I wonder if anyone would like to pose for me for this concept shoot I would like to do. Anybody interested? Here's a video of what you must do:



Is someone interested to model? 1 model, 26 layouts. Flexible body a must. Any physical injury is not covered by the photographer.

And of course the magic question: Who would like to join and shoot with me? I think this would be a fun shoot.

O ha, nauna ako sa concept, walang gayahan! Thanks to my son for the idea.

This LSS started yesterday when I heard this song on the radio. I was driving on the road and it started raining when this song was on. It felt really sad and I felt pathetic emoting in the car all by myself.

Don't feel sorry for me for my bad taste in music. But to my defense, this is a really classic. And you have to give me credit for being a hopeless romantic guy.


Maybe I don't wanna know the reason why
But lately you don't talk to me
Darling I can't see me in your eyes
I hold you near but you're so far away
And it's losing you I can't believe
To watch you leave and let this feeling die
You alone are the living thing that keeps me alive
And tomorrow if I'm here without your love
You know I can't survive
Only my love can raise you high above it all

Don't throw it all away, our love, our love
Don't throw it all away, our love
Don't throw it all away, our love, our love
Don't throw it all away, our love

We can take the darkness and make it full of light
But let your love flow back to me
How can you leave and let this feeling die
This happy room will be a lonely place when you are gone
And I won't even have your shoulder for the crying on
No other woman's love could be as true, I'm begging you

Don't throw it all away, our love, our love
Don't throw it all away, our love
Don't throw it all away, our love, our love
Don't throw it all away, our love

We changed the world, we made it ours to hold
But dreams are made for those who really try
This losing you is real
But I still feel you here inside

Don't throw it all away, our love, our love
Don't throw it all away, our love
Don't throw it all away, our love, our love
Don't throw it all away, our love

If this lyrics doesn't do anything for you, watch the video and be captivated. But I suggest you just listen instead of watching because the concept of the video is really cheesy:

I entered this photo in one of the competitions Canon sponsored a few years back. But I submitted a straight out of the camera version of it. I didn't expect to land in any place during that contest. But when I got home, I played around with what I took and posted it in my gallery.


A few months after posting this in my gallery, I received an email from Luisa A. Igloria, a multi-awarded Filipino writer based in America. She was publishing another book and was keen on using the photo for the cover.

The other day, she contacted me to say the book, Juan Luna's Revolver, is out in America.

You can check for the details of it, including how to order, here.  This particular work of hers, by the way, is the 2009 Winner of the Ernest Sandeen Prize in Poetry.

It's been one of my aspirations to have my work come out in a book. And my gallery has attracted quite a few interested people all over the world and have used my photos for their own published works. But this is the one I'm most attached to since it's a book written by a Filipina and is about our heritage.

Also, the photo I did here was done with minimal effort, thinking I only wanted to play around with it. It ended up getting published, raking an award even. Of course the award had nothing to do with the photo. But it just feels good to be a part of it. I feel like I've also won.

Thanks Ms. Luisa for choosing my photo. And congratulations once again for another milestone in your writing career! You really make us all proud!

Thank you also to the University of Notre Dame Press.

These are the rest of the photos I did which was part of the series Ms. Luisa got to choose from. My students in my workshops should be familiar with how I've done this.

Look what arrived at my doorstep...

I felt adrenalin rushing over my body and I am not so sure if it's because of my excitement over these new toys or because their arrival created a dent on my bank account. Oh, well...spending is part of the enjoyment.

When I learned they were already coming, I did not hesitate anymore. And what timing since, my Phoebe (a Powerbook G4 1.5) was already acting up while I was in Zamboanga the other week. A new machine purchase was in the books. I didn't get these out of want, it was more out of need. And I needed a power machine. And I mean POWER MACHINE.

What can I say about these new Macs? Only that it is awesome!

Monitor ---- People are talking about its new glossy monitor and how the glare may be bothersome. In my case, I can't ask for anything better. My photos appear crisper and very, very detailed.  I did a comparison of my gallery from my old unit to this new one. I thought I was already happy with my old unit's resolution...they were popping like 3d photos in the new one.

Sound quality --- of course, this isn't a boom box nor part of a home theater system. For easy listening, the sound is just fine for me.

WiFi connection --- I wasn't quite satisfied with its predecessor's WiFi signal before. But now, it's almost perfect. Full bars. Signals pick up very quickly.

