It's in El Nido Palawan !

Oh my... its been a while since i visited my blog. It's been what.., 5 months after my last blog post. Anyway, I suddenly reminisced my last Palawan adventure and it came to me that I haven't written a blog about it yet. So I decided to do this and yeah, i kinda miss writing stuff.  So here it is! My top choice for all the Palawan trips that I had. Welcome to El Nido. 

By far, El Nido is my favorite. I really love the beaches that we went to. It's so damn many I forgot all of their names! You might think this blogpost is one heck of a crappy one...probably yes.. I think I'm gonna agree with you! Haha. So anyway. I went with my beach thirsty adventure seeking  friends and I thank them enough they planned this trip all so well. This was my first time in El Nido and it was a blast!

 They found the trip through AirBnb and it was my first time to hear about it. It's one good deal because the trip covers almost everything! From airport pickups, to boat rides, accommodations and food! We went to this place called Talikwas Ecolodge and its located in Talikwas Beach. One of the Islands in El Nido.  

The place is absolutely majestic! It has one hell of a view! It's actually a cliff side and they made a house on the side of it. They do outdoor yoga sessions on that platform over there and it really connects you with nature! If you're a yoga fanatic, this place is well worth it!

You can just imagine the fresh air massaging your face as you kill time standing at the veranda. We had booze session here but we decided to go inside though because of the freakin' mosquitoes  (a mosquito repellent is a must out here) and flying bats! (bats scare the shit out of me..)

You kinda have to stretch your legs a little coz you have to walk up the stairs going inside the house. It's all good though... A little exercise is always a plus.  Every great thing starts with the first step...and this is how it looks like :) 

Life here is fairly simple. People usually earn from fishing and tourism. The place doesn't have electricity but they have a little ingenuity by producing power by solar energy! Yes, they are that  high tech. And car batteries are provided so you can charge your phones.    

 Ok enough with the yapping. It's time to go island hopping! It's amazing that the house we're staying, they have their own boat! So they toured us around the islands. It's so beautiful! Ang ganda talaga ng Pilipinas! Ang ganda talaga ng Palawan! Thank God for the weather because everything was clear back then. 

The waters are calm...and crystal. You can see the corals from the boat. Kinda scary holding a camera while shooting this. I just made sure the camera is glued to my hand and not get clumsy. I so wanna jump into the water from here!  

The view is just amazing. Away from traffic jams. Away from the hustle and bustles of the city. Away from the dreaded MRT...  Everybody needs  a break and what a way to spend quality time in a place like this... When I was there i imagined my eyes as a camera, capturing every detail, every moment...storing data inside my SD brain. I love it. I really love it...

At long last, we arrived at the beach and we're all crazy to hit the water and lounge at the sand! Of crs, we had to make the obligatory  jumpshot! It's amazing we only had this one with one take! I think the boat driver is one heck of a photographer!  

 What a weekend indeed. This is what living should be. To be alive! You don't have to think about anything. No past. No future. What's important is the moment. I just lay there and grabbed a bottle of JD and just had a gulp. I had this set on timer.. hehe. 

This is one of my favorite photos! The sun is so high and it turned the waters really blue! That moment was really heavy and intense! How I wish I can go back... The Philippines has a lot to offer. No wonder why we have a lot of tourists in our country. We really need to extend our efforts to preserve these natural resources.  For our kids.. and for the future generations! Many thanks to Mommy Rose and all her staff from Talikwas Ecoldoge. You're all too nice! Thanks you so much for the warm hospitality. If ever we go back, expect us again! :) 

 Where is this place again? It's in El Nido Palawan! 

#itsmorefuninthephilippines #wanderlust #pinoytraveller #havecamerawetravel #palawan  

Vanity Beauty Bar

 You may find it weird that im posting a salon into a blog that is flooding with food posts. Well, this blog actually caters to everything including hairsprays and nail polish. Haha. Well actually. The main reason is that, Vanity Beauty Bar houses one of the best Red Velvet Cheesecake I ever tasted. Not only that, they also serve TWG teas that will definitely make your tensed, stressed and abused body into absolute bliss.

