It was during the Ragrag-o Photo Exhibit at the Capitol where Dr. Bielmaju Bawingan, Municipal Health Officer and First Lady of the municipality of Adams got attracted to the photos exhibited by TIPS. She was happy to see one of the photos in Adams being showcased.
From there on, she talked to the members and officers. She then commissioned TIPS for a tourism photo project where she invited the members to visit Adams for a photo shoot. It was an all-expense paid trip to their town. The photos shall be used for tourism brochures and for a future photo exhibit to promote the town of Adams.
Adams is considered to be a paradise for its beautiful sights and sceneries. It is a one barangay town located in the uplands. This is a home for several indigenous groups of people such as the Bago, Immalod, Kankanaey, Yapayao and Yloco.
Alaric Yanos, Bryan Rapadas, Dr. Edwin Antonio, Archi Joseph Reginaldo and Edwin Tangonan were the tipsters who made it to Adams for the photo shoot. They were met up by the guides at Panzian highway and served with breakfast composed of brown rice, longganisa and tortang talong. Later, Dr. Biel arrived and briefed the group about the itinerary.
Each of the members was deployed to a certain waterfalls area. Alaric was assigned to Maligligay Falls, Dr Edwin has the Pao Falls, Bryan documented Inuwayan Falls and four others, while Archi Joseph and Edwin joined forces covering Abbas, Kanayupan and Aki Falls.
After the landscape photography, food photography was slated next. The locals prepared native and exotic food from brown rice, wild ferns salad, balbalusa to adobong igat. The group ate the same food that they photographed. Then a model or portraiture shoot with the locals in their tribal costumes was done later.
The group was later sent off to their homestay at Annavic’s place. Tipsters took time to freshen up by taking a dip in the Bolo River. After which they were served with a sumptuous dinner. The group was invited at Dr Biel’s place for wine drinking over a serenade of a local string band. They were also offered the breaded fried frog to try. Dr. Biel called it a night soon after finishing the wine.
On the next day, the group was taken to the Lovers Peak where tipsters shot the sunrise against the mountain ranges. Product photography was later conducted with a visit to Lola Ingga’s Tapuey winery. A shot of the brooms made of tiger grass was also included. The group roamed around to shoot homestay places. The lunch was set at a hut beside a fishpond. This was Lyns place.
The last stop was at the winery of Dr Biel where we tasted different types of wines particulary the bugnay wine. She gifted the group members with bottles of bugnay wine, vinegar and brooms to take home to Laoag.
This was another fun-filled and most memorable photo shoot assignment for the participating tipsters.
Several activities were conducted such as parlor games where the group was divided into two teams and played relay games, pinoy henyo game where members have to identify a word, kris kringle where members have exchanged gifts, inspiration speech by president Dr. Jose Orosa, presentation of hilarious distorted photographs of each member, dancing, singing, eating and drinking sprees.
Everybody enjoyed the party. This was a great moment for the group’s bonding. The group hopes to have another wonderful year to come.