Trackpad --- there are those who may have issue with the trackpad because of the absence of the button. Since it's a new feature, I do think it takes time to be comfortable with it. Got no problems so far.Weight --- It looks like a bloated version of MacBook Air, but definitely lighter than previous Macs. It is sexier, too.

Thanks to Larry Ang of iStudio http://www.istudio.ph for always accommodating my requests again and again. If you need to buy any Apple products, he's the man!

(Also known as the workshop that became a concert...if only the camera is the microphone and shooting is equal to singing.)

I can't count the many times I've been to the beach this year. The other times I was able to go was courtesy of this projects Seair has lined up. I really am greatful for this opportunity with them.

For the second time, the magazine hired my services for this shoot to Coron Palawan for their November/December issue.

When accepting shoots, I really am comfortable working with an assistant photographer. More than anything, he's there to help boost my confidence because quite honestly, I still second guess myself when it comes to these kinds of work. There are projects I feel nervous about because I'm not sure if I can deliver.

But on this trip to Coron, I didn't have another photographer with me. Although, I had a good team organized by Seair themselves. We had a make-up artist, a wardrobe consultant and a writer. The editors of the magazine served as my "assistants". It was a team effort that I really enjoyed doing. The best thing about it was I got to direct the whole shoot and take charge. I learned something about myself on this project.

Here's what came out of it. I took the photos to all of these, including the cover.

Also on that same trip, we went to a private island in Palawan owned by a Spanish businesswoman who fell in love with our country and our culture. It intimidated me at first because our subject, Helena Carratala Mander, was a visionary and is quite well-known in the upper class' social circle. But once the shoot started, I was at ease. Hopefully she loves how her feature came out.

This is a true testament to how great the people at Canon are.

For awhile now, I've been keeping quite a good relationship with them. But it wasn't until early this year when everything was done in writing. My tie-up with Canon has been official. Our relationship has been cemented.

I'm off to Zamboanga in a couple of days. This trip will be my longest away from home, I'll surely miss my sweetie. What the people at Canon had for me for being a good boy, are these babies:

Many thanks to Ma'am Margie and to JayR for being so accommodating. I've been lucky to once again find another group of people who are not only professionals but are also supportive of Filipino Photographers. They do take good care of us well! 

I haven't seen this guy for awhile now. I also have not heard from him for weeks. I am aware he is busy preparing for the next chapter in his life. I was supposed to wish him well until I saw this guy on TV.

Kuya, drama mo lang pala yung nawala ka sa circulation. Ang totoo nun, castaway ka pala ng Survivor Philippines!


Ang kwento nya, even in the streets people come up to him to ask him if he's the guy on the TV show.

Anong feeling ng TV star, bro?  Anong ginamit mong pampaputi? Ang laki ng pinuti mo sa TV! Ganda siguro ng camerang gamit nun. Nasa gear talaga pag dating sa TV.

Watch Survivor Philippines 10 PM Mondays to Fridays on GMA. Screen name ni Edwin Loyola dun is Kiko. Hehe. Kahit ideny niya na hindi siya yun, SIYA YUN!  Same hairstyle, same burloloy, same expressions, magkaboses pa yata sila. Siya talaga yun!

Wag ka lang masyadong mainitin ang ulo ah, napanood kita nung isang gabi may kagalit ka dun.

I love you, bro! You're the original dreadlocks guy!

PARC

Thank you very much to sir Jonathan Lee for taking this photo on SLEX. I owe you one! This is in relation to my earlier blog about one of my photos unexpectedly appearing on a billboard (CLICK HERE).

Here's...exhibit A & B :


Ang cute nila diba? Ang sarap nilang tirisin grrrrrrrr.

Your love is... an ocean,
Where sand meets the sea,
Waves of love rolling over me,

Your love comes to me,
As the tide comes to the shore,
Wanting and needing to embrace me more,

Your love is... the moon,
Shinning across the shimmering sea,
Deep, wide, strong, and calm.
Always there to carry me..

