Ang Tara, G! ay ang travel dump series ng The Focal Point Photography kung saan lahat ng gala, lakwatsa, at pamamasyal ng Focal Point camera, kuhang-kuha sa mga lente niya.
Planado man or a random stopover, bagong discovery, or just a visit, pwedeng pwede kayong maki-sakay. Kami ang inyong bagong travel buddy sa virtual field trip.
Ready ka na ba sa trip natin? Tara, G!
"On a chill ride to Antips on a cold Sunday morning!"
Visit Date: Sunday, April 6, 2025
Journal Notes:
It was 3am on a Sunday, sobrang aga naming umalis ng bahay. We wanted to watch the sun rise. It was cold pero masarap sa feeling, 'yun na ulit ang pagkakataon na umakyat ulit kami ng bundok. Andaming bagong nakita sa trip na to, di ko namalayan nasa Marcos Highway na pala kami at probinsya na pala ang area natin. Nasaktuhan pa na nadaanan namin yung mga stores na kakilala ko sa malalayo. Ito pala yon. Nakarating na kami sa pupuntahan, it was very surreal. Challenge nga lang na kailangan naming dumaan sa isang hanging bridge na habang papunta sa dulo e mas lumalayo yung hawakan. Wag lang talaga ako mapatingin sa ibaba dahil puro puno ang babagsakan ko kung ganon. First time kong naramdaman ang nature sa experience na iyon. We may not have watched the sunrise on the deck as it was not available to use before 7 in the morning, I can surely say it is indeed a bond with Mother Earth and made me appreciate more of her beauty.
I'm looking forward to experiencing more of this. Tara, G!
-The Focal Point Camera
"Kuya, pabili po ng yelo dito sa Outside World"
Visit Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Journal Notes:
We were planning to check on some gears that'll help me create more beautiful visuals. Maaga pa, so we thought, "What if we go to the Big Brother House?" Sakto! There is an ongoing season of PBB, we might want to check it out. Nasa harapan pala siya ng ABS-CBN Broadcasting Centre. Nakwento pala sakin na the front part of the studio will be gone in a year, so I thought of capturing it for the last time. We walked around the compound, and there we saw numerous banners for the Kapamilya shows. And saw with my eyes the glory of the ELJ Building. Finally, we reached the House, madami palang dumadaan sa bahay. Nakakabigla na, the one I'm watching on television is in front of us. It became a tourist spot as not all Big Brother Houses in the world are in the open like this one.
It was fun to know na madaming nangangarap na makapasok sa Bahay na'to just to change their lives for the better and chase their dreams. A symbol of dreams coming true. But it's not the house that'll change people's lives, but rather the people given the chance to live inside it and persevere and do every challenge with their might.
A dream of success that I also dream of achieving. Abutin natin pangarap natin guys, Tara, G!
- The Focal Point Camera
"After a long day on the busy roads of Binondo"
Visit Date: Sunday, May 18, 2025
Journal Notes:
Days after namin makasama si Godox Speedlight sa family. Nagkaroon ng ganap sa labas ng bahay that would leave me going. Sa totoo lang, wala sa plano ko ang pumunta sa Binondo. Matagal akong nasa bag, paglabas sakin, nakita ko na wala na masyadong tao. Ang alam ko, ang Binondo ay isang busy place knowing that around us are all businesses, not residences. I'm surprised that it was cold and quiet. Pagtingin ko nalang sa Time System ko, it's almost midnight. I thought it was the perfect place to wander around that place and not worry of crowd that would make me unsafe. The busy roads are clear, lights are still on. Very evident ang influence ng Chinese culture dito. There's a fountain on the center of the plaza, and there we see the Binondo Church which is a National Shrine. I felt a bit of hope and encouragement just by looking at it even if it's dark and hard to see actually.
Napagtanto ko, after a busy, tiring long day of striving sa pagtratrabaho, di dapat na dire-diretso ka lang na lalaban. There's always time to rest and reflect of what happened that will help us to motivate and energize ourselves and be ready for the morning ahead which is a new beginning for all of us.
May we all find the drive to continue living every day because life is a beautiful thing. Sa buhay na masaya, Tara, G!
- The Focal Point Camera
"At baka biglang magkita pa tayo sa kalsada ng UP"
Visit Date: Monday, June 7, 2025
Journal Notes:
It was raining in manila for a few days but finally, the sun came and it's time to go outside. The question is Saan?, and napaisip kami na sa UP tayo pumunta. We wanted to see what is the famous Sunken Garden looks like. Sa likod kami ng campus dumaan, we saw some college buildings. Small walk and we saw the wide scenery of the garden. "Ganito pala dito?"
Not surprised but there are a lot of joggers and students wearing outsider uniforms also visit. Bakit di ka naman mapapabisita eh ang lawak at ang payapa ng pakiramdam sa Academic Oval. The campus looked like a city. The green elements of the campus is very plasing to our eyes. It made me feel safe and at peace in my first time.
