When I'm mountain biking I just use a kit lens: a Nikkor 18-55mm. Plastic and feels like a toy but does a great job - unbelievably sharp for such a cheap lens.

Filters
Since I'm always shooting landscapes, these are always in my bag. I use a ultra thin Marumi DHG CPL which is always attached to my Sigma 10-20mm. It serves as a lens protector also as I don't use a UV filter. Gotta avoid vignettes when shooting wide, especially when I'm stacking filters.


Aside from the CPL I bring along a Hoya ND8X, an ultra thin Haida Infrared 720 filter (equivalent of Hoya R72) and several Cokin P-series GND filters. I tend to bring soft and hard edge GND8 filters and a GND4 most of the time. I stopped using colored graduated filters like the blue or sunset filters. I'd like to get my hands on 'em Singh-Ray filters one of these days. A single Singh-Ray filter costs an arm and a leg and a good portion of your torso.

AccessoriesLittle stuff I can't do without. I bring several SD cards of different brands. On a typical 3-day weekend trip 4 extra cards usually suffice for my needs. I cycle through 3 extra batteries (the most I can bring is 5). If I bring along my flash gun then I also bring 8 AA rechargeable batteries.


Other stuff includes: commercial grade lens tissue (that can be used for cleaning sensors as well), several lens pens, a blower, camera rain covers, a small but ultra bright torch, a small compass, chargers for camera and AA batteries, a set of RF receiver and transmitter for remote flash, and IR remote trigger.

LightingCurrently I have only 1 flash gun: a Sigma EF-500 DG SUPER (Sigma's answer to SB-800). I use small Lastolite light modifier which is great for outdoor portraits.


If there is a significant source of natural light I also use a disk reflector. There are 5-in-1 versions you can find in most camera shops. It has gold, silver, white, black, and translucent parts.

SupportA tripod is a landscape photographer's best friend. I don't leave home without it. Nobody has rock-steady hands.


I also bring along several of these small dehumidifier kits that can be bought from hardware shops. I put one inside my camera backpack and another one inside the bigger dry sack. I try to keep my gears as dry as possible whenever I go out and shoot waterfalls.

I am missing this cove terribly. The two summer weekends I spent there were enough for this place to become THE destination in Zambales, at least in my book. Surreal and pristine (for now) come to mind when I hear the word "Nagsasa".

I love waking up to the soft rhythmic splashes of the surf. I woke up early each day and head straight to Wild Horse Creek to wait for sunrise. The distant bare mountains glow to a golden brown as the first light of day falls upon them. It was a sight that mere photographs cannot easily show.


I remembered the bangus (milkfish) catching frenzy one weekend that we were there. A typhoon ravaged the western coast, trashing the fish pens in the nearby province of Pangasinan. Close to a million bangus got freed and some (by "some" I mean several thousands) made their way to this cove and stayed near the shoreline. The locals just picked them off the water, literally. It was easy pickings for several days.


I miss the backwoods of Nagsasa. Its a different world from the pine tree lined beaches that traces the cove. There you'll see a huge valley bordered by rolling green hills. "Its Marlboro country", a friend remarked.


I spent one hot afternoon clambering up to one of the peaks and nearly lost my equipment, and my wits, trying to. Went down bruised and soiled but happy I was able to take a few photos from a different vantage point.


There was no indication that this huge valley once served as a bombing range for US air forces during the time when Clark Air base was still nearby. Well maybe there is: a HUGE portion of the area is completely devoid of trees.


And the best part of the days I spent there? Sunset. Beautiful sunset.

More photos of Nagsasa in these articles:

• taking a second look
• colors and moods
• exploring the south side
• zambales' hidden gem, for now

Its 2 am and the rain was incessant. After a little over two hours of trekking, I was soaking wet. The narrow trails we are on are beginning to look like small streams. With a visibility of just a few meters, the trail, with its overgrowth, looked less and less familiar. Cold and tired, we conceded to nature. We found a small clearing, pitched our tents, and decided to wait for first light to pursue the trails again. Our usual 3-4 hour trek will take longer this time.

This is not the first time I’m doing a night trek to Mt. Romelo, a favorite destination because of its waterfalls. But it’s the first time a typhoon is “passing by” (Typhoon Jolina) while we are trekking. My group has been assessing the situation several days before and concluded its still going to be a safe trek, even with the heavy rains.

We broke our camp at 5AM and continued trekking. The chilly wind was enough to keep my senses alert, beats having a strong coffee in the morning. The forest floor is littered with santol fruits (wild mangosteen) which probably fell due to the strong downpour last night. Along the way we picked wild guavas for a quick breakfast. Real breakfast will have to wait until we reached the campsite.


We found the Buruwisan campsite empty, but not for long. Other groups arrived by mid morning and several more arrived the next morning (Sunday). Some attempted a night trek but failed as well.


By mid day sky darkened and thick fog fell on the place like a white curtain. Unlike my previous visits there where one would probably find me exploring one of the falls at such time of the day, this time I was content on staying put in the campsite and enjoying a hot cup of coffee.


The river near our camp (located at the top of Buruwisan Falls) has swollen and is rushing wildly. I’ve been there on rainy days before but it was the first time I saw a change in the character of the place.

I was able to go down to Buruwisan Falls the next morning. After a couple of shots I decided to climb back up to the campsite. Exploring the other falls would be quite difficult with the current conditions of the streams, and I would not risk the photo gears I have with me.


This trip yielded the least photos but some of the images quickly became my personal favorites. I think some of the shots I took during this trip are my best photos of Buruwisan so far.