I’m fairly new to underwater videography and photography but I am enjoying it so far. I like the challenge. On one hand, you’re trying to dive carefully — have your gears intact and away from corals and such, remain neutrally buoyant, remain safe and enjoy the dive.
On the other, I’m on paparazzi mode. I get OC when I’m taking stills and videos. I want everything to be perfect. I don’t like that I still get the shakes when taking videos (I need to work on that). I am conscious of my framing and my lighting.
I use this setup: very basic, very light. A Panasonic HD cam with an Ikelite casing. Perfect for me…
Right now, I am obsessed with Clownfish, also known as Anemonefish. From a photographer’s perspective, they are perfect subjects.
1. They don’t seem to be afraid of you — in fact, they would charge at you. Because, well, it is a home invasion to them, this paparazzi stalking them. (Sorry Nemo! Peace.)
2. The anemone is the perfect background, especially with good lighting. It’s so alive!
3. There are about 30 clownfish species, and I’ve encountered a handful of them.
Curious clownfish fact: Did you know that they are born males but later develop into females? Should the top female clownfish die, the most dominant male switches sex and leads the group.
Which brings us to the question: Was Marlin, Nemo’s “dad,” actually female? 😛
Anyway, once the project is underway, you will see a lot of clownfish 🙂
Before I go all intellectual about why I want to do this campaign, let me tell you where it  started from — and it’s all mushy stuff.
I first began to see the country post college. I had no opportunities before that. No money, no group to go with, no guts to do it. I remember admiring this dormmate of mine who did. Someone who scaled the terraces walls alone (her family was from Mindanao). She traveled by herself sometimes. And since she was a girlie girl, she got harassed along the way. But she loved the whole experience. I thought to myself: I wanted that too. I wanted to see and experience.
AIM Trek, during the mid-90s — photo by Lisa Leong
Fast forward a few years after, I got involved with a little-known mountaineering organization in Makati, AIM Trek. I wasn’t paid a lot at my work but I was able to afford their training (running around some carpark in Legaspi Village) and their weekend trips (max 300 pesos for a weekend).
I fell in love with the countryside through them. I embraced the respite that nature offered. I loved the peace and quiet, and the fresh air.
But even then, when I trekked mountains, I already saw changes through the years. Fresh paths were trampled on within a year. You can see trash along the way. Forest covers disappeared with each return. And the mountains grew more and more crowded. The worst was seeing used condoms float on rivers close to campsites. No judgement about sex in the mountains here — but hey, horny hikers can at least get rid of their trash properly.
A few more years after, I fell for the sea so I dove! This was through my mountaineering friends — kuripot like me — so getting my PADI dive licenses was made more affordable. It was always through friends or friends of friends who were dive professionals. (I was lucky enough to just have to pay for my books and dive card — on top of actual dive costs, of course — from Open Water to Rescue; otherwise, I couldn’t have afforded it. )
One of my first solo dive trips. Good ol’ Sabang, Puerto Galera
I have a love affair with the sea until now. She has always been there for me… yes (mushy part coming — warning!) even through heartbreaks. I travel alone most of the time now but back then, I was “forced” to do it. You know how it is: pre-booked flights you want to use up but you’re at odds with your significant other so you go alone.
It started that way and I didn’t stop because I fell in love.
And through those years of exploring new places and revisiting favorite sites, I saw how time has ravaged my loves. I’m not talking about just the wear and tear of time. I refer to abuse, non-sustainable “development,” the stripping away of cultural heritage… and all that serious stuff we’d rather not talk about when we think of Philippine tourism.
And that’s what I want to talk about here. That’s why I want to go out there and get the message across online.
1. They don’t seem to be afraid of you — in fact, they would charge at you. Because, well, it is a home invasion to them, this paparazzi stalking them. (Sorry Nemo! Peace.)
