Stunning Sorsogon

Welcome to Sorsogon! 12 hours of Bus ride! It’s a back-breaking journey but its all worth it after all the beautiful sights! Along with Abby and her friends, our long weekend is simply unforgettable. This is Subic Beach . This is probably one of the best in the country. White sands..fine in texture..like the ones in Bohol. Cool crystal waters…. I love it!

We went to this place where you can go canoeing or kayaking, I forgot the place. Im not really good in remembering names and places. This place is really amazing. It’s a lake right at the foot of Mt. Bulusan. Abs and her friends tried paddled their way at the murky waters as I took some pictures of the place. I saw this old boat and again , sounds of the camera is ringing inside my head. Grabbed my camera and started shooting. This photo is a personal favorite. I just love both the foreground and the background.

This is actually the biggest crab ived ever seen. If you dig seafood like fish, crabs, prawns or anything out of the sea beside spongebob.,im sure ul’ gonna love it here. Thanks to our friend Gary and his family for their hospitality. We stayed at their place and even cooked for us. They serve crabs like these at breakfast. :D Not to mention their Bicol Express and La-ing. Diet is not an option here in Sorsogon. Eat like theres no tomorrow! My ate will surely love this photo.

This is Barcelona Church. One of the oldest church in town, probably in the country as well. We stopped by and took some pictures of the church. We took some photos inside as well. This is one of those places to go to in Sorsogon.

Our last stop of the day, Rizal Beach. I brought along my Frisbee and I tell you after a crash course game in ultimate frisbee, our sweat is really pouring with our hearts racing! Gary brought his skimboards and gave us lessons on how to ride waves. On my first attempt, I fell real hard and till now my butt aches. Standing up is really difficult coz the board is really slippery. I held on for a couple of seconds and after that.. Im good. Im done! I dont wanna go home with a broken arm. I just love this beach. Its not that fascinating like Subic Beach but the shoreline is really huge and wide. Perfect for beach volleyball.. playing ultimate Frisbee and bonfires.

As the day went deeper, the sky is like this! Its like a gazillion stars exploded the clear black sky. I grabbed my camera and made an experiment. I used ISO 1250 on 20secs shutterspeed, Manual Focus and i used F/4 on aperture. Wonder what are those clouds on the right side of the picture? On a naked eye, di naman ganito kadami yung stars.. but when i looked at my camera.. Wow dami....i was actually waiting for a shooting star to appear but i failed. Grabe ang ganda...

Sorsogon is definitely one of those places you have to visit. The abundance of natural resources in this place is really unimaginable. The beaches are so nice. Forests are still intact. The food is heaven. My stay in Sorsogon is truly one of those moments i will never forget. Thanks to Abby and her friends for bringing me here. To Teng and Garry and his family. Thank you for your hospitality. Thank you so much.

Moments in Albay

We went to Legazpi City and witnessed Philippines most spectacular volcano, Mt. Mayon. At first i was kinda frustrated coz I cant see anything coz of the clouds and even rained! But then again, as the clouds cleared...Mt Mayon boldly showed us how beautiful she is. This is a shot I took from the back of our hotel. Its quite dark but since I love silhouettes,i so dig this photo of Mayon. Love the blue gradient. I used a CPL filter for this and an ND8 filter.

For those people who saw Mayon on a clear day is very fortunate. Most of the time., it is covered with clouds or fog. You cant see most of the volcano. In my case, I was blessed coz the clouds are clear and theres no sign of fog. Such a wonderful sight. Its really different from the books. You got to see it for yourself to appreciate its beauty.

We stayed at Vista Al Mayon Pension house. The place is really nice and cozy. It has a swimming pool at the back with the view of Mayon at the background. The rooms, its large and very clean. The bathroom's shower seems to be extra hot and the temp controls must be broken.

The lobby is really nice. I found a very interesting piece hanging on the wall. These two masks caught my attention. I took a photo of it slightly overexposed.. making the wall super white, giving the mask a nice smooth white background.

