Monday, November 9, 2009
Isdaan - Gerona, Tarlac
The place isn't new. I've been into it quite a lot of time as well. Sadly however, I'm not enjoying their food much anymore. But I enjoyed shooting it last week. Just sharing some snaps using Panasonic Lumix LX3.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
My M93R
I miss airsoft. I still have some stuff with me and this baby is one of them. My beloved sidearm - KSC M93R gas blowback. This baby scares a lot of s%&* out of tangos/enemies. Scary sound and it hurts. :) Sadly, I just don't know when will time permits me to play airsoft again. I have so many hobbies lined up.
Anyway, this was shot using my point and shoot again. Casual shoot... again. Handheld... again. I took this when I was having some shooting-people-around time and I'm glad it's still working great. I need new sets of green or red gas though. Background used here was a 10-wheeler tractor head with 40-foot trailer. I asked Manong Enteng, our truck driver, to move the 40-foot trailer so I can use the tractor head's rear for the shoot. He was obligue. Just kidding. ^_^ The trailer wasn't attached in the first place so I have a ready background. :)
Mean airsoft machine:
Anyway, this was shot using my point and shoot again. Casual shoot... again. Handheld... again. I took this when I was having some shooting-people-around time and I'm glad it's still working great. I need new sets of green or red gas though. Background used here was a 10-wheeler tractor head with 40-foot trailer. I asked Manong Enteng, our truck driver, to move the 40-foot trailer so I can use the tractor head's rear for the shoot. He was obligue. Just kidding. ^_^ The trailer wasn't attached in the first place so I have a ready background. :)
Mean airsoft machine:
Marquee Mall, Angeles City
Just sharing a short trip at Pampanga's newest mall - Marquee Mall in Angeles City. These photos were shot few days after its soft opening. Just casual snaps using my point and shoot handheld. My family and I were just there to see the mall and have dinner. It's a nice mall and it's quite big. I like the stores design. This, by the way, is owned by Ayala something. ^_^ The mall also has the biggest CDR-King branch I've ever seen! What I also like about Marquee mall is its grocery or supermarket store; first time I saw it when I was on my way to Subic last week. It has big International section where you'll find some of the nice grocery items you'll see around the world. My wife loves cooking international cuisines. She spends hours in this grocery section. Shhhh...
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Diamonds Stand Out Forever
I miss shooting. It's hard to squeeze-in time for shooting lately. I also missed a wedding shoot with Ryan Puno last weekend. But I'm sure he has great images coming up on his blog around next week.
I was really itching to shoot last night. With limited equipment, I told myself it shouldn't stop me.
Camera: Panasonic Lumix LX3 (point and shoot camera)
Lights: a flashlight
Model: a tiffany ring
Background: home-made study table
Lighting method used: light painting
Pwede na siguro pang-poster. :)
I was really itching to shoot last night. With limited equipment, I told myself it shouldn't stop me.
Camera: Panasonic Lumix LX3 (point and shoot camera)
Lights: a flashlight
Model: a tiffany ring
Background: home-made study table
Lighting method used: light painting
Pwede na siguro pang-poster. :)
Friday, August 14, 2009
A dull garden
I was in a mood to shoot anything yesterday afternoon. The only thing around me that time, however, was a dull 40x20-ft garden. No signs of flowers and no landscaping done. There should be something, I told myself. Indeed there is. Two very small flowers barely noticable and an abandoned coral. Name of the game is to capture these subjects with superb details like texture using a point and shoot camera handheld. Two out of three images were very good. Not bad.
Moral lesson: If you love shooting, it shouldn't stop you from shooting anything anywhere. Challenge yourself and have fun. Also, try macro photography for those who don't have time to go places and shoot. You'll have lots of fine subjects in the comfort of your home. :)
Moral lesson: If you love shooting, it shouldn't stop you from shooting anything anywhere. Challenge yourself and have fun. Also, try macro photography for those who don't have time to go places and shoot. You'll have lots of fine subjects in the comfort of your home. :)
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Tri Mo Shawarma
Pampanga always has the best shawarma. I'm sure a lot will agree with me. ;-) But there's one humble (but famous) shawarma outlet in Lagro, Fairview that serves this -
A sizzling shawarma. :) If you happen to drop by Fairview, ask around about this Tri Mo Shawarma outlet. Or let your GPS guide you (14°43'11.97"N 121° 3'55.81"E). ^_^ Just don't get too much of their white sauce. Too tasty.