Your love is... my shelter,
My compass, my true north,
Where ever I go, your love is guiding me forth,

Your love is.... the fresh ocean breeze,
Gently sweeping across my face,
Touching me from place to place,

Your love is...
The salty air I smell,
Clearing my thoughts and thinking,

Your love is...
The life preserver that keeps me from sinking,

When I go there to the sea,
I am not alone, for your love is with me,

I feel you all around,
The beauty, the wind, the mystery,

Your love engulfs me,
Takes my breath away,
Holds me in wind's arms,

When I close my eyes,
Dancing memories of your charms,
Never escape my deepest memory,

So if ever our souls part to say goodbye,
Meet me there, where the sea meets the sky,

Your love will forever be with me,
Where the sands touch the sea,

Our love lives on,
Our love flows back out into all eternity.

- Eternity Of Your Love by Milletter Addsion

You may be wondering why I haven't posted any new photos in a while. I do have plenty of materials waiting to be added to my online gallery. Some of these photos are even the type I'm excited to present since they are new.

But for the past few months, I've been living in a suitcase. It's hard to imagine this because I didn't really like to travel before. Some of you know me before all these "photography" and you're aware of my lifestyle as a hermit.

I was in Coron in August.  It was my first time there. I was working on an editorial shoot but many of those that I took aren't for publishing in my gallery yet. The magazine comes out by the end of this year (I think).

Shortly after that, I had little time to switch suitcases, I flew to Singapore to hold a workshop with Erick Matias and a group of Filipino photographers. I did have time to visit a Monastery and it was something I'd like to witness first-hand. (Thanks Erick for taking me there!) I also went to their zoo and it was great.

Before and after these trips, I went on a model shoot with some friends. They are waiting to see their photos for weeks now. But I do apologize (again) for so many delays.

My enthusiasm for sharing what I've taken is overshadowed by physical exhaustion. My outlet has become something else, I might need another outlet just to get my creative juices going.

This is not a complain. This is more like a realization.

If there's one thing about turning this hobby into "work", it is that I don't get to enjoy the hobby as much anymore.  I'm still no pro. This isn't my bread and butter. But when opportunities are there, sometimes you cannot say no. Someone close me told me I'd be crazy to say no because they might not come along next time.

So here are more work I should not say no to.

On October 4-15, I will be in Zamboanga City holding a workshop. The details are in this poster. The workshop will only take place in one or two days, but the organizers have planned other activities for us. They have this annual parade called Fiesta Pilar which we will shoot.  We're also going to be toured around the city and shoot. The city folks there would like to show people outside of Zamboanga that it is a beautiful place to visit. Anyway, if you would like to know more about the workshop, the details are in the poster or inquire from Richard:


Then on November 8, I have another workshop scheduled in Cavite, this time organized by some friends. The details are also in the poster or you can inquire from Mike or TJ.


After this, Deo, who was one of the first people to push me into "teaching", is planning on another workhop which will reunite me with Borj and I have not worked with him in a while. Deo is still working out the details. This, I suppose will take place in Antipolo, as usual.

There you have it.

I have been receiving some inquiries about workshop schedules lately.

I hope I was able to answer your questions. Please inquire from the organizers the rates and slots since they are the best people to answer those.

Thanks!

Bad news: I WAS NOT CREDITED FOR IT!

We were driving through Tagaytay yesterday and right after Petron, on the right side going to Sta Rosa Exit on SLEX, a billboard caught my eye. I thought to myself - nice composition, processing was good. Until I realized it was MY PHOTO.

This is what I am talking about:

The billboard is from Ayala West Grove.

In February of 2007, a group of photographers were invited to shoot at this location. The shoot was actually a "contest". The details of it are all but unclear to me now. But I can own up to the photo and boldly say it's mine because I was the only one who took this shot with my model. That girl you see is my good friend Ann Francisco, who is also one of the photographers who joined the "contest".

Displeased about finding my photo there, I asked a lot of friends about it yesterday. Raymond Fortun gave me legal advices. Senor Jo Avila helped me source out people we can contact. I chat up with Ann Francisco this morning and we both were trying to recall the rules of the contest. Raffy Yllana came to the rescue and did text me the details. What he texted me is something I know very well now and what every photographer must take note of:

• All entries (winning & non-winning) shall become the property of Ayala Land Premier with full rights to reproduce, exhibit or publish.

This rubbish is a very rampant practice with photo contests, you trigger happy shooters beware. At that time, a lot of us didn't know this shit then. Trigger happy nga kasi. We know better now, of course and this explains my non-existent enthusiasm for any kind of photo contests whatsoever.

