Stars of the Night

December 29. Abby and her officemates are coming over for a pre new year's party. As a host, i prepared the house and created a certain relaxing mood. Went early to the grocery to buy some stuff needed for the party. And of course., no party is complete without some serious booze... These 2 bad boys are the star of the night.

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you had a wonderful 2010. Say hello to 2011. Cheers!

Christmas at Abby's

Grabbed these pictures from Abby's LX3. I spent christmas with Abby and her family. It was one of the happiest christmas ever for me. Abby's family welcomed me whole-heartedly and for that i will be forever grateful. Me and Abs went attended the Christmas eve mass. After that, we went at their place and gave her present. Its quite big so i bought a big box for it. Its actually a file box / CD case that she can use in the future. Im really excited to give my gift and i was there to capture it.

When she opened the box, the excitement in her grew more coz there are scented paper (sprayed a couple of my cologne) covering my gift. When she took it out, she jumped for joy once she saw her new Hot Pink, Nike gym bag.

I was really happy watching her in full of joy holding the bag. Until now, she's still thanking me for the bag. She really loves it so much.

Abby gave me a really nice present as well! She gave me a Rudy Project Dry Bag for my gear! This is perfect for my outdoor trips! I really love it! I have a drybag that i bought months ago but it doesnt keep my gear dry enough. Water actually penetrates within. Im really thankful Abby gave me this one.

Along with the drybag, she gave me a new National Geographic T-Shirt. I love the shirt! I have the same shirt but white in color. Abby has the shirt too and we're like product endorsers for National Geographic and Regatta! Thanks for the shirt Beb. I really love it!

What good is Noche Buena without a family portrait. This is the Olarte Family. From left, theres Jang, Abby's cousin, then Van., abby's lone sister. Then theres tita Nellie, Abby's mom who is so happy coz the last time she spent christmas with her family was 6 years ago. She was so thankful and so blessed for spending this christmas with her love ones. I would like to thank her for inviting me. Thanks po tita. Next to tita nellie is tito Ben, Abby's dad . I gave him a Kenny G CD for christmas and he loves it! Abby said, we have the same taste. hehe, Then next to tito ben is my love of my life, Abby. She's my inspiration. Never been happy until i met her. Love that woman so much. Next to Abby is her brother Neil whose into computer programming, a facebook and computer games. I gave him a copy of Left For Dead 2 and now he's kinda hooked to it! I also gave him a Game Pad controller for his NBA Live 2K11.

Having them complete is a blessing. With everyone around spending christmas together is simply sweet. I really enjoyed spending christmas with the Olarte's. Its the most amazing time of the year.

And christmas wouldnt be complete without food! Domino's Extravaganza. :)

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Booze with Tito Walbs

Now Christmas wont be the same without the booze flowin! My tito walbert bought 3 bottles of RedHorse poured it all to our fancy beer tower. Drinking would never be this fun without the beer tower. Its simply effortless. Left-over ham as pulutan, me and tito walbert just drank the day away.

The beer tower can guzzle up 3 Grandes (1 grande - 1 Liter). Watch out coz drinking is effortless with this thing. Just place the glass beneath the snout and pull that lever and liquid gold just flows out.

I just discovered that these crackers are really good! Bangus crackers bought from the local sari-sari store is the bomb. Perfect for "pulutan". Best along with beer. A must try actually.

Tito Walbert's grand daughter, Aisa, playing with his dad. She's kinda shy takin her photo. This is one of her moments and i just fired one away. hehe. Cute little kid.

This is the family. From left, Theresa, Tito walbs son Bitoy, Aisa and Tito walbert himself. They are on their way to Quiapo church then Manila Ecopark. Gave them a family portrait before they left. Look at tito walbert's straight face. Sometimes its just hard catching him smile. :)

Talking to the Moon

I missed the lunar eclipse. I was away at work and didnt have the chance to take a photo. When i got home., i just looked at the moon and noticed its different color. Took a photo of it and this serves as a post-lunar eclipse picture. Took this one wearing only my boxers out of the cold. That is why its hazy, and a little out of focus.

I was also inspired by Bruno Mars' song - "Talking to the Moon" . I just love that song. Merry Christmas everyone!

Baby Sam's Baptismal

I was fortunate to be part of another momentous event. Its Baby Sam's baptismal. He's my friend's first son. A junior actually. Me and Marco took care of the photo duties for that event. Baby Sam's smile is simply adorable. He's just so cute.

Among all the photos, this one is my favorite. Isnt that the cutest? By looking at them is just so pure. I so wanna touch his feet coz its really cute. I have a thing with feet and this is probably the cutest set of toes ever.

Baptismal took place at the Sta Clara. Parish Church in Pasig City. It was very nice looking church. Standing bold and very tall. Some say it is the tallest church in the country. Very beautiful church.

It was a mass baptismal actually. I believe there were 20 babies ready to be baptized on that day. So everything went fast. This was a surprise coz the priest snuck off my back and im caught off guard. I just did my hail mary shot over here and good thing my hail mary prayers gave me this wonderful top shot.