Early morning, we took the morning flight at Cebu Pacific. As i was walking towards the plane, Again I saw Mt Mayon at the back. I immediately grab my camera and took a photo. I cropped it using photoshop, giving a panoramic view.

My stay in Bicol was short. Even though, its really worth something to remember. I hope i can go back there some other time. Im looking forward for all the adventures Bicol has to offer. I heard theres a lot more. Next time if time permits., we'll do it all!

My 1st Published Photo

I am so happy and proud that one of my photos was published in this very beautiful coffee table book called "Watersheds, Sheltering Life". Its one of my photos that I took when I went to Mt. Pulag in Benguet.

I was surprised that iCanvasMedia loved the photo that I took and they want to include it on their coffee-table book. Thanks to Mr. Cholo Florencio and all the staff of iCanvasMedia for appreciating my photo. I hope I can share more photos in their upcoming books.

This book is really nice. I never imagined my photo will be included in a book like this. All of the photos here are spectacular. Im just so honored to be a part of this book. .

and making my name part of this amazing pool of photographers is really something. I hope someday i can contribute more photos in their upcoming books. Who knows., my photo will graze the book cover.. hehe. Dreams do come true and this one proves it :)

2010 HTP-PYM Youth Camp

My youth camp experience is really nice. I had the privilege to take photos of our young comrades in Holy Trinity Parish. It was quite an experience. The place is nice although its a little muddy. The youth really enjoyed their weekend.

This is the 2nd youth camp of the our parish. I am proud to say that this years youth camp is a success. I like the seminar. very heart warming. Makes you realize with a lot of things. Things that usually you take for granted.

There was a zipline at the campsite and i was very eager to try it. Its quite long than the last zipline i took in La Mesa eco park. I took a lot of pictures with the kids. Everybody is asking me to take their picture. Here though i really practiced my panning skills. Most of them failed but i got the right recipe for it at the end.

I like to congratulate the HTP PYM Core group for all the sacrifice made in order for this youth camp to push through. You guys are very hardworking and passionate with your work. May God bless you. Thanks guys

More photos at http://maaccc.multiply.com

Laiya, Batangas

This is Punto Miguel Beach in Laiya Batangas. About 3 hours away from Manila. This stretch of beaches in San Miguel Batangas is popular with a lot of tourists. Many people visit the place for company outings, family gatherings and for some they just wanna burn gas off their jetskis. For me, i went here for a break and to celebrate my birthday.

The beach seems ok. Although a little crowded but still manageable. Jetskis and banana boats are the popular ones here in Laiya. Also try snorkling and Island hopping.. The coral reefs are very beautiful. Love those fishes biting onto your feet. Sadly, i dont have those waterproof cameras to go play with. Hope someday id own a Canon D10 for those underwater shots.

Love this shot of the cottages on the beach front. I forgot to bring my step-up adapter ring that connects my CPL filter to my lens. I love the combination of the CPL and the GND filter. It gives me great detail and color. Unfortunately i dont have those during my trip. Oon this shot.,i just used Vivid on the settings... They usually call me Mr Vivid. I just love using it on my photos.

Boats and other stuff that brings color and makes my fingers itchy.Without knowing., my fingers are already clicking on the shutter. I love this shot of the boats. I love the orange color and the clouds are like cotton candy. Photos can be deceiving. You thought this beach is that good? You got to see it for yourself.

This is my favorite shot. Took this one without a tripod. Handheld on Bulb mode at ISO200, f/4 I used a GND filter for this one. There were people behind me who asked me what am I holding. i told them about the filter and what it does. When they saw the photo on the LCD., they were amazed and even asked me if im a pro. I told them im not.. its just a hobby. Well., if ur paid with cheeseburgers., are u considered a pro? :) hehe. Well i guess.

