Forque

I never been to a place so romantic, so serene.. so exclusive that bringing someone here for dinner is one of those plans that would definitely work. With its remarkable spanish / itallian ambiance and soothing atmosphere makes this place worthy for a magnificent dinner. Welcome to Forque Restaurant in Makati. With its red walls you will surely fall in love. 

Photo above is their delicious lamb chops. I normally dont eat lamb chops but this one is just fabulous. Its so delicious. The meat is so soft and tender. Its juicy. And its magnificently plated! This is a must order at Forque. Its one of the best!

They also served their delicious calamares. Breaded squid with their special dressing. Its delicious! Its so crunchy and i definitely love the sauce. Right after i took this photo i grabbed a piece! Cant help myself. 

I also tried their Ceasar Salad and this one really rocks! Fresh greens, bacon bits..its just perfect. I love it. 

 Now this one is a surprise! I never seen anything like this. This is Vanilla ice cream with caramel popcorn. Theres even some orange syrup right at the bottom and it complements the sweetness of the ice cream and the popcorn. Topped with i think those were strawberry syrup and crowned with a cherry. Its so good. I loved this one. 

Took a photo of the 3 dishes and that is just mouth-watering... Its a sight for someone really hungry. After that long walk along pasay road, this is such a treat!  

 Like I said earlier, the place is just fabulous. Great lighting, place is really nice and clean. Lovely red walls. The paintings are really nice. The place is just beautiful. I'd love to spend dinner with a special someone here someday. Great atmosphere, great ambiance. 
Forque will run a deal at livingsocial.com.ph (formerly Ensogo) real soon. Watch out for their deal at the site for great discounts. It will probably go live at around the first week of the year. I would like to thank the staff of Forque for their hospitality and warm welcomes. Guys check out this place its really nice. I highly recommend it. Thanks also to Pat for bringing me here. 
Another food adventure to end the year. I hope we have more food adventures next year. Looking forward to it. Happy New Year guys!

Casa Amapola

If you're that person that loves fine art and searching for that exquisite place to relax then Casa Amapola is the one for you. Situated at the heart of Makati, its just half an hour away from the airport. They have great rooms which showcases very interesting art pieces.  

I so love the paintings. Im an avid fan of fine art as well and I was entertained to a different level upon shooting the rooms. Sir ogie, the owner of the place is such a nice man and he loves art so much and he has interesting insights on things. He has this great sense of style and it shows in his interior designing. His wife is an artist and most of the paintings are hers.  

This is one of the most romantic rooms where red light flooded the entire place. Again interesting artifacts can be found like that fan over there looks really nice. Bed is soft and i felt that nice, relaxing feel..

Space is really important and the rooms has an ample amount it. Each rooms has a flat screen tv with cable  and it has wi-fi access all over. Bathrooms look really nice as well. Creative and artistic like the rooms. Cold and hot water is very much available. They also offer Airport pick-up and drop-off services! 

Best thing about this place is that, its more like a house. Like a place of your own where privacy is a must. A lot of travelers visit the place because of its warm and very homy feel. Who wouldnt want to relax in this really soft bed and watch tv all day.. i would! They also offer free breakfast :)  

So if you are searching for a different kind of lodging, give Casa Amapola a shot. They great rooms, nice people and I forgot to tell you that they also have a dance studio! They offer tango lessons and soon they will  teach yoga, ballroom, ballet and belly dancing! 

For more info, please contact Mr. Ogie Mendoza at (632)895-45-76 or visit their website at www.casaamapolamanila.com  

Lola Maria Restaurant at the Legend Villas

Theres no better way to enjoy food than the Filipino way! Lola Maria over at Legend Villas in Mandaluyong offers a delicious buffet anyone could enjoy! They have a wide array of sumptuous dishes for sure your taste buds will celebrate! I had another privilege to take photos of their delicious meals for their deal at livingsocial.com.ph Photo above is the fusion of Japanese and Filipino which is the Tinapa Maki - which is one of my personal favorites.

