Street Photography: Baguio City, Philippines

I went on an impromptu trip to Baguio last weekend. The last time I went to Baguio City was in March of this year, and I spent most of my time hunting for great spots to eat. This time, I focused on street photography.

Baguio is a place that is close to my heart. I stayed there for a couple of years to finish my studies, and the streets are already mapped in my mind.

Street photography is something I have been working on for the last few months. I know that street photos should be as candid as they can be, I mean, your subjects should not be looking at the camera. But eye contact can also be interesting sometimes. To me, it's a perfect opportunity to smile back at my subjects.

There is really something about this place that makes me come back often. The nostalgic foggy days and cool night air always light up a special spot in my heart. Baguio reminds me so much of my younger years.

Over the last few years, Baguio has changed a lot. It has become a tourist machine -- attracting people by the thousands. While most people are busy planning their next Baguio destination to visit or their next restaurant to eat in, for some of the locals, it's just another day at work.

Others remind us that life has never been that easy. And that we have our own struggles.

Nevertheless, for most of us, life must go on.

During the years that I stayed here, I felt like being taken care of by a parent. I felt the warmth and care, and the memories it gave me are fond.

It felt good to have visited Baguio again. It’s so easy to forget how beautiful this country is when you spend most of your time in the city. I’m thankful for these moments where I get to be with this dear place -- breathe fresh air, feel the cold breeze, meet people, and just be in awe of how vast this small city is.