My Winning Photos of the Kahimunan Tu Bayugan 2016

5th Place, Street Category

4th Place, Contingent Category

Finally, after the wait, the results are in. I got two entries enter the winning circle. Though, its not that high placings, its enough for me to feel happy and rewarded. 

This competition is tough than it may seem and so I just feel fortunate I manage to get the nod of the judges. 

With these twin victories, I think I have to take sabbatical for photo contest for a while. I just feel I have to shift my photography a little bit. Part of moving on and maturity. 

Ultimately, I am profoundly thankful to God for these blessings. 

My Entries to the 2016 Kahimunan Festival Butuan City

The results of the Kahimunan Festival Butuan Photo Contest are out and unfortunately for this year, my pictures were not as lucky as last years. The picture above is my highest ranked picture among the 6 entries that I submitted this year and to be candid about it, its the least that I expected to get a good ranking.  This picture placed 6th Place in the Grand Kahimunan Category. 

Well, its not really good for me this year. On the first day alone, I negligently erased my entire shots for the Festival Highlights category which already became a distraction for me for the rest of the competition. 

I also experimented in the Street Dancing category when I used a 35 mm lens all the way, thinking there are a lot of Street Dancing participants. By the time I let go of the contingent which I followed for most of the way, the succeeding contingents were not that spectacular as to get a good shot. 

The Grand Kahimunan category completed my forgettable competition this year. As last years, a throng of photographers already occupied the front row. Complicating things is that the performance venue is too close to our positions rendering my 135 mm Prime Lens utterly useless. By the time, I shifted to the 35mm lens it was already too little, too late. 

My consolation though is that I really enjoyed the camaraderie and rapport of Caraga photographers. Its a whiff of fresh air for the daily boring routine in my normal life and this breakaway is a welcome respite. 

Here are the rest of my entries that didn't make the cut. 

Kahimunan Tu Bayugan 2016

The second photo contest of the year is Kahimunan Tu Bayugan. 

Last January 31, 2016, I and my photographer best buddy drive from Surigao City to Bayugan City in Agusan del Sur to participate in the first ever Kahimunan Tu Bayugan Photo Contest. This Kahimunan Tu Bayugan is different from Kahimunan Festival in Butuan City which is celebrated every third Sunday of January. This Bayugan City version is celebrated every last Sunday of January. Bayugan City is a component city in Agusan del Sur. Its City Mayor is Kim Lope Asis. 

Like its Butuan City counterpart, the Kahimunan Tu Bayugan is another celebration paying homage and honor to the Holy Child Jesus or the Sto. Niño. The highlight of the activity is the Solemn Mass which is followed by a colorful and lively street dancing parade of the different contingents in Bayugan's wide avenue. 

The climax of the celebration is the ground presentation held at Bayugan City National Comprehensive High School grounds. 

The grand presentation lasted for hours that we took our lunch at past 3 in the afternoon at the Sacred Heart Parish convent. 

Many thanks to the organizers of this photo contest for a great hosting job.  

Kahimunan 2016: Opening Salvo of the new Photo Contest season

Kahimunan Festival is an annual celebration in honor of the Sto. Niño in Libertad, Butuan City. 

The event ushers with a fluvial procession along the Agusan River, a Kahimunan sa Kabataan version, the search for Bae Kahimunan, the Fiesta Mass and the Sto. Niño enthronement at the Sto. Niño Shrine in Libertad Parish and finally, the Street Dancing and the Grand Kahimunan presentation at the Grandstand also in Libertad, Butuan City. 

On a personal level, Kahimunan Festival is the signal of the coming of the new photography contest season. Its the first Festival calling for photo entries. 

Kahimunan Festival is significant for me because it is where I received my very first Photography Award in my late blooming photography passion. Last year, 2015, I placed First Runner Up in the Sidelights category. My entry was a woman with her child touching the image of the Sto. Niño. Lucky for me that it earned the nod of the judges. 

And so, its the start of the new season. I hope and pray that like 2015, 2016 will also be a great season for me. 

The year that was - Higalaay Festival 2015

As the year 2015, came down to a close, I am writing a series of posts about the photo contests I joined the past months. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

August 2015. I have a new camera, a second hand mirrorless Sony A6000 I bought from a friend photog from Butuan City. I was hungry. I was on fire. I was in the hunt for photo contests.  Fresh from joining Adlaw Hong Butuan Photo challenge weeks before, my eyes is transfixed on conquering new lands. The nearest was Higalaay Festival Photo Contest in City of Golden Friendship, Cagayan de Oro City. 

