A Weekend in Boracay with the Fuji X100F
Intro
A few months ago I made the decision to let go of my beloved Leica SL in part to prepare myself for the Leica SL2 that was just around the corner. And viola, I sold my Leica SL about 8 months ago in June of 2019. With this, I was left with a void. I had no Leica camera as I traveled back to the Philippines in July of 2019. Over the last two years, I have had the X100F with me as a sort of side kick camera for those times when I am lazy to bring the full frame with me. Its served its purpose, being a lightweight, maybe pocket-able camera depending on what you define as a pocket, to bring along for times where we go to a place like Disneyland. But without any go to cameras I found my self with a gap in time where the Fuji X100F would need to be my exclusive camera. And even though I will always walk back to a Leica, the X100F did not disappoint, especially when I was presented with one of the most beautiful sunsets in the beach of Boracay, Philippines. The colors from this camera rival that of the Leica and one of the most important things to me for photography is the colors the cameras produce. This article will be a quick walk-through of some of the photos I was able to capture with my Fuji while traveling to Boracay.
Only the Essentials
A great start to the trip was packing my gear, little did I realize how much more space I would have with just this one small compact camera. I was used to the Leica SL with a few lenses and the X100F all in my bag kit and never really complained about size or luggage. But you only realize how much stuff you were carrying around when you travel light and this time with only one camera, I definitely noticed the difference. When travelling to Boracay, you land at the airport and instead of the usual jet bridge, you walk down a portable stairs and get off on the tarmac. From here you take a bus ride to the terminal and again take another bus to the boat which will take you to Boracay Island. There is no straight shot to get to your hotel. All these stops and transfers made travelling light that much more easier. Just a single camera and a light backpack and I was good to go.
Boarding the boat is another challenge all by itself, there is no solid platform to come aboard. The boat is basically on the beachfront water and the staff place a sketchy board from the sand to the boat for you to walk and balance on. This while the water waves splash on and off the beach sand. Timing is everything here as you wait for the water to pull back, run and step on board. With the Fuji X100F, no problem. If I had my Leica I would be a little worried, I would likely have packed my camera in a waterproof bag vs keeping it on my neck. For times like this, having this camera trumps everything as I have less to worry about breaking or damaging my equipment.
Local KIDS sWIMMING IN THE bEACH Water after boarding the boat
walking around the beach
As we arrived on Boracay Island, the one thing you will do is walk along the beachfront coastline. Lined along the entire white sand beach are resort hotels, restaurants and tourist attraction stores. Our main goal for this trip was to do nothing at most, swim, relax in the sand and enjoy the beauty of mother nature. The white sand is a sight to see, and the clear blue water in front of you will beat anything. Boracay has remote/secluded locations when you need your peace and quiet but also has a great nightlife for the younglings who are looking for that party. Its a great mix for any type of socialism your family is looking for. Food is fantastic, there are street markets along with all the local filipino food you can desire. This was the kiddos first time to a real beach and in the picture below you can see how they are assessing the water for the first time.
Kids Assessing the beach water
No matter where you walk, you will just find scenic landscapes that make you feel like you never want to leave and go back to the hustle and bustle of real life. Sitting under the shade of the over arching trees you get a mix of the tropical trees, white sand and clear blue water. All the local and people we met are always super friendly and the accommodations are perfect depending on what your budget or needs are.
Waterfront Under the sHADE
Waterfront Lookout
Docking the boat
During our stay I was able to enjoy two natural events that when it happens you just have to sit there and marvel at how beautiful it is. Every time you think you have seen the most beautiful things, mother natures one ups that moment. Sitting and relaxing at the beach, a glamorous sunset happened while the water was retreating back creating both amazing still water reflections from the leftover pockets of water along with the most amazing sunset colors. On the second day a thunderstorm out in the horizon right over a dozen boats, witnessing both the calm sunset along with the ravaging thunderstorms. I liked the X100F as an every other day camera but once I saw the colors that I was able to pull out from what I was witnessing I appreciated what Fuji was bringing to the photography table.
Head on Shoulder
Running in the water
Boats in a Thunderstorm
Boats in a Thunderstorm 2
Summary
In summary, I did not miss a beat selling my Leica SL. Yes I will still want my full frame camera, but sometimes the best camera is the one you have with you and you make the most of it. I will always wear a camera, and sometimes its the one you want and other times its not. But you capture the life that is in front of you and the Fuji has been a reliable camera for me while I figure out my next steps.
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