This day marks the 26th year from when my mama swooped me into this blue planet. I know, I've crossed it—that line between the early and the late twenties. I expected it to suck and for me to feel panicked, but I actually feel triumphant (cue evil laugh) about it. It feels like a new season, with new adventures of course!
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One of the greatest, most heartwarming compliments I've gotten was from doing this series. I've never really been the ultimate people person who would be the life of the party, but to hear that I could make someone feel like we're long lost friends the first time we meet is really something. It's always my pleasure to put my muses on ease and make them feel like they could be anything they want to be in front of my camera. I love hearing and sharing stories in between takes and while roaming, and making people smile the fake smile and laughing about it.
Taking photos would always be fun, but how you spend the time around it is much more important. Glad to spend time with this girl.
Celebrating the beauty of black, our sisters and brothers in their natural, earthy color, in light of what's happening in the world today. I know I may not, nor will not fully understand the hatred behind white racism against black because I'm also dark-skinned, or maybe because if I ever go to the US, I'd always be part of the 'minority', but I stick to the truth that I know that skin color does not determine one's mindset, attitude, and way of living.
Celebrating the beauty of black, our sisters and brothers in their natural, earthy color, in light of what's happening in the world today. I know I may not, nor will not fully understand the hatred behind white racism against black because I'm also dark-skinned, or maybe because if I ever go to the US, I'd always be part of the 'minority', but I stick to the truth that I know that skin color does not determine one's mindset, attitude, and way of living.
Apo Island Turtle Watching - Siquijor Island - Dumaguete City
Apo Island Turtle Watching - Siquijor Island - Dumaguete City
3 Friends, 3 Provinces, 7 Days
2am, again. We woke up, packed our things and hired a cab going to South Cebu Bus Terminal. After the 10-minute drive, we were lucky to find the first Ceres bus with the signage Bato via Barili going to Badian. We were going to be on the road for 2.5hrs so we bought lugaw (porridge) in the terminal from a deeply sleeping ate who woke up with red eyes (sorry ate!). We went back to the bus and had the tastiest breakfast ever. What’s surprising is that it was actually more fulfilling than the lechon in Cebu City. :P
Apo Island Turtle Watching - Siquijor Island - Dumaguete City
3 Friends, 3 Provinces, 7 Days
The truth? I don’t like packaged tours. I love researching, canvassing, planning, booking flights, accommodations, doing itineraries on an excel file, all the while imagining what the days would be like. The preproduction of an adventure for me is the build up of the story – of travel itself. It begins with the mind they say, and yes it does.
It began at 2am – I think it always did during our trip. I hired an uber who surprisingly arrived at our doorstep 15 minutes after I booked it. Groggy, I dumped my last stuff into my backpack. Once I greeted kuya driver, I knew I forgot the one thing I always forget during trips – my toothbrush. I. Swear. I always do. I arrived at an unfamiliar neighborhood and was greeted by my friend Nicole at their subdivision gate. There was little rain as we walked in the dark street, and somehow I wished the trip would be sunny. We slept for 1.5hrs which was a joke. What torture.
The domestic terminal was cramped with people (all waiting for either Kalibo or Caticlan flights as it was Laboracay – the ultimate summer event for partygoers which we, non-partygoers, don’t go to). Our flight to Cebu was early, thank God for AirAsia. We were walking towards the plane where there was an old woman, so we opted to assist her. Just then, her right slipper ripped. And my extra pair – my non-Havaianas, non-Ipanema, cheap flipflops saved the day! I was so touched that moment, I took it as a good sign for the trip.
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Hotel Fortuna lobby |
So much has happened in the last few months, but one thing that's ever constant is family.
Knitted, beautiful, crazy.
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ezekestiel on tumblr |
"That would be 200," the cashier said.
I give him the bills and look around the convenience store.
When you meet a muse your age, you'd definitely have a fun shoot.
Portraits of Alyssa Lapid
For Life Inside The City series
When you meet a muse your age, you'd definitely have a fun shoot.
Portraits of Alyssa Lapid
For Life Inside The City series
A definite fun, lighthearted lifestyle blogger at heart!
Portraits of Jean Dalida
For Steal That Shoot series
Beth and Jemmarc are engineers. They basically put heart on concrete. They basically put love in the city.
Makeup / France Gallardo
Hair Style / Roman Rago
Styling / Couple's own
This girl really surprised me. I didn't know at first that she's someone well-known. Despite that though, she's down-to-earth and very insightful. For that, she's much needed in the entertainment industry. Very much indeed.
Portraits of Louise Delos Reyes
For Life Inside The City series
I've NEVER had the talent to draw. I could only do stick people, and that of the field with a hut with the mountains and sun backdrop. Could add some birds too, but other than that, I'm terrible.
Spent time with this rad human and couldn't help but see the young me somehow. It was like falling back in time and listen to myself speak about the worries, choices to make, and the future. The funny thing is, I was once the future. Gosh help me, I'm blabbering like I already passed young adulthood.
I don’t know. The vibe this year is so travel-strong. This was supposed to be a solo trip, but since I knew it would be cheaper to share, I invited another introvert (you know, minimal noise ha!).
sprite
noun | /sprīt/
a faint flash, typically red, sometimes emitted in the upper atmosphere over a thunderstorm owing to the collision of high-energy electrons with air molecules
Last December, we figured all the chain coffee shops were probably full and crowded due to sticker-stamping season, so we looked up Booky (the awesome app!) and here we went!
Portraits of Sonia Ogoyo
For Life Inside The City and Steal That Shoot series

Hello, I'm Ira.
There are three things that have become constant in my life so far: my love for taking photos, my penchant for traveling, and my utter need for writing. Welcome to my little notebook of dreams and daydreams.