Join photo tours to capture the best of a destination

There's no denying that travel and photography goes hand in hand, especially for us Filipinos who are fond of taking pictures. When we embark on a trip, we make sure we have a camera to document our journey. The only difference would be is the kind of photos we take back home; is it just a conventional snap, or images that would awaken those strong memories and be transported back in time the moment the photo was taken?

Personally, I'm not fully satisfied with conventional snaps as I think it doesn't really give justice to a destination. I know putting a scene on a frame would only capture part of what I'm seeing but hey, if it's the best part I could get, why not? I'm sure some photography enthusiasts share the same sentiments that's why a lot are joining workshops and photo tours to learn to take home memorable photos.

A couple of weeks ago, I co-guided a group on a photo tour in the heart of Banaue. We called it Backpack Photography Photo Adventure, in which our participants would venture to remote villages like Batad and Bangaan to see lush pristine rice terraces and immerse with the people and culture. This “backpack photography” is the fourth we organized along with previous destinations like Batanes, Lake Sebu and Hungduan. So what is the benefits of joining such tours?

A photographer's itinerary

Unlike a regular tourist itinerary, we make sure we bring you to a location at the best time to take photos. We present the setting where the light condition is optimal, the subjects are waiting to be captured and then let your vision fire away.

Focus of taking photos

Since “photo tours” are organized tours, your main concern is to enjoy taking photos since most of the logistics are taken care of. No need to worry on where to sleep or eat or the transportation to a location. What you only need to bring are your camera gears and a sense of adventure.

A small group with the same passion for photography

With our “backpack photography,” we try to keep the participant numbers small, usually from 5 to 15. This ensures that the experience is more personal and participants would get to know each other easily and together immerse on the world of photography.

Assistance and advice on the field

One of the biggest benefits of joining a photo tour is to learn and expand your knowledge in photography by taking advantage of the presence of photographic mentors in the field. We know participants would have different skill levels and since we have a small number, we can manage their queries individually and they can apply our suggestions immediately.

Stretching their possibilities

One thing we noticed from a lot of our participants is that they were able to go out of their comfort zones to feed their hunger to capture good photos. A few of them couldn't believe they would be able to hike on great lengths to reach a waterfall, or brave wild waves to reach an island. The journey may be hard, but the rewards and experience were priceless for them, which makes the photos they took more precious. It also helps that there is a group to support these wild ventures, which makes it a lot easier.

As one of the lead and co-facilitator, I take pleasure seeing our participants' takes after the photo tour and workshops. Seeing their different visions and styles, somehow I myself learn from their works as well. More rewarding is we get to share times and shoot with fellow people who also enjoy traveling and photography. I remember people telling me in my blog that they want to be part of my adventures, well maybe they can join the journey on our next “backpack photography.”