Happy Holidays!

I wish everyone the Happiest of Christmas and the very best of the coming year!

Cheers!

Simple life...

I saw this bike this morning parked right in front of our house. It reminded me of my first bike. It was a gift from my aunt. We bought it in a store close to the Binondo Church in Manila and it cost I think Php105.00.

Life was much simpler then. Traffic and pollution were not much of a problem. Electronic stuffs were left to the technocrats. And in the absence of these, life was less tedious and rushed.

Must be nice to have things much simpler.

Happy Birthday Tin!

We have two boys. And we are basically happy with what we have. Would have felt doubly blessed, though if we had a girl. Never the less, we go on with our lives thanking God for giving us two fine boys.

With our sons now grown up, we go through the usual "meet the girl friend" routine that most parents with sons go through. Meet Christine, my youngest son Aidz special girl. She is like a daughter we never had. Intelligent, responsible and beautiful. More importantly, she inspires our son to strive hard and excel in school.

It is her 18th birthday today. We wish her good health, happiness and a great future. Happy birthday, Tin!

When you wish upon a star ....Ask and you shall receive!

When we were little, dreams apparently came true when you simply wished on a star.

Many years after, to be exact, a day before our thesis defense, my best friend and I knelt before the Redemptorist Church (Baclaran) altar, fervently asking God to intercede and wield His infinite power to make our defense panel overlook a mistake we had in our project. The panel spotted our mistake never the less. But thanks to the Divine mercy of the Lord, we passed.

As I write this, I stare blankly and wish that getting our problems solved was as easy as just asking for a super natural intercession. I beat my brains finding ways on how to rev up and reverse the negative momentum of things. When my brain drains out, I will bend my knees again and plead for the Lord to take over.... to bless us with one Divine push.

Ask and you shall receive, knock and the doors shall be opened up to you.

Stale air at 10 days to Christmas...

Our tree is up. We have ornaments all over the house to usher the festive air of Christmas.

It must be the weariness from the nearly concluding year, however, that I feel the staleness in the air, the emptiness of spirit amidst the colorful lights and ornaments. I currently have no appetite for celebrations. My mind is glued almost permanently to the material issues at hand....not only for ourselves but for those who depend on us.

Pardon me from bursting your cheery bubble. I hope this mood changes soon.

Imus Cathedral - HDR IR

This is a historic church built in the heart of Imus Cavite. First buillt in 1795 in Toclong by the Agustinian Recollect fathers. The first parish pries was Francisco de Santiago. The location of the church was transferred to its current location in 1823. The diocese supervision was taken over by the secular fathers in 1897. It became a Cathedral and the seat of the diocese of Imus in 1961.

I went with my parents to this majestic Cathedral. I took the opportunity to take some shots of this historic edifice.

3 Exposure IR Shots using an R72 Filter. 30 sec exposure @ F/8.0, Focal length of 17mm. Processed in CS3.

Happy Birthday Adrian!

My youngest son, Adrian, celebrated his birthday today. He is now 17. He has long waited for this day as at this age he becomes eligible to get a driver's license, a long time dream of his.

I reminded him though that at this age, he needs to step up and act more maturely. Being the "baby" of the family, his needs are always taken cared of by every single member of the family. At 17, I emphasized to him the need to work out things on his own.

It would take some time for me and my wife to realize that we have a baby no more. Our young boy is now a young man. Sad but happy in a way that we have raised a very fine young man.

Happy Birthday , Aidz!

Heaven sent...

I am not writing about her.. Lol:) I am writing instead to share the power of will.

For background, we own a small company. We provide services to a few large entities in the Metro Manila Area. Unfortunately, one of these entities controlled about 80 % of our business. And most recently, this entity had faced severe challenges that affected their ability to settle their payables to suppliers such as us. The delays in the settlement had impacted seriously on our cash. And with very little sales coming in, our financial challenges had become even more pronounced.