There is always a bond between me and this city, though its more like me a vain lover who gets unrequited love for a city that I adore much. But this would need another article to elaborate this kind of relationship. 

Back to Higalaay. I arrived at early morning on the 27th of August in Cagayan de Oro, the eve of the city fiesta. I was feeling light headed after a long trip from Surigao City, obviously from being sleep deprived. I went to my cousin's house somewhere in Kauswagan to freshen up. 

While I was nibbling some breakfast, the television already flashed clips of the parade at Velez Street. OMG. The parade has started! My plan to start at the Rotunda fizzled out. 

I hurried out into the street. Compounding my woes, jeepneys coming from Bonbon and Bayabas areas were fully loaded. I got no choice but to walk towards Kauswagan Highway near Savemore and clambered a ride. I got off near Capistrano Street and then walked a few meters to the parade route at nearby Velez St. 

Finally, I was into action! I was in the middle of it. I was so excited. 

There was stream of High School bands and parade Every contingent that passed was a missed opportunity. Higante's later appeared but it was intermittent and far between. 

Then, the floats appeared. The only challenges were the banderitas (flaglets) above. There is really nothing I can do about it.  I  overheard other competing photographers grumbled about it. 

As the parade was winding up, I decided to change location. I proceeded to C.M. Recto Ave., fronting Centrio Mall. I was thinking, there, wires and flaglets are minimal. I was right. Clearer sky. But the problem, my lens would not match. But that's life. 

By 11:00, the parade was over and CM Recto become deserted immediately. Where those people gone in 5 minutes? I retreated in one of carinderias at the side of Centrio Mall and gulped bottles of ice cold Sparkle Up. 

Day One of my quest ended rather insignificantly. But I reassured myself, there is still tomorrow. 

Next day, I woke up early and took position at Gaston Park. As the fluvial procession took time to arrive near the Cathedral, there were plenty of opportunities for street photography. 

  And selfie too...

It was a long wait for the fluvial procession. But the long wait was worth it. When it came, it came fast and short. As I browse my pictures after, I know my chance was slim. 

In the meantime, fiesta in Cagayan de Oro is not complete without venerating the City's patron saint, Saint Augustine of Hippo. I attended the High Mass at 11:00 am which was by the way celebrated under the Filipino Rite. It was long and full of singing, and presided by Monsignor Florencio Salvador, who is an expert when it comes to the life of Saint Augustine. 

Tired and spent after the Mass, I went back to my cousin's house at Kauswagan, where a sumptuous fiesta meal awaited for me. And some booze too. 

Higalaay Festival was done. It was a contest and I came here to compete. But I have no excuses whatsoever. I bombed out in the competition, the moment I joined. I accepted it. This contest was not for me. It didn't work for me sad to say. Yet, I don't want the opportunity of being a part of Higalaay contest to pass. 

Ultimately, I simply want to be here.  I love the place, I reminisce my past and I like to revisit my personal Catholic conversion in this city. It's all about family, faith, hope and the memories.   

Higalaay. Personally, its simply my friendship with the place. 

Kaamulan, a photo obsession fulfilled

Talaandig Tribe in Kaamulan 2015

Kaamulan...a festival about the gathering of the 7 hill tribes in Bukidnon, a picturesque and cool province in Northern Mindanao. Even before I got a midlife hook in Photography, this is the one festival I was dreaming to shoot. Reason: Colorful Costumes and its peculiar dance steps. And so when the Province of Bukidnon announced that they will be holding the Kaamulan on October 24, 2015, I made it a point to clear my schedule on that day.

And so last October 23, 2015, I traveled from Surigao City to Cagayan de Oro to catch the festival the following day. There was no photo contest but that doesn't matter to me. All that I was thinking is that I can finally have this long awaited opportunity completed. After spending the night at my cousin's house in Cagayan de Oro, I woke up early to catch a bus for Malaybalay, the capital city of Bukidnon. 

I boarded a Davao City bound bus, the new one complete with a restroom. The fare is at P150.00, which is 60 pesos more than the regular fate of 90 pesos. But its ok. No problem. 

Bumper to bumper traffic at Mangima Canyon in Manolo Fortich town because of ongoing road repairs 

It's normally two and a half hour ride which I just doze off.  I was awakened when the bus stopped at one of the curves around Mangima Canyon due to an ongoing road repair. The bus stopped twice. I arrived at around 8:00 in the morning when the street dancing was about to begin. I took a very hurried breakfast at a Jolibee at Sayre Highway, the venue for the Street Dancing. Even before I could finish it, the first contingent passed by and I grabbed my gears and head on to the street.

I was shaking in excitement on my first few shots. I was jittery. Then as I found my groove, it was happiness all over.