"Braving the weather to witness the photos captured by Huawei!" Amidst of the storm and bad weather, yours truly Runner Rocky returned in Manila Hotel to witness the artworks and photos captured by the newest Huawei Pura 80 smartphone. And yes, this was such fascinating experience. It was amazing to see those photos in the exhibit and you wouldn't thought that it was captured by smartphone.
And during the event, I also got a chance to interview one of the photographers, a National Geographic Photographer Gab Mejia.
Well without further ado, let me share our story:
The annual Manila Bulletin Earth+Lens has been an integral component of Manila Bulletin’s thrust in promoting worthwhile advocacies. In its latest edition, the photo exhibit continues to share captivating narratives with powerful images while championing nature’s beauty with the support of integral partners the Department of Tourism (DOT) and HUAWEI.
On August 28, the Manila Bulletin unveiled the latest set of its yearly impactful images at the Manila Hotel’s Maynila Ballroom. Joined by partner organizations that put the event forward, the exhibit displayed photos that represent various facets of Philippine beauty and culture. Through the Filipino Eyes, this year’s theme, highlighted the beauty of the country through the eyes that know it best: the Filipino people. With the exhibit, Earth+Lens aims to raise awareness on the preservation of natural and cultural landmarks of the country while promoting responsible local tourism.
“This event would not be possible without the support of our partners. To Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco of the Department of Tourism, thank you for championing our country’s natural wonders. And to HUAWEI Philippines, we are grateful for your innovation that empowers artists and storytellers to capture and share these powerful images,” says Dr. Emil Yap III, president of Manila Bulletin.
All images displayed were taken using a smartphone, captured by the new roster of esteemed partner photographers including Gab Mejia, Jim De Ramos, and Manila Bulletin content producers, John Louie Abrina, Jaime Misalucha Jr., and Santi San Juan. A special feature on the enthralling images taken overseas by world-renowned Filipino artist Kublai Millan was also presented, adding depth and prestige to the event.
Meanwhile, here is my exclusive interview with Gab:
By sharing his campaign journey in Zamboanga del Sur and Rizal province, professional photographer and multimedia artist Gab Mejia, made the event more meaningful and discussed how his experiences reflect the vision of the project. He also shared how the latest flagship smartphone from HUAWEI allowed him to capture the intricate beauty of the country and what makes it, in exceptional detail.
“I always remember how lucky I am to be a Filipino who realizes how rich our natural and cultural heritage is right here, that there are just so much stories that we can discover. Using the HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra allowed me to be really versatile and dynamic in how it just integrates and flows with the craft I have as a photographer,” Mejia shared during his talk.
United by a shared vision of promoting the country’s natural wonders, the MB Earth+Lens 2025 continues its long-standing partnership with DOT. In line with this collaboration, the DOT reaffirms its commitment to supporting the exhibit—a campaign that strongly echoes the “Love the Philippines” message, inspiring Filipinos to honor their heritage while looking ahead to the future, guided by the enduring virtues and values of being Filipino.
Long time brand partner HUAWEI, the official smartphone photography partner, the roster of content producers throughout their photo sessions in the country. With its latest flagship smartphone — the HUAWEI Pura 80 Series, the brand continues its hallmark in terms of advancement in smartphone technologies. The HUAWEI Pura 80 Series enabled the featured photographers to capture striking images with stunning clarity and detail.
An exclusive launch for the HUAWEI Pura 80 was also the highlight of the evening where Ernest Ortega, product expert of HUAWEI Philippines, introduced the base version of the Pura 80 series with preorder that starts August 29. This newest smartphone innovation from HUAWEI Pura 80 Series introduces the industry’s first Switchable Dual Telephoto Camera combined with a rear 50MP 1-inch Ultra Lighting HDR main camera, a 40MP, f/2.2 Ultra-Wide Angle camera, and an Ultra Chroma camera. Its Ultra Lighting Macro Telephoto, Ultra-Wide Angle, 100x digital zoom, 3.7x, and 9.4x optical zoom features were put to test with this year’s exhibit.
HUAWEI’s XMAGE Awards also welcomes participants to showcase their unique perspectives on a global stage. Learn more by visiting https://consumer.huawei.com/en/campaign/xmage/.
Earth+Lens 2025 invites everyone to explore the country’s treasures with no boundaries in creativity and continue to pursue its beauty with purpose and responsibility.
Have you got the chance to experience this newest Huawei smartphone? How about visiting the photo exhibit? Well, feel free to share your thoughts and let's discuss! 09/05/2025 (Runner Rocky)
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