I trawled two main photo forums in the Philippines, Pinoy Photography and Digital Photographer Philippines, on the how to’s of photography. My background in Architecture probably helped too.
What inspires you to take photos?
An idyllic location, a mad bedlam of colors, the chaos of the city–there’s really nothing particular that inspires me. It’s when elements start to converge on a frame and I start to imagine how they’re all gonna go together to form one single coherent image, that’s when the urge to pull the camera to my eyes and click the shutter comes.
What publications do you usually contribute to, if any?
My works are usually printed on Inflight Traveler Magazine, with a few other travel-related publications in between.
Any accolades?
My first big break came from DPP/Lonely Planet’s On Assignment when I won their first assignment to cover The Netherlands. Besides those, I’ve also won a few local photo contests, most notable of which were the three times I placed on the massive annual Canon Photo Marathon. My blog, Lakad Pilipinas, also topped both the Photo Blog, and the Luzon Travel Blog of the year for the Philippine Blog Awards.
Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap
IG: @eazytraveler
Blog: https://eazytraveler.net
What is your favorite subject to photograph?
I love environmental portraits and landscape photography with human elements.
Who do you look up to in terms of photography?
I look up to classic greats like Henri Cartier-Bresson, the French father of candid photography.
Have you undergone photography classes?
I’m a self-taught photographer, learned through books and practice.
What inspires you to take photos?
The desire to capture the spirit or character of a destination is what drives me to take photos.
What publications do you usually contribute to, if any?
I currently contribute to inflight magazines of Cebu Pacific, SilkAir and AirAsia.
Any accolades?
I occasionally get featured in “must-follow” listicles.
Ferdz Decena
IG: @ironwulf
Blog: https://www.ironwulf.net
What is your favorite subject to photograph?
Mostly travel, landscapes and astrophotography.
Who do you look up to in terms of photography?
There’s a lot of influences. There’s Mitchell Kanashkevish and Chris Burkard to name a few. Ansel adams is a classic favorite.
Have you undergone photography classes?
Photography is a required unit when I was studying fine arts in FEU. Other than that, all is self-taught.
What inspires you to take photos?
Travel is part of the inspiration. Ever since I was in grade school, I’ve been taking photos with my toy camera. We go on family road trips often and seeing the places is inspiring by itself.
What publications do you usually contribute to, if any?
Sometimes I contribute to several travel magazines; more often to InFlight. But most the time I work with NGOs and private establishments like resorts. I also do group and private photo guiding tours.
Any accolades?
2008: 18th TNT Magazine London Travel Writing and Photography Awards – First Place in The World Around Us category and overall winner, Reader’s Choice Awards
2007: National Geographic and Sony Ericsson’s Windows Into Asia Awards – Top 3 Philippine Finalist
Celine Murillo
IG: @celineism
Blog: https://www.celineism.com
What is your favorite subject to photograph?
I’m drawn to natural landscapes and especially love photographing these, I also enjoy taking photos of artisans in the thick of performing their craft.
Who do you look up to in terms of photography?
My husband Dennis is a self-taught photographer and I have the utmost respect for his work. He’s naturally talented and I’m so proud of him. I’m also a big fan of fellow Pinoy travel blogger Christian Sangoyo. His perspective is beautiful.
Have you undergone photography classes?
I have not. All is just trial-and-error.
What inspires you to take photos?
Photos are great implements for storytelling and my goal for taking photos has always been to tell a story. I wish to translate landscapes into how I perceive them, to capture what makes a person tick.
What publications do you usually contribute to, if any?
I usually submit my works to Smile Magazine for Cebu Pacific.
Any accolades?
Mutya ng Kalikasan. 🙂