With Christmas coming soon and the government mandating us to pay our employees an extra month, we were literally pulling our hairs to find solution to a serious problem. We needed to collect. We were relentless in contacting our client who have become very evasive in even answering our calls. We called on every possible resource we had to help us collect.

With a bleak scenario looming, we looked at various options and were geared up for the worst. We were concerned for our employees who may not be able to celebrate in the coming festivities.

This afternoon, we made a desperate call to know the status of our receivables. Even the smallest of amounts would help. To our delight, we were informed that we had a check ready for pickup. It was not the total amount, but it was significant enough to alleviate us from our woes.

My CFO and I looked at one another and just could not believe what we heard. This must be heaven sent!

Beach Angel...

This is how my friend, Mitch Bautista, calls this concept. I tend to agree.

But I am not writing to talk about this angel.

While the beach/sea has always had its allure, I would always prefer to be in the mountains than in the sea, perhaps, 7 out of 10 times. Why? Let me articulate them:

First and foremost, I dont have a beach body. I have a greater chance of looking better in the mountains than in the sea! Lol:) A matter of fact, a reality I have accepted.

I also hate being hot, sticky and getting my feet dirty. I like it clean and cool. I have also always enjoyed the view from up above. It just gives me that breath taking, power feel!

On the times I prefer to go to the beach, I always look forward to the tranquility of the sea, the whisper of the waves as they touch the shore. A beach angel, preferably one without wings would definitely complete the frame.

La Luz

Laiya, Batangas

A resort about 2 hours south of Manila. Yesterday, we left at about 0815 and arrived at the venue at about 1430 or approximately 6 freaking hours! There was a vehicular accident in Calamba, Laguna the previous night and it was not yet resolved by the time we passed by.

As we did not have any previous reservation, and only got the name of this resort from one of our passengers, we did not know what to expect. We did not want to go home empty handed after what we have been through that we were willing to settle for anything just as long as we can shoot. And to our delight, the beach front and the landscape of this resort was majestic. Certainly, we saw the Light!

We left the resort at about 2130, exhausted and hungry. We were back in Manila at about 1230 in the morning. An exhausting but fulflling 18 hour travel and shoot day!

Compromise...

There is nothing wrong with being ideal, but in an imperfect world, the word compromise always comes into mind.

I shot this image in April, during the Holy Week. I found the perfect angle that showed both the beauty of the church and a glorious cloud formation. As you can see however, the lamp post and pedestrians precluded me from taking a perfect shot. Getting the lamp posts out of the way meant coming close and missing out on a great part of the facade and cutting a significant portion of the clouds. I chose to remain where I am and framed this imperfect shot.

I compare this to how life is. Most often, we desire for the ideal. And often times, as well, we end up compromising and settling for what is doable. Similarly in our relationships, there would always be differences between us and our partners. I remember a presiding priest in a wedding telling the couple that from that day on .... "It is not I nor is it you but us that will matter". We leave behind our own personalities to form a new one when we take the vow.

A very wise advice and a most admirable compromise, I should say.

Location: The Shrine of Jesus, the way, the truth and the life. Reclamation Area, Roxas Blvd.

Creative Photography..

My friend, Mitch Bautista, is not just an excellent shot maker. The thing about him is he challenges himself to create shots out of new concepts, such as this one. Part of his team is Professional Make Up Artist, Toni Rodriguez. She is so good and is able to execute the ideas of Mitch to the hilt! Such a great team. I am happy to have had the opportunity to learn from these pros!

Model: Cleeyo Hamby

Fire and Rain on a Satuday...

I shot this in the midst of traffic at The Fort last Saturday. The Pyro Olympics was being held at the venue in the midst of rains. There were thousands of viewers and this forced the organizers to close the main road, detouring all other vehicles towards McKinley Road, creating a humongous traffic jam in the area.

I wanted to stop and take some shots as I had my tripod with me. The rain, however, was getting stronger and I was afraid to get my cam wet.