They also have a salad bar which has the freshest greens and ingredients. Perfect for those on a diet. I enjoyed this so much since i love salads and everything i imagined is right there. 

Moved on to the spotlight which is the roasted ribs area. Not only it looks really good, its also very delicious. The meat is so soft and tender. It easily glides off  the bone. Its just perfect.

You can also make your own pasta! Choose different kinds of sauces that you wish. They also have different kinds of bread to partner your pasta delight. 

Lets move on to the buffet area. I so love that fish on the lower right of the picture. Its so delicious! I also love their Gambas! Im a die hard shrimp fan and those gambas are just perfect. You got to try it for yourself! 

I also love their Crispy Kangkong!!!!!! Dunk it in to its special sauce and it will definitely make you say oohhh la la! At the back is the Gambas. So delicious..

Here are their different kinds of Sauces. From spices to different kinds of vinegars., They are very proud of their sauces because of these are home made. It has a touch of love and they are the only ones who offer these.. 

Same goes with their leche flan on their hal0-halo. Its unlimited! If you wanna go back and have some more just dig in!

I so love the interior. Its very well lighted, well decorated. It has this very homy and Filipino atmosphere. When they opened the doors for the buffet, people are starting to flock inside. Most of them are guests from the hotel and some are regulars who just love the food so much they just come back more often. 

I had fun with the photoshoot. I would like to thank Ms. Kate Asuncion, the outlet supervisor of the Legend Villas for walking me through the restaurant and spending time eating lunch with me. I want to go back here someday. Food here is really delicious. Many thanks also for the staff for their warm hospitality. 

Great food, Traditional Filipino ambiance and great service! Only here at Lola Maria Restaurant in The Legend Villas. Go grab your vouchers now! For only P379, you can already enjoy this wonderful buffet. Probably one of the best buffets  in the metro. Go try it for yourself! Log on to livingsocial.com.ph for more details or visit this link for this deal.

Good Fellas Steaks and Burgers

Steak? Did anybody said steak??? Check out this Tomahawk steak from Good Fellas! 1 kilo of Angus beef right in your face baby! The slab is so big! Its overwhelming. The whole thing just filled  the whole plate. Served with baked potatoes and some fresh salad, this dish is just perfect. 

I wanted to take a photo on how it was grilled. I snucked inside the kitchen and saw how its done. And  this is is how it looks! You can see the sauce dripping outside the meat! It looks so good...  

I have to apologize coz i forgot to ask the name of the chef. He was brilliant on what he's doing. He glazed the steak with olive oil to add the steak a little shine on top.  

I also took a photo of their bacon burger. The pattie is thick! I think its a half pounder or something. Then topped with bacon, cheese, some vegies and served with fries! 

The place has this mobster feel. Its filled with photos from the movie Good Fellas. I love the homey ambiance. The chillax sound. Tables are big enough and they have a fast internet! I actually uploaded my high res photos using their internet actually. Plus the service is really nice. People here are really hospitable. 

I would like to thank Sir Jon and Ms Judith for having me there. They were so nice. The shoot was so fast coz i have another shoot after. It was really short noticed and im happy i pulled it through. 

The Good Fellas deal launched lastnight. Go buy your vouchers now. See it at livingsocial.com.ph for more details. 

Jun and Norma's Homemade Ham

This is my first Ham product shot of the year. Kinda proud of this project because I really need it to look delicious and enticing. This is Jun and Norma's Homemade Ham and currently running at livingsocial.com.ph With the help of EJ, we roasted the ham a little in the oven toaster  for that reddish look! (a blow torch would come in handy but i dont have one). Tracy helped me with the veggies and Neil poured the sauce on top while Im shooting. The lettuce seems to be overexposed but.. its ok.. the Ham is the star of the night. :) Thanks guys for the help! 