As we wonder the Academic Oval, we saw Melchor Hall which I feel like I've seen it on television. Then at the iconic Oblation. There, we encountered graduates taking their final pictures taken to close their academic journey. Some were taking images in front of it, some were in the long street of Sunflowers in the University Avenue flexing their medals and taking polaroids with their friends. It was almost sunset and seeing the sunflowers in that great view, made me think deeper. The sunflower symbolizes light and as the darkness or the challenges come in, we will always have the light of hope. The hope of education, the lessons we learned on our Journey holds as our hope in facing the life's challenges once we step out on the phase that we were once students and now part of the future trailblazers of our society and the nation.
Schools might be the warzone of students but after facing the challenges outside, we would want to go back to the peace that these once we called second home provide, remembering precious memories with friends and colleagues. May we always treasure every step of life and everyday learn to be more strong. To more great life learnings and motivation to grow, Tara G!
- The Focal Point Camera
"Kapayapaan, para sa isipan, kalikasan, at bayang sinilangan."
Visit Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026
Journal Notes:
At first glance, I thought it was a Zoo. Di din pala centered sa preservation ang lugar na 'to but also to appreciate nature. There we saw different preserved wild animals. I'm surprised, finally I get to see what our endangered Philippine Eagle looked in person. After witnessing those earthly friends, we saw students. Madaming students ang nandun, there are plenty of groups in their Filipiniana. They seem to be filming for something, and I observed that they're really into their characters well. Lalong lalo na yung umaarte tungkol sa nawawala niyang anak.
In my mind, I asked myself, why do they choose to visit here? As I continue my journey, napansin ko na sobrang payapa, tahimik. Perfect for intimate moments and a time to reflect. Families who took the chance to gather in a picnic, partners who chose to look at the stream and experience love in a new way are examples. And some people on their own, who appreciated themselves and make themselves in silence for a moment.
Paunti-unti, naiintindihan ko na. The park symbolizes Peace. Kapayapaan. Kapayapaan na dala ng katahimikan ng paligid, regalo ng kalikasan para pangalagaan lahat ng nangangailangan ng katiwayasan sa isip, makalayo sa mga problema, mapa-tao or hayop. Ang dalisay na daloy ng tubig na nagdadala ng kasiguraduhan na sa bawat agos ng buhay ay kayang-kaya nating sumabay. At ang simbolo na dala na Kapayapaan, dala ng taong na nakapangalan dito, si Ninoy that more than 40 years ago, sacrificed his life for the love of his country and countrymen para lang maibalik ang kapayapaan sa bayan.
People tend to forget to take a pause because of pressure, lack of time, and personal challenges but there are places like these one who are ready to embrace you and let you feel their love and peace once we're ready. Peace should not be a privilege, but a necessity, a feeling we should learn to feel. Para sa Kapayapaan natin, Tara G!
- The Focal Point Camera
"There is a lot more to appreciate than what we see."
Visit Date: Friday, February 20, 2026
Journal Notes:
Friday Morning, it was 6 when we left for Manila. Nakarating kami around 8, sa Luneta. We walked in circles to wait for this place to open. At 9, it was time to enter the premises of the National Museum. Akala ko iisa lang ang Museum, but it is divided into 3 different structures, namely Fine Arts, Anthropology, and Natural History, the one we were about to explore.
Dito pala sa Natural History yung nakikita ko sa Social Media na central structure sa loob. It was called the "Tree of Life". It is an elevator to the 5th Level, where visitors start and end at the bottom. Sayang lang, hindi siya gumagana at the moment. As I saw on social media, this is where some new-gen kids take aesthetic pictures and share on their walls because of its calm ambience. I wanted to know if the place is more than that, and yes it was, surely.
The museum is clean and well managed, clean, organized, and coordinated to what gallery has in store. The Natural History Museum emphasizes how every creation came into place, from space and even microspecies we share life with and how we, people, have the power to take care of it and preserve its beauty. Every gallery has its own feel, vibe and energy. It lets you be immersed of what the gallery's message wants to send out, it has different activities in store to be enjoyed by spectators.
The National Museum surely is a great place to visit, especially since it's free for everyone to visit. Kaya little kids to adults from different nationalities, are delighted when they saw what's inside. Hindi lang kasi exhibition ang nakikita, where you just look at displayed artifacts and leave, but you get to know its background and maybe have a chance to experience activities regarding a topic is shared in each gallery.
'Di lang pala lugar to take your partners on a date or take pictures on its aesthetically patterned walls. It's a way for us to grow in our knowledge and learn to appreciate things beyond what we know initially. I'm totally curious what the other museum has to show everyone. Well, one thing is for sure, I'm excited to visit the next 2 Museums, Tara G?
- The Focal Point Camera
