Wawa Dam: Culture Before Sunrise

A young boy maneuvering the raft I was shooting on | Fujifilm X-T2 + Zeiss Touit 2.8/12mm

Photography is definitely a consistently growing interest everywhere in the world. Landscape and travel photography are among the top favorite genres that many aim to perfect. Sadly, many people who take interest in the craft are also people with 5–6 days per week jobs and have very little time to travel and find new things to photograph. As a hobbyist based in the heart of Metro Manila, finding Wawa dam which is 30 minutes away from my home was definitely a delight. It’s a place with beautiful natural scenes and a very dynamic culture that rises with the sun.

L: A father, his son, and their dog off to do the morning errands (Fujifilm X-Pro2 + XF 16mm f/1.4) R: A pseudo-aerial view of the dam (Fujifilm X-T2 + Zeiss Touit 2.8/12)

Wawa dam, located right by the border of Metro Manila and Rizal province, is home to a community of a couple hundred people. Many of it’s residents have day jobs within Metro Manila while some of them cater to tourists for a living.

A Man on his bamboo raft surrounded by dozens of floating cottages available for tourists to rent

After sunrise, especially on weekends and holidays, the areas surrounding the dam becomes colorful and lively because of the addition of the tourists to their population. Families from nearby towns visit the dam and rent cottages to spend the day right by the relaxing view of the water and the surrounding mountains.

3 young boys enjoying a peaceful ride on a bamboo raft (Fujifilm X-T2 + XF 55–200mm)

But before that is when the magic actually happens. As the community rises in preparation for the day ahead, whether to tend to the tourists that visit or to commute to their workplaces away from home, the people set in motion in beautiful synchronicity with the rising of the sun. For travel photographers, this would be such a delight.

A woman bearing fruits on her shoulders off to sell at a nearby market (Fujifilm X-Pro2 +XF 16mm f/1.4)

For anyone wishing to visit this rather hidden gem of a place, it would be best to be there and start the 10 minute light trek before sunrise. For photographers aiming to shoot the place, shooting the dam or from the dam at sunrise would definitely be fruitful.

The sun peeking through the mountains illuminating the mist above the waters just after sunrise (Fujifilm X-Pro2 + XF 16mm f/1.4)

Sunrise from above the dam (Fujifilm X-T2 + Zeiss Touit 2.8/12)

A single trip to this visual paradise would definitely be fruitful to any photographer aiming to create stimulating art.

Just 30 minutes away from Metro Manila, a quick getaway would be perfect for any photographer aiming to scratch a creative itch.

After shooting the sunrise, switching to your extrovert mode to immerse yourself with the people from the place can give you great opportunities to create meaningful photographs.

Photos taken with Fujifilm XT2 and X-Pro2 cameras, XF 16mm. XF 55.200mm and Zeiss Touit 2.8/12mm lenses)

Equipment used on the photos :
Fujifilm X-T2, Fujifilm X-Pro2
Fujinon XF 16mm f/1.4
Fujinon XF 55–200mm
Zeiss Touit 2.8/12
Formatt Hitech Firecrest filters
Manfrotto 190XPro4 tripod

For more photographs, check out http://instagram.com/niccov.ph
Thanks for reading!