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Middle East, 2011

Wow. I totally forgot about my blog. It's been crazy, hectic, and all around mad! I've been living my life like there's no tomorrow. Since my last entry, I've done things and been places that I never have before. I'm living the dream, and it's pure awesome in a can. :D

Last November, I visited the Middle East with my photography partner, Parc Cruz, for the first time in my life. We were asked to hold a workshop there. From Manila, it was a straight shot to Abu Dhabi, where the stopover was around 4 hours long, then we continued to our final destination, Kuwait. When we got there, I had no idea what the place was like, and who to meet. After running around the airport like headless chickens for a few minutes, two guys finally came up to us and introduced themselves as members of PINDOT, the photography group who invited us there. They were Filipinos based in Kuwait, and wanted to show us what Kuwait was all about. So we went to McDonald's for breakfast. Go figure. Ha!

But honestly, it's a trip that I'll never forget. I absolutely LOVED Kuwait and the hospitality of our hosts there. From day one, they made sure that all our needs were met, and that we were comfortable and happy. Our accommodations were really nice, and the weather was perfect! It was the start of Winter in Kuwait, so the temperature was hovering at around 19-21deg in the daytime and around 8-10deg at night. It was wonderful!

Kuwait is in the middle of the desert, but along the Persian Gulf. Prior to visiting, the only idea I had of Kuwait was what I saw on TV during the gulf war of 1990. Destruction, chaos, suffering. That's all I knew. But my visit changed my entire view of the country. The place was definitely NOT what I thought it would be like. The roads were beautiful, lights were bright everywhere, shops were open, malls were plentiful, and the city was just really great. Progressive. I rather enjoyed the fact that we didn't really come across any form of racism (except for that one national who thought we looked like criminals. LOL!) or bigotry during our stay. Our hosts were especially nice to us. In fact, I felt like they had been my friends for years, when in fact, that was the first time I had met them. Cheers!

The workshop itself was s success, with around 20 participants. There were Filipinos, Kuwait nationals, Arabs, and a mix of different ethnicities. The workshop was a collaboration between digital artist Parc Cruz, International Designer/Stylist Rocky Gathercole, and I.

The rest of our stay was spent going around the city, seeing the sights, trying the food, and just experiencing Kuwait. On our last night there, the temperature dropped to around 8deg and we spent the evening smoking Hookahs at the bayside. Wind chill factor! It got REALLY cold, and we were out there shivering our asses off, smoking hookahs. FUN! Hahaha!

Before I forget, let me tell you abnout the CARS! I'm a petrol head myself, and the cars I saw on the road over there made my jaw drop! Everyday cars were Dodge Chargers,
Chevy Camaros, and other muscle cars. The regular joes were driving around in drop-top Beemers and Mercs. We would occasionally come across some flying Ferraris and Lamborghinis, but the most exotic car I saw over there was a Rolls Royce Phantom. *eyes bulge* The funny thing about the cars though, is the way people over there drive them. It seems that cars in Kuwait have 2 speeds - wide-open-throttle and stop. Tires were screeching all over the place, you could smell burning brakes, and the roads were covered in tire burns... and that was in traffic!

When I left for Manila, our hosts from PINDOT even made it a point to not just drop me off at the airport, but even to stay there with me until I got on the plane. Talk about hospitality! They even gave me some trinkets and stuff as remembrances of my awesome stay in that awesome country.

Once again, I would like to send out my heartfelt thanks to PINDOT for the great trip. I will never forget it as long as I live!

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Time

It's been a while (a rather long while) since I've written anything here. I've been... busy. With work, with friends, with life. The endless workshops out of town, the endless nights out with friends, the endless hustle and bustle of everyday life. I've been so preoccupied with living life that I forgot to write it down. I think it's important to write things down. It's a way of remembering events, names, feelings. I like writing things down because it helps me organize my thoughts, and in effect, my priorities.

I've been living my life like there's no tomorrow, and i try to make every day count. I'm always out with the people I care about the most, and I make sure that I have a good time with them. Even if it's just for a while. You never know when something will make the present change. You never know when you'll see your loved ones again. You can plan for it, of course, but sometimes plans change and things just don't happen as you predicted.

Tomorrow I'm leaving the country, and I won't be back for two weeks. Who knows what I'll find when I get back? Will all my friends still be here? What about my loved ones? We can never tell. I'm writing now to tell you all that I love you. I love each and every person who's been a part of my life and has helped me grow into who I am now. I love all my friends who are there for me day in and day out, in good times and in bad. You guys rock. I love you all because you understand me. I love you all because you tolerate me. I love you all because you've given so much of that precious gift to me. Your time.

