Photoblog - day 18, April 28, 2010

Under our nose...

This picture is a close-up of something we take for granted, something we see daily when we go to work, and an item that allows us to work in a more comfortable environment.

It helps deafen what could otherwise turn into a lot of noise pollution - hence greatly enhance the people's productivity. It may come in many shapes and sizes, colors and patterns... can you guess what this mystery item is? I'll mention the answer later.

For additional clues, I could say that it, too, could be a bane to some people... not by itself, of course, but for what it can keep if not cleaned regularly - then again, I can say the same thing about most anything in the office. In some instances; and this can be considered a give-away clue (as if the title isn't a clue in itself too), it cn be known to contribute to static when people keep 'using' it. Got it now?

This is the carpet in the McKinley's training area - taken in it's regular manner and presented in a really up close view - thanks to the ability to enlarge the picture. So you could say that even the mundane objects... one's we take for granted for it's every day presence, can give us a differing viewpoint with the right camera and lens... plus software to help enlarge it, of course.

Photoblog - day 17, April 27, 2010

Nachos!

As you can no doubt guess, with Nachos in the foreground and a couple of beer bottles in the back - this is a picture indicating that I, with some friends - namely Rex and Fiel, decided to have a little relaxation after work, coupled with a little business talk... just a little.

The Nachos are from Carlo's Pizza and aside from this sumptuous appetizer, we also had their mouth-watering sausage and mushroom pizza. Oh yeah... we did not really hng round that long either - those beer bottles were not followed with more - after all, we just needed to unwind, and it being Tuesday, was way too early in the week for a more thorough 'whoop it up' night. Besides, this was just an exploratory venture... to see if Carlo's Pizza at the 'Venice' of McKinley Hills was worth turning into a relaxing hang out. Turns out it was.

Great company and great food with a bottle of beer each - what better way to end the day's work?

Photoblog - day 16, April 26, 2010

Business Analysts in the making:

These past few Mondays (including today), I find myself always assigned to conduct the Application Analysis School of Accenture in their McKinley Hills location. At times I find myself doing this alone (like today)... at other times, I find myself partnered with a co-facilitator (like last time).

This training is for Team Leads and Senior Developers (with an average of 5 years experience) who need to level up to the role of a Business Analyst (which used to be called Systems Analysts). This course training lasts for 3 days... short as far as such trainings go - but average in length as far as Accenture trainings go. The main focus here is to understand the client's needs and capture all the necessary requirements using some tools/templates and techniques.

I'm given the responsibility to train these people - having fun while going about it (like taking this shot) is a bonus. This was a straight-forward, no frills shot taken at the rear of the room; in the middle of an activity I gave them so they need not be aware of my taking such a shot.

Photoblog - day 15, April 25, 2010

Haircut day:

We normally do this once a month - by we, of course, I mean Bryce and me... most of the time anyway.

When we do have our haircut, we go to 'Boy', whose been my barber for many years - since Bryce was roughly two.

That said, this is Bryce having his hair cut and Boy in the process of finishing his work. As for me, I'm still sporting very short hair - and intend to do so until the weather gets cooler. Boy is not only my barber - he also goes with me to Batangas to, on occasion, and gives the folks there - like my mom and sister haircuts as well.

Photoblog - day 14, April 24, 2010

Bubbles and me:

The idea of a photoblog is all about taking pictures of what you see - and hoping these pictures remind you of what you did for the year... at times, I have a dearth of pictures to choose from - at other times, I agonize over choosing which among two - sometimes even several, pictures I would like to show... and I need to choose just one.

However, the photoblog is also an opportunity to have a picture of you - at least one per month... added to said blog, with the intent to show how you look at that particular time or moment of your life. That said, I will be inserting pictures of me - once per month (and maybe I'll try to do the same with the rest of my family) to accomplish just that. These pictures will naturally not be pictures by me - as I will be the subject - or at least, one of them.

Having finished that little introduction, here's a picture of me from yesterday, as I arrived home. It has become more of a practice that when I get home, Bubbles eagerly (sometimes over-eagerly at that) greets me, and regardless of how tired my day is, it really is great to have someone - even if just your pet, greet you happily. Not that the rest of my family does not greet me - it's just that Bubbles always jumps in front of the line of greeters.

This greeting ritual will normally end with Bubbles insisting that I carry her - which I'm doing in this here picture. You can see the satisfied and happy smile in her face. Guess she's elated that I'm finally and safely home.

This picture was taken by Bernice upon my prodding - while Bubbles was still in her happy face state.

Photoblog - day 13, April 23, 2010

Safe trip:

A rosary... you'll find it at many homes, pockets and... as in this case, cars in this predominantly Christian/Roman Catholic nation.

Our car has this particular rosary hung around the rear-view mirror... not obstructing the view of course, but meant to be a reminder of sorts that I - whenever I drive, need to be aware... conscious... and never angry or impatient towards my fellow drivers.

I need to remain cool and in control - and not let some crazy inconsiderate poor excuse of a driver force me to do car chases just to get even for a slight they may have done. Lord knows there are more than enough instances when my patience does get tried - and I do have the tendency to not want to be the aggrieved party... and yet.... and yet... I need to remind myself... maybe even ask: "What will I get out of this - really?"

I may get instant satisfaction or gratification that I was able to outdo a bad driver... maybe get even... and feel great for the moment - but at what risk? And did my actions solve the problem? Often enough. my honest answer would be 'no... not really' - and at times, I do need to remember that should any mishap happen to me due to my retaliation, I may end up worse off - than had I just allowed the other person to just get ahead or make their way in. Would my pride and strong sense of fairness help me and my family?