I'm posting this not because I'm after anything. I have no cause anyway, should I want to take this up with that company. I don't want the headache. Sa inyo na lang yan. As Raffy said to me today -- "Talo tayo."

Yes, truly talo tayo. So take note of this when you're joining any kind of contest.

This brings to mind what another respected photographer shared in another forum years ago, and I still remembered it. My friend Ken Go said: Don't let people use your eagerness and excitement to their financial advantage. I suggest go to the place, practice shooting, but don't submit any files for the contest, save it, show it off in your own gallery, if they want to use your photos, let them buy it from you. Make sure you read the fine prints before submitting any of your photos.

Hope you guys take something out of this, too.

These companies pay big money holding this kind of contest. They dangle you with $$$$ cash prize. You take the bait and submit 50 entries. 10 of your friends submit the same number of entries. That company has enough stock photo to last a lifetime. And they will only pay one to three person, the "winners", for that. Cost-effective for them, bad investment for the photographer.

Thank you everyone for the help, especially those I pestered with my questions!

If you happen to pass by this billboard in Sta. Rosa, give a shoutout to Ann, the model. She is on the same level as Kris Aquino and Gretchen Barretto with her really big billboard!!!!

And to Ayala West Grove, thank you for opening our eyes to this. You gave this loser a big billboard.
See, I credited you for something.

P.S. --- If anyone is able to pass by this area, can I ask for a photo kahit cellphone shot lang? I'll credit you. Hehe. In my haste, I forgot to take a photo of it when we drove by.

A collaborative work between Ku Manahan who owns a studio (SPG) in the UP Area and myself.

For choosing common people as models, this fashion photoshoot/editorial for Vogue India became controversial because the "models" are photographed wearing luxury items like a Fendi Bib ($100) , a Burberry umbrella ($200) and a Hermes Birkin Bag ($10,000).

The whole story is in this New York Times article.

The editorial spread was “not just tacky but downright distasteful” said Kanika Gahlaut, a columnist for the daily newspaper Mail Today that is based here, who denounced it as an “example of vulgarity.”

There’s nothing “fun or funny” about putting a poor person in a mud hut in clothing designed by Alexander McQueen, she said in a telephone interview. “There are farmer suicides here, for God’s sake” she said, referring to thousands of Indian farmers who have killed themselves in the last decade because of debt.

Vogue India editor Priya Tanna’s message to critics of the August shoot: “Lighten up,” she said in a telephone interview. Vogue is about realizing the “power of fashion” she said, and the shoot was saying that “fashion is no longer a rich man’s privilege. Anyone can carry it off and make it look beautiful,” she said.

“You have to remember with fashion, you can’t take it that seriously,” Ms. Tanna said. “We weren’t trying to make a political statement or save the world,” she said.

What do you honestly think of the photos?

"I am a restless soul, painting the world with its light and shadow...."

There is a surprise waiting for anyone willing to see the world in monochrome. In draining the colour of my photographs, I have worked, fashioned, shaped and infused them with a new life. Everything comes in grades and shades of darkness and light - I play with their constant struggle and simply let them define who I am.

Photography is my ultimate form of self-expression and art. It allows me to unleash my emotions, let them loose. My art and heart flow together. The oceans of sorrow and loneliness raging deep within that define my existence right now, I can only explain through my images. I am finding catharsis, and yes, happiness, in all that photography entails.

I adamantly believe that art, beyond emotions, should be elevated into the realm of thought. I want my black and whites to provoke thinking, and maybe, just maybe, lead you to action, whatever that may be. Then I will have completely fulfilled this black and white universe.

"I am most free with my art in my right hand and with heart in the other."

Opening Night
6:oo pm / Wednesday
13th August 2008

Philamlife East Sid Lobby
Philamlife Building
United Nations Avenue, Ermita
Manila

Been registered at Facebook for quite awhile now but I was not very active in it. About a month ago, I started noticing people hung up over it so my curious self stayed up the whole night last night getting acquainted with my Facebook account.

Add me up on Facebook 

(click here).

March, 2008 Camarines Norte - my first time to step in that island to embark on a 5 day trip courtesy of Seair. 

Details and photos of the trip are documented in the August-September issue of Seair's Inflight Magazine and in this gallery <-- click here

Thanks to Seair for the opportunity.

PARC