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About Me

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This blog is an amateur photographer's attempt to show how beautiful the world really is. He is drawn to the colors of nature like a moth to a candle light. What are showcased here are nature's grand display of colors at sunrise and sunset, beautiful beaches and off-the-beaten track locations in his beloved Philippines, waterfalls and some of nature's great sculptures, architectural gems, and other views from around SE Asia that he was fortunate to see at one point.

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April 16, 2010

socsargen: summer moods and colors


Maasim Sunrise
Sarangani sunrise

Its been three weeks since I last posted an entry. In the blogging world 3 weeks is an eternity. So I'm sharing some of the moods and colors I captured during my last trip home.

My home province of South Cotabato once included the coastal towns of Sarangani bay in the southern end of Mindanao mainland and the mountainous areas in-land to the north of the bay. Today its split into two provinces: South Cotabato and Sarangani, with General Santos City in the middle (hence the acronym SOCSARGEN)

Stumped
stumped sunrise

I have this personal project of shooting scenes with mangroves whenever I visit a coastal town. Last time I visited SOCSARGEN, I went to Kawas to shoot the mangrove reforestation area. This time I headed to the town of Maasim in western side of Sarangani bay and found the mature mangroves of Brgy. Tinuto much to my liking.

Tinuto Mature Mangroves
Tinuto mangroves

Mangroves are an essential part of the coast ecosystem. They are natural breakwaters and provide a sanctuary for small fishes and crustaceans. They are also a good sign that the shoreline had not been abused and converted into resorts.

Road to Perdition
road through the plantation

A few days after shooting sunrise in Maasim, I found myself with two of my photographer friends in the middle of the DOLE pineapple fields at 4 in the morning, waiting for the first light. The area around Mt. Matutum (whose iconic shape is always visible from my hometown) had always been planted with pineapple for as far as I can remember.

Tupi Sunrise
Roxas mountain range

I enjoyed the cool mountain air as much as I enjoyed the colors of sunrise that morning. It was a surreal feeling, standing in the middle of a field planted with pineapples as far as the eye can see.

Matutum Dawn
Mt. Matutum in sunrise

A trip home wouldn't be complete without a visit to of Lake Sebu (see the Favorite Places section of this blog). We stopped along the way to photograph Allah valley at sunrise, with Mt. Matutum figuring prominently in the background.

Highland Sunrise
Allah valley sunrise

SOCSARGEN abounds in natural wonders: fine beaches and dive sites of the coastal areas, the caves, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls of the mountainous towns.  Despite the tainted image of Mindanao when it comes to the "peace and order" situation, SOCSARGEN continues to be one of the most peaceful regions in the island.
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15 comments:

r-yo said...

parang hindi Pilipinas! super ganda ng shots!

Kat said...

I love "stumped sunrise" :)

lakwatsera de primera said...

You really make ordinary scenery extra-ordinarily beautiful.

Ebie said...

Nothing beats waking up early to welcome the first light of day! Impressive shots!

bertN said...

Your pics reminded me of the days when I was doing field work in Cotabato when it was still an undivided province - Mt. Matutum, Allah Valley, Lake Sebu, Dadiangas (now General Santos?)....

vanny said...

namiss ko d2 sa blog mo. ;)
kamusta? gusto ko pumunta ng sarangani. I failed nung sinabi ko na bago ako umalis ng bansa, kelangan libutin ko muna ang pinas. haha

escape said...

tama na bai. sobrang ganda na ng mga kuha mo. itapon ko na tong camera ko.

Unknown said...

incredible photos! the mangroves are stunning, Mt. Matutum is breathtaking.

Sidney said...

I thought you found your perfect beach/island to retire and live a simple life ... ;-)

Your images are breathtaking!
National Geographic quality !
This is photography at a very high level !

Reena said...

ganda nung mangrove shot mo and that roxas mountain range shot. ive actually been to that plantation before. pero i never appreciated the view. just the pineapples. lol. nice shots. i like them all!

Photo Cache said...

superlative scenery and you did justice to it. you are lucky to be raised in this gorgeous surrounding.

Pinay Travel Junkie said...

whoa! these should be award-winning photos! for real. awesome job.

Lantaw said...

Thank you all for the kind words! ^^

@bertN, yup, Gen San used to be Dadiangas

lallie said...

stunning pictures! i particularly love the road shot and the roxas mountain range. nice work!

Lakwatsarah said...

Your pictures inspire me to go back to my home province and to also share as many pics as possible in my travel blog. Socsargen is abundant in many eco-tourism destinations. I'll be going home this May, yey!!!

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