Now, I'm really hungry.
A sizzling shawarma. :) If you happen to drop by Fairview, ask around about this Tri Mo Shawarma outlet. Or let your GPS guide you (14°43'11.97"N 121° 3'55.81"E). ^_^ Just don't get too much of their white sauce. Too tasty.
Now, I'm really hungry.
Buying your first DSLR
I did quite a long entry on my blog yesterday regarding P&S camera. I'll try not much today. Writing isn't really my thing.
Anyway, let's talk about buying your first DSLR. I know a lot of you are somehow wanting to get their own DSLR now. It's becoming quite trendy nowadays but you do know it'll give you outstanding photos. Definitely. So what are you waiting for? ^_^ Ah yeah, you should wait for me to finish this blog first.
1. So what brand should I get? It doesn't matter much honestly. Basing on experience, you'll produce outstanding photos regardless of the brand. But if you happen to have the chance to select, choose between Canon and Nikon. I've chosen Canon but that's just me. Canon has great service centers here in the Philippines. It's easy to find them to have my lenses cleaned, calibrated, etc.
2. What model? Both Canon and Nikon made models below their supposedly entry-level models. They're fine except for some Nikon models where you can't use some Nikon lenses on them. Not good. Aside from that, any models will do.
3. What lens to buy? Kit lens is fine. Kit lens is the default lens that comes with the camera box. It'll teach you a lot about how lenses behave, thus helping you choose wisely your next lens purchase. Now if you have that extra budget to burn for a much better lens, I would suggest save it for now. Give yourself some weeks to study the kit lens. A lot of people make the mistake of buying expensive lenses ending up telling themselves they weren't the lenses they need.
4. Do I need an external flash? I highly recommend it, however, don't rush on it. Give yourself few weeks to study "flashless" photography. You'll see how your camera and lenses behave under low light situations. Another great opportunity to learn. Then again, you can always buy your flash anytime you want.
5. What other accessories do I need to consider? Yes, you'll need to seriously ask this question for yourself. Aside from the camera itself, you'll need a camera bag, a UV filter (not the cheapo ones) to protect your lens' glass, an extra battery, and a dry box (storage box/cabinet for your camera). The total cost of these accessories alone is about Php 11,000.00. You need to include this in your checklist.
I think that's about it. That's your initial guide in getting your first DSLR. :)
Anyway, let's talk about buying your first DSLR. I know a lot of you are somehow wanting to get their own DSLR now. It's becoming quite trendy nowadays but you do know it'll give you outstanding photos. Definitely. So what are you waiting for? ^_^ Ah yeah, you should wait for me to finish this blog first.
1. So what brand should I get? It doesn't matter much honestly. Basing on experience, you'll produce outstanding photos regardless of the brand. But if you happen to have the chance to select, choose between Canon and Nikon. I've chosen Canon but that's just me. Canon has great service centers here in the Philippines. It's easy to find them to have my lenses cleaned, calibrated, etc.
2. What model? Both Canon and Nikon made models below their supposedly entry-level models. They're fine except for some Nikon models where you can't use some Nikon lenses on them. Not good. Aside from that, any models will do.
3. What lens to buy? Kit lens is fine. Kit lens is the default lens that comes with the camera box. It'll teach you a lot about how lenses behave, thus helping you choose wisely your next lens purchase. Now if you have that extra budget to burn for a much better lens, I would suggest save it for now. Give yourself some weeks to study the kit lens. A lot of people make the mistake of buying expensive lenses ending up telling themselves they weren't the lenses they need.
4. Do I need an external flash? I highly recommend it, however, don't rush on it. Give yourself few weeks to study "flashless" photography. You'll see how your camera and lenses behave under low light situations. Another great opportunity to learn. Then again, you can always buy your flash anytime you want.
5. What other accessories do I need to consider? Yes, you'll need to seriously ask this question for yourself. Aside from the camera itself, you'll need a camera bag, a UV filter (not the cheapo ones) to protect your lens' glass, an extra battery, and a dry box (storage box/cabinet for your camera). The total cost of these accessories alone is about Php 11,000.00. You need to include this in your checklist.
I think that's about it. That's your initial guide in getting your first DSLR. :)
Monday, July 20, 2009
What's the best camera?
Some friends were asking me lately what camera is nice to have. It may sound as a simple question but things are revving up inside my mind. Why? Because I want them to have that perfect camera they're looking for, while knowing the fact that there isn't exactly one. But let me share some basic features to look for in a camera.