Well, there would be still be a show next week and I intend to be early to get a great spot!

The Photoshoot...

My shoot with my good friend Mitch was cancelled. I have not touched the camera for nearly a week now. I decided to practice strobing in the house using Adrian, my youngest son as a model.

It was difficult asking him to pose. In the past, he would always be a reluctant subject. But I managed to convince him to do so and was pleasantly surprised to see how relaxed he was in posing for the camera.

Used a one light set up, an SB600 with a Beauty Dish modifier.

Must do this again sometime.

Basilica of St Martin de Tours

San Martin de Tours is the patron of Taal, in whose honor a feast is celebrated every November 11. The church was first built by Father Diego Espina in 1575 in San Nicolas. It was destroyed when Taal volcano erupted in 1754, rebuilt at the present site in 1755, and once more destroyed by an earthquake in 1849. Construction of the present church was started in 1856. Once noted to be the biggest in South East Asia, the church is unique in its combined patriotic, religious, and artistic influence. Writers point to its theatrical exuberance. Its façade is baroque and consists of a single mass of stone shaped into rich complex designs. The church, however, is a fusion of styles with arched openings, alternating segmental canopies and arches of assymmetric shapes. Source: Wow Philippines

Location: Taal, Batangas

Two human loves make one divine....

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

When we got married nearly 22 years ago, there were two messages that presiding priest, Monsignor Chito Bernardo drove home .

First, that Lord was supposed to be at the center of our union. If we did not believe in the sacraments, there was no point for us to get married in church. He did not want to preside over a union that was based just on convention. His exact words: " Are you getting married just for show?". And this message drove home to us the need to live our lives with God at the center. And as a couple we try so hard to extend this principle to our children, to live a Christian way of life.

Second, he ended his message to us during the rites by saying " It is easy to get married, but it is not easy to remain married. " And after 22 years, what he said is true. Our married life, as in most, has never been a road free of snags. The challenges to the strength of our union have been and will ever be present and considerable. But in the end, you go back to the vows that you made before the Creator.

For richer or poorer, in sickness or in health ... till death do we part!

Mysterious Plant..

We found this in the garden of my aunt in Tagaytay. I dont know what it is called as this is the first time I have seen this. Maybe someone can help out.


The flower is colorful but shaped like a leaf. Such an intriguing beauty!

Lunch with an unfortunate twist...

My wife Trixie and I have been planning to have lunch for a while now. Our busy schedules have precluded us from making this happen. As she leaves for Melbourne on Thursday, we decided to give it a go today. Venue.... The Banana Leaf @ GB3.

We ordered our usual favorites... Roti Canai, Char Kway Tiaw, Chicken Curry, Penang Fried Rice and Lemon Grass drinks. Everything was going on well until a fish bone (from the fried rice) pierced through my gums!

My biggest problem was how to take the damn thing out without having to spit out the food in my mouth. It hurt and I had a hard time taking it out. I finally succeeded but I was left with no more appetite to finish the food.

It was unfortunate but was still happy to have the chance to bond with Trixie.

New Learnings...

I had a chance to learn new things in portraiture .... courtesy of my friend Mitch Bautista. We had always done these creative shots in a studio. Yesterday, Mitch showed me how strobing was done outdoors, in the heat of the day.

It was interesting to see how he set up external flashes around my mom's pool. We also got to use my newly bought beauty dish and Mitch was pleased with the results.

Preparing the model, Zeke Nolasco, took nearly three hours. Toni Rodriguez, our make up expert intricately painted Zeke's face to achieve the desired result.

While it took me nearly a full day, it was certainly a valuable adventure shooting with these fine professionals.

The Dancer...

More than three (3) years ago, I spent a huge chunk of my time dancing the night away. I got so fascinated with ballroom dancing that it became my main cardio-vascular activity. I was so hooked into it that competing in one of the Dance Sport event became a serious consideration. Now I wonder how I would have fared out if I did push through. Not too late to try again! Lol:)

It is a Goner in the Bar List!

