I saw a figurine of an owl in the house and thought that the statuette reminded me of Harry Potter's owl, Hedwig. So even if I was about to go to bed tonight, I delayed it for a few minutes and took pictures of the owl in the dark. My intention was to simulate night time (well its actually night time) hence the low key photo and dark background. The light I used was my small led lenser.
Goodnight.....And don't let the bedbugs bite! c",)
Rest In Peace.....
Final Viewing.....
The Family Left Behind....
His Loved Ones.....
A Pensive Mood.....
I may not be seeing what is left of my close friends in PGH that often nowadays but that does not mean I do not care about what goes on in their lives next. From a group of 11 people, only three of us have remained here in the country and the rest have established their lives abroad. A text there, a message in Facebook or a chat here keeps me updated about them. Before, I used to be able to go to PGH and pay them a visit. But since both have become settled in their married lives, priorities have shifted and going out like we used to do when everyone was single is now a rare occurrence.
Early this year, I was shocked to learn about the deaths of the loved ones of these friends of mine. One lost her husband to leukemia while the other lost her father to a presumed heart attack. I wasn't able to attend the wake of the husband of my friend since it was in an area I wasn't really familiar with (Pagbilao, Quezon) but I sent my condolences. But when the other pal lost her dad, I made sure that I would attend his wake out of respect for the family. After all, the man welcomed me, (and the rest of the gang when we were still complete) to his home years ago and I was grateful for that. Ate Rose joined me as we traveled to Lani's hometown. Since we arrived at sunrise, we felt we just have to be with Lani's family for the burial, which Ate Rose and I did participated in.
Right after Lani's dad was laid to rest, a sudden downpour occurred. It was the most disrupting event to happen. I hate traveling while it is raining. I don't want to waddle in flooded areas; I don't want to get wet if I have not set my mind to be. All I want is to return to my home as soon as possible. This is me being tired, I longed to be home. Also, this is me being mindful of contracting leptospirosis.
But I liked returning to Lani's hometown, even if it was for a sad occasion. My first and only visit was a decade ago. The three of us reconnected as we were able to engage in some serious conversations. I found out about the progress of Lani's kidney transplant journey while Ate Rose regaled us with stories about her daughter, Precious. I updated the both of them of what I have been doing this past few months. And we would fill each other about news concerning our other friends if we knew something new about them.
If ever the time comes that some of our friends return for a vacation, we would suggest a trip back to Lani's hometown. Besides, we would be occupying a huge house, just for us, the girls!
One of the simple pleasures in life that I occasionally indulge in is stargazing. I remember when my cousins in Sta. Lucia used to own a pick up truck. I would come along with them whenever they plan to go to faraway places. Of course, the "unlucky" ones were the ones who sat at the back of the pick up truck. But for the teens like me, I enjoyed sitting at the back. What with the wind blowing across your face, your hair moving as carefree as possible and your clothes, flapping incessantly. Then as you looked up to the sky just around dusk, you see the stars illuminating the road ahead of you, guiding the pick up truck as it journeyed back to the house which we lovingly christened the "bodega". Magical! Isn't it?
These recollections of what I used to experience during my youth shaped my present preferences. It is awesome to see these celestial bodies right before our eyes. And to be able to capture it on film (or should I say the digital sensor) heightens the joy. The ultimate event to photograph has to be a solar eclipse. But because of the variables involved (for one thing, the eclipse has to be fully visible in the area I am at) in order to get a series of solar eclipse photographs, the next best thing shall be a lunar eclipse.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth's shadow obstructs the light coming from the sun that shines on the moon. A lunar eclipse happened last June 16 and I decided to photograph the phenomenon even if it meant being awake until the wee hours of dawn. The result is the photo on this page.
Now to the technical stuff. Prior to setting up my camera on top of my tripod, I watched the local news to figure out the time the eclipse would begin. Once I got the information, I then set my camera using the longest telephoto lens that I have, a 70-300mm zoom lens set at the 300 mm distance. ISO was at 400 and on manual mode. I then slept and awoke just as the eclipse started.
