Distant Shores.Ph: Things to Do

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“Take your Holga out for a ride. Stop often. Play.”, Kit Frost

The Holga is a pretty simple, low-cost camera. It’s made almost entirely out of plastic, and uses a low-contrast plastic lens. It’s a toy camera, after all, but the way the Holga sees the world is entirely different. It procures soft, dreamy photographs with vignetting and occasional light leaks that feel almost more solid and real than the actual subject.

If you’re used to arbitrary standard straight-edge, rectangle images, the holga lets you explore a refreshingly different side of photography. If you think about it, the Holga pretty much sees the same way we do. The way the images present, sharp in the center and vignettes around the corners, is how our vision works and processes the space we live in. Sharp on the focal point, and kind of blurring out into our peripherals.

From shooting landscapes, to still life, street photography, and others, your pictures aren’t coming out “perfect”, or the very least, perfect in the traditional sense of the word. Shooting with a medium format film (120 film), they’ll be surprisingly detailed and square shaped instead of the usual 3x5 and 4x6 dimensions, with a plastic lens making everything dreamy--the OG in Instagram’s formula for success.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro, or beginner in photography, the Holga veers away from our obsession over details, accumulating gear, and accessories.

Let Go of Pretense

The Holga summons up Dadaist traditions of chance, surprise, and willingness to see what happens. -Robert Hirsch, Photographic Historian.

Stop often and play. Mess around and go crazy with these little pieces of cheap plastic. You never know how your frame will turn out. Accidental double exposures, neighboring frames, light leaks, and vignetting--all offer an element of surprise to your photographs. Instead of fretting over the finer technical details, focus on composition.

Ideal Shooting Conditions

The limited Holga settings place much of the control and flexibility in the film itself. Steer clear of shadowy places, unless you have a high speed film (at least 1600 speed) or flash.

Utilize different film speeds for shooting in a range of conditions from cloudy weather to sunny outdoors, or poor indoor lighting.

Modifying your Holga

There are so many ways of modifying the Holga camera. A Holga leaks light from all over its body, from the camera’s film counter window, back and edges, and even the shiny black finish inside, bouncing light all over the place. You can cut down this effect by covering the back of the camera (where the film counter is) with electrical or duct tape. Many paint the interior matte black.

If you get “neighboring frames”, your back may have been set incorrectly, not because of any need for tension adjustment. To get perfectly spaced frames, make sure you wind it correctly, and point the arrow to 12 and not 16, if you’re shooting with the square insert.

You can also use 35mm film with your Holga with 35mm film, which lets you create interesting photos with a wider horizontal length that fill the entire film area, including the sprocket holes.

Buttons, Settings, and Variations

The Holga isn’t overrun with a million settings. You won’t be having a hard time getting familiar with everything. There’s the cloudy/sunny switch. Make sure you focus the camera beforehand. There’s also the nifty B-N switch at the bottom of your Holga. N stands for Normal, which is the usual setting.

On the other hand, B stands for “bulb” which allows the shutter to remain open as long as your finger is pressed down. A tripod or extremely steady hand will allow some incredible long exposures.

Usually, Holgas use a 60mm lens with two aperture settings (f/8 and f/11). The first is for sunny days, while the other one is when the clouds roll through. There’s a switch to select between the two, a fixed 1/100 shutter speed.

Ever since the original model was produced, many newer variations provide its own set of added options: a 3D stereo version, panoramic version, built-in flash, tripod mount, glass lens, pinhole version, twin lens reflex version (TLR), and more.

Focusing

There are four focus marks on the lens to help you use the setting that is most ideal for your shooting situation. The drawing of a guy focuses the lens at a distance of 3 ft. or one meter. The family drawing allows 6 ft. or 2 meters. The third drawing of a group allows 18 ft or 6 meters

This doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t choose anything in between when you’re feeling adventurous!

Multiple Exposures

The shutter mechanism is independent of the film advance knob. You’re entirely free to exercise your creative choices, advance the film only once, and capture as many exposures on the same frame as you like till you're completely ready to move on to the next frame.

Life can appear like a barrage of industrial chaos, sometimes pointless--often ridiculous. SUVs roaring past a cathedral, sermons heard coming from an electronics store, noisy car horns amidst street vendors selling beautiful roses, all calling for attention. Wherever you are, the Holga lets you capture the cynical eccentricity or natural beauty in the culture of our surroundings. With its lightweight, small build, carry it around absolutely everywhere. Toss it in your bag, and just go!