Interior design is very good! This area over here is where your nails are done. You can throw in a nail spa party if you wish! Chairs are really comfy. You can say that this place is really "sosyal". So nice that magazines held their photoshoots here right after the models had their hair taken care off. I actually had the privilege to meet the photographers and staff of Mega Magazine. 

 What i like about this red velvet cheesecake is that, its not too sweet. And its kinda creamy. Even the... What do you call that thing on top of a cupcake? Icing? Whip? Whatever it is, its really good! Love to lick the hell out of that cupcake.

The tea is just perfect.  It soothes...it calms you down. I am not really exagerating or whatever but i really do like it! These past few days i have been addicted into drinking green tea. ( i read in an article that green tea is actually a fat burner just like honey, oats, green chillie, apples... Yeah.. I wanna lose weight) 

So there goes my morning. I had a good cup of tea, a really nice red velvet cupcake and met some very talented people. What a way to start my day. I want to give thanks to the staff of Vanity Beauty Bar, they were very hospitable inspite of the haggardness of the mall guards. To Ms Anja of Mega magazine for her tips on food styling. Also to the photographers and crew of Mega, sorry guys to bother you on your shoot. And to KC of Ensogo. Its quite an experience. Im gonna be back for more cupcakes! Vanity Beauty bar is located at the 3rd floor of Il Terrazo Mall over at Timog Avenue in Quezon City.

Close Encounters with Sharks and Stingrays

 

I never imagined swimming with sharks and stingrays. It's quite impossible and a dream actually unless i became a total madman and go deep sea diving, and go nuts swimming with these predators of the sea. Good thing Manila Ocean Park offers that experience and you dont have to go deep sea diving  and put yourself in a cage! You can have your close encounter with sharks and stingrays with minutes away from the metro! I am one of those, along with my officemates, who we're lucky enough to experience this bucket list kind of an experience that surely i wont forget! 

Here we are inside a huge pool where sharks and stingrays are swimming. You can actually feel the stingrays play with your feet and sniff your legs! Its quite an experience. The stingrays are safe. Thats the 1st question that I asked upon briefing if the stingrays are safe and wont go steve irwin on us. Steve Irwin, that crazy guy who loves to have close encounters with different kinds of animals was unfortunately killed by a stingray when the barb on their tails struck him real bad. Good thing those barbs are removed from the stingrays swimming around us.  

This is actually my first time to hold a live stingray. Stingrays or "Pa-ge" in local dialect is a local delicacy. Usually they are captured and cooked with coconut milk! And actually it tastes really good. When i held them in my hand, i felt sorry for all those times that i ate one their kinds... It gave me the thought that stingrays are friends, not food.  

they are very friendly. they swim around you. play with you. I never knew they were so gentle.. and slimey! I even gave this one a kiss! I never even dreamed of kissing a stingray! That was really something coz that dude is lookin at me straight in the eye and im waiting for it to freak out any moment. Good thing he was very still :D

That was quite an experience for me. Too bad they didnt let me bring my GoPro with me and capture some videos. Its kinda their company policy to leave all cameras behind. Before i went home, i had the chance to have a photo-op with the shark and stingray handlers. I believe they have the best jobs in the world! This experience is one for the keeps. I would like to give thanks to the travel team, to sir jojo  and the managers and most specially to the management of Manila Ocean Park for the great photos and the wonderful, unforgettable experience every one of us had.

Barbaras

Theres this place in intramuros which is worth visiting... this place called Barbaras just beside San Agustin Church in Intramuros is one of those places worth dining in. Food theres is really delicious. The place is rich with images of our culture during the spanish era. its like a blast from the past experience. 

 took photos of their buffet. I have to work fast because i only have a 30 minute timeframe before the guests arrive at the banquet. I would like to thank Sir Carl for accommodating us with the shoot. 

 The place looks really good.... and the food is superb. I really love the paella... and their coffee jelly for dessert. absolutely delicious! 

Every night, they have a cultural show which showcases the different kinds of dances our ancestors has been doing for the longest time. Folk dances from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.   