After that baptismal ceremonies, we went to the clubhouse of Riverfront Residences for the reception. The place was nice. took a photo of the place before the chairs and tables are brought in. Love the food. The pasta was great. Thanks to Carlo for the beers.

Really had a great time. Id like to thank again Carlo and his brother Sherwyn for inviting me and Marco for Baby Sam's baptismal. That boy is really cute. Thanks again.

Something bad went wrong that day. I think my Nikon SB600 broke. It wont fire anymore. Its not that the bulb is not broken. It fires when I use the test flash. But when i attach it to my camera or firing it using the remote, it miss fires... i really dont know if theres a setting in my camera that i accidentally tweaked which causes the problem. I really dont know. Without my speedlight, its impossible to shoot in an event specially indoors. Its like you have a gun, but u cant see your enemy. Im just hopin my speedlight is not broken. Just some unkown setting thats makin me miserable.

How Will I Get Out ?

This is my entry for my workshop's monthly photo contest with the theme "Down". The rules, just take a photo of anything shooting at least 45 degrees down. Saw this group of cars at one of the parking lots in Makati City. They look like toy cars to me and i really find it really interesting. I named the photo : "Paano Ako Lalabas ? " translates as - How will i get out? " Hope I win.

My New Lens!

The newest addition in my camera gear. I always wanted a Nikkor 50mm f/1.4. I think this lens is like 20 years old and still works ell. Its kinda hard to turn i guess due to age. Autofocus doesnt work if I attach this lens to my camera. I just have to go Manual.

The quality of the images from this lens is sharp! I love the bokeh effect. This lens is a great addition for my gear. Perfect for portraits and product shots. I just have to use it more often to loosen it up.

Look at the bokeh on those wild flowers. Its just amazing. I love this new lens!

David

David was the last person to shoot for PAL's Flight Cabin Crew photoshoot. Thanks to Marco for helping me with the lights. Even though it was raining yesterday, we still managed to capture his video. Thanks again to Images by Mediaworld Co. for the chance to use their equipment.

2nd Shoot for PAL's Cabin Crew

Some of the members of PAL's flight crew did not make it from the first shoot. They organized a 2nd shoot and im glad it turned up pretty well.

The shoot started late due to bad weather. Rain started to pour really hard. Good thing it didnt last long since we have to take videos of them at the roof top. We were a little worried about the scenario. Faith pushed us through.

Setting up the lights took most of the time. Me and Marco had to lift the tables and chairs to make-way for our back-drop and strobes.

I appreciate working with these people. they are really nice and down to earth. There was a time that I dreamed of being a flight attendant. But im not a good swimmer and its a big requirement. All i wanna do is just slide that yellow thing that pops out of the plane. Looks fun.

Thanks to Angge Barcelona and Marco Quimson for the creative direction and the light set-up. You guys are really doing well. I also would like to thank Images by Mediaworld Creatives Co. for giving me another chance to shoot at their studio. Thanks guys.

I really love doing this. Hope theres more in the future. To this batch of PAL Cabin crew, congratulations! Happy graduation. Good job guys!

Entangled

Most of the time, life is a mess. But no matter how messy life could be, life goes on. Like these cable wires.. they look messy and very unorganized but they do the job. Supply power, provides communication...keep us entertained. No matter how unorganized it looks..it does the job. SO what am i trying to say? Nothing... i just find it amusing how wrecked or messy or disorganized some things may be, life moves on... they can still provide good things. They can still act normal and bring goodness to a lot of people...

The Sky Will Clear After

Its been a long day at the office and everything seems to be off and bad vibes keep on pouring. But what do you know, after all the shitty things thats been happenin, something good brightened my dull, sad eyes.. I saw the sky like this outside the window... like a message above telling me, "Dont to get too hard on to yourself... the day is still young. Good things will come." Then suddenly Jane and Ken walked inside the office carrying a birthday cake for Ms. Flor. Its her birthday today. See.. the day aint that bad afterall...

Isaw!

This is a popular Filipino Delicacy. Chicken or Pork intestines almost charcoaled- grilled to perfection! I know it sounds eeky but you got to try it. Its just so damn good. Photo with lovely Abby after our jog in UP Diliman. Taken using Abby's LX3. This is also a photo from our 6th Monthsary. I love you babe! :)

Mediaworld Photoshoot

Its my first shoot at Images by MediaWorld Creatives Inc. Along with Marco Quimson and Angge Barcelona, we took amazing photos of these young professionals who will soon become International Flight Attendants. Its been an honor for me to take their photos.

Angge gave tips to the models how to pose while Marco took care of the strobing effects. I took the liberty of taking the shots. This will be my 3rd studio shoot (First 2 was in UP from my photography workshop). and at still got Nervous at first. But as i went shooting., everything came natural.

I just realized that I need to buy more memory cards. I used up my 4Gig SD card from the shoot since i used RAW + fine on my shots. Good thing Marco and Angge have extra memory cards for me to use. I have some great photos from their memory cards that I would love to include in this blog. Unfortunately, i dont have it. I'l just add those photos in the future.

I had a great time today even though my knees are a little stressed out. This job is really is my thing! When im shooting, i dont really think its work because im really having fun. Is this a sign that I should continue doing this? Is it time to do this full time?