Nothing in the world is more precious than time. We all have a limited amount of it in our lives, and once you've spent it, there's no getting it back. That's why I appreciate the time given to me so much. I know that whoever has spent time hanging out, drinking, biking, shooting, talking with me and even just reading my words has spent his or her valuable time on me. And that's a big responsibility. I try to make sure that the time you do spend is worth spending on me. I know that it's not the case all the time. I know that I can be boring sometimes, or I can talk nonsense at other times, but I still appreciate that you do spend the time on me. I don't know how I can repay you for the time you spent. It's the most valuable gift you have ever given me. All I can really do is say thank you. From the bottom of my heart.

What is the square root of Ku?

What is the square root of Ku?

Answer here

When I was a kid, I used to think that a tooth fairy would come into my room, look under my pillow, and find a tooth. The fairy would then proceed to take that tooth and put a dollar bill in its place. What did you believe in as a kid?

When I was a kid, I used to think that a tooth fairy would come into my room, look under my pillow, and find a tooth. The fairy would then proceed to take that tooth and put a dollar bill in its place. What did you believe in as a kid?

Answer here

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What's your favorite movie, and how do you relate it to your own life?

What's your favorite movie, and how do you relate it to your own life?

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Good times with so-so friends, or so-so times with good friends?

Good times with so-so friends, or so-so times with good friends?

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What's your favorite form of exercise?

What's your favorite form of exercise?

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Reblogged From My Multiply Account: Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary Oct 24, '07 11:35 PM

It seems that everyone is breaking up this year. I personally know of around 5 or 6 long term couples who have called it quits in 2007. I came from a long relationship as well. It's not easy to let go of someone who has been such a big part of your life. My last relationship was more than the 6 years we spent as a couple. We met way back in highschool and became best buddies in 96. A grand total of around 12 years of friendship. It was devastating when we broke up. I was drunk for a month and a half. Literally.

But i got over it. And you have to. Sometimes you feel like everything in this green earth is against you. But deal with it. It's part of being human. Emotions are what makes us who we are. We aren't robots. Feel. That's what we do. After everything that you've been through, stand up. Dust yourself off and start walking again. Raise your head and be proud that you got out of it. That you're alive.

Then one day, you find yourself laughing. Smiling. Having fun. Liking someone. It's the same emotions that got you into all the trouble in the first place. You suddenly remember how bad it felt the last time that things didn't work out. You never want to go through that again. But you look around, people love you. They laugh, smile, have fun with you. You suppress the confusion. Suddenly everything else fades out and all you see is one person. And you're in love again.

White car with pink interior, or pink car with white interior? :D

White car with pink interior, or pink car with white interior? :D

Answer here

System Revamp Part II

I recently switched my photography system to Nikon from anther brand.  A no-brainer, really.  Support is everything.  And until last week, I've been using Windows-based PC's for all my computing needs.  I've gone through at least 6 desktops, and 2 laptops since I joined the digital age. Windows was second nature to me, and I probably could've navigated it in my sleep.

I'm now using a Mac.  It's the industry standard when it comes to post processing and presentations.  I've been thinking about making the switch for a few years now.  And I finally did it.  With some generous and loving support from my dear mother over in Canada, I was able to buy a 15" MacBook Pro with an i5 core.  I've had this computer for little over a week now, and all I can say is WOW.  Apple really knows what it's doing.  Forget the haters, forget the anti-capitalist morons who say that Apple is using perceived value to jack up their prices.  I'll tell you now - it's worth it!  I've never had the peace of mind that I do now.  If for that alone, it's already worth the price tag.  But of course, it's also a monster at multi-tasking, has awesome battery life, and it's very easy to use!

I'm no expert, so don't take my word for it.  I'm sure haters all over the world will unite and burn me at the stake for my opinions.  But that's all they are - opinions.  I'm not doing a comparative analysis.  No technical jargon in this entry.  I'm not measuring any speed of this or that.  I'm just saying how the laptop makes me FEEL.  And I feel great. :)

When it is raining, what is "it?"

When it is raining, what is "it?"

Answer here

Going Yellow

I've been teaching photographic lighting for a little over two years now.  My hobby-turned-profession has taken me to different places, I've met many different people, and I've learned a lot of new things.  I've taken fashion shots for magazine covers, food shots for restaurant and hotel menus, event coverage for company websites, lifestyle shots for developers' billboards, product shots for entrepreneurs, and many other commissioned shoots.  Many people have helped me along the way, and I can't even begin to thank them all for the support and helping hands that they have unselfishly given.  There's the secondary photographer, the assistant holding the reflector, the makeup artist, the stylist, and many other people directly involved with the shoots.  And then there are the people who have helped me in another way.  The small pep talks, the introductions to prospective clients, the referrals, the little favors.  These people have helped me become who I am today. 