For point and shoot (P&S) cameras, consider the following features:
1. Minimum of 28mm or below optical zoom. Not only it'll allow you to shoot in a tight room, but it'll also allow you to shoot landscapes or buildings and basically a lot of stuff creatively. Most P&S has a minimum of 35mm optical zoom. Here's a comparison between 28mm and 35mm. Here's a creative shot done by a Canon P&S with a 28mm optical zoom. Olympus, Nikon, Panasonic and other brands have cameras with 28mm or less optical zoom so it isn't something new.
2. 12X or about 336mm or simply a long range optical zoom. This will allow you to reach out to your target from a distance. It'll also allow you to create bokeh or background blur when shooting people or objects. It's good also for landscape photography. Some P&S has this but don't have 28mm or below range. But there are some that have both. Another thing, I would recommend is to turn off digital zoom. While it allows you to add more zoom range, image quality suffers.
3. Aperture of at least F2.8 or wider. Wider means anything below F2.8 - F2.0, F1.8, etc. This will allow you extra capabilities to shoot under low light conditions. It also helps in creating bokeh or background blur when shooting portraits or objects. Again, only few P&S has this feature but it isn't something new as well.
4. Camera hot shoe. Here's how it looks like. It basically allows you to use external flash. This can be optional since some of you might not want to have something on top of your camera that's bigger than the camera itself. But this is very useful if you want to achieve ambient lighting while using your flash. Quite tricky though. You might need to do manual settings with your flash and P&S camera. Therefore, this is really optional. Maybe I should have not included this recommendation here. ^_^ Go get a DSLR if you want to use external flash since they can automatically control the flash output.
5. Face-detection feature. While this is not really a must feature, it's a nice bonus. Making sure faces are not blurred. You don't want to miss those beautiful smiles. :)
6. Anti-camera shake feature. P&S are prone to camera shake or blurred images due to its limitations under low light situations. Anti-camera shake feature will somehow help you.
Other recommendations:
1. Extra battery. Never miss moments with a drained battery. You may also consider P&S cameras using AA batteries. AA batteries are available everywhere so in case you are out-of-town and you ran out of batteries, it's easy to find a replacement. When looking for rechargeable batteries, look for Eneloop or GP ReCyko.
2. Wrist strap. LOL. But kidding aside, it's really safer to hold a camera with a wrist strap. You don't want being bumped by someone accidentally, especially in a crowded place, and see your camera go on a date with someone named gravity.
3. Take good care of your P&S. Camera technicians call them disposable cameras. The cost of repair for a damaged P&S is almost the same as the price of a brand new P&S.
4. When purchasing a P&S, consider its warranty. It should have at least 12 months warranty. It somehow gives you a sign that you're not buying a cheap-quality item.
5. Get a tripod. While you may think a tripod will just hold the camera for you, it's actually a very big factor in creating high quality and creative images, especially if you are using a P&S camera. It's very technical though to use a tripod. Hehe, yes, you may be surprised but it really is. I hope I can share these technicalities to you but it'll take me the whole day to write them down. I'm now thinking of hosting a one-day basic photography workshop for P&S users out there. What do you think? You don't need a DSLR to come up with great images. :)
6. Join my workshop. LOL. No, just a thing that came inside my mind. I just want people to get the most out of their P&S. I'll wait for people to force me to have one. :)
7. Read your camera's manual. A lot of people doesn't know it comes with basic photography lessons. The manual will show you how the camera works, and at the same time, teach you the basics of photography. Check it out.
8. Read number 6 again. LOL. Ok, I think I have to stop now. Maybe my mind is already drained. I wish to tackle choosing the right DSLR for you but it seems, I won't have that time for now. My last recommendation for the day, which is number 8, is to pamper whatever digital camera you have now. Take snaps of important events and persons around you. Memories taken by your P&S are more expensive than the most expensive DSLR cameras out there.
Time to prepare for lunch. Till then.
For point and shoot (P&S) cameras, consider the following features:
1. Minimum of 28mm or below optical zoom. Not only it'll allow you to shoot in a tight room, but it'll also allow you to shoot landscapes or buildings and basically a lot of stuff creatively. Most P&S has a minimum of 35mm optical zoom. Here's a comparison between 28mm and 35mm. Here's a creative shot done by a Canon P&S with a 28mm optical zoom. Olympus, Nikon, Panasonic and other brands have cameras with 28mm or less optical zoom so it isn't something new.
