ISLAS DE GIGANTES | Sunrise On Rain Clouds
Sunrise Photographs From The Vantage View Of Gigantes Norte Lighthouse
Known
as a place of beautiful group of islands in the Eastern Seaboard of
Panay, Isla de Gigantes is hardly the place for where people flock to
witness a stunning Sunrise or Sunset. Why should it be? Its foremost
offering of back to basics trips and island hopping is more than enough
as a source of distraction to visitors flocking into its shores. Who
knows that finding the spot for this type of photography endeavor is as
easy? It was as simple as asking a local who knows and understands the
place better.
I
am yet to write my own feature post about these islands, right before
some big shot travel blogger friends gets their hands on these. Believe
me when I say I've scoured Google for travel guides and photographs that
can help me plan the trip, travel guides are fairly easy to come by,
what of the many blogger's who rant about the scenic specialness of the
place. But finding photographs shot in fair and meticulous manner is
hard to come by. I tend to forget that people nowadays have easy access
to camera that they can take personal photos wherever they go. I barely
found photos that are good enough as a presentation of this place, the
few good ones are from travel blogger's that I am already following
because of the trail of great photography they provide. My hats off to
them! More so, there are only a few Sunrise or Sunset photos that is
tagged to the place, and this gave me the determination to make it, this
type of lights display come to us almost everyday in this tropical
country and I am just one of those that appreciate it very much.
Since
my arrival 2 days ago, from the time I took these photos. I've walked
to the shores on every Sunset, and woke up early for before the veil of
the Sunrise, waddled through knee deep low tides along the mangrove
areas near the Gigantes Hideaway Resort, finding the perfect spot while
chasing the Golden Hour without finding good luck on a good shot. I was
in a wrong place, period.
I
came to take photographs and was feeling left out that all I might be
able to bring home are photos of the islands shot in broad daylight
during the Island hopping excursion. I've been to a lot of Island
Hopping trips, though it remains my favorite kind of tour, I was looking
for something different, and then I found just the place. I was with my
brother, and we were on our second day on Gigantes Norte, before taking
breakfast I was ask by my guide if I would like to visit the Gigantes
Norte Lighthouse. I didn't know there was a lighthouse in here, so I
didn't pass out the opportunity to take a look, and so it came as an
unexpected surprise.
Already
I've wasted the Golden Sunrise raking through muck in the mangrove area
just to get a picture of Sunrise with good composition. The sun was
fairly high and heating up the area fast when we arrived in the
Lighthouse. I didn't expect the location in the lighthouse to be a good
spot. But there it was, facing the East on a high rocky cliff, the new
medium size Iron Lighthouse in stark amalgamation to the old house of
red bricks and adobe beside it. I was having a great time then, as I
stood on top of the tower, taking the scenic view at 360 degrees. Not
until I was reminded by Kuya Marnie, the habal-habal driver that I still
need to take breakfast before the island hopping so I had to take my
leave, but not before leaving a promise to be back here the next day
before the Sunrise. Sunset is out of the question, as it would be
spectacular on the other side of the island dipping in the western
horizon, the sky blocked by the limestone rocks and mountains of the
Island. I'll be blogging the lighthouse and the photos with it in
another post.
Hence
my final day for this trip came. And I woke up at 4:30 AM, leaving my
brother behind who wants to catch more sleep. Kuya Marnie thought I was
joking when I requested to come back to the Lighthouse on Sunrise
instead. I was literally the first guest to wake up, and was alone
waiting in their Habal-habal gathering area. Every driver is probably
sound asleep in their chambers. Every minutes wasted, leaves me feeling
frenetic, luckily he came about 30 minutes later, looking embarrassed
that I was up early and he wasn't. I didn't want to ruin my day, so
without further delay I took the ride when the sky is already
lightening, and the rainbow colors are splashing in the sky. It was
ominous, the cold morning air is different and there is a threat of dark
rain clouds gathering, I was crossing my hands all the time, luckily
the lighthouse isn't very far.
Getting
there just in time, alone because the Lighthouse caretaker is nowhere
to be found (probably still sleeping), and Kuya Marnie left me on my own
device as he needs to fetch the other guest who also intends to visit
here. Mounting my tripod, taking photos of the lighthouse behind
interesting cloud formations reflecting purple and lavender colors,
while waiting for the dark clouds to provide a good backdrop on the
peeking Sun. I wasn't so lucky, the clouds covered most of the area in a
span of an hour, placing dark shades in every frame I took, the only
consolation I have is that the horizon above the water remains that of
the Golden Hour Light, casting glorious colors of red, orange and
yellows, while the break in the clouds provide lots of shades of blue.
When the pea size rain water fell, I turned everything around, deciding
to take photos of the clouds and the distant shadows of the islet
nearby, it looks ominous, like the first drop of rain in a dry summer,
it was full of promise. Looking at these photographs, blaming myself for
not doing a better job at editing the photos, the good memories adhere
with them, and it probably was what made it all worth it.
On The Map
Isla
de Gigantes group of islands comprises mainly of Gigante Norte and
Gigante Sur as its major volcanic islands with scattering of islets
around it. Located in the western part of the Visayan Sea and
approximately 18 kilometers Northeast off the mainland of Panay. The
islands belong to the political domain of Municipality of Carles, Iloilo
Province.
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great pictures! but for some reasons, the impression i got is.. sinister(?) i love the third pic..
ReplyDeleteYes Kimmy!
ReplyDeleteI realise that too, the brooding shadows and skies did it.
Possibly, this also reflects my feelings when I was shooting these photos