Some of her friends kid her by saying she's the real-life version of Dora the Explorer, the famous cartoon character who is always on the go looking for adventure while trying to solve puzzles. And just like the cartoon, Kath is accompanied by friends on her quests, as she prefers to share the experience with people close to her. The similarity ends there, though, because for one, Dora looks for clues and answers but Kath looks for beautiful scenery and armed with a camera to capture it. And while Dora has her cute animated friends, they don't compare to Kath's constant adventure companion - her husband. That they both manage to travel a lot despite of their work talks a great deal about their resourcefulness in making their schedules mesh with their travel plans. Travel and photography. There's no other angle in doing a feature on Focus Bulacan's activities committee officer, Kath Cruz-Tuazon. We asked her for specifics about her photography adventures. Q : It’s very likely that you’ve loved to travel since you were a kid, but how about your love for photography? How and when did you get started? Kath : Yes, since birth yata eh puro travels na nakamulatan ko. Iyong family kasi namin mahilig talaga mag-travel lalo na kapag mayroong okasyon or mayroong may birthday, parang it’s a must na maka-alis kami. Iyong pagka-hilig ko sa photography nag-start around 2009, sa totoo lang natuwa lang ako sa mga nakikita kong DSLR, sabi ko sa sarili ko, “bibili din ako niyan”. So, ayun na nga, unang camera ko is Nikon D70s. Hindi ko talaga siya alam gamitin, hehe. Aral-aral lang ng manual at nood ng Youtube tsaka nag-join ako sa isang photography group dito sa Bulacan. Q : Just how often do you travel? K : Before, noong single pa ako, as in wala pa sa buhay ko si husband, nagta-travel ako once or twice a month with friends or family, minsan pa nga weekly. Noong nagka-boyfriend ako and naging husband ko siya halos once a month, or kapag may occasion. In short madalas talaga, hehe. Approximately mga 20 to 25 times in a year siguro? 'Yung ibang travel ko kasi minsan nauulit din pero ibang circle of friends or minsan family ang kasama. Q : What is it about photography that you love as much as you love going to other places? K : 'Yung ma-capture ng camera ko 'yung mga magagandang lugar, para maipakita din sa ibang mga tao 'yung ganda ng lugar na napuntahan ko. Kumbaga share the beauty of nature, para din magka-idea sila kung saan 'yung mga tourist spots na minsan ay hindi pa gaano kilala. Q : What was your most memorable trip, in terms of the photos that you were able to capture? K : Iligan city, kasi super big fan talaga ako ng mga waterfalls, nandoon kasi yung Maria Cristina Falls and Tinago Falls. Super picture perfect nung dalawang falls na 'yun, although aminado ako na mahirap din talaga mag-shoot sa falls, minsan hindi maiwasan 'yung lens mo nahahagingan ng tubig. Q : Tell us which photography gear you usually bring on your travels, and specifically why you bring them. K : Kapag nagta-travel ako, I usually bring my DSLR, a Nikon D90, kit lens, prime lens, wide lens and my GoPro. Prime lens, usually naman nagagamit ko lang 'to pang-capture ng portrait, pero madalang ko lang 'to magamit sa travel, hehe. Kit lens, eto 'yung mas gamit ko, 18-105mm. Mas madali kasi mag-adjust eh, lalo na kapag nasa tour, hindi na pwede magpalit-palit ng lens, eh kapag eto gamit ko, zoom in at zoom out na lang. Wide lens, eto masarap gamitin pang-landscape, kapag may time naman at hindi nagra-rush sa isang place eto gamit ko kasi mas nakukuha niya 'yung buong lugar. GoPro, kapag naman may risk na mabasa sa tubig or kapag delikado yung lugar, hindi ko na dinadala 'yung DSLR, eto na lang, kasi handy lang siya and waterproof kaya walang fear na baka mabasa or malaglag ko siya, and wide din kaya okay din pang-capture ng mga scenery. Q : Do you find it a hassle sometimes to bring extra weight because of your camera gear? K : Yes!!! Haha.. super hassle, pero kahit ganun, walang lakad ako na hindi ko dinala 'yung DSLR ko. Yes, mayroon naman mga mobile phone or kahit yung GoPro na mas madali bitbitin at magaan, pero iba kasi quality ng shots ng DSLR eh, nasasayangan ako sa mga moments or sa mga maka-capture sana na lugar kung hindi DSLR ang gamit. Q : For you, what would a perfect travel camera be like? List the specs that you want. K : Perfect travel camera?! Hmmmm.. maganda kung full-frame. Pero mahal kasi 'yun eh, kaya pwede naman na sa lens na lang mag-base. Madami din dapat i-consider sa pagpili ng lens na gagamitin. Hindi kasi pwede na OA sa dami 'yung dadalhin mong mga lens, hindi naman ideal na magtravel ka na may pataas na iba-ibang lens ang dala mo, hassle 'yun, mahihirapan ka mag-travel plus mahihirapan ka magpalit-palit. Nauubos na oras mo sa pagpalit-palit ng lens