Manila Photowalk: A Guide for Newbies

Visiting the capital city is always part of my itinerary when ever I'm in a foreign land. For me, the capital cities are the best subject to try out street photography. It is also the fastest way to get to know a piece of the country's history and culture. Back in 2008, I joined my first ever photowalk across the streets of Manila. During our walk, I tried to pretend to be a first time tourist in Manila who just came out of NAIA and went out on the streets of the city to shoot. After reviewing the photos I've taken, I was surprised on how vibrant and exciting our capital city looked like on prints.

I like to share this Manila Photowalk Guide for newbies that I did through a collection of photos I've taken a few years back. When I say “newbies” you can either be a first time photographer who would like to experience shooting in the city, a backpacker who enjoys discovering new places by foot or just a fellow Filipino who’s on a mission to rediscover the country's capital.

I've checked my portfolio of all the photowalks I did in Manila the past couple of years and considered time and money to come up with a better guide.

Let’s start from the farthest point of our route, the University of Santo Tomas, considered as Asia’s oldest university and the only Royal, Pontifical and Catholic University in the Philippines. Iconic buildings such as the Arc of the Century and the Main Building are two of the favorite subjects of most photographers.

Balintataw Tip: Best point of view of the Main Building is at Beato Angelico or CFAD building. It is the building on the right side of the university if you’re facing España street.

From UST, ride a jeepney in order to reach our next destination which is Quiapo, home of the Black Nazarene and fortune tellers. Quiapo is the capital’s busiest area, I’m sure photographers and travelers alike will enjoy the colorful market life in this part of the city.

You can focus your lenses on the iconic Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or a.k.a. Quiapo church but if you’re in the mood for street photography, the people in the area will serve you best.

From Quiapo, walk your way to Manila’s Chinatown, Binondo. The area is known for delicious Chinese cuisines, so aside from eating and tasting those delicious foods, you can try out food photography as well. Surely, you'll be very satisfied after your visit. Among the restaurants in Binondo, the crowd favorites are Wai Ying Fast Food, Shanghai Fried Siopao and Dong Bei Dumplings to name a few.

After clicking through a number of Chinese foods in Binondo, walk across Jones Bridge to reach the city proper where you can find the walled city of Intramuros. Serves as the seat of Spanish power during their 300 years stay in the country.

A number of structures inside the walled city will capture your attention. Look for that right angle and practice your skills in composing a great photo on iconic churches like Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church, ruins of old buildings, Fort Santiago, old houses, and even the walls of Intramuros.

After finding your way out of the walled city, walk across the street to Luneta, a park made in honor of the national hero Jose Rizal. Families gather in this area for a nice leisurely walk, so if you want to capture family moments through your lenses, visit the park around 4-5 in the afternoon.

Our last stop is the Bay area, where you can enjoy the golden sunset of Manila Bay. Don’t forget to visit Harbor Square after sunset as well; this is the best place to shoot a panoramic view of Manila. You can also try to get your feet wet on long exposure shots to capture light trails of passing cars.

Best time to do this Manila Photowalk is during the weekends, preferably Saturday. Start as early as 8 in the morning to cover more grounds. 1000 pesos budget for a day is enough to include your food trips, transportation, entrance fees and souvenirs for this photowalk.

Side Trip: You may want to include other attraction/places of interest on your next photowalk like the Pasig River Ferry, Manila Zoo, Manila Post Office and Manila City Hall.

This is my entry to this month's PTB Blog Carnival with a theme of "Manila in Focus" hosted by Angel Juarez of Lakwatsero.com

To read more of the PTB Blog Carnival's past entries, click here.