Nowadays, my stress comes from the fact that living in the Philippines can be overwhelming. Honestly, so much of my energy in the day goes to the hybrid work setup plus attending to responsibilities within the household. Not to mention, there’s not much that the metro could offer as a respite for the working professional. You’d think that short breaks will be of use when every day is just a greater grind than the day before.

So, along with the group of people I consider as my family outside home, I decided to give myself that long-needed trip overseas. Obviously, we booked the tickets way before and I needed to make sure that I would use this time to be away from home for a while; to disconnect, if you will. Of course, just to make sure I keep the memories safe, I’m bringing the Canon EOS R8 with me.

We departed from Manila, and was finally en route to a small, bustling island known simply as Taiwan.

The sights within the streets

My significant other and I had a game plan on how to completely maximize one week in Taiwan. This while also considering I still had work to do.

Part of the itinerary was to explore as much of the Taipei area. This includes every nook and cranny that presented itself. With the Canon EOS R8, this was pretty easy.

Needless to say, I looked like I was gathering memories of the simple streets that the country had to offer. 

The food we got to eat

Part of any person’s journey to another country is trying out all the food that’s out for the tasting. Fortunately in Taiwan, there was an abundance of establishments and food spots that you simply cannot miss.

Of course, as working professionals, you can’t help but try your luck at some cafes in the area, and there were a lot of them.

The EOS R8 enabled me to capture some of the food I got to try with near-perfect detail. Even the most minute detail on specialized caffeinated drinks became the highlight of the photos I took. Although, it wouldn’t be as quick and easy to get the perfect shot compared to using a powerful smartphone. 

The attractions we got to experience

It wouldn’t be a trip to another country without going everywhere and anywhere that stands out to us. In my case, apart from the streets, it’s the grand attractions that even the most typical of tourists visit. Considering that most of these are attractions even during night time, this would be the perfect opportunity to see if the EOS R8 stacks up.

During the entire time I was in Taiwan, most of the mornings were pretty cloudy so daytime shots had a dimness to them.

At some point in the day, it rained and you can imagine how difficult it is to bring a camera with a long camera lens to boot.

Still, the shots I took looked pretty decent and no details were sacrificed.

Night time shots and even photos in less than favorable lighting conditions were good enough.

Shifting to Manual Focus gave me the opportunity to create the near-perfect conditions to take quality night shots within Taiwan’s well-known night markets.

Also, since the Museum of Contemporary Art had an exhibition under rather low-light conditions, I also gave it a shot.

The company you’re with

One great thing I appreciated about this trip was the fact that I was with great company all throughout.

Sure, there was only like one full day wherein we all had one place in mind, but it was worth it!

Because I had the EOS R8 for the trip, I became the group’s photographer whenever possible.

In a way, we all needed the disconnect from going through our usual routines back in Manila. Even though most of us still had work to do during the last few days before heading home, it felt refreshing. Plus, I think it allowed us to get work done faster to enjoy the trip as much as we can!

Heading home

After one whole week of walking around, taking beautiful pictures and having delicious meals, it was time. An early morning flight back to Manila was waiting for us at the airport, which was honestly just a handful of train stops away from the main Taipei area. Unfortunately, the Canon EOS R8 was already tucked inside my luggage and I didn’t have enough time to pull it out once we got to the airport.

Although, what I do appreciate about it is how compact it can be when storing it inside. Despite having a rather wide body and with a long camera lens, it doesn’t take up too much space. In my case, it was better to tuck it inside a carry-on with bubble wrap and reinforced with soft clothing. After a few hours and a delay in our flight time, we arrived in Manila and returned to the heat of the world.

For trips like these, having both the Canon EOS R8 and a smartphone of choice allowed me to capture beautiful yet short-lived moments in time. Whether we were inside closed spaces or exploring the natural attractions, it grabs everything in full detail with the proper adjustments. I would consider this as a must-have for anybody looking to travel anywhere they want; just make sure you make space and take care of it while you’re out.

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