Casa Ibiza

Its already 1am and im still wide awake. I have been awake for more that 24 hours and I already have blood shot eyes, puffy eyebags and a serious tummy deformation due to unlimited amounts of beer and sodas consumed. But still im here. This brave soul is here to write and blog about this magnificent place even if his grammar is grade 2-ish and words are undeniably corny. Welcome to Casa Ibiza in Antipolo. A place to relax, unwind.. and work all at the same time!

Some people usually lower down their expectations when they see a travel deal on a group buying site. But this one, we are surprised because we dont really expect the place rocks! Its beautiful! Pool is big enough. The villas and its rooms are fantastic and their food is commendable! Casa Ibisa is not bad at all! One of the best places near the metro.

Theres a big pool just beside the restaurant. There is also a small pool for kids to enjoy. I love this part over here where you can squat, and have dinner with some booze with your lady friend under a cool breezy night adorned with soft candle lights. Its perfect. Bring a date here im sure she will thank you for it. 

A view from the front entrance. I so love that classic carriage. You can see there the villas.. They painted it in different colors, blue, yellow, red... looks really good actually. 

This is the dining area that has the view of the big pool and the kiddie pool. Food here is really nice. I enjoyed their longanisa! Its really delicious. 

Bumped with the girls while finishing their breakfast. Love anne's pose over there (leftmost). This should be their "candid" shot but i dunno.. it doesnt look that candid  to me. 

Before we left, I had to take a group shot but the thing is i left my tripod at the studio. I just asked one of the attendants to take a photo of us. Good thing i had my camera set on Large quality because theres a huge blank space at the right side of the photo which eventually i have to crop it out. 

It was fun! We had some great, treasured memories out there. Even though it was Work / Outing kinda thing.. we still had fun though. I really had a great time. Thanks to the happy people of ensogo, most specially the research people, merchant services and the production team. It was a blast!

Yoh Froz Frozen Yogurt

Never had Frozen Yogurt this good! This is my first time to visit Yoh Froz Frozen Yogurt. I always see this place but never had the chance to get in. And its about time...They will run a deal at livingsocial.com.ph and i was tasked to take photos of their delicious waffles! 

 Man those waffles are really delicious! Looking at it makes me shiver in delight. Its really mouth-waterring. Chocolate waffles topped with frozen yogurt, bananas, i believe those are pistachios (please correct me if im wrong) and drizzled with chocolate syrup! Its insanely good....

i think this is one of the desserts they have in heaven

Now to all of you Blueberry lovers out there! This a treat for you guys! Those luscious blueberry oozing all the way down to the mangoes then  down to the waffles...topped with frozen yogurt with springkles of pinipig and nuts... deeeelicious! I love it!

that rich dark chocolate in a cup

Now theres a best partner for this amazing dessert, the Hot Chocolate. Its thick., its rich.. its chocolaty-good! Every sip is just.. ugh... superb. I love it. The waffles and the hot choco is like peas and carrots, mickey and minnie, palito and panchito... its a dynamic duo!

its all white!

You got to give credit to those who made this place look so cool. Literally cool as in cold..Really., the colors are so cold in the eyes. The shades of baby blue..white and purple! The furnitures, the lighting is soothing... I really love the chairs! Great interior designing.   

with 2 rachelles 

One rachelle is good but what more if you have two rachelles?! Yes these lovely ladies right here share the same name and im lucky to have a snack with them. This was a fun shoot. I really love those waffles. Ms Rachelle of Yoh Froz is such a nice person. Thank you so much for having us. Id like to thank Ching, for treating me lunch. :) Thank  you! 

Watch out for this deal coming live real soon! Only at livingsocial.com.ph ! 

Fruitcake!

I was on my way to the office and Cielo called me up asking me to take a photo of her fruitcake, one of her latest deals.  I said sure..just wait for me when i get there. When i got in the office I went to her table and asked for the cake. There were two fruitcakes waiting for me, ready for photoshoot. I took a slice and placed it on a white plate. At first i wanted this one to be photographed in high key (white background) because of of its colors. I want the fruits to stand out. This is actually the original photo and no post processing added except for the watermark. The cake is delicious! Watch out for it at livingsocial.com.ph launching real soon!  

