Cover The community in Uhaj, Banaue, Ifugao, comes together to help plant rice in one of their neighbours’ fields (Photo: Francisco “Paco” Guerrero)
The community in Uhaj, Banaue, Ifugao, comes together to help plant rice in one of their neighbours’ fields (Photo: Francisco “Paco” Guerrero)
1 / 1
We talked to photographers about the vacations or trips that have made the most impact on them, asking each to share their story through photos
A photograph can preserve more than a place—it can freeze the emotion of a fleeting encounter, the thrill of an unexpected detour or the quiet awe of standing somewhere unforgettable. For photographers, travel is as much about observation as it is about exploration: every frame represents a story, every shutter click a feeling now immortalised. Pursuing this concept, we invited some of the Philippines’ leading photographers to revisit a journey that left a lasting imprint, sharing the images and stories behind the moments that continue to resonate with them.
See also: Patis Tesoro shows no signs of slowing down in her effort to preserve and promote Filipino design
Francisco “Paco” Guerrero
Misty morning over a village nestled among the ancient rice terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (Photo: Francisco “Paco” Guerrero)
1 / 4
A Philippine-based freelance photographer, Francisco “Paco” Guerrero is the director and co-founder of Grid Magazine. Renowned for his documentary, editorial and commercial work, he uses perspective-changing visual storytelling to immortalise emotion and memory. Grounded in anthropology and communications, Guerrero explores people, place and culture in his works that exhibit remarkable depth and sensitivity.
“I recently realised that my ultimate bucket-list adventure requires three things: an old Land Rover, a few good cameras and the right company.”
“Earlier this year, I had the chance to tick this one off the list: a 10-day, 655-kilometre traverse from Baguio to Pagudpud, through the rugged, remote heart of the Cordillera Mountain Range. Our mission? To shadow and film outdoor athletes JP Alipio and Koi Grey as they tackled the gruelling mountain route by bicycle.”
“We moved with intention, deliberately matching the cyclists’ pace. Because we chose the slower path, the mountains gave us the full, unvarnished experience. Our trucks overheated on steep inclines, engines sputtered, gears groaned, we got lost, and the skies routinely opened up, drenching us in torrential rain.”
“We sought shelter in local barangay halls and modest homestays. We wanted to revive a simpler, more vulnerable way of moving through the world—one where the kindness of strangers wasn’t a backup plan but the very core of the experience.”
“There is a school of travel that equates luxury with isolation—private villas, empty beaches and quiet sanctuaries. Trust me, I love those corners of the world and seek them out whenever I can. But this expedition reminded me of how I used to discover the world in the 1990s: Lonely Planet in one hand, a camera in the other. I’m not arguing that the old ways are inherently superior; they are simply different. And that’s the point of travel: to see different things and, more importantly, to experience the world differently.”
Read also: Kylie Verzosa on effortless style, mental health and her everyday luxury picks
Gio Panlilio
Above Coastal scenes feature surfers navigating powerful waves in Hawaii (Photo: Gio Panlilio)
Coastal scenes feature surfers navigating powerful waves in Hawaii (Photo: Gio Panlilio)
1 / 1
This Philippine-based curator, photo editor and artist explores the relationship between people and the spaces they inhabit. Gio Panlilio co-founded Tarzeer Pictures, an art space and creative production group that champions photographers and contemporary visual storytelling.
“Growing up, my dad would often tell me stories about his teenage years in Hawaii. He’d describe the small bungalow by the sea where he lived, the friends he cycled around town with and the surfers who spent their days riding the roaring waves. In late 2024, I had the chance to visit Hawaii for a friend’s wedding. On my free days, I drove along the coast, trying to imagine how my dad might have spent his own days there. Towards the end of my trip, I found myself sitting by the shore, watching a line-up of surfers glide across one wave after another, finally understanding the place I had been imagining since my childhood.”
Angelo Mendoza
Above Cherry blossoms burst into bloom against the backdrop of the Japanese Alps in Nagano Prefecture (Photo: Angelo Mendoza)
Above Cherry blossom petals carpet a path as a cyclist passes through an avenue of blooming trees (Photo: Angelo Mendoza)
Cherry blossoms burst into bloom against the backdrop of the Japanese Alps in Nagano Prefecture (Photo: Angelo Mendoza)
1 / 2
A Metro Manila-based photographer, Angelo Mendoza possesses a distinctive visual language that blends travel, lifestyle and adventure with documentary filmmaking. Through surreal, cinematic storytelling, he transforms everyday moments into compelling narratives.
“I almost didn’t go to Ina, a small rural city nestled in the Japanese Alps of Nagano Prefecture. It was the tail end of a two-week trip around Japan in April 2024, spent chasing the peak cherry blossom season day after day. Exhausted and unsure whether the detour would be worth it, I hesitantly pressed on through missed trains and buses. But the moment I stepped off the bus, I was stunned. Snow-capped mountains towered in the distance, rivers roared with fresh snowmelt, cherry blossoms blanketed the city and the locals—one of whom I’m still friends with today—were incredibly kind. By the end, it was no longer a question of whether it had been worth it, but rather of when I could return.”
Sonny Thakur
Above Ribbed heirloom tomatoes, artfully composed in a striking monochrome still life (Photo: Sonny Thakur)
Ribbed heirloom tomatoes, artfully composed in a striking monochrome still life (Photo: Sonny Thakur)
1 / 1
The co-founder of Grid Magazine, Sonny Thakur is a commercial, editorial, travel and food photographer renowned for his evocative visual storytelling. He brings a passion for cooking and a well-travelled palate to his striking images of food, culture and place.
“My bride and I brought home more than a few memories from our month-long honeymoon in Italy. We’d long decided that our dream stays—Numeroventi in Florence and Casa Lawa in Sicily—were worth saving up for. Soon after our intimate wedding, we found ourselves expanding our pasta-shape vocabulary and driving through sleepy Italian towns. Along the way, our most unforgettable memories, unsurprisingly, involved food.
“Our most unforgettable memories, unsurprisingly, involved food: the unbelievably fresh produce from the markets, which we brought back to photograph in our 16th-century loft-turned-makeshift photo studio; and the sweetest seafood pasta, served to us by our sailboat captain off the coast of Sant’Alfio.”
See also: Meet the 10 new National Artists of the Philippines
Gab Mejia
Gers stand resilient on a vast, snow-covered steppe, showcasing nomadic life in winter (Photo: Gab Mejia)
1 / 3
A Filipino photographer and multidisciplinary artist, Gab Mejia bridges photography, environmental conservation and culture. Their visual storytelling examines biodiversity, climate and cultural heritage, illuminating the connections between people, place and nature. As a National Geographic Explorer, Climate Pledge Global Storyteller and Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers, Mejia continues a mission to deepen our understanding of the world.
“It was the middle of November when the first frost began to settle across the frigid steppes of Mongolia. The air was crisp and bitterly cold, plunging to below minus 20 degrees Celsius. Yet somehow, the people’s hearts continued to beat with a deep sense of freedom that stretched far beyond the desolate whiteness of the landscape. I was there for a National Geographic Photo Camp, teaching photography to Mongolian students and young people, encouraging them to tell the story of their homeland through their own eyes. Through that work, Battur, the camp’s senior leader, reminded me that movement, freedom and the nomadic way of life are ordinary miracles that keep the world turning.”
NOW READ:
12 food and drink museums in Japan: where culinary culture meets history
Architectural whites: Zendaya’s ‘The Odyssey’ looks are a masterclass in goddess style
Home tour: a private getaway balancing serenity and sustainability in Batangas, Philippines