plus nababawasan pa 'yung time mo mag-enjoy sa trip mo. Mas okay pa din 'yung lens na versatile tsaka 'yung lens na magbibigay sa'yo ng enough range, para nga if ever zoom in at zoom out ka na lang, depende din kasi 'yan sa destination mo tsaka sa shots na ite-take mo. Ang tingin ko na okay na lens 'pag nagta-travel is Sigma 24-105mm f/4, wide-angle to medium, telephoto zoom lens na rin with constant f/4 aperture na pwede sa full frame at crop sensor na DSLR Nikon camera. Q : You’ve been in photography for some years now. How would you assess your photographic journey so far? K : It’s been 6 years, hehe. Hindi ko masasabing super galing ko, pero kung iko-compare mga shots ko nung nagsisimula pa lang ako at 'yung sa ngayon, I think may malaking pagbabago naman. Syempre kapag lagi mong ginagawa, habang tumatagal malalaman mo kung ano 'yung mali at mga tama. Pero may big room for improvement pa. Q : What has traveling taught you about life? In the same regard, what has photography taught you about life? K : Sa traveling at sa photography, kapag pinagsama mo 'yan may isa kang importante na dapat matututunan, iyon eh 'yung makibagay sa kultura ng mga lugar na pinupuntahan mo at kinukuhanan mo ng litrato. Napaka-imporante ng bagay na 'yun, na dapat na isa-alang-alang ng bawat isa. Q : Do you have particular places you would love to travel to? And what’s your one ultimate destination wish? K : Yes! Batanes and Maldives, ultimate dream ko, hehe. Ang sarap siguro mag-landscape doon at saka magmuni-muni.
Q : Now that you’re married and planning on starting a family, what’s your plan in terms of traveling and photography? K : I am lucky to have a husband na napaka-supportive sa hobby ko, sa photography. Kaya sakaling may schedule ng mga shoots kasama 'yung group, pinapayagan naman niya ako. Then in terms of traveling, lucky din ako kasi mahilig din siya mag-travel, hehe. Pero siguro medyo mababago lang kapag may baby na. Q : Have you taught Jayson about photography or tried to pique his interest in it? K : Hmmmm.. sa pag-observe ko sa kanya, hindi niya linya 'yung photography eh, more on sports kasi siya, pero minsan 'pag umaalis kami, nakikita ko siya, nag-take din ng pictures ng sceneries, pero madalas hilig niya eh picture-an ako, portrait, hehe. Siguro naturuan ko siya sa photography 'yung mga basics lang, gaya ng mga functions ng DSLR camera, pero 'yung pumasok sa photography hindi ko siya na-engganyo pa, kasi feeling ko hindi talaga niya linya. Q : What’s the favorite destination you’ve been to? Why? K : El Nido, Palawan. Simple lang, kasi super ganda niya, picture perfect. Wala man ako gaano shots for landscape, nakatatak naman sa isip ko 'yung magagandang views na nakita ko. Puro selfie kasi naming mag-asawa 'yung kuha ko doon, kaya ayun, hehe. Kath's favorite travel photos. Click the squares to view photos in full. Q : Is there a destination you don’t want to go back to? K : Sa totoo lang wala naman akong lugar na ayaw balikan. Maganda naman kasi lahat ng napuntahan ko, pero 'yun nga lang minsan mayroon talaga na napaganda lang sa picture, pero in real life 'di pala siya ganun kaganda. 'Yung mga lugar na napuntahan ko, eh sumpa minsan 'yung mga daan, oras ng byahe at 'yung layo, pero kapag nandun ka na, wow, just wow!!! Siguro nasasabi ko na lang minsan, “ang layo ng byahe, grabe 'di ko na babalikan 'to”, pero siguro nasasabi lang 'yun kasi nga pagod. Q : Finally, what's your message for Focus Bulacan followers? K : Doing things that you enjoy is better than doing things you don’t enjoy… tama? And when you enjoy doing something you tend to not only do it stronger, better, faster, longer, but don’t forget to do it with a smile on your face. Iba kasi ang outcome ng isang bagay na ginagawa mo kapag masaya ka, kapag nag-e-enjoy ka. Lagyan mo din ng kaunting love 'yung passion mo para mas masaya. Huwag kang matakot sumubok, kapag may bagay ka na nasa isip mo, go! Gawin mo. Mahirap kasi magsisi sa bandang huli, na sasabihin mo sa sarili mo, “sayang naman 'yung view na yun, bakit hindi ko siya kinuhanan?!” Kaya guys focus tayo sa mga gusto natin, focus sa goals natin, in God’s perfect time, magagawa din natin lahat ng gusto natin at makukuha din natin lahat ng gusto natin. Travel more. Shoot more. One thing is clear : Kath loves what she is doing. And she wouldn't mind if it's exhausting, time-consuming, or expensive. As long as she can do it, she will. Dora the Explorer personified? Maybe. Passion exemplified? Definitely.
Travel more. Shoot more. If you have your better half doing it with you, then it doesn't get better than that. |
FOCUS Feature
Every month, we have a feature on our members, our photography idols, and other photography issues we feel deserve a heads-up. Archives
January 2021
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