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Why not sleep under the stars as a space traveler in a campsite that feels like you're in 2001: A Space Odyssey or The Martian? Rest your head in a cozy pod, kite cabin, or trampoline tent amongst sandscapes and quirky mobile art pieces for a unique camping experience on a remote, artificial island near Amsterdam.

Marring Art with camping, UrbanCampsite Amsterdam features art installations in an open-air exhibition 20 minutes away from the Dutch city. Created by local designers, any of the 12 campsites can be rented and slept in by outdoor-lovers.

1. Superfire Camp

Cook food over an outdoor fire pit that overlooks the IJ lake and is enclosed by a red

lounger, and a hot tub you can use. The cabin, also known as the sea beacon, contains a circular bed that sleeps two.

2. Solid Family

The “Solid Family” campsite sleeps composed of two “icosahedrons” capsules is spacious enough for 4 people. Each of the capsules contains a queen-size bed.

3. Bed Bug

Franka te Lintel Hekkert created the pad for nomads, and it supports mobile living protected against the elements, with a shiny foil interior.

4. The Kite Cabin

The two-person pod has a transparent roof for night-time stargazing. Plus, you can fly the window blind which is an actual kite.

5. IBC Shrinkwrap House

REFUNK, designer of the IBC Shrink wrap House, frequently explores recycling and garbage, and its link and utilization in design and architecture. The white spacious interior (despite being made out of recycled materials) is surprisingly peaceful, relaxing, and airy.

6. Trampotent

Infuse your day with energy after a few rounds on the Trampotent. This tent is multifunctional, transforming into a trampoline. The creator, Vince Vijsma, combines existing objects to suggest a new picture, object, or function.

7. Goahti

A “Goahti” is the traditional home of the indigenous Sami, who used to explore Norway. With a king-size bed perfect for two, this Sami hut is perfect if you’ve always wanted to stay in one.

8. The Val Ross

Find your original purpose in this design created by MUD Projects. “It is important to study the form of the existing object and let it speak to you in order to transform the object to subjugate the relation to its original purpose.

9. Upside Down You Turn Me

Dutch Visual Artist Rob Sweere says of his futuristic creation, “Lying inside you can look left and right and also up and down through hemispherical windows. You can sit outside, sheltered from the rain below the object. Thus, there are two rooms: inside the capsule, for resting and sleeping, and beneath the capsule one can sit and dream.”

10. Attic

Arjen Boerstra built a reconstruct-able camping space; “The attic from my youth plays a key role in my artwork. The reconstruction of this room builds a bridge between unencumbered imagination and the loss thereof later in life. The attic window connects an intimate inner world and the discovery of the outer world. “

11. Carved from wood

Studio Plots enhances the way you experience waking and the morning sun. They also wanted to emphasize the differences between the inner and outer realm. “The shape is created using varying lengths of wooden battens that soften the incoming sunlight in the interior. In this way, waking up will be a warm and intimate experience. “

12. Universe 7

Robbert van der Horst’s Universe 7 turns with the sun, and offers an expansive view of the lake and beyond.

Complete campsite facilities provided by The Tribal Toilet Tower, including showers, toitelts, compost tanks, and septic tanks.

All twelve of the Urbancampsite’s pod installations can be booked on Airbnb.com until the end of August.

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Relieve stress and feast your eyes on the clearest blue waters in Southeast Asia. No overbearing crowd here! Check out the pristine waters and white sand beaches of some of the best tropical island getaways, from swanky to not-so pricey. Make any of these close-to-home paradises your very own happy place, and start planning your next travel destination.

1. Caramoan Islands, Philippines

Cut off from the rest of the mainland, this hidden gem remains unexploited by tourism. Immaculate beaches, a row of primeval caves, and spectacular dive spots make up the Caramoan Peninsula in the Bicol Region of the peninsula. It’s been also as the shooting location for adventure TV series, such as Survivor’s French edition, Koh-Lanta.

2. Gili Islands, Indonesia

Imagine three tiny deserted islands fringed by powdery white sand beaches, sprawling palm trees, and the clearest, most vibrant turquoise waters. Green is the way to go for these islanders, with not many concrete monstrosities. Expect tranquility with no motorbikes roaring past nearby or dogs howling and barking into the night.

