First Things First

By the time you’re perusing this, I’ll be on a flight to the US mainland. I have a widget on my Mac by United that tracks your next flight, and I think it’s a cool little thing to use. I glanced at it recently, and my mind began to wander about where to eat first. Yes, I am what is referred to as a foodie.

I don’t always think of food first, as a matter of fact, I am thinking of the gear I will be bringing. I am also thinking about logistics. I am planning whether the trip will involve a lot of walking and whether I’ll be filming only vlogs or doing photo shoots with local models and/or old friends who occasionally model for me.

I also think about where I need to go shopping or pick up essentials for friends and family. For Pinoys, we have a little custom of giving gifts when we get home; we call it pasalubong, the idea of giving gifts when you return home. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, just a little something to let them know that they were thought of while you were away.

As an artist and photographer, I’ll always have my camera close by, whether in my hand or my bag, creating and capturing moments. For this trip, I will be taking my Leica Q2 Monochrom, as it feels like the right time. I purchased this camera in May, but I haven’t had a chance to take it out for a spin yet.

I want to take it out for everyday use, but at home it feels forced, contrived. On the road, it’ll be different. Travel strips away routine. Every corner, every meal, every street has the potential to become that first frame that begins the story.

That’s what “firsts” are about. The first meal after landing. The first walk down a street you don’t know. The first frame of a trip. None of them is perfect, but all of them matter — because they say: I’m here now.