Photography and cycling are two hobbies that I’ve been most passionate about. However, after I got into bike commuting, I noticed that I began using my camera less as I rode my bicycle more.

Was there a need to give up one to do the other? I wrote this piece to examine my relationship with photography and cycling to understand their places at different stages in my life.

Back in December 2017, I took up photography as a hobby after getting a Fujifilm X-A3. It was my second trip to San Francisco within the year, so the place was still fresh to me. That’s why I wanted to take a different approach to personalize my experience, one where I’d be intentional and creative with the way I took my photos.

I fell in love with photography, specifically travel photography, because it allowed me to document my journey by capturing the changing scenery and landscapes. One moment I was looking at the Golden Gate Bridge from Presidio Yacht Club, next thing you know, I’m overlooking San Francisco at Hawk Hill.

With a couple of photos, I was able to tell the story of a two-mile walk along the Marin Headlands (yes, it’s a place, not just a bike).

The trips came one after another and this gave me more opportunities to be passionate about photography: Vietnam in March 2018, Germany in July 2018, Bali in January 2019, Japan in October 2019, Dubai in December 2019, and then Turkey and Greece in February 2020.

But life happened and the momentum came to an abrupt stop. The COVID-19 pandemic killed any chance of travel, and I had to review for the board exam (repeatedly because the exam kept getting cancelled) after graduating mechanical engineering from UP Diliman. I still tried to be active and explored different genres, but none gave me the same delight as travel.

It also didn’t help that I got burned out over social media, thinking about stuff such as posting schedules, likes, and followers—when all of this was just a hobby, not a business. I thought that because I had some talent, people would like me, and my photos would go viral. In the end, my photography turned into a self-absorbed hobby that just frustrated me.

Eventually, the pandemic ended, I took the boards, and got my PRC license. Finding work was the next thing on the list. Thanks to a friend, I didn’t have to wait for long for my first job. I began working as a staff writer for VISOR on May 16, 2022. However, shortly before that, another life-changing moment had occurred.

I began bike commuting.

The gist of how I got into biking was that I became fascinated with the people in Kapitolyo cafes as well as the bikes they’d ride going there. I got a Tern folding bike as a way to join them for social rides, with the idea of bike commuting on the table. After the Padyak for Leni critical mass ride, there was no longer any doubt in me. I wanted to get around Metro Manila by bicycle.

Everything was a breath of fresh air in the middle of 2022. I was meeting new people after what seemed like endless lockdowns, I now had my first job, and I had a new mode of transportation that allowed me to explore the city like never before.

Where did that leave photography?

At the start, I tried combininng my hobbies of photography and cycling by documenting my new lifestyle with my Fujifilm X100V. However, it wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped.

For one, there’s always hesitation with carrying an expensive camera out on the road. If I fell, seeing scratches on my X100V would probably hurt more than the impact itself.

Second, operating the camera while riding isn’t advisable. I shouldn’t be thinking about exposure, composition, and autofocus, when I need maximum situational awareness on the road. Also, I won’t be able to brake properly if only one hand were on the handlebar.

Most importantly, cycling was just so fun. I didn’t want to slow down and pull over to the side just to take photos. It kills my momentum and takes me out of the zone.

Enter the iPhone 13 Mini for cycling and photography

Between photography and cycling, the former took a backseat to the latter. However, I was able to start taking more photos after getting my first iPhone. It wasn’t something I aspired for, but it made sense at the time. I wasn’t happy with the output of my Samsung A51, and I was using a MacBook Air for work.

My colleague happened to have an iPhone 12 Mini, which he lent me. All it took was one morning ride to convince me to get my own. There tends to be a stigma against mobile photography. But getting my iPhone 13 Mini was the best thing to happen as far as gear was concerned.

It fits nicely in a stem bag, takes nice photos that need minimal editing, and I could experiment with reels since the video quality and image stabilization were miles ahead of my Samsung.

The golden opportunity for photography and cycling

By December 2022, I flew back to California for vacation and this was my golden opportunity to enjoy photography and cycling. I got to bike around Livermore and San Francisco while documenting my rides using both my camera and my phone.

To my surprise, the iPhone photos held up well against the Fuji, and there were times when I preferred the former over the latter. Even if I forgot to bring my camera to the USA, I would have still enjoyed the trip the same because biking there with my relative’s hybrid bike was so much fun.

Chinapunk

One of the things I learned as a working adult was that going on vacation wasn’t as easy anymore. Even if I wasn’t the one paying for my trips, I still had to file for vacation leaves, which were scarce. Suddenly, there was a limit to how many days in a year I could go on an adventure.

However, I still got to travel abroad for work to cover media trips with automotive companies. This allowed me to visit South Korea, Vietnam, and China. Although I was able to take some nice photos, the experience wasn’t the same. Since I didn’t get to explore these places on my own, I didn’t have the same sense of freedom and adventure that distinguished my photos.

But, I was still able to get some practice, especially with night photography. I was particularly happy with the cyberpunk shots I took in South Korea and China. However, after taking so many of them (having been to China four times), the experience got familiar and the photos ended up being generic. They looked good on their own, but lacked a greater story or narrative.

The photos that matter

What makes a good photo? According to Jijo de Guzman, there are three elements: It has to catch your eye, hold your attention, and stick with your memory after you’re done looking.

At this point, I’ve taken thousands of photos—maybe enough to post one a day for the rest of my life. But should my hard drive get wiped out, which ones would I actually miss?

As someone who’s dabbled into pretty much every genre as an enthusiast, I dwell on the concept of “the photos that matter.”  For me, it means that I only care about a specific kind of photos, and I will continue to do so since I already know what I want out of photography.

I got into photography because I love travel, and this won’t change in the future. That’s why I won’t bother with other genres, even if I could take nice photos of people, cats, and bicycles.

Although I share a lot of bike photos on social media, the truth is I couldn’t care any less. Deep down, I know that they’re merely the vehicles that move me and allow me to see sweeping landscapes. If it weren’t for the advocacy, then I wouldn’t bother posting about the gear.

Am I still a “photographer”?

Looking back, learning more about social media marketing and content creation could have allowed me to gain a following and earn from my photography. But that wasn’t what I wanted out of it.

I got into photography and cycling because of my love for travel. Although I was equally passionate for both of these hobbies, their roles in my life are fundamentally different. Photography was a means of expressing myself, while cycling is a mode of transportation.

This distinction between photography and cycling also affected how I talked to other people about them. I probably spent more time talking about my photos than telling others they can take great photos with the right lighting, composition and moment.

On the other hand, as much as I like to geek out over bicycles, I spend more time advocating for bike commuting and mobility. Whereas photography is usually just a hobby for those who have the interest or talent, cycling is a way of life that benefits everyone.

So, am I still a photographer? Yes. But until I get another opportunity to freely travel abroad, it will take the backseat as I ride my bicycle around Metro Manila.