SUBSCRIBEIn Pampanga and Bataan
0215H and my slumber was interrupted as the now familiar alarm tone of my W850i broke the silence of the night. Well, other than the whir of the electric fan, that is. Just less than three hours sleep and I have to get up, take a shower and leave for Pampanga and Bataan to take photos of the facades of three churches: San Fernando and Angeles in Pampanga as well as a reshoot of Orani, Bataan. These are busy places, cities (those in Pampanga) wherein even before the break of dawn, the streets are already coming to life with jeepneys already abuzz to take passengers to their destinations. Places wherein if I have to wait for that specific time of the morning when the sun is at a beautiful position to cast its warm light at an angle, I won’t be able to provide a full frontal and solitary facade with nary a soul or a machine in front, unless I do post production work via Photoshop. While I can confidently say that I am very much capable doing this, there are limitations with doing this kind of work.
After buying bottled water, hotdog and kariman (fried bread with ham and cheese inside) from the Ministop branch near my place, I hailed a cab to bring me to Cubao for that bus bound for San Fernando. Luckily, I didn’t wait for long as a Genesis bus bound for Balanga passed and I boarded. Despite lacking sleep again, I didn’t feel like sleeping. I was just hoping that the front of the churches would be empty so that I can take the needed shots and get these done.
0430H and I was already taking a jeep from the main intersection of San Fernando City in Pampanga on my way to the cathedral. Luckily, when I arrived, no vehicles were infront and I immediately set up my tripod, took my shots. Within 10 minutes, the first vehicle arrived and I was already done. Thankfully, I wouldn’t be spending much time on the computer doing post processing work just to get rid of those distractions.
The ride to Angeles seems longer than I expected. when I reached the church, a mass was already ongoing and some of the plying jeepneys really stop infront to wait for passengers. While I have an ultrawide angle lens (Canon EF-S 10-22mm) that can take in the whole facade of the church even if the front space is so small an area, one is left with a facade photo that is quite stunted. The twin spires reduced to short projections that in order to give justice to its beauty, its architectural splendor (nevermind if the added portico mars the scene somewhat), the photographer has to take several steps backward, cross the road and position in the middle of the right side half of the road infront. I did that. Not minding the few jeepneys and sometimes cars that come my way. Good thing that I had my tripod with me. Already in position, I was just waiting that the jeepneys would, at some time just move on. Luckily for me, after several frames, I did get a clean shot.
As for Orani, Bataan, I was lucky enough that just before the tricycles were parking infront of the church, I was able to get a clean shot with a few people passing. This can readily be corrected in post production.
Tomorrow, if the weather is good, I do hope to complete Taal and Batangas City in Batangas. I’m a bit concerned that these two have the same situation in the three churches wherein the front of the churches is either a parking area for vehicles or a busy street.
I will know it tomorrow. If, the weather is good.