When I was at the International Sports Club in Jakarta, many years ago, my friend who was an English trained Indian ordered a non-alcoholic drink, a Gunner or Goner! hahahaha.. I didnt get the spelling.

But it was a mixture of ginger ale and 7-Up! It was such a refreshing drink!

The other night while I waited patiently for my son, I had to find a place to sit down at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza. I was weary. I sat at the bar and I was disappointed to note that it it was not on the bar list.

The waitress however courteously asked me for its composition and assured me that the bartender would have no problem preparing it. The drink came and met all my expectations. It was such a delight to relive one of my expat experience.

Great Drink! Cheers!

A mirage of magnificence...

It was a very calm evening. I can feel the sea breeze blowing gently through my face. It was a magnificent scene to behold. And I wished that this magnificence would never vanish.

A few minutes after, I had to be on the road, on my way home. Slowly, the pieces of the ugly reality came together.... traffic jams, unruly drivers, pot holes, slums and what have not.

Could that magnificence been just a mirage? Gone so soon...

Sa Pagdatal ng Takipsilim... (Dusk)

I rushed to the scene as soon as I saw the clear skies over the Bay. Traffic was precluding me from witnessing this beautiful event, the famous Manila Bay Sunset.

I had to settle for the Sofitel Philippine Plaza as the Mall of Asia was just too far to catch the beautifully setting sun. The guards did not help my cause as they took about 3 minutes of my sunset time thoroughly inspecting my car for explosive devices. (Note: some people decided to celebrate New Year early by setting off 2 bombs in Manila yesterday. Fortunately no one was hurt.)

As soon as I reached the pool area, I saw this.

The great turnaround....

About 21 years ago, my wife Trixie and I were walking around SM North Edsa, bags ready, as anytime our first child would be born. Then, our baby's arrival was about 7 days late. A few days after, on October 10, 1988, in the midst of a heavy down pour and flash floods that relegated Shaw Boulevard into Manila's biggest parking lot, we welcomed him to the world.

Trixie went on labor for hours. As it was nearing supper, I decided to get food for the lolas who patiently waited for our baby's arrival. Shaw Boulevard was still clogged. So I decided to scoot into the small streets of Mandaluyong and San Juan to get to the Greenhills Shopping Center. Contented with some Tropical Hut Burger take out, I went back to the Lourdes Hospital. As I stepped out of the lift in the delivery room floor, I caught both lolas raising their hands in glee as they received the good news. The Lord gave us a boy!

We were hoping and were prepared to have a girl. The list of girl's name we had was long. As we did not have a boy’s name in our list and were pressed by the hospital to give them a name to put in his birth certificate, we named him, Joseph Patrick. Joseph from my name, Patrick from Patricia. We called him Jopie.

Before he was 1 year old, Jopie recognized words and would be able to point them in a book. He seemed extremely intelligent and we started to have very high hopes for him. We were very happy to be a family.

Our lives went on normally until one Holy Wednesday when at the age of 2, our firstborn suffered his first severe epileptic attack in Alabang Hills. Ironically, we were on our way to his pediatrician that day. He slumped all of a sudden in the car. We thought he was dead. We thought he choked on something as he turned blue, tongue sticking out from his mouth. He seemed to be having difficulty breathing. Then he burst into a loud cry and hugged his mom. We frantically sped, undecided on whether to bring him to the Paranaque Medical Center or to Makati Medical Center. We decided to rush him to Makati, where his pediatrician was.

In the hospital, he was diagnosed with seizure disorder. The doctors stuck needles to his tiny arms to control the convulsions. They had to mummify him to administer the shots. Seeing my child helpless and being punctured felt more painful than being stuck by the needles myself.

We spent the rest of Holy Week at the Makati Medical Center. He went into convulsions several times more. As he was helpless, we were helpless too. I could not do anything to stop the seizure attacks. As Trixie could not bear to look at our helpless child during an attack, I would look at his face, cry, run my fingers through his hair and whisper in his ear that it would be alright and all of these would pass.

