‘Like a Scene From a Movie.’ What I Saw Photographing the Taal Volcano Eruption in the Philippines

I was at home just south of Manila on Jan. 12 when I got a text from my girlfriend telling me that Taal Volcano had just erupted. My first reaction was disbelief. While the volcano situated in the middle of lake is considered active, never have I seen or even imagined it would erupt. Its last major eruption was in 1977, way before I was even born. I grew up spending many weekends with family and friends taking trips up to nearby Tagaytay to enjoy the view of the volcano.