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The province of Batangas brims with natural wonders. From the paved (and unpaved!) trails that lead to unadulterated campsites, to the government-protected mountains and sanctuaries teeming with unabashed ecosystems, the province is indeed a special place for the good ol’ outdoorsman.
Many of these awe-inspiring places have already been featured on countless vlogs and blogs on various social media sites and have been much appreciated by those who long to satiate their adventurous beings. Thousands upon thousands of amazing photos and videos of Batangas outdoors are available after a quick web search, and threads upon threads of online stories prove Batangas’ undeniable appeal to those who want to veer away from run-of-the-mill weekends.
But there still exists a relatively untouched photography and videography niche in Batangas— one that would take your breath away, pun intended.
Underwater photography is a unique and challenging venture as it requires specialized equipment and technical know-how to produce stunning images of marine life. The effort in controlling buoyancy in such a weightless environment, the intense pressure and the unpredictable behavior of aquatic creatures are just some of the conditions a photographer and videographer needs to master, on top of his already masterful camera skills.
“Nandyan din yung challenge na namamatay yung mga colors as we go deeper underwater.” Gabriele Inciong, the man behind the divewithgab online handle, shared in an interview with WOWBatangas.com. “Dinadaan ko na lang sa post-processing.”
While the IT-Consultant-by-day is truly adept in editing softwares, he admits that the actual physical setting is crucial in capturing great photos as it furthers the depth of storytelling.
This is where the stunning underwater sites of Batangas come into play.
There is a chock-full of desirable dive sites in Batangas. According to the 27-year-old, top diving spots in Batangas include Dari Laut, Binukbok and Twin Rocks.
“Almost every weekend nasa dagat ako shooting photos and videos or training for freediving. Nag-start lang ako as hobbyist photographer hanggang nag-offer ang isang kaibigan na kuhanan ko ang underwater pre-wedding shoot nila.” This started in May of 2023 when Gab also assumed the role of a dive instructor. He is also an internet-taught underwater photographer. “Lahat ng natutunan ko sa UW photography is through YouTube and trial and error lang talaga sa pag-eedit through Adobe Lightroom,” he furthered.
The beauty of Gab’s photos lies within the entwinement of his subjects and their settings. While having humans be surrounded by beautiful marine life is mesmerizing in itself, having a keen eye for the arts is standard criterion.
Gab’s portfolio is a testament that there is more to discover in Batangas. More importantly, it signifies that the province’s dive spots deserve preservation efforts for future generations to also experience.
“Through freediving, lalo ko na-realize na napakaganda ng yamang dagat ng Pilipinas… kaya sana ay panatilihin natin at alagaan ang ating mga karagatan”.
Photos by Gabriele Inciong.
See more of Gab’s works in Facebook and Instagram: divewithgab