And as if God was teasing me then, the program that showed on TV during one of the seizure attack was the "Sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham".

Since then, the mere sign of an impending fever prompted us to wrap him with wet towels to prevent his temperature from rising to 38 C. At this temperature, he would have seizures. We never left our house without our supply of paracetamol suppositories, anti-convulsants and a tea spoon (we used this as a tongue depressor).

Many years after, at the age of 7, he would be diagnosed with LKS or the Landau-Kleffner Syndrome. Our baby had been diagnosed with a rare disorder that affected his ability to understand and speak. There had been only 150 cases of LKS reported between 1957 to 1990 according to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

Sometimes you question the motives of God in allowing such to happen to a sweet child like Jopie.

We were lucky to have been introduced to Dra. Ledesma, his pedia neurologist and the OB Montessori School in Las Pinas. My driver Jun, who has been with us for 13 years now, distinctly remembers how he had to carry Jopie to the car. He dressed him up in there and prepared him to go to school.

Jopie, at that age, hated school. Perhaps, he did not understand why he was there. Perhaps, he was uncomfortable going to class and not being able to understand and speak his thoughts out. His teachers reported that he would often get frustrated and in his inability to express himself, how he feels, he would cry. He became very reclusive. The only people he mingled with were his family. He said many times before that he did not want to grow up anymore.

At one point in time, I was nearly in tears and told my parents that I would probably just buy Jopie a nice camera and build him a studio. He seemed to have a good knack for photography and I thought that would help support him when he grows up.

OBMontessori had facilities and a curriculum for children with disabilities. Dra. Lee, the principal, the guidance counselor, his teachers in school, my wife Trixie and I met twice a year to discuss his progress and to carve out a development plan for Jopie.

In OBMC, Jopie was given leniency in tests in his early years. His teachers patiently explained the test questions to him. He would also be allowed to extend beyond the normal test duration. The teachers were extremely helpful and generous in according him these privileges as they genuinely wanted our son to improve and live a normal life.

I distinctly remember when he was about to enter Grade 6, our meeting with Dra Ledesma and the school teachers arrived at the objective of improving Jopie's self confidence in the coming year. We wanted him to talk more and be more confident in being with people. The strategy was to enter him in the declamation contest of the school. I myself was skeptical that he can be persuaded or even be forced to do this. So when he was assigned by the teacher as a contestant, I was prepared to accept failure. But he surprised everyone. He accepted the task without hesitation. I assured him that I will always be there to help him go through this contest.

Jopie immediately memorized his lines. At this age, he showed diligence and hard work. He practiced for hours and he hardly complained. He stumbled in the beginning but he never gave up. I was not about to give up too as there was no one else he could rely on in these trying times except me, his family.

It was a tough job. I had to condition him that he was going to speak in front of a crowd. It scared him but he had a firm resolve to hurdle this task. He was determined and focused. I needed him to act, put gestures in the important lines of the literary piece. He needed to deliver the piece with feelings. And after about 3 weeks of practice, Jopie was done. Was he ready to stand in front of hundreds and finish his piece? I tried to prepare myself for the worst.

On the day of the declamation, I had to be in the Philips Lighting ASEAN General Manager's Meeting in Bangkok. Half of me wanted to be there with him, half of me was scared to death and would prefer not to see him go through the challenge and possibly fail. I prayed hard to God to give Jopie enough courage to finish. Just to finish... that is all I ask. He had been through a lot already and I did not want him to experience trauma in front of a crowd should he forget his lines or feel shy. I did not want him to fail. That would set back his progress.

I waited patiently for the results. I exchanged sms with my wife to monitor the proceedings. Jopie was the last declaimer. My wife reported immediately that he finished his piece and he did well. I was overwhelmed with joy. Tears started to fall as I attended the meeting in Bangkok. The next thing I knew, I got a message from my wife. And to my surprise, Jopie finished third place and got his first medal. You just cannot imagine the joy I felt while reading the message. This would be the start of a great turnaround.