It was 2:29 am when I went out and started shooting. The first, second and third pictures were my establishing shots. For the first frame I chose an aperture of f/5.6 and 1/40 shutter speed. The result showed the beginnings of the eclipse and the moon's outline but it totally overexposed the majority of the moon's surface. I decreased the shutter speed for the next shot to 1/60 and it showed a slight improvement. I further decreased the shutter speed for the third shot at 1/100 and this yielded a much better result. The moon's surface can now be seen but the obstructed part is now completely black. The fourth and fifth frame had a different exposure value altogether. Aperture was set at f/11 to increase the zone of sharpness on the moon's surface and shutter speed at 1/500. At this point, I was concerned with which part of the moon shall I be putting more emphasis on when it came to exposure, whether it was the obstructed part or the unobstructed area. I didn't want to end up taking a picture of a totally blacked out moon so I adjusted the exposure once again and went back to an aperture of 5.6 and a shutter speed of 0.5 for the sixth frame. The photo shows the moon's surface while it is obstructed and the overexposed part is the remaining clear area. The seventh photo, I adjusted the shutter speed to 1/4. The final picture shows a totally eclipsed moon, aperture at f/5.6 and shutter speed of 3.2 seconds and taken at 3:58 am. Scientists say that the reddish hue can be attributed to the smog and pollution present on the earth's atmosphere.
I wasn't able to take pictures of the reverse process as it became cloudy. I did not mind though, as I was so drowsy by this time and went inside the house with my camera, satisfied with what I shot. Next time, I'd give emphasis to the unobstructed side and have a blocked out moon.
A Set Of Shots Of The Bride.....
The Groom.....
Dr. Ada Soriano With Her Husband And The Couple.....
There is something about shooting weddings that I find uplifting. I think it's the concept of romance, of two individual people about to be joined in marriage because of their love. And to be part of the team chosen by the couple to cover the event is an added bonus.
Ria and AD were a pleasure to take pictures of. They were married at the Archbishop's Palace in Mandaluyong. Reception then followed at Richmonde Hotel. I noticed the groom was not comfortable in posing for their formal portraits hence I asked if he was more comfortable doing informal poses. The shoot then sailed smoothly from there on.
An incident happened when I went to the groom's room to shoot his preparations. I was surprised when I entered the groom's bedroom. I saw a familiar face from my past. As I shot the groom's preparation, I tried to recall the name of this person. I was sure though that she was one of the doctors that I have worked with at the Philippine General Hospital. Then when I was finished doing so, I remembered her name. It was nice seeing you again, Dr. Ada Soriano! She happens to be AD's older sister. Cool!
The Celebrant And Her Family.....
Michael Jackson Comes Alive.....
I received a call from one of my cousins, Manang Petty one day. "Gusto mong pumunta maki-birthday?" she asked. "Sino ang magbi-birthday?" I asked in reply. "Si Manang Meriam mo at ang venue ay sa Quezon City Sports Club. Magkita tayo ng mga 5:30 sa Cayco. Sama ka?" she answered back. I consulted my brother and asked if he wanted to go. I called my cousin back and told her of our intention to go and tag along with her and expect us to be around the meeting place at 5:30 pm.
So this time, it's Manang Miriam's turn to celebrate. And for someone who is officially a senior citizen, I say her looks do not show it. I guess it is in our genes to actually look younger than our age. There may be some exceptions but overall, my maternal blood relatives have this trait.
I was looking forward to attending this birthday bash, as I recently just visited a sad event, attending a burial of someone, just to lift my spirit up a bit from the gloom of sadness. It made me stop for a moment and ponder about life in general, the alpha and the omega; the yin and the yang; the good and the bad; joy and sorrow. Man may never know when one's life is about to end but this is what celebrating birthdays are for, to give thanks to the Lord Almighty for giving as another year to tread this earth.
I secretly envy watching my cousins who belong to a large family. Every occasion becomes an informal reunion of sorts, with noisy kids and chatting adults. Also, the added bonus of having to rely on a much bigger support system when life gets difficult is also a plus. It may be chaotic but it can be loads of fun.
It was rather great to see Manang Miriam's other siblings who flew in from the United States just to celebrate this occasion with her. And Manang Miriam decided to go all out for this bash. It is a pity though that the weather did not cooperate as the rain started to fall. If it didn't rain, perhaps there would be more guests who were able to come and party with the celebrant too.
The highlight of the night was the appearance of some dance instructors who started to dance with everyone (well anyone who fancied dancing the swing). And in the end, the dancing just got longer when the instructors began to teach everyone (well as in everyone who cared to dance) the steps to line dancing.
We did went home around night time but it was quite evident that everyone had fun. To Manang Miriam, Happy Birthday! And thank you for celebrating this momentous occasion in style and including us. My prayers for your good health and until your next birthday bash..... c",)
Across Hotel Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila And Mall Of Asia.....
