Travel Photography by Ryan Macalandag
Balicasag Island in Panglao, Bohol, Philippines
One of the benefits of my work as a photographer is that I get to go to places once in a while.
Work has been really tough for the past few weeks, thus, the photo shoot I did in Balicasag Island in Panglao was a welcome treat. I am currently shooting photos for the town to be included in their official website.
The island, though small, was a pretty site as we eased closer. The blue sea indicates that the water here is pretty deep as big ships pass by this channel regularly.
The surrounding reef water was crystal clear though. Known to be one of the world's more famous dive sites, Balicasag has a lot to offer beneath. That's why I brought my "snorkel buddies" along - Reg, Liza, and Francis. We rented some gear, hired a boat and had fun for about an hour underwater. Liza's 15-shot el cheapo plastic underwater film camera should show us all happy and grinning as we fed the fish with some crackers.
The island also has a lone resort complete with well-appointed rooms to satisfy the weary traveler. The pool wasn't that bad either.
After four hours or so of frolicking around, we had to head off back to the main island. But we passed by the crescent-shaped white sandbar Puntod Island.
Francis (who is also my photographer's assistant at times) likes my kind of work, too. He especially loves it when I do test shots of him jumping around some uninhabited paradise island somewhere in the seas of Panglao.
What a life!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Travel: Balicasag Getaway
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Travel: Pamilican Island Paradise
Hotel and Resort Photography by Ryan Macalandag
Pamilacan Island, Baclayon, Bohol, Philippines
I had already come and gone to Pamilacan Island a few times before. Mostly for dolphin watching. At one time, I joined Reg's team-building and strategic planning together with other instructors for CWTS class.
But, I have grown a certain proud fondness of this place when we went to shoot for this unknown resort owned by Lucio Lim of the Lite Shipping group. The water was magnificent, the beach was perfect and the landscape is awe-inspiringly raw and untouched.
Here are some of the photos from the shoot.
For more photos from this set, click here.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Travel: Stone Church in Talibon
Photo by Ryan Macalandag
Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
The Catherdral of the Most Holy Trinity in Talibon, Bohol is one of the heritage sites in the province. This massive stone church was built in 1852 using plans drawn by Domingo Escondrillas, then Cebu's Director of Public Works.
A gold-mining town in colonial days, Talibon had attracted a sizable community of enterprising Spaniards. The Jesuit Gabriel Sanchez went to Talibon in 1596 after he and Juan Torres had organized the reducciones of Loboc and Baclayon. The Jesuits administered the mission from Loboc but because of the distance it took traveling along the coast, decided that it and Inabanga were more conveniently administered from the Colegio de San Ildefonso in Cebu.
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohol_churches#Talibon
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Photobin: CVRAA '08 in Tagbilaran City, Bohol
Here are some photos from the opening parade of the recently concluded Central Visayas Regional Athletics Association Meet. The contingents walked from Plaza Rizal to CPG Complex for the opening rites.
For more photos from this set, please click here.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Wedding: Antonio & Pressia, Waterfront Davao
Wedding Photography by Ryan Macalandag
Waterfront Insular Hotel, Davao City, Philippines
Antonio and Pressia were already married in Spain right after the Christmas of 2007. But since most of their friends were in the Philippines (and couldn't go to Spain for the wedding), the couple decided to hold a wedding party here in the Philippines.
Which was really good. I had always wanted to go to Davao for so long a time. Antonio invited me to go and be the official wedding/party photographer. I grabbed the invitation, of course.
The party was held at the Waterfront Insular Hotel in Davao City. It's one of the bigger hotels there.
After more than half a day of travel (from Bohol to Davao, via Butuan), we arrived in Davao City around lunch time. After a super heavy lunch in SM City Davao, we dropped by downtown to grab some stuff and went ahead to the hotel after. So I really didn't have time to rest. By 3pm, I started preparing for the shoot, scouting for locations, casing the joint..the beach wasn't that nice, I noticed. By 4pm I proceeded to the couple's room to start shooting preps.
The venue was in an open-air bar at the end of a narrow walkway just off the hotel's beachfront. The couple marched the walkway and were greeted with percussionists beating the drums and chanting.
As soon as they reached the throng of guests, a simple ceremony was started. Again, as they were already married in Spain, a prayer for the couple was made and greetings were said. It was short but sweet.
The party which followed the buffet dinner was a blast. It really helps that guests are close friends. Everyone stayed on 'til late and had a helluva great time.
Party music was provided by - none other than - (the great) DJ Bodo himself.
No wonder "YMCA" was such a great hit.
And the people were out and proud with their 80's dance moves.
Even Antonio who was never a dancer (he claims), burned the dance floor away.
All in all, we had a great time and tons of fun...especially the couple. Of course, especially the couple!
For the rest of the photos in this set,
Flickr Album.
Picassa Web Album
Friday, August 03, 2007
Events: Seeing double at the Sandugo Oracles '07
Apart from Liza's a tenny-weeny-bit bland review of the Sandugo Oracles, I was also felt a bit weezy after a few minutes into the musical. I thought, "It's the same as last year?" People around me were whispering the same, too. On my viewfinder though, I really thought I was seeing double.
The first photo is from this year, the second is from last year.
Yes, this year's show is just the same as last year. But, not known to many (I had to ask people from the production team), this year's stageing had a few major (production) changes. For instance, the singing is done live this year; Cesar Montano and Rich Asuncion did some parts this year; more soldiers on the stage this year (purely my own opinion).
Well, the sensitive sucker that I am, the show had it's chilling moments, too. To think that, as always, Boholanos who haven't seen the production before should watch it. It really is something that we as a people should be proud about. And we have Mayor Dan Lim and Gardy Labad (and the rest of the production team) to thank for that. Hats off to them.
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Photos by Ryan Macalandag
Shot using a Nikon D80
Copyright ©2007 All rights reserved.