At first i find it kinda... not so entertaining but as they go along.. ok din pala sya... I mean.. its good.. its unique.. with their flashy costumes... interesting dance moves.. i can say im more of a Filipino on that night coz i discovered that we have something of our own that is really good and people from different countries applaud in delight. It was fascinating actually.   

 But all throughout the night, i was mesmerized by this girl who is playing the bass.. not only she was pretty, she was really good! I was actually imagining her rockin with the bass guitar in a rock concert.. She would be really hot if ever... 

Then there was the highlight of the show where the audience had the chance give our national dance a try - the tinikling. It was really something looking at people from different cultures dance the tinikling..and they were good.. i am a filipino and i dont even know how to do it.. if ever my i'd had a broken foot by now.. 

it was such an experience... its like i was in the spanish era where kalesas, katipuneros and civil guards roam the streets of Manila...those cobblestone streets, old churches and antique houses mainly gave that old school manila feeling... it was fun.. it was fun shooting this one... i really had a great time.  I want to thank again Sir Carl for the warm hospitality and also to Ms.Sheree for bringing me at Barbaras for the photoshoot. Good times! 

Stan and Armi's Prenup

In most days, i take photographs of food, gadgets and other nifty objects... but there's also one thing that I love to point my camera on, couples. Every time I photograph that moment, that sweet point in time, makes me really happy. It was an honor taking pictures of Stan and Armi. Celebrating their love...

It was a very nice weather. Sun is up and the clouds are marvelous. I was really excited for this shoot that i bought myself a new Black Rapid camera strap! Which i bought if on sale.. anyways., i was so excited for this shoot because shooting prenups are fun. I was with Ms. Love's prenup and I really enjoyed shooting them... Im somehow getting used to this so when Raiza, also my officemate asked me to take photographs of her sister, i immediately obliged. Indeed it was fun!  

We had the shoot at Real Ship Yacht Rentals stationed along Manila Bay. It was my first time to step foot on a yacht honestly. It was also my first time to shoot a prenup on a boat! A lot of 1st times on this day. The boat is really beautiful. This is how rich people roll..i mean float. What a great location for a prenup. Definitely worth it. 

 Im not really good in making poses but i tried my best to be the cheesy guy for this moment. I asked them to do sweet poses which I think looks good eventually. Our very talented make-up artist, who happens to be my Remy's, my officemate's mom, gave a lot of ideas regarding the poses... 

One of the boat's caretakers, Ate Maria, also gave some suggestions on the poses. Thank God for all their help coz i ran out of ideas... Love this shot by the way. I love the way Stan smiled on this one...Its so natural. 

 at the bridge, cuddling... :) i envy their sweetness...  hmmm.. anyways..

also one of my favorite shots on which is one of the hardest coz i was actually lying at my back with some bars of steel poking my spine... i just have to get this angle coz the clouds at the background is absolutely gorgeous. A photo of a kiss would be perfect!  

 the shiny reflections of the waters amuses me... and i wanted to include it to the photo... I would like to thanks Jeric for helping me hold the speedlight for me. Without him, it would be really tough to do these kind of lighting...

This pose was an idea of Ate Maria... Very nice things to warm things up and relax...

I really want to thank this beautiful lady over here for inviting me and entrusting me to cover for her sister's wedding. I said to her im not a wedding photographer but I will do my best to make her sister's wedding worth memorable. I do hope i made them happy with their prenup shoot...

I also want to thank Malcolm for letting me ride the dinner cruise. It was quite an experience not to mention the food was really delicious. Awesome buffet... I was so full on the trip good thing i didnt barf on the side of the boat! 

It was such an experience! Hope to do this again some other time. Many thanks to RealShip Yacht Rentals.. im leaving you with this lovely sunset photo with the lighthouse silhouette. 

Networld Hotel Cocktail Shoot

I really love shooting cocktails!Its because after you're done with it.. you can drink it afterwards! (That is, if the client permits.. hehe). Took photos of 6 different cocktails and boy i was so refreshed! I used a lot of props in this one and i dunno if they are relevant with the photo.. it looks good though and the client actually loved it.. Many thanks to the staff of Networld Hotel over at Roxas Blvd for the warm hospitality.

