Exposure to the Son

For many years, I have been a dedicated Fujifilm shooter, owning each iteration of the X100 series. The X100 cameras have consistently served as my desert island camera and my primary choice for travel photography. With these cameras, I have visited numerous places and captured thousands of memorable images. Until recently, I could not imagine being without an X100 series camera as my everyday…

Returning to Film Photography It has been quite some time since I last used film for photography. There was a period, lasting around two to three years, when I owned a variety of film cameras—from rangefinders to TLRs and SLRs—and shot almost exclusively with film. Eventually, I sold off nearly all my analog cameras and found myself returning to digital photography. While I do not intend to…

Leisurely Breakfast at Sawamura Bakery & Restaurant Day 6 marked our final full day in Tokyo. With no urgent plans except visiting Harajuku, Yoyogi Park, and sampling various cafes, we decided to take things slow and enjoy a relaxed morning. Without the pressure of a packed agenda, we headed out early to savor the chilly winter walk to Sawamura Bakery & Restaurant, located at NeWoman Food Hall…

Mt. Fuji: Japan’s Iconic Peak Mt. Fuji, an active volcano, stands as the unmistakable symbol of Japan, renowned for its symmetrical, snow-capped summit. With an impressive elevation of 3,776 meters, it is Japan’s highest peak. The mountain’s grandeur dominates the landscape surrounding the Five Lakes region, and on days when the skies are clear, its majestic presence can even be observed from…

A Relaxed Morning in Shinjuku After several days of early starts, we decided to take things slower today. Our morning began later than our usual 8:00 AM meet-up, which meant that by the time we stepped out, the streets of Shinjuku were bustling with rush hour activity. The energy of the city was palpable as commuters hurried past us on their way to work. We made our way to Eggslut Southern…

A Peaceful Winter Morning in Tokyo I truly cherish the tranquil winter mornings in Tokyo. With temperatures around 4°C, the crisp, cold air and the stillness of the streets before rush hour create the perfect setting for a leisurely stroll. There is something special about walking through the city at this hour, enjoying the calm before the day fully begins. To start our day on a gentle note, we…

Exploring Akihabara Akihabara stands as the epicenter of Japan’s Otaku culture. It is widely regarded as a pilgrimage site for enthusiasts of computer games, anime, and Japanese pop culture. Akihabara Electric Town, the district’s vibrant core, is conveniently located just one short train stop away from Asakusa, making it easily accessible for visitors. My sons, who are both passionate anime…

Early Morning in Asakusa On our second day, my wife, our two sons, and I rose early to visit Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. The morning was chilly and clear—just 4°C—as we left the hotel before 7:00 AM. We strolled through the tranquil streets on our way to the train station, relishing the rare calm that comes before Tokyo bursts into its hectic routine. These peaceful pre-rush hour moments are ones…

Journey to Tokyo and First Day Experiences Departure and ArrivalOur family traveled to Tokyo for vacation from December 14-20, 2025, a trip we had planned since April. My wife and I have grown fond of Japan, especially after visiting Tokyo in December 2024, so this time we decided to bring our kids—most were new to Mt. Fuji and our sons had never been to Tokyo. My wife, our two sons, and I flew…

Grief… Live is filled with grief Grief for being born into a broken world Grief for growing up demeaned and bullied.  Grief for the childhood lost Grief for that many life choices were subtly but firmly denied and decided for me Grief that the ability to dream had been supressed and lost Grief for a mundane life Grief  that I thought I could dream again but new dreams once more has been…

As a hobbyist photographer, I would love to shoot on a daily basis but life happens and things do not always go as we planned. Sometimes I get to do it daily, but most of the times, I go on days without picking up my camera. These are some shots I was able to take the past 2 weeks with my Sony A7C2 + Sony 24-50mm f/2.8G. These are mostly SOOC jpegs, some with slight exposure or level adjustments…

Last Saturday, my son and I had the opportunity to spend a couple of hours along Maginhawa Street for a photowalk. I had my Sony A7C2 along and he had his Fuji XE-4 with him. Both of us decided to shoot with primes , I had my Sony 50mm f/1.4GM and my son had his Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 (50mm equivalent in FF terms). I also had a chance to try out my K&F VND + CPL filter and it worked great. We had no…

A couple of months ago, as you may have read in one of my previous blogs, I went on a family trip with the Fuji XT5 and came back with photos I really loved. There is something about Fuji colors and the huge library of film recipes available for it, that makes is so much fun to shoot with. When you shoot it right, you basically have straight out of camera jpeg files which you can post with no…

We took advantage of April 9 ( Bataan Day) being a national holiday to go to Makati for a family brunch at Spotted Pig (right across Yardstick) in Esteban, Legazpi Village. The food, coffee and ambiance were pretty good. Saw these luxury cars parked there so I just had to snap some shots. After our brunch, we walked around a bit in Legazpi Village and chilled at Legazpi Activity Park and…

Holy Week (Lenten Season) is one of the most anticipated times here in the Philippines for many different reasons. For the Christians and Catholics, this is a time of reflection and thanksgiving for the suffering and crucifixion of Christ on the cross for our sins. But for almost everyone, regardless of their religious affiliations, this is the highlight of summer for the Philippines, because it…