Row Of Buildings Along Roxas Boulevard.....
The Cultural Center of The Philippines complex has been a favorite practice ground of people who are into photography. This is because it offers a scenic view of the buildings that stand tall along nearby Roxas Boulevard and it is also the best place to capture a stunning sunset. This is despite of the fact that photography is basically prohibited in this area. But what can the guards do? They just can not reprimand people all the time. I did notice though that the guards seem to be on the look out for groups who are doing engagement shoots rather than the novice photographer, carrying a tripod and shooting.
So one day, I went to CCP during the afternoon and decided to wait until dusk to start shooting. As for the reason why it took me this long to take pictures of the harbor area during the night is totally beyond me. I guess I just felt that it was time to do so.
Oh, by the way, in case one asks me, the row of lights that can be seen at the bottom of the photograph comes from those horrendous lighting fixtures that the city government of Manila decided to install. Talking about an overkill.....
A Portrait of Pope John Paul II.....
Outside the Basilica.....
St. Peter's Square.....
The Caption Tells It All.....
Double Exposure.....
They say photographers will go to any length in order to get that perfect shot. Who "they" are, I do not know. But come to think of it, perhaps the statement came from photographers themselves, as an affirmation whenever a photographer faces staggering odds in doing their jobs.
I encountered my own "do it or else" situation early in my photographic journey. It was 1994 and Pope John Paul II came to Manila. It was the last day of the pope's stay in Manila and I wanted to get a photo of him using a Canon A1 film slr. I got into serious photography with this camera a few days earlier and I did not even own a dedicated flash gun. But my desire to take a photograph of him was so strong that I had to call my parents that day and told them I was not going to come home that night since I was with a few other people who camped outside of the Apostolic Nunciature (the Vatican's equivalent of an embassy) to catch a glimpse of the Pope in his place of stay. I was still unfamiliar with the camera though as I was used to using the film equivalent of a point and shoot digital camera. But this experience of talking to complete strangers as we sat on that closed to traffic section of Taft Avenue, of foregoing sleep and of waiting for the right time to take a photograph (what I call the stalker mode) as I sat outside made me realize that I had a photographer's trait in me. Was I able to get a good picture of the pope? No, because what I thought would happen did not happen when morning came, which was the pope opening his windows when he sees the crowd outside. Was I disappointed for not achieving my goal? A little but I got to see the pope! How cool was that during those times?
May 1, 2011 will be known as the day of his beatification. This is the second step in Canonization which he revised and made more precise into three steps in 1983. Just as I witnessed his proclamation as a pope, his journeys to this country, his slow decline of health and his eventual death, I watched his beatification ceremony. I felt compelled to take a few snaps of the tv screen, which would serve as a reminder for me of this day.
It was rather tricky to get the photos as I was not sure how digital single lens reflex cameras react to television screens. I applied any knowledge that I acquired based on experience of shooting slides off computer screens and these were the results that I got. Photos were then fixed with Photoshop to improve contrast, remove the television screen borders and flatten the photos a bit. The lines on the pictures are the light rays that the television screen emits when it is turned on. Now try this technique!
Charles With Wife Rose And Sister Tintin.....
It is quite odd to meet some of my relatives from my maternal lineage who I have not seen in a long time. For one thing, there is this apprehension that time and distance have somehow conspired to allow the minds of these rather young people to forget.
Such was the feeling when I asked one of my older cousins, Manang Ella about her kids, who happened to be in the country at the moment. Manang Ella and her husband Manong Eric migrated to the US sometime around the 1990's. They were able to take their two younger kids, Tintin (who was just a toddler then) and Amang (who was only a cute little baby then). Their eldest child, Charles, was the one who got left behind a bit due to over age but was able to follow soon with the rest of the clan.
My cousin was one of those next of kin who briefly stayed with us, as they needed a place to stay when they went to Manila for their college education during my childhood since my parents were the ones who were based in Manila during the early 1970's. Sure, my Aunts Veron and Trining and her kids, Manang Jeanette, Manang Verna and Manang Vicki are around but they are different, being Manila born and raised here just like the brothers and I. Imagine the age difference between Manang Ella and I! c",)
Slowly, Manang Ella and others who followed her path, became our circle of relatives who became Manila based. Even when she found a job, she and her sister (the late Manang Dida) would come to our small place in Sampaloc and spend a weekend with my family. At times, my mother and I would visit their office in Vito Cruz since their office was the one responsible for making the checks for the salaries of public school teachers which was my mom's occupation. Other times, my mother and I were the ones who visited their respective homes.