Croc Meat from Danny's Grille

When this was served to be photographed, i thought it was chicken nuggets. But then it was not. Its actually crocodile meat! I have to admit when i thought it was chicken nuggets, i felt really hungry coz i love chicken nuggets until the waiter told me that its croc meat.... suddenly i felt different. After the shoot, i was anxious to try it coz it was my first to eat this kind of delicacy....and at the first bite., wow.. it was delicious! It actually tastes like chicken! I had it  together  with some ice cold beer on the side and it was perfect! Perks of the job baby! Good times! :)

2013 Ensogo-Livingsocial Summer Getaway

 Our summer outing at Subic was a blast. We really had a great time! We went to Grande Island at Subic for an overnight stay and hell it was fun. We had games.. had a little drinks.. and had the time of our lives. These are some of my favorite photos from the trip... you can actually view all the photos from my facebook page.. you probably seen it if  you were one of my contacts for sure.. anyways.. of course jumpshots are one of the favorite photo poses of the trip. You can see there sir jojo at the middle leading the pack! Love this photo

Caught up with Marky and Tracy hanging out at the beach... Dude marky, i think all those early morning runs finally paid off! Is that tummy for real or you're not really breathing at all.. haha.. love this photo... 

 The games were really intense and the people were really competitive ! You can see here Tope' and Anne working on those Polo Mints and BBQ sticks for this crazy relay game...

After the games, i was so boozed out i fell asleep.., missing all  the after dinner festivities.. it was bad coz im the photographer and i should have been on top of the situation and yet.. i was cozy and probably snoring at my room... Good thing I woke up at around 12..ish and saw the people getting crazy! Heres the proof! 

I sneaked in to one of the girl's rooms and saw them getting crazy as well over there... 

at first, i was so lazy to bring the umbrella and the light stand at the trip... good thing i did coz this crazy family portrait wouldnt be possible without it. This pose was actually Tristan's idea and wow.. it looks good by the way. :)

She's a sight for sore eyes... i saw chie enjoying the moment at the beach side and instantly saw a picture of minimalism - single subject , negative space... i did this once with a starfish but then again chie is far more beautiful than a starfish so i just grabbed the opportunity to document this moment.... 

The view from outside the veranda. What a great weather. Its hot... its perfect! Sky is blue, water is fine.. and the booze is just flowing... 

told you the booze is just flowing... i think i drank too much that day.. we had tequila shots, vodka shots... i mixed my sprite + antonov curant specialty added some cherries courtesy of Ms. Innie... We also had some beer... and some other mixed drinks that God knows whats in it...

Rona and Marie at the beach... moments like these are rare since work usually gets in the way... how i wish we have more fun moments like this..were you can see these lovely ladies without their laptops... 

of course my team! the ever reliable Production team of Ensogo! We are crazy as hell but we get the job well done. These are the guys that makes work fun... 

How bout a soak at the pool after a long day swimming at the beach? Yeah that... that is a good plan. Again with our crazy boss, Ms Mara right there raising her hand.. :) She's crazy but yeah we love her. 

This., is one of my favorite photos from the trip... i saw our company's captain - Sir Jojo, at the door of the bridge and he's like there leading us to something great. His vision for the company's better being is reachable...it just takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice...

 Luisa, Luisa, Luisa... she was sick at the beginning of the trip but still managed to look good.. No doubt she's still beautiful even under the weather...

oh yeah.. production team along with Jelix getting woozy. Its nice seeing these bunch of hardworking people enjoying themselves after a long day at work.. imagine they did a couple of write-ups, insertions and graphics while others are enjoying the vacation... life of the production team..its simply remarkable.   

With our bosses, sir Gary and sir Tristan - who is a real comic! I never had a boss as crazy as him..but he's a really nice person. His energy is contagious.. 

Moments with chie...

I had to take this photo real fast or these guys will practically strangle me to death... It was scorching hot! Its a little out of focus actually but what da heck... We had fun! I do hope i can still attend the 4th summer outing. This year was a blast... Thanks a lot Ensogo-Livingsocial!