Jopie won in the declamation contest again the following year. He was better, had more conviction and showed more feelings in his delivery. His voice now sounded more confident. He delivered his lines like a veteran orator.

He also started to show progress in academics during High School. Like my other son, Adrian, Math subjects or anything that had to do with computing was his competence. He also started having friends and socialized more. He played basketball in the Alabang Hills Summer League and even joined the OBMC-LP varsity basketball team on his third year.

In his last year in HS, he promised to make me proud. He said that he will make me go up the stage come graduation day. He won another bronze medal in declamation and I went up the stage as a proud father to award him his medal. In academics, he graduated in the top quartile of his class.

He passed the DLSUCET. He also found "an inspiration". Currently he is in fourth year in the College of Business Economics majoring in Accountancy at DLSU. He wants to be like his mom. He was a Dean's Lister as a Freshman in DLSU and is currently part of the remaining few in his block to survive the rigors of an Accounting course.

All of these would have never happened if not for his determination to improve and the undying support of Dra. Ledesma, Mrs. Magallanes (the principal), the guidance counselors, his teachers and all of those who cared for him.

God certainly works in mysterious ways. He challenges all of us to believe that nothing in this world is impossible just as long as we cared and worked hard to help ourselves and others.

God has given Trixie and I a great gift in Jopie. Obedient, caring, sweet, and intelligent, he would be the son that any parent would wish for.. He is so sweet that he never fails to show love and respect for all us. He has grown to be very responsible. Jopie is also dependable and goes out of his way to accommodate anyone who needs help.

He now drives the family car. He has taken over my weekend driving chores. He can now also be depended upon to take his lola for her medical check-ups. During his vacation, he brings to and fetches his baby brother Adrian from school and his practices. He has become more sociable and have built camaraderie even with his new set of friends in DLSU. In short, he has for sometime now lived the life of a normal teen.

As I now look back many years after that sad morning when he was 2 years old, I cannot help but praise the great work of God, the greatest turnaround I have ever seen.

It is not how many times you fall that matters... what matters is how many times you rise!

He played basketball in our Jakarta home with his feeding bottle in his mouth. Basketball has always been part of him. He dreamt of playing in the UAAP and he made this dream happen.

This year however was not such a good season. He finished his UAAP Junior Basketball stint with limited minutes. His game just spiraled downwards. People intimate to us agree as to the reason for this. Next year he will be entering college and the competition becomes even tougher.

Today he played in a small tournament and I beamed to see him picking up the pieces again.

Let's go Aidz!

Love is not blind....

“They are wrong who say that love is blind. On the contrary, nothing - not even the smallest detail - escapes the eyes; one sees everything in the loved one, notices everything; but melts it all into one flame with the great and simple: I love you.” ~ author Unknown

I treated my wife that morning for breakfast somewhere in Makati. I was fascinated by the table set up and clicked away...

A few minutes before dusk...

This was the scene that greeted me as I stood by the CCP complex. Great skies and a calm sea. Just wish that the storms would be over. Too much destruction has already happened. We just need a break.

Mangisda... (To fish)

This scene reminded me of my Jakarta days. Fishing was a favorite family past time. This normally happened on Sundays.

There was a pond in the club.My two young boys then would sit patiently at our designated hut and wait. They would clap their little hands when their fishing lines moved and got heavy.

The catch for the day goes straight into the frying pan.

Isang Dapit Hapon... (One Late Afternoon)

It was a great scene... The sun was getting ready to set in the horizon, beaming beautifully its rays. Great time for reflection. A wonderful moment...

Making a living at the edge...the very margin of survival!

Saw these bunch of guys crouching at the very edge of the breakwater base, frantically trying to beat sundown and catch some fish in the murky waters of Manila Bay. Food on the table for that evening? Talk about being at the very margin of survival. At this point, I thought of how lucky we were. I will count my blessings..

