Melo Villareal
All the images were taken using LG G4 Smartphone
It was one hot afternoon few days before I left for Spain. I had nothing to do, and all my traveler friends were off to different destinations. I had no one to meet and hang out with and since I had a test unit of the New LG G4 smartphone, so I thought why not do a Manila Photo Walk?
A Kid inside Golden Mosque in Quiapo
Boredom presents an Opportunity
Since I had nothing to do and I did not want to go home yet, I thought to myself “Why don’t I go on an adventure?” Ever since I had moved to Manila to get my degree, I rarely paid attention to the beautiful spots in Manila like the Golden Mosque, Churches in Manila, China Town, Manila Bay and the massive antique walls alongside the famous Pasig River.
Candle Peddler in Quiapo
So I thought to myself, I now have the perfect time to revisit Intramuros and see what it is all about before I go home and get on with online tasks. Since I was planning to try out the Camera Features of LG G4 Smartphone for a review, I decided to leave my DSLR camera at home.
Discovering Quiapo
I must admit, Quiapo is not a destination for everyone. It is too crowded; there are so many peddlers and security for the curious traveler is always in question. It is a challenging place for some but not for me. In fact, I love Quiapo.
Image of Jesus Nazareno in Sta Cruz Church
Quiapo Flower Market
My first stop was the Masjid Al-Dahab or Golden Mosque and Cultural Center on Globo de Oro Street. My next stop was the famous Quiapo church where I took photos of a fortune teller, a candle peddler, and of course the famous church itself.
An Old Building in Carriedo
Exploring Ongpin Street, the world’s oldest Chinatown
After looking my fill at the photos of an old Roman Santos building fronting Plaza Lacson Carriedo Street, and the famous Sta. Cruz Church, I crossed to Ongpin Street where I started my Chinatown photowalk.
Ongpin Street Sign
I liked how the Ongpin district maintained some of the old dragon-decorated street signs. From the Carriedo Fountain, I walked towards Binondo Church. It was quite a long walk, but as I gazed about me and observed the colorful decorations and Chinese-inspired structures, a bottle of iced cold water was enough to relax my tired feet.
Chinatown
Binondo Church
Walking Along the Walls
I have always been adventurous and I love to discover new things and new places, so I went ahead and climbed the walkway up the wall. What a great feeling to see the whole of Manila on top of these walls!
Walled City
I felt transported to the Spanish era as I walked along the top of the wall overlooking the Manila City Hall, the relaxing green golf course, and various colleges.
Spanish Canons that used to protect the Walled City of Manila
The place was great for a workout as the wall stretches from Collegio de San Juan all the way to Luneta. I found that the top of the wall was the perfect place for taking fantastic shots of the city. You will see a great view of the old buildings of Manila and feel the history captured in your photos.
View of Manila City Hall from Intramuros Walls
Paying homage to the churches
After 30 minutes of walking the wall from end to end, I found myself in front of the Manila Cathedral – one of the oldest and grandest Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. Two blocks away from the Cathedral is the famous Casa de Manila – an old building that houses souvenir shops, a museum, restaurant, and a hotel with an old world charm.
Wooden Door of San Agustin Church
Inside San Agustin Church
In front of Casa de Manila is San Agustin Church. I stood in awe at these structures that withstood the test of time and wondered how Mass celebrated during the old Spanish times. After my short stop, I headed for the Manila Film Center in the CCP Complex where I found beautiful graffiti on its walls.
Graffiti in Manila Film Center
My last stop was at a Starbucks Coffee Shop near the Cultural Center of the Philippines to capture Manila’s famous sunset. It was a tiring day but, I was glad I was able to capture photos that I’ve been wanting to have on my collection for the past couple of years.
LG G4 – Perfect for Street and Travel Photography
Back in the day, I only had my trusty Nokia cameraphone with me, but now I’m using the newest LG G4 smartphone and reviewing its camera’s manual settings. I expected to take better pictures with it than my Nokia, and I was not disappointed. It has a 16-megapixel camera with an f/1.8 aperture, a distinct improvement from the G3 and just in step with new offerings from other brands. You can’t afford to lag behind when it comes to smartphone technology, or you will be left biting the dust. LG knows this, and how!
Sunset in Manila Yacht Club
I checked out my first attempts and was surprised at how sharp and vivid pictures were. I had taken the pictures while not so steady on my feet as I walked the wall like a sentry, and I expected a few of the pictures to be less pristine. I guess this is due to LG’s stabilisation system and laser-guided autofocus.
Sunset in Roxas Boulevard
Pixel by pixel, it is a clear match to the Samsung Galaxy S6 camera however, I still find the LG G4 Camera better in so many ways. The front camera is just a mere 8-megapixels, but with the enhanced software, that’s good enough for most selfies. To make sure you don’t miss a great shot, the LG G4 lets you instantly take a photo from standby by simply double-tapping the volume down button.
There are other features of the LG G4, but the camera is definitely the main event. Besides, I’m on a photowalk, so the camera is the only thing I’m interested in right now.