2. 12X or about 336mm or simply a long range optical zoom. This will allow you to reach out to your target from a distance. It'll also allow you to create bokeh or background blur when shooting people or objects. It's good also for landscape photography. Some P&S has this but don't have 28mm or below range. But there are some that have both. Another thing, I would recommend is to turn off digital zoom. While it allows you to add more zoom range, image quality suffers.
3. Aperture of at least F2.8 or wider. Wider means anything below F2.8 - F2.0, F1.8, etc. This will allow you extra capabilities to shoot under low light conditions. It also helps in creating bokeh or background blur when shooting portraits or objects. Again, only few P&S has this feature but it isn't something new as well.
4. Camera hot shoe. Here's how it looks like. It basically allows you to use external flash. This can be optional since some of you might not want to have something on top of your camera that's bigger than the camera itself. But this is very useful if you want to achieve ambient lighting while using your flash. Quite tricky though. You might need to do manual settings with your flash and P&S camera. Therefore, this is really optional. Maybe I should have not included this recommendation here. ^_^ Go get a DSLR if you want to use external flash since they can automatically control the flash output.
5. Face-detection feature. While this is not really a must feature, it's a nice bonus. Making sure faces are not blurred. You don't want to miss those beautiful smiles. :)
6. Anti-camera shake feature. P&S are prone to camera shake or blurred images due to its limitations under low light situations. Anti-camera shake feature will somehow help you.
Other recommendations:
1. Extra battery. Never miss moments with a drained battery. You may also consider P&S cameras using AA batteries. AA batteries are available everywhere so in case you are out-of-town and you ran out of batteries, it's easy to find a replacement. When looking for rechargeable batteries, look for Eneloop or GP ReCyko.
2. Wrist strap. LOL. But kidding aside, it's really safer to hold a camera with a wrist strap. You don't want being bumped by someone accidentally, especially in a crowded place, and see your camera go on a date with someone named gravity.
3. Take good care of your P&S. Camera technicians call them disposable cameras. The cost of repair for a damaged P&S is almost the same as the price of a brand new P&S.
4. When purchasing a P&S, consider its warranty. It should have at least 12 months warranty. It somehow gives you a sign that you're not buying a cheap-quality item.
5. Get a tripod. While you may think a tripod will just hold the camera for you, it's actually a very big factor in creating high quality and creative images, especially if you are using a P&S camera. It's very technical though to use a tripod. Hehe, yes, you may be surprised but it really is. I hope I can share these technicalities to you but it'll take me the whole day to write them down. I'm now thinking of hosting a one-day basic photography workshop for P&S users out there. What do you think? You don't need a DSLR to come up with great images. :)
6. Join my workshop. LOL. No, just a thing that came inside my mind. I just want people to get the most out of their P&S. I'll wait for people to force me to have one. :)
7. Read your camera's manual. A lot of people doesn't know it comes with basic photography lessons. The manual will show you how the camera works, and at the same time, teach you the basics of photography. Check it out.
8. Read number 6 again. LOL. Ok, I think I have to stop now. Maybe my mind is already drained. I wish to tackle choosing the right DSLR for you but it seems, I won't have that time for now. My last recommendation for the day, which is number 8, is to pamper whatever digital camera you have now. Take snaps of important events and persons around you. Memories taken by your P&S are more expensive than the most expensive DSLR cameras out there.
Time to prepare for lunch. Till then.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tempura
My food trip didn't end with the tacos salad. I soon met my parents in SM Pampanga and they invited me over for a nice dinner at Tempura. This time, my camera was ready. No touching of food yet.
And I wish to share one important rule of thumb in photography that I just learned yesterday - Don't shoot if cooking have started. Not a good combination.
And I wish to share one important rule of thumb in photography that I just learned yesterday - Don't shoot if cooking have started. Not a good combination.
Bigger is better
I've been blogging around but I miss the point of improving my blog page. Not today. I'm making the photos bigger. Good for the readers. No more clicking of photo to enlarge. And bigger is, most of the time, better. This also applies to photo prints. The bigger the photo, the more you'll appreciate it. Try it.
