Photography hobbyists and enthusiasts gather to capture the best views from the top.

(San Mateo, Rizal) With 360-degree views of the city skyline and the hills of San Mateo, Rizal, it can feel like witnessing some of the most beautiful sights in the city. Located at the very heart of this scenic locale is Amiya Raya, who joins enthusiasts all over in celebrating World Photography Day with the launch of “Captured: The Amiya Raya Photography Contest.” The competition is open for entries until September 05, 2023. 

With the sun out and a cool breeze blowing, Community Creators, Inc. AVP for Marketing, Arlene Jacosalem, welcomed everyone to Club Vihara, officially marking the kick-off for photography competition, and the day’s activities. To get photography enthusiasts excited to work on their entries was a two-hour seminar led by De La Salle – College of St. Benilde Photography Program Senior Professional Faculty, and founder of Photography Chismis PH, Antonni Cuestas. Entitled “Photography Essentials: History, Craft, and Art”, the session broke down the elements of good photography, the artistry behind a great photo, crafting photography from a hobby to a profession, and anecdotes behind the works of known Filipino photographers. It focused on harnessing creativity and imagination to capture the audience’s attention through their images. It was a great learning experience for the attendees as Cuesta invited everyone to be more sensitive to what they see in their surroundings. Since photography has already become an integral part of our daily lives, there are many interesting subjects given the right conditions.

The activity was the perfect foundation for “Captured: The Amiya Raya Photography Contest.” Both amateur and professional photographers are welcome to join, and head up to Amiya Raya to capture the beauty of the area through the lens of either a conventional or mobile camera. Located 240-meters above sea level, the views are magnificent from every angle! Photos should showcase either the stunning views, locations, and subjects in and around Amiya Raya – with no manipulated subjects – playing around with the idea of “life is more beautiful at the top.”

Registered participants will have access to the grounds of Amiya Raya every weekend – Saturdays and Sundays – to shoot their photos from August 19 to September 03, 7:00AM to 5:00PM. Designated areas for photography area within the community are Kala Commons, Araucaria Street, Club Vihara, and the Rotonda at the end of Amiya Raya Main. The real challenge will be to decide which pretty spot it will be to take a snapshot of first, and which one to submit as the final entry!

“CAPTURED: The Amiya Raya Photo Contest” will feature two categories for contest entries: 

1. CONVENTIONAL – Photos shot with any conventional camera, including SLR or Digital SLR, compact cameras, and the like. 

2. MOBILE – Images captured with any mobile application on smartphones, tablets, drone-mounted cameras, or action cameras.

Only one entry per category may be submitted by each participant. Entries from registered participants must be submitted via email to marketing@community-creators.com. Only submissions via email will be accepted. Deadline for entries is on September 05, 2023. Winners will be announced on September 09. 

Lucky winners will get the chance to win up to P10,000.00 in cash, plus vouchers to Club Vihara. There will also be a special People’s Choice Award, which will be based on the number of likes collected from followers of the Amiya Raya official Facebook page from September 7 to 8. 

For complete mechanics, please visit Captured: The Amiya Raya Photography Contest – Full Mechanics.

To register as a participant, sign up here (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwSUWHbUmtiZdsjyrpkPI6wM7bw-G6wo3o5t6HOFj7QANwGg/viewform).

Bring out those cameras – mobile or traditional – and head out to Amiya Raya! Stunning views await, and it’s time to get “CAPTURED”!


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