3. Kata Beach, Thailand

Escape the hustle in Kata Beach with its charming white sand, clear blue waters, and palm-lined beaches. They provide delectable food and a dynamic, but not so seedy nightlife. Head there from May to October to surf the waves and from November to April to seek the sun.

4. Koh Tachai Island Beach, Thailand

This still fairly deserted island, also known as the Maldives of Thailand, has one of the whitest beaches anywhere with sugary white sand. Unpopulated by speed boats, go snorkeling in the beautiful ocean, and enjoy the peace with other wildlife on this superb island.

5. Amanpulo, Philippines

Visit Amanpulo through a private plane ride from Manila. The posh resort on this remote island in Palawan has exquisite scenery, private bungalows, dive spots, and unparalleled service.

6. Suluban Beach, Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia

Take in jaw-dropping scenery at Suluban Beach. The mecca for surf junkies searching for world-class breaks, this secluded paradise joins the Uluwatu beach and is situated not too far from the Uluwata temple.

7. Bacuit Bay, Philippines

Bacuit Bay is made up of more than 45 islets. It’s a geological wonder for its limestone rockformations and sheer cliffs. Get your adrenaline fix from this region, a great place for kayaking, snorkeling, trekking, diving, or cliff-climbing.

8. Puka Beach, Philippines

The second-longest beach in Boracay is a little more secluded and serene than White Beach’s Station 1,2, and 3. You’ll find rare Puka shells along this stretch of pure white sand, just a quick tricycle ride away from the mainland to this side of the island.

9. Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam

Explore Phu Quoc Island’s beaches which are still largely empty. Rent a motorbike, snorkel, scuba dive, wind sail, jet ski, or fish for squid. Yes, squid fishing. Visit the early-morning Duong Dong market for a real firsthand experience of the local Vietnam culture.

10. Gaya Island, Borneo, Malaysia

The Gayana Eco Resort in Gaya Island is hard to resist, even if you’re not an environmental warrior. With a resort built on stilts above the water, it has a 130-million-year-old prehistoric rain forest in the vicinity. When you want a break from the warm waters, exotic fish, and corals, go jungle-trekking, and you might get lucky and spot a Megapode, a local bird that appears similar to a chicken and meows like a cat!

PARANAS, Samar – Five years have gone by since the area was proclaimed and developed as an eco-tourism destination by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to combat illegal logging, and locals are already reaping the benefits. A surge in tourism has shifted their livelihood, from cutting down trees illegally to professionally guiding thrill-seeking tourists on the river tour.

They have been receiving an average of 500 tourists per month during the summer, while monsoon season rakes in about 200 visitors a month. Thirty-six year old leader of river guides and boatmen in Tenani village, Eugene Igdalino, says that they receive P5,000 to P7,000 a month showing tourists around. The drive displayed by locals to engage in eco-tourism has also motivated National Government agencies to offer villagers assistance by building tourism support facilities, trainings, as well as provision of gears.

Karina Rosa Tiopes, regional director of the Department of Tourism (DOT) says that the site faces many challenges since its launch fifty years ago, including damaged safety gears, frequent flooding, strong typhoons, and old boats. Tiopes promises to offer more assistance to local tourism, including more opportunities for local food sellers, concrete roads to the jump-off point, trails for senior citizens, multicabs for catering, and a hanging bridge.

How You Can Experience the Torpedo Ride

Enjoy a white-water rapid ride, also known as The Ulot River Torpedo Extreme Boat Ride, on a motorized canoe deep into the Samar Island National Park (SINP) in the south central area of Samar Island. The Ulot Watershed Model Forest t is a 10.5 km or one-hour ride downstream from the jump-off point. Going upstream, on the other hand, needs about an hour and 15 minutes or a total of 21 km.

The famous river can be reached both by land and air. If you’re coming from Manila, it’ll only take a little more than an hour to Calbayog City and Tacloban City. From there, you’ll be able to find jeepneys, buses, and vans that offer regular trips to the area.

Tour packages include community development fee, motorized banca rental, tour guide’s fee, kayak rental, and use of safety gears and personal floating devices.

The torpedo ride is just a component of the Ulot Watershed Ecotourism Loop, which handles other recreation sites, including Can-maanghit Falls, Lusungan Falls, Taft Philippine Eagle Sanctuary, Pangpang Falls, Yabon Falls, Nasarang Spring, Silay Cave, Catingcoy Cave, Liaw Cave, Duloy Spring, Sulfan Spring, and Pugtak Spring.