Photo for the day: a treat from Art and Ann Bautista. ;-) I met them yesterday in San Fernando and I miss my hometown, especially my friends. By the way, San Fernando is so much cleaner and organize now. I salute the local municipality. Anyway, going back to the treat, I mixed my tacos salad already before I thought of taking a photo. O:-)
Photo for the day: a treat from Art and Ann Bautista. ;-) I met them yesterday in San Fernando and I miss my hometown, especially my friends. By the way, San Fernando is so much cleaner and organize now. I salute the local municipality. Anyway, going back to the treat, I mixed my tacos salad already before I thought of taking a photo. O:-)
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Kubo 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
My first HDR. Didn't expect it.
I was doing basically nothing this afternoon. Just finished watching Top Gear then I tried playing with HDR once again. HDR or High Dynamic Range imaging is a set of techniques that allows a greater dynamic range of luminances between light and dark areas of a scene than normal digital imaging techniques. That's from Wiki. The first time I tried it was like two years ago. My outputs were, well, horrible. Then on, I told myself this isn't for me. Photography is a vast talent and skill. You can't win them all. Then again, today was a great day. I got my first great looking HDR! Surely, I'll be producing more later on. :)
Original
HDR
:)
Original
HDR
:)
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Dark Side Curse
Some of you know well our super kulit and cheerful Papu. Here he is:
Those were the good old days. He turned into the dark side...
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Those were the good old days. He turned into the dark side...
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.
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Tuesday, June 16, 2009
A visit to the Divine Mercy
Wifey and I took a break from work last Saturday to visit the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Marilao, Bulacan. It wasn't my first time to visit but it's my first time to shoot around. I got only a few shots since some sections of the place were closed. I wish to go back there, not only to shoot, but to pray more. Feels nice to pray there. Everywhere there. Just walk around and pray, pray, pray. Go get the spiritual renewal you've been eyeing for lately. About 2 to 3 kms only from Marilao Exit of NLEX.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Some Brian and Lhieza Wedding Album Layouts
I kinda miss doing wedding projects. Since I got really busy with our other business, I put a hold on events photography. Surely, I miss it. But it's one job that's really tiring. I hate events photography for that. LOL. Nonetheless, I'm already accepting some wedding projects for early next year. I might have one as well before the year ends. I hope and pray that my other business would be stable by that time. Godspeed to me. I have lots of catching ups to do. :)
For now, here are some album layouts from Brian and Lhieza's very romantic wedding. :)
Thanks for visiting. :)
For now, here are some album layouts from Brian and Lhieza's very romantic wedding. :)
Thanks for visiting. :)
Friday, June 5, 2009
Instant Mami
Wifey cooked instant mami for afternoon snack while it was raining cats and dogs. And it was a lot more! You won't look at instant mami the way you tasted it before once you have tasted this:
I personally love that Chinese balls something we got from Ongpin.
BTW, pic was taken using a new camera. New camera, great new beginning. :)
I personally love that Chinese balls something we got from Ongpin.
BTW, pic was taken using a new camera. New camera, great new beginning. :)
Monday, May 25, 2009
Fontana Leisure Park 2009
My wife and I were fortunate to take an off from work. We made side trip at Fontana Leisure Park. It's getting better and better. :)
I'm starting to like landscape photography. :)
I'm starting to like landscape photography. :)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Visita Iglesia 2009
I'm back. :) Too busy. Yeah right, lagi naman ganyan huh. :) A lot happened the past weeks. So many changes. Lots of challenges. And more stressful days ahead. But hey, I'm glad I got to shoot again. It's been really a while.
I'm fortunate to spend the Holy Week with my family in Pampanga. Thursday, we started by hearing Holy Mass at St. Paul in Sindalan. Then we went off to Lourdes Heights, Pilar Village, San Agustin, St. Jude Village, San Vicente (no Blessed Sacrament yet), Betis, and Bacolor. Traffic was really terrible from Bacolor to Betis. We got frustrated but... it's Lent. So we all calmed down. It was very tiring when we arrived home. But it's ok. Worth the sacrifice.
Here are some snaps. :)
I'm fortunate to spend the Holy Week with my family in Pampanga. Thursday, we started by hearing Holy Mass at St. Paul in Sindalan. Then we went off to Lourdes Heights, Pilar Village, San Agustin, St. Jude Village, San Vicente (no Blessed Sacrament yet), Betis, and Bacolor. Traffic was really terrible from Bacolor to Betis. We got frustrated but... it's Lent. So we all calmed down. It was very tiring when we arrived home. But it's ok. Worth the sacrifice.
Here are some snaps. :)
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