Double-tap city

MANILA, Philippines – Observations on a recent scroll through Instagram: selfies, foodstagrams, landscapes and even more selfies. But just because everyone is using a smartphone camera and A6 filter, doesn’t mean their photography skills aren’t any good. If our feeds are any indication, there seems to be a growing consciousness of detail and the value of storytelling, something the Vancouver-based brand Herschel Supply Co. aims to cultivate.

Being a design-driven accessories brand, they came up with #CityLimitless, a detail-oriented photography series that celebrates unique design stories from cityscapes around the world. Instagrammers have been tagging photos of architecture and street photography and, in less than a year, the series has reached up to 90,000 photos and still counting.

But what would a social media craze be if Manila weren’t part of it? In a recent trip to the country, Lyndon Cormack, co-founder and managing director of Herschel Supply Co., officially launched the #CityLimitless campaign through a photo exhibit in A Space Manila. Joining his photos taken during a trip to Manila were shots by Jelito de Leon, Marvin Conanan and Aaron Quinto. You probably know them by their IG handles, but there is more to them than their double-tap-worthy feeds. While these local photographers have made walking around the city on an ordinary day seem like nobody else’s business, they have also challenged the way people look at their surroundings. By focusing new angles on mundane architecture, streets and spaces, their photographs capture the day-to-day stories that bring our city to life — making them perfect for the #CityLimitless campaign. More than visual treats, the growing interest in photography is teaching people the value of detail and a timely reminder that beauty is just a matter of perspective.  

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Follow @herschelsupply on Instagram and tag your own urban photos with #CityLimitless. Visit Herschel Supply Co. at TriNoma, SM Megamall, Alabang Town Center, SM Aura Premier, SM City North EDSA Annex, UP Town Center, Uptown BGC, Ayala Center Cebu, Abreeza Mall, MarQuee Mall, and Ayala Centrio Mall. Herschel Supply Co. is also available at GRIND, General, Flight 001, Res|Toe|Run, SneakPeek, Bratpack, The Travel Club, and Rustan’s stores nationwide.