I come from a city in the Philippines best known for its waterfalls, but these days I find myself treading a different body of water – surf. In 2015, I packed up my life and headed to Siargao, the country’s surf capital, with what seemed like nothing. A few shirts, boardies, fins, laptop, a DSLR, and a GoPro. Essentially, it was all I needed to get started.
My background is in landscape, travel, and documentary photography and I am no stranger to capturing beauty from behind the lens. But it was my combined passion for surfing and photography that made me dive headfirst into the country’s best waves.
A year on, I dare not say it, but I’m starting to build a career for myself. I’m working with (and learning from) top class watermen, photographing surf and lifestyle for local surf brands and running a cafe-gallery aptly called ‘Shaka Siargao’. I owe this island and everyone on it my dream. It’s the only way I know how to give back. My dedication I hope is evident in my work which tries to embody the laid-back vibe of the island I feel I owe so much.