I would like to thank Images by Mediaworld Co. for the opportunity to shoot at their studio. Thanks to Marco Quimson for the strobes and the lights and for the space ! And to Angge Barcelona for her creative imagination on the poses and the lighting techniques.

For your photo services, contact Images by Mediaworld Creatives Co.

Shooting Short Notice

Sir Jay just gave me a surprise call last friday night. He was kinda desperate looking for a photographer for the day. He thought of me immediately and gave me a call. He asked me to shoot Confetti Salon for their Ensogo, Online Marketing campaign. Good thing I brought my camera with me and took the job.

I took an early lunch break and went the place. The owners are very hospitable. They even gave me a glass of tea. The place is good. Full of bright, vibrant colors. I love the chairs that comes in green! It suits the color of their ceiling.

They also have this mini bar which serve organic food. In the future, they will provide free Internet access to its customers. Perfect for husbands who wait for their wives to finish doing their hair.

I was amazed by the design of this light fixture. The owner of the Salon seems to travel a lot since there are stuff in there that usually comes from different places.

They also offer spa services. In this photo below, you will see here the massage area. Smells really good because of the oils and scented candles that you will find inside. Its kinda hard to shoot at small places but good thing I managed.

This area over here divides the spa area from the salon area. I like these beads hanging. It gave a mediterranean feel for the salon. Its like once you enter., you are in a different Zen. I really like what they have done in this area.

They also have whirlpool tubs inside each for men and women. They also do facial services for. This place is the one for you if you love to give yourself a little pampering. Im sure you will enjoy your visit out here.

Run For Pasig

October 10, 2010 or simply 10.10.10 is a momentous day for all the people who participated the 10-10-10 Run for Pasig event held in Mall of Asia. This fund raising event was attended by almost 170,000 people. Its such a record-breaking event. The run is divided into four groups : the 3k run, the 5k run, the 10k run and the 21k run. Abby and her officemates, Jap, Teng and Jona participated in the 5K sponsored by their company Accenture. I simply just tagged along and decided to meet them at the finish line.

Since the call time for the run is way to early, around 4am, its best to just get a room nearby so that it would be easier for us rather than leaving the house super early in the morning. Abby and her friends decided to check-in at Great Eastern Hotel in Makati late saturday afternoon. Me and abby arrived at the hotel first. While waiting for Abby's friends, She enjoyed watching Nat Geo while munching on Cheese Balls. When her friends arrived, we had dinner at North Park. I had the orange lemon chicken which is my favorite and Abby had Prawn Dimsum served with North Park's famous Yang Chao Rice. Too bad i dont have a picture of our meals. Our dinner was superb!

We took a cab going to the 5K starting point at CCP complex. We arrived ahead of schedule. As they got off, i took the cab and asked the driver to drop me off to Mall of Asia, the finishing point of the run . The traffic was way too heavy. Good thing the cab driver knows his way around and kept me out of traffic. Since the roads are already blocked, i have no choice but to walk from the main street all the way to the finish line. This is what it looks like around 4:53am. Gun start will be at 5:30am.

Wished Abby for luck and gave her words of encouragement that actually made her jiterry! haha. Told her to have fun and i'l be waiting for her at the finish line, just beside the camera crew of ABS-CBN. :) I was along side Sev Sarmienta, one of ABS-CBN's respected sportscasters. He said, if he had a chance to organize a marathon, hed want it to start at 5 in the afternoon so that runners can go get some booze after they finish. The crew just laughed even though they'r still sleepy and all that. :)

The first batch of runners arrived! There were military men, police, the navy. Participants from different companies. Young and old. Even saw a man running without any shoes! Runners from different walks of life just paced their way to the finish line. I was kinda sad coz i didnt had a chance to get an areal shot of the runners. It could have been a really great photo.

But its alright, seeing my girl at the finish line after that long run, was a very rewarding experience. Specially for her! Im so proud of Abby. She finished the run in 1 hour and 1 minute. I could not help myself giving her a kiss after she crossed that line. Took this picture of Abby, so loud and proud. :)

Then her friends arrived. Jap came second to Abby then Teng and Jona. Very proud of their latest accomplishment. I took a group picture of them while sweat still trickles down the side of their faces. It was a such an experience. Good job guys!

As a proud stage boyfriend, (haha) :P Jap took a photo us. Im so proud of this girl!!! She started to give up smoking then started to get active playing badminton and going to UP on weekends to jog around the UP oval. It all started after we bought that shoe! hehehe. Love you beb! Il make sure i will run along with you next time. :)

After the run, we were about to get their Finisher's Band ( the bracelet that they give away for the runners once you finished), but the sad thing is, we ran out of bracelets.... its just frustrating coz some people have two or three bracelets with them. Broke our hearts since we really want those bracelets. Its just a bummer..

So there.. thats my experience during 10.10.10. You might wanna ask why i didnt run? Simply coz im not registered. hehe. Why didnt I? Coz...registration is already closed. Its too late.. Its all good..Besides I had fun taking pictures of Abby and her friends as they finish the run :) Maybe next year or till the next run.. :)

Are we ready for the Unilab Run? hehe