The bright day became the perfect backdrop on what was once the citadel built by Spanish navigator and governor Miguel Lopez de Legaspi – now known as Fort Santiago. The sun beamed upon the bright red cobblestones and stone walls, painting the picture of yesterday in full technicolor, back when the Spanish ruled Manila. Because of the bright daylight, the stark contrast between the lush green grass and the old brown walls created a balance that made the architecture stand out even more. The bright afternoon sun created shadows among the trees and the windows, creating just the right amount of depth to highlight the trees and the structure.
During the first part of our photo expedition, Sir Ardie recounted that Fort Santiago was once the fortress that stood against the rebels and the seat of power in Manila. It is where Jose Rizal was imprisoned and eventually put to death. It is also the place where a lot of Filipino rebels laid their lives. The very place we were standing on is a mass grave of those rebels back in the 19th century. I decided to take a photo of my friend’s caramel brown sneakers against the backdrop of the green grass, noticing how the two earth tones complemented each other. While taking this photo, I thought of how this very ground we were standing on is the place where many of our fellow Filipinos died protecting our independence during the dark times of our history. Their feet must have endured the pain of the harsh daylight and the rough cobblestones covering the path considering their footwear was not exactly durable back then, but because of their sacrifice, we experience comfort in every step.
As we took more steps towards the edge of Fort Santiago, we came across the glistening Pasig River littered with barges going back and forth. This was during one of my attempts to capture the blue sky against the calm river, with the sunlight slowly going down on the side of the bridge. Although it was during the afternoon close to the Golden Hour, through adjusting the settings of my phone camera, I softened the hues of the afternoon sky to match that of the water, creating a serene and still mood that feels like the first stroke of sunrise in the early morning.
The conclusion to our photo exploration ends with taking photos of the newly-cleaned Manila Bay during the Golden Hour. I was luckily able to capture the stillness of the water with the yachts sitting near the dock with a pinkish lavender hue that reminds of the sunset scene in the Oscar-nominated movie “La la land.” The scenery created a sense of camaraderie among my friends and nostalgia for the times my family and I would visit Manila Bay back then. Through the efforts of the Manila Bay cleanup, it is now restored to its former glory – tranquil, placid, and laid-back, a perfect end for such a tiring day. As the sun finally bid goodbye, my best friend and I decided to take another round of photos when night had struck to get a better view of the nightlife around Manila Bay as compared to the day. We were struck by the the contrast between the softness of the bay during sunset and the brightly lit buildings creating mirror reflections against the water, before finally leaving and saying goodbye.
GillsThoughts 