Bread One Bakeshop

 I dont remember when was the last time I went to Binondo., i think i never been there for a long long  time. I had a photoshoot today at one of the best bakeshops in Binondo, welcome to Bread One Bakeshop. They offer Hong Kong style bread baked to perfection and made fresh everyday.

different sizes, different choices

There are so many choices! They all look delicious. I noticed there are a lot of regulars who visit the place and buy their favorite bread. Probably as pasalubong.

tasted the bread loaf on top and it was really delcious

I tried a lot of ways to shoot the bread. I tried with the packaging on and without. I actually love this shot without  the packaging. It really brings out the texture of the bread. 

bread one gift basket

 This is one of their gift baskets. This is perfect for the upcoming holidays. Ensogo will soon run a deal with Bread One and it will be launched anytime soon. They also have a branch in SM Mall of Asia. Just visit www.livingsocial.com.ph for more information. 

This is my first time to shoot tethered on location. It was really easy because i can easily manipulate the photo and adjust the settings directly to my computer. Im using Lightroom 3 as my software. I think im going to shoot tethered from now on. Its a lot easier. You can see the details directly and with a larger picture. 

Many thanks to the staff of Bread One. for the warm hospitality. Appreciate it so much. Thanks also to our ojt PJ from merchant services who assisted me with the shoot. 

Learning Food Photography with Mark Floro

I feel like I'm the luckiest person on earth right now. I always wanted to attend a decent food photography seminar but the thing is., its quite expensive. Thanks to my good friend, Aron Lim, i got in for free! He invited me on a  food photography seminar by one of the best advertising photographer in the country no other than Mark Floro! The seminar was made possible  by the joint efforts of the  members of Accenture Photography Club. 

I always look up to Mark because his photos are really good most specially in shooting food. He is a master playing with highlights and shadows. His Halo-Halo shots at Chowking is very beautiful!  His photo with the syrup dripping down slowly from the leche flan is really awesome... He's also one of the best when it comes to architectural and product photography! 

There are some interesting facts about Sir Mark. He graduated with a degree in political science! But he really wanted to be a photographer and he followed his passion. He went to the states and finished a degree in advertising photography at Art Center College of Design  in Pasadena California. One of the biggest school of design in the states. He is a frustrated painter, just like me.. and he doesnt know how to photograph fireworks! but he can google it anytime he said :)  He believes that light is the key factor to any means of photography. Know how to control it and he assures you, you will make wonders in your photos.  

    

mark discussing about advertising photography

Mark uses continuous lights in most of his photos. He said you should light the subject according to your intent. Always look for the strong "point of view" on your subject. Then make it sharp and properly exposed. Theres no such thing as good angles. It really depends on the food. Lessen the props. Shoot the food dead on. As much as possible shoot the food with the whole plate then leave the cropping to the editor or the client or give your own cropped shot later. Always shoot RAW and tethered whenever possible. Use a booster cable (A-Ten , available at Octagon) to connect your camera to your computer.

mark floro's popular strawberry dip shot. 

When doing food photography, one must provoke an emotion. That ooohh.. that ahhhh, that yummmm. It should be there! To the point that you will still love to eat the food even if you're already full! Mark gave us a great tip when handling  a food presentation with client. He said, deprive them of food. Never schedule a photoshoot after lunch! Talk to them when they'r hungry for sure an ordinary photo will definitely look good!

it doesnt have to be expensive

Some of his photography stuff can be found almost anywhere! These two jugs of water are his weights for his tripod to make it sturdy. Very ingenious actually because if you gonna buy weights for your tripod and  lightstands, for sure it will cost a lot.  

a very unusual flag that came from an endangered animal

He showed us this feather and it came from a monkey eating eagle! (or eating eagle monkey..monkey eagle eating..mark blurted). He uses this one to flag or block the light from its source creating beautiful shadows onto the subject. 