“Nothing is more exciting and bonding in relationships than creating together”

Quote by Steven Covey.

I remember an acronym: TEAM! Together we achieve more.

In my previous work life, our company placed a lot of premium in results that are achieved through teamwork. The diversity in personalities among members became a major challenge for everyone. Harmonizing these differences into a common drive was a key task. Surely not easy... but when achieved, the fruits of working together were definitely sweet!

“A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.” ~ Chinese Proverbs

I believe in this proverb. My life has gone this far not without any trial. I have faced issues in life even at an early age. One can always deal with these as debacles to earning one's goal. I prefer to see them as learnings that strengthen me.

The Calm...

I shot this last Sept 27, 2009. I stood by the 7th Hole fairway of ACCI and took this IR shot of the trees and pond that guarded the 12th. Typhoon Ketsana was gone but the course remained drenched and closed.

Location: ACCI
Filter: Hoya R72
Speed: 30 sec
Aperture: f/8
FL: 55mm
WB: Tungsten

"The camera doesn't make a bit of difference. All of them can record what you are seeing. But, you have to SEE." ~ Ernst Haas

Love this quote. This guides me every time I put my eye on the viewfinder.

Model: Tin Singson
Make up: Toni Santiago

Winter at the Bonifacio Global City...

I have always been fascinated by Infrared Photography. First, it enables me to photograph outside the so-called "Golden Hours". Second, it gives me a different kick from the usual landscape... as it gives you a winter wonderland feel when done correctly. Personally, I feel being transported into something surreal. A wonderful experience...

Rapport...

Model : Bey Santiago
Make-up: Toni Rodriguez
Mentor: Mitch Bautista

I asked my friend Mitch Bautista again to walk me through some basics in portraiture photography. He was kind enough to oblige. Apart from learning that a great concept should drive the settings and the execution of shots, I discovered that having great rapport with the model would make the job much easier.

Specifically, as I was not acquainted with the models (and virtually not familiar with the different workable poses), I had a difficult time providing instructions to these live subjects. It was good that these ladies were experienced enough and were able to pose with very little supervision. It was an enjoyable experience.

Beautiful and Expecting

"A mother's joy begins when new life is stirring inside... when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the very first time, and a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone."
-- Author Unknown

These are other shots of Shaui, who is 7 months pregnant, during the shoot. These shots show how happy and proud she is to have her baby. Thanks again to Mitch Bautista for tutoring and allowing me to participate in the shoot.

Wrath of Nature...

I wrote this last September 28, 2009, after Typhoon Ondoy.

"This is the scene yesterday after the storm.. Heavy, thick clouds still seemingly angry, unsatisfied with the havoc it has done the previous day. The scars of the damage lingers and are seen in most streets. More than 100 people dead. Thousands are homeless. Billions of hard earned properties lost. People are trying vainly to rebuild their lives. May God intercede to alleviate these people from their sufferings."

This is an IR shot using a Hoya R72 filter on a 30 sec exposure at f/8.

A night of calmness...

It is raining as I post this. I shot this last night while waiting for my son to get off from school. There was a pleasant breeze that greeted visitors at the breakwater. The sky was generally clear and the sea was calm... but not for long.

Manila Bay Sanitized...

After days of heavy rains, the sun shone brightly at Manila Bay. Sad to see though the debris left by the recent storm, floating by the breakwater.

I was wondering why these floaters (which have accumulated by the breakwater) were difficult to collect. The process would have been easy. Talking about will!

This is an IR shot using an R72 Hoya Filter using a 30 sec exposure @f/8.

Metal feel... cold look...

In my previous life, some of the people I worked with, felt that I was so detached and heartless when dealing with people issues. A heart of steel???

"Man does not live by bread alone.... bananas and papayas are good too!"

I have been a carbo junkie. I look like how I eat. I need to be able to change the way I view food.