I love photography

This photography tip is so obvious and I’m surprised that many people forget it. It doesn’t even require any special skills, just a camera and a steady hand.
It has often been said that a good photo is not necessarily one that follows strict technical standards. It’s not always about composition or lines or depth-of-field. A [...]

Continue reading 'A photography tip for bloggers' →

I got an e-mail from a reader asking me to share some tips about photo-taking. The way I get it, what she really wants are tutorials. It’s flattering. I don’t even consider myself a great photographer. I’m competent, yes, but hardly skilled and talented enough to actually think I can make a living out of [...]

Continue reading 'Photography without formula' →

On Thursday evening, the rains poured and power went out in several portions of the suburb where we live. What was there to do? I had all that I needed for a good photo op — a cooperative daughter (Sam), a candle and a camera. Good time to experiment with camera lenses, shutter speeds and [...]

Continue reading 'The night the lights went out' →

Warning: NOT for overly sensitive people.
One of the greatest pleasures of photography is to chance upon subjects that are naturally interesting.
Take the sign at the back of this truck, for instance.

The sign says “katas ng kurikung”. Obviously, “kurikung” is a misspelling of “kurikong” which is defined by the Urban Dictionary as “a very rough [...]

Continue reading 'Can’t decide if it’s gross, funny or downright weird' →

Somewhere between the excitement over buying a new house and the horror of surgery are the forgotten photos from Speedy’s Puerto Galera trip last month. I remember saying I’d post them after the sunset photos but my mind had been elsewhere most of the time (like 10 minutes away from our house) and I just plain forgot.

These photos somehow makes me envious that as small as Speedy’s camera is, it can can do one important thing that mine can’t. Perhaps, someday, when I can afford the underwater housing for my dSLR…

Continue reading 'Under the sea in Puerto Galera' →

For the past several days, I have been answering e-mailed interview questions. Some, food-related; others, not. One particular question was memorable: “How do you find something interesting enough to write about everyday?”
I’m afraid I gave the interviewer a very short answer. Sorry, but that happened when my DSL connection was down and I was [...]

Continue reading 'Koi hiding in the tree' →

Speedy and his officemates were in Puerto Galera for three days last week. It was a company-sponsored outing so I couldn’t go with him. He did bring home a lot of photos though.
These sunset photos were taken from the roof deck of Paul’s Place where they stayed.

Continue reading 'Sunset in Puerto Galera' →

The title, of course, is a line from one of the many thought-provoking dialogues in what must be my favorite movie of all time, The Matrix. It seemed to be the most accurate phrase to describe the following photos of the egrets preying on fish raised by man for food and profit.

The photos were taken [...]

Continue reading 'Because nature is not without a sense of irony' →

Mention Panay Island and the story of the golden salakot comes to mind. The Maragtas Chronicles tell the story of the ten datus who escaped from Borneo and arrived in Panay. Story has it that in exchange for a golden salakot (a wide brimmed native hat), the Bornean datus bought the island from the Aetas [...]

Continue reading 'Panay Church on Good Friday' →

Inside Sampaguita Garden’s Resort in Aklan is Jojo’s Christmas Cottage. If the structure looks interesting by day with its unique colors and accents, it is doubly pretty at night when the directional lights are on. Stuff straight out of the pages of a storybook.
   
But what’s even more interesting is what’s inside. Hundreds, if not thousands, [...]

Continue reading 'Inside Jojo’s Christmas Cottage' →