insulation material as reflectors

When shooting food for a client, you must remember one thing, you should always hire a professional food stylist. The photographer and the food stylist should work hand in hand. The food stylist actually creates your photo. Thats why the food stylist must be really good if you want to achieve quality photographs. If not, you will just glorify horrible looking dishes! Mark's food stylist is his wife Linda who owns an Itallian restaurant called  Buon Giorno in Tagaytay.

styling for the on the spot photo contest

Always remember to "implant an idea" to your client. Follow their desires, give them the shot that they want. Make the idea that comes from them. Then give them your own version.  Show it to them side by side. Giving them choices and variations. Food photography is always about texture. Always focus on the texture. Show those highlights and shadows standout. Those will make the food more interesting and look more 3D-ish.  Mark has a hard time shooting siopao because some siopaos lacks texture and it has no details except for a red dot on top of it (pink for asado). I asked where's the best place to put your light? He answered, its best to put it at the left side of the food.

one of our demo food which is sitting for quite some time. 

This is one of the many dishes photographed at the seminar. Mark asked who wants to volunteer with the food styling and I just raised my hand then said "Me!"  

went to handyman to buy some stuff

We even had a little fieldtrip at the hardware store and CDR-King to buy some stuff for a DIY studio lights. He showed us that it doesnt have to be expensive to make a good continuos light set-up. In less than 500 pesos, we already have a decent lightsource out of ordinary household fixtures and cables.  Then at the end of the day, he raffled all of these stuff to the participants. So nice of him.  

Judging the photos. 

We had a on-the-spot photo contest. The members are grouped into 3's and they were asked to shoot different kinds of dishes. Mark asked 4 members to be the judge. My friend aron told me not to join the contest and be one of  the judges intead. Why not :). Photos were really good but there can only be one. It was a unanimous decision and we picked group number 4 with their amazing shot of the Tamago and sushi rolls. 

Accenture Photography Club

We had our group picture taken at the end of the day. Im so happy to be a part of this workshop. It was actually a whole day event! I was there at 9am and the seminar ended at 8pm. I learned a lot from the seminar and I really appreciate it. Many thanks to Aron for inviting me. I met new friends who has the same passion as I am. It was an honor to be here. 

with THE Mark Floro, an ambassador of light

Of course ! I wont go home without a photo with sir Mark Floro! Like I said, he's the guy that I look up to not only because of his talent but also with his great personality. He is really a down to earth person and he's very easy to talk to. Photography is his passion for quite some time and he really knows what are the ins and outs of the photography business. He teaches advertising photography at Philippine Center for Creative Imaging or simply PCCI in Pasong Tamo. 

some interesting facts : 

• 600 Million photos are uploaded on facebook everyday
• Mark Floro has a degree in Political Science
• You should learn how to talk to a "mayabang" person
• Sigma is Mark's first camera before using canon
• According to Mark, the best camera would be a Canon body with a Nikon Lens and with a Sigma sensor .
• Shoot with One Light.
• Diether Ocampo took 40+ takes on that "cheese stretch" sequence on a pizza hut commercial
• Never shoot 50/50 on your food.
• Minimize the use of photoshop.
• 100% of the photos in advertising is edited
• Warm, neutral colors. always.
• shoot tethered
• Your food stylist creates your photograph.
• Draw an imaginary line for your shadows
• Rule of Thirds
• Use Selective focusing
• Lemon, Calamansi on bananas will prolong oxidation
• An ice cream stylist's talent fee - 9,000 pesos per scoop
• Add some of the ingredients on your photos but not to many.
• Implant an idea to your clients.
• Ask yourself, what are your intentions in shooting this particular subject.  

What a great day for photography. =) Thanks again sir Mark for the knowledge! It was an honor to be part of your workshop. I hope someday I can attend your classes in PCCI. Visit Mark Floro's official website at www.markfloro.com