Recently, I've received a little more help from someone.  And that someone is a little company known as NIKON.  I've been a Canon user since the beginning, and that decision was based mostly on what system my friends were using at the time.  The prevailing thought when I made that decision was "who has more lenses and accessories that I can borrow?"  And the answer was, of course, Canon.  I also leaned towards them because of the local service centers that provided support for your camera woes.  Through the years though, the makers of the system that I was already heavily invested in did little in the way of direct support to their professional clientele.  When I would go to their service center to get my camera repaired or cleaned, the least I expected was a service unit that they could lend me so that I could continue with my craft while they took care of my gear.  Nil.  Zip.  Nada.  I've asked more than a few times if I could test some lenses or test some other units, and all I managed to get was a verbal parry camouflaged as a joke.  It was frustrating!

Nikon Philippines (under Columbia Digital) got my partner, Parc Cruz, as an endorser a few months ago, and we've been endorsing the brand at our workshops since then.  Nikon would also come over and give away some items to our participants.  Our posters had their logo on them as well, so it was a win-win situation.  I had a dilemma though.  My system was Canon.  I was having a very difficult time helping Parc endorse Nikon while I was using another competing brand.  A few nights ago, my predicament would change dramatically.  I got a message in my Facebook inbox, and guess who it was from?  Nikon. They welcomed me to the family and asked if I could drop by their office on Thursday.  I thanked them and told them that I'd be glad to go meet them. 

When I got to their head office, I met with their CEO, and two people from their marketing department.  We talked about plans, how we could mutually help each other, and how to grow together as company and endorser.  After  a few hours and some signatures later, they loaded me with a sort of "welcome package" consisting of some items that would send me on my way into the Nikon universe.  A shiny new D300s Digital SLR, a prime lens, and some other accessories were in the package.  They also threw in some Nikon paraphernalia like bag tags, a keychain and a calendar, to mention a few.  I was awestruck with the showering of items and toys and thought to myself, "now THIS is support."  I've yet to get used to the controls of the new camera and test out its capabilities, but I know this early that this is the start of a beautiful relationship. :)

Multiplying Money

Yesterday, I was with my friends Parc and Reo.  We dropped by a car audio shop and took a look around.  I needed a wooden spacer to install my new speakers, so I asked them if they had any.  Junior, the owner, asked me to come back the following day so that he could make some to my specifications.

Today, I decided to save some gas and bike going to Junior's shop, which is roughly 15kms away from my place.  When I got there, the spacers were done and they looked perfect.  Junior was still out to lunch, so I whiled away some time looking at his wares.  By the time I was on my way home an hour later, my backpack was around 8 lbs heavier, my wallet was a LOT lighter, and I was happy.  I ended up shopping for all the necessary wires and fittings to "future-proof" my car audio system.  8 meters of Ryan Audio gauge 4 wires, 12 meters of Audiomax gauge 16 speaker wires, Stinger RCA cables, a Ryan Audio distribution fuse block, and two pieces of half inch wooden spacers.  My initial Php300 purchase of wooden spacers turned into a shopping spree worth a little more (ok, ok, a LOT more).  At least I saved a little money by riding my bike instead of driving my car there.  Hahaha!

That got me thinking... how did it happen?  I wasn't sales-talked into it.  I don't really NEED to have these expensive items to get my audio system working.  But I made the purchase anyway.  Go figure!  Maybe I was thinking that I would eventually upgrade anyway, so I did it right the first time.  Maybe that's just me trying to justify the purchase.  But whatever!  I'm smiling! :D

RCBC Rooftop Helipad

Parc Cruz

Helipad

I was highly fortunate to have been invited to shoot at the rooftop helipad of RCBC Tower, in Makati.  Access to places like this are very limited, and highly exclusive.  One of our friends was able to pull some strings and get a permit to shoot at this awesome venue!

We got to RCBC Plaza at around 5PM.  After a few minutes clearing up our permit and waiting for our group to be complete, we were ushered in and led to the service elevators of the Yuchengco tower.  A few more minutes and some transfers later, we were finally at the uppermost area of the building.  The helipad was great, but the view from the top was just awesome!  All around, we could see the metropolis sprawling in all directions.  Cameras were brought out, tripods were set up, and shutters began clicking.  The shoot had begun.

People were scattering in all directions, some in groups or pairs, some by themselves.  Wide lenses, telephoto lenses, large apertures, small apertures, long exposures, fast shutters, and all sorts of angles were being used.  We were having such a great time!

Around three and a half hours later, our memory cards were full and our bodies were aching.  But we were all exhilarated!  We were all very happy with our captures, but we were all hungry at this point.  We decided to eat out at Kanin Club in Ayala Triangle Gardens.  Dinuguan, Callos, Kangkong, and a lot of different dishes were on the table and we all had our fill (and more!).

We went home in high spirits and with full bellies. It's been a while since I had a fun shoot, and this one made me appreciate the joy that I felt when I first got into photography.  It was a worthwhile experience and I hope I get to do it more often. :)

Looking Up

Nightscape II

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