POV: youāre in Prague taking photos of the best climbers on the planet at the IFSC Climbing World Cup.
Hereās what that weekend was like through my lens. Honestly, what a thrilling three days. Iām so pleased with what I was able to witness and capture.
Hope you all like this recap. Maybe in the future Iāll talk about how I frame and edit my shots.
#competitionclimbing #bouldering #climbing #climbingphotography
I went to a climbing comp and I didn't shoot it.
For once, I set aside the camera and got on the wall myself. I didn't have any expectations. I just wanted to try it out. Somehow, I made it through to finals with four monsters. While I gave it my best shot, I couldn't top any of the final boulders. Still, I had loads and loads of fun.
I think that was the most and the hardest I've ever climbed in a single day. By the end, my hands felt like I'd dipped them in a jar of Carolina reaper juice. My shoulders feel like giant bruises. And just getting out of bed is an ab workout. I am so, so sore. I don't know how actual competitive athletes do it. (I'd wager age is probably the biggest factor.)
Would I do it again? Absolutely.
Giant thanks to @maad.climbing and @beest.hetlab for organizing this. And of course, to @yvette.with.a.why for taking these wonderful photos!
A pair of 7A's in Avalonia:
- an unexpected flash of Korridor while Ruben's cleaning holds
- Salt & Vinegar, which I couldn't even conceive of doing four years ago when I was just little baby boulderer
The last time I was here was the first time I'd ever climbed outdoors. It felt like visiting school years after graduating and noticing how all the halls, stairs, and rooms are much smaller than I remember.
New video's out!
Last Feb, I swung by @centroclimbers for a quick sesh. Along with my harness, shoes, and chalk, i also brought my camera cause I wanted to know more about this odd little space and the wonderful community behind it.
Thank you @mackiemakinano for sharing your time and your insights!
And thank you @nickaguilos for sharing your footage of Kuya Mackie on rock.
Hope you all like this one. I always love having the opportunity to share a bit of the climbing community back home.
A month (plus a bonus week!) in the Philippines. Between all the food and family time, we also spent a whole lot of time climbing outside. Oh, and apparently stopping to say hi to random cats.
I'm exhausted but my heart is full. I wish home wasn't so far away (and expensive to fly to.) We sorely miss family, friends, and fresh tropical fruit. Especially mango shakes. Mmmm.
(First pic by @stanfeleo . Taken at Uling Wall, during an attempt at 3 Stitches.)
Yes, I do occasionally get on rope.
Roots & Routes climbing festival! When we saw it was happening during our trip to the Philippines, we knew we had to go.
The crag at Ilog had about a hundred climbs spread across multiple sectors. Everyone from every skill level and style had something they could hop on and enjoy. There were even more than a handful of FAs waiting to happen.
(In the photos, Yvette and I each tried to nab one, but both fell short hehe.)
Unfortunately we got struck down by the flu halfway through the trip so we didn't get to do as much as we wanted BUT when we were at the crag, we had so much fun and met so many great that we are most definitely going back at some point.
Thank you @purocclimbingcommunity for organizing everything. Can't wait for the next.
ALSO Yvette found snake skin stuck on the rock, just waving in the air. So of course she pulled it out and brought it down with her. It apparently belonged to a dog toothed cat snake. Thankfully the former owner was not hanging around in the vicinity. š
A new bouldering gym has LAUNCHED in the Philippines.
Last Saturday, I had the privilege of being part of the photo team to capture Bouldespace's grand opening comp. Here's a collection of my favorite moments from the finals.
I am in awe of how much they put into this event. The passion for the sport and the community was on full display. Can't wait to swing by again for another sesh before flying back out.
Thanks for recruiting me, @justjo_it !!
š@boulderspaceph
Quezon City, PH
(Athletes if I forgot to tag you let me knooooow)
STORY over STYLE ā a filmmaking workshop with Miguel Luis Calayan.
February 23 ā¢ 6:30pm - 8:30pm
šNude Floor Creative Grounds,
3F Ayala Malls, Circuit Makati
Pre-Reg 1200php ā¢ Walk-In 1500php
Book via link in bio.
#NudeFloor #nudefloorsessions
STORY over STYLE ā a filmmaking workshop with Miguel Luis Calayan.
This workshop examines storytelling as both concept and practice, foregrounding intention, authorship, and structure. Drawing from over a decade of commercial and documentary work, it considers how cinematic tools can be used to articulate meaning rather than spectacle.
Date: February 23
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: Nude Floor Creative Grounds, 3F Ayala Malls, Circuit Makati
Price: Pre-Reg 1200php // Walk-In 1500php
Book via Nude Floor website
#NudeFloor #nudefloorsessions
In case you haven't seen it, here's the first minute of my most recent video about fashion in the climbing gym.
When I hit Publish ten days ago, I thought maybe a couple hundred or maybe even a thousand viewers would find this mildly amusing. But I apparently severely underestimated how many people would actually engage with this topic.
I mean, I saw there are a couple debates going on in the comments section. Hah!
Anyway, I'm glad a lot of you genuinely found this as interesting as I did. And of course, a massive thank you to everyone at @beest.amsterdam who humored me as I went around the gym with my camera. You all are amazing.
#bouldering #climbingfashion #indoorclimbing
We asked Filipino Creatives worldwide for their fearless 2026 forecastā @mignightsnack sees in a world where AI makes spectacle easy, what still matters is story.
2026 moves away from polish-for-polishās sake and toward real stakes, real flaws, and real feelingāless aspiration, less snark, and more approachable, sincere storytelling that actually stays with people. #imafilipinocreative #2026forecast
