Legazpi Village, Makati City: Through The Eyes of 7Artisans Lens

Okay, I haven't been updating my travel blog for two reasons: One, there are still travel restrictions around the Philippines, and there is nothing we can do about it. Traveling isn't the best thing to do right now, especially in the middle of a pandemic. And two, I have already finished writing and editing all of my backlogs from my previous travels.

Anyway, this post isn't just for the sake of updating my travel blog, but this is something about rekindling my passion, and that is writing and photography.

Last January, while rummaging my stuff, I saw my 4-year old mirrorless digital camera. I bought my Canon EOS M10 last February 2017, a few weeks shy of my second trip to Taipei, Taiwan, with my friends. This camera was my constant travel buddy, even if I had issues with its video stability. This entry-level mirrorless camera had captured a lot of videos and photos of my travels. It even traveled to the other side of the world!  I even used this last year when I went to Melbourne, Australia. Little did I know that would be my last international trip. 

I regularly check my camera to see if it's still working, and luckily, it's still working. One cold January night, while browsing Lazada, I came across this lens. It was on sale, from Php 5,500 to 3,200. It's a 7Artisans manual lens, a 25mm f/1.8. Since I know how to operate a manual lens, I did not have second thoughts of buying it right away. It wasn't an impulsive buy, but it was something that I wanted to try again because, with all brevity, I miss taking photos and videos.

Days after, the package arrived. The lens looked nice as if it came from a vintage camera. So yeah, armed with alcohol, face shield, and face mask, I went outside and walked around Legazpi Village of Makati City to do some test shots. These are some of my favorite photos:

These photos were post-processed in Adobe Lightroom. I loved every bit of it, and it only took me less time to figure out the proper settings. It felt like I was using a film camera. Soon, I might try film photography if time permits. I know that it would be more challenging since you won't have an idea whether the photos would turn out great or not.

So yeah, I can't wait for the world to reopen again. I miss doing these things. Some of my friends asked if I do enjoy my trips since I was busy taking photos and videos during the trip. You have no idea the happiness it brings after editing my photos and videos after my trip. It preserves all those happy memories during my trip. And oh, I don't do it the entire trip! I know how to plan my trip well. And that's another story to tell.