Fast forward to the present. I'm going to meet people that I have not seen since the day Manang Dida died. Some I have not met ever in my lifetime. So it was such a pleasure to see Charles and the rest of his family, the mother of his children Rose and the kids themselves. The eldest Charo was just an infant being held by her mom when I last saw her. And now they have two other kids that I basically do not know. Charles' only sister, Tintin was only seven years old, if I recall correctly, when she migrated to the US. Today she also is married and has kids of her own.
I talked to Tintin via sms and we agreed to meet at SM North Edsa. Imagine my relief when Charles was the one who saw me first! He! He! He! This man-child ( I say this with fondness as he doesn't look his age) nephew of mine still looks the same. If he gets rid of his beer belly then one can mistake him for a young lad. My image of Tintin, that of a seven year old little girl was replaced by an adult version instantly. And Charo? She has her dad's genes.
I handed Charles the package that I asked that be delivered to my mother when they go back to the States. Seeing him all grown up and with his family made me laugh quite a bit. They look like a group of friends hanging out. Too bad Amang did not join them for this trip. Meeting this nephew of mine would be awesome as I heard he is into photography just like her smart and clever aunt! c",)
Head and Shoulder Portraits.....
Low Key.....
Black And White.....
Low Key Profile.....
"Hija! Gayahin Mo Ako....."
The Paparazzi.....
The Formal Group Shot.....
To the Wacky Gang Shot.....
I've been to a lot of lighting classes and it does not hurt to attend one again, and again, and again! The principles of lighting in photography does not really change. What I am after is to see how each photographer uses light as a tool and how do they use it in their work. One can say that a photographer's skill can be judge by the way he uses light since photography literally means "to paint with light".
I've been using the strobist lighting technique ever since I bought myself a Flashwaves remote trigger. Some of my still life shots were used with this technique. But it was fun to know more about how it can be used during portrait shoots. The trend nowadays is to use portable flash just like one would use a studio strobe for lighting portraits. The flashes can be attached to light stands or better yet held by a "voice activated" light holder who moves the flash according to how the photographer tells "it" to do so. Talking about advance technology!
It does imply that the photographer must own at least two flash guns for this to work but one would suffice in order to produce that dramatic lighting effect. And with accessories that can be attached to flash guns to modify the kind of light it emits just like a studio strobe would have, flash photography has evolve into another realm. Knowledge in using this technique lessens the load on the photographer during location shoots. No more heavy lifting of lighting bags that may contain three or four strobe lights plus their stands and whatever light modifiers (umbrellas and soft boxes) that goes with the lights. Believe me, I've carried one of these bags before and it was a back breaker.
For this refresher class with Sir Mel of DecisiveMoments, we shot two models while he explained the different lighting techniques. Not only did he discussed these, he also gave the models some posing techniques. Even if I know the concepts, I felt it was necessary that I listen to him talk out of respect. Problem was other people just started shooting the models instantly. I hope these guys were able to learn something from this class.
I do have to applaud the two models though, Fatima and Muriel (sorry if I got the other model's name wrong). They were real troopers. And they were both game enough to actually last the whole session as it was almost late when Sir Mel called it a wrap. I'd also like to give my thanks to the group they belong to which is Image Factory of Arvin Matunding.
In the end, Sir Mel just gave everybody a chance to shoot and the guys had fun. And I also would like to thank you sir for giving me the permission to borrow your photos and allowing me post it in my blog.
The Finalists Showing Off Their Agility.....
The Second Runner Up.....
The First Runner Up.....
The New Miss Bikini Philippines 2011....
The Winners With The Branch Managers.....
Ready To Pounce.....
This Is How It Ends.....
The Winner's Bio.....
Here is the continuation of the set of photographs that I took of this event. It was a great experience to get to know people who have the same passion just like me, to work with people outside of my NAYON buddies. Sure, some of them lack the experience of shooting a live coverage but I am confident they did a good job.
This has been my first time to work with Sir Mel Cortez of DecisiveMoments. I know I did my best despite my equipment failure. I also hope that with the work that I have done, that I have caught his attention and showed him that I can be depended upon to deliver quality photographs.
Thank you Sir Mel! c",)
© Free Blogger Templates 'Photoblog II' by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008
Back to TOP