Magical Siquijor

Isla del Fuego or the Island of Fire as Spanish conquistadors call it before. Siquijor Island is one of the best place to unwind and relax. Time here doesn’t exist. So quiet, so peaceful. Undiminished by the hustles and bustles of the city. The people there are amazingly hospitable and very friendly. No wonder a lot of foreigners flock at the beaches of Siquijor.

If you are planning to go there, you must consider Coco Grove Beach Resort. Its probably the biggest resort out there. Fine food, Extra-ordinary service and the beach is clean and well maintained. It’s a little pricey among the rest but its all worth it. You can even hire a van for a tour around the island. I haven’t had the chance to visit the caves and waterfalls of Siquijor.

Next year perhaps if time permits. It’s a get away worth splurging but not that heavy on the pocket. To get there.,from Manila, book a flight going to Dumaguete City. Then from Dumaguete, there are fast crafts going to Siquijor Island. Its best to book your flight early in the morning.

Siquijor, the mystic island of the south. A place where air is clean, sky is clear, shooting stars galore and the moon is just beautiful to look at. Come visit Siquijor and be demystified by its beauty.

Boni Station

This is the view of the MRT tracks up on Boni Station. I was amazed by the scenic view of EDSA at this late part of the day. Those red streaking tail lights and the yellow head lights is really nice to look at. Divided by the tracks, theres this vanishing point just after the curve. This is my 2nd time to glimpse this part of EDSA from this point of view and I cant help myself to take a snap. This picture is one of my favorites in my Project 365 album. Hope you like it as well.

Earth Hour

One hour to make a difference. An hour that affects change. One small deed done by a lot of people is an act that may save us from something unearthly. I dunno your views about earth hour but come on guys,its just one lousy hour. An hour of quiet candlelight moments. An hour of peace and sounds of kuligligs. An hour stuck in mute. Sort of a therapy actually. Its my first time to do take a photo of something during earth hour. I thought of something like this… the candle with glass resembles the sun that radiates the earth with its heat. If it turns out really hot, the encyclopedia will burn and that’s a catastrophe. =)

Moments After

It’s the end of the day and still no project 365 photo. So I made sure to take a snap of something before I leave the office. This is a top shot., angle lookin down from the ceiling on monochrome – just to add a little character coz the scene is kinda simple. But the best thing about this is the scenes after… that made my night really special. :)

Tanay, Rizal

Tanay is just a marvelous place to visit. Yesterday,Me and my photography infused friends, gave a visit to a place the locals call “Parola” or Lighthouse. I have been to places like this before which I usually take it for granted more often ignored. Things changed yesterday coz everything that seems ordinary meant something special. Perhaps it’s a sign of aging...hope not :) What am I talking about? Life at its simple ways is sweet. People fishing., kids playing kites., farmers taking care of their crops. Its so simple. No complications., No technicalities. Just plain oL hardcore soil drenching living

. I dunno why am I getting amped on watching snails walk on dirt, lime green colored rice fields or kids playing mataya-taya. Like I said it sweet and simple. One of my favorite sites there is the Lighthouse itself. You’ll see a lot of silhouette shots of it, for me its a personal favorite. Backlit by the colorful hues of the sky. Those gradients of orange.,purple and blues..is just breathtaking. I found myself in some sort of a misery when my foot got soaked in that moist., mushy .,unknown goo drenched earth. Deceiving from afar, the soil seems solid. Still playing safe., I stepped on a rock to give me ledge on shooting a specific foreground.

To my dismay, the rock sunk and scared the shit out of me coz I nearly fell down. My white shoes turned dark khaki.. its crazy. Good thing I brought those Korean baby wipes from the office to wipe some of my miseries. The day ended with a fabulous Japanese dinner at Omakase in Tomas Morato. I ordered my favorite jap dish the tonkatsu. What an interesting day. Its like a good photo, filled with a lot of elements. Elements like traffic, sunsets, witty friends and good food.

Thanks to sir allan for again the pro tips in landscape photography. To pads and marco who takes photography to the next level and takes me with them and to our good Lord who brought light and colors for us to capture. I really had a great time. Till our next shoot!