It's all about turning the other cheek... and by this , I don't mean mooning the guy. Nope... It's all about patience - and thanking a higher power for the safe journey you've had. Now let me put things into perspective... I'm no saint - far from it... and it's not about giving up one's principles - it's choosing one's battles - and knowing when it is worth it.

Hence my need for said reminders... and hence the need for a rosary in our car.

Photoblog - day 12, April 22, 2010

Modernist interior:

This picture shows a wall in a resto-cafe that my colleagues and I frequent at Robinson's Cybergate 2, in Boni. What attracted to me about this was its overall impact and artistry. You will notice that the masonry on the bricks is far from smooth - and yet, it is this effect that gives it the post-modernist/steam punk look that I thought of. Mind you, I'm no expert in interior design - but the wall was eye catchy due to how it was done.

To counter this rough interior, the cafe's proprietors placed two large mirrors on said wall - right above the long black sofa which serves as comfortable seating options for the cafe's patrons. The mirror reflects the lighting - thus making things brighter; as it likewise reflects the interiors to give the illusion of making the space look more roomy... bigger. But that's not all... If you look closer, the mirror here (as is it's twin) is framed by rough wood that matches the roughness of the walls.

Adding a finishing touch - the frame is back-lit by white lighting which gives a zen design - countering the roughness of the wood and wall... while seemingly supporting the smoothness and tranquility of the mirror's surface. Whether the owners or designers really had this in mind, I don't know... all I do know is that it's over-all impact impressed me enough to take this picture and share it. No special effects or adjustments made here... just wanted to show the scene.

Photoblog - day 11, April 21, 2010

Simple Cool Pleasure...

I created a pitcher of Margarita for Ben, Shirley and myself - so we could beat the heat of summer in a hot summer's night.

Since this was a Frozen Margarita, it allowed for unique shapes to form as I let the frozen part slide into the cocktail glass.

I noticed that it was difficult to see the texture of the drink just by the pictures I took. That said, I tried experimenting with higher contrasts just to see any proof that this was a frozen margarita. I would say that this picture shows me able to meet most of what I set out to do... though I still consider becoming even better. For starters, I can't seem to get the right focus to capture said texture... at least, not yet any way. That said, I will wait and continue practicing until things become clearer.

Photoblog - day 10, April 20, 2010

Sorcerer's apprentice?

This is a snow globe of Mickey reprising his role of the 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' in the film Fantasia. Despite being just one of a short spiel in the film - Mickey's sole appearance in said Disney film gave (at least in my viewpoint back then) the necessary Disney feel in an otherwise drab and different film. Take note though... this was from the viewpoint of a child so used to the usual Disney fare of colorful characters in great stories. Obviously, Fantasia's genius was lost to me back then... and it wold not be until Fantasia 2000 that I would get reacquainted with said film.

Going back to the Mickey snow globe - first of all, I'm not really a snow globe collector - but back when my family and I vacationed in Hong Kong Disneyland, I was naturally thinking of what would be the best souvenir program to remind me of our trip here. Naturally, I looked at the many shops offering trinkets and souvenirs - but could not decide on what I would like to get for myself... that is, until I saw this snow globe.

What I liked about it was that it was Mickey - the undisputed symbol/mascot of Disney... and it was in his role as the Sorcerer's Apprentice - though looking at this snow globe somehow gives me hints that this Sorcerer may not be an apprentice any more. I also remember that the price was very reasonable, so I thought 'why not?'

That said, I tried experimenting with this Mickey trying to take it from several angles - and seeing how the picture can be further enhanced via Microsoft's picture manager. I tweaked with the contrast a bit to make the background - which is actually our dining table's dark colored glass top, less obvious. Consider this an experiment with little to no lighting.

Just like the Lord of the Rings book-ends, I took a subject (in this case, Mickey) and created the opportunity for a photo shoot.

Photoblog - day 09, April 19, 2010

Black and White:

I've been opting to experiment with shapes and shadows for a while now... I even asked a friend (Brian) whose photos of faces I've found fascinating, how he was able to capture all the details of said faces of old people - wrinkles and all. He said that the trick was in making the pictures black and white. This way, the shadows would appear more visibly.

Since then, I've been waiting for the right opportunity to try my luck out on a similar endeavor. Today, as I was fetching my son, Bryce, from his swimming lessons, I spied this mural hanging on the outside wall of the country club where I met him and his girlfriend (Meiji), and thought... wow... it's got lots of shapes and intricate patterns - plus the sun was shining from one angle, thus casting a lot of shadows, so... take a picture of it I did.

Once done, I cropped it a bit - focusing on the main design of the two people, but making sure there was still enough of the patterns to work with. After this, I just turned it into a black and white picture... tweaked the contrast... and the rest is what you see.

Photoblog - day 08, April 18, 2010

Mirror to the Soul...

That is what they say about the eyes... in this case, this particular right eye belongs to my daughter, Bernice, who wanted me to try and capture her eye as close as possible - so... I set the camera at close-up Av (in case she blinked) setting; zoomed in and took the shot. Once done, I further zoomed into the picture by cropping the picture's background (and to get a pimple out of the picture, as requested) and make the eye's details grow further to see said details better.

If you look closely into the retina, you'll see my reflection focusing the camera to Bernice's eye. I tried enhancing the picture further using the crude - but effective Picture Manager of Microsoft (as I've still no time to study other more sophisticated picture management software - and their capabilities) to add to the picture's contrast.

An interesting experiment, this one.

Photoblog - day 07, April 17, 2010

Afternoon delight:

This afternoon, I happened to be in Greenhills, and while waiting for Barbie and Bernice (having their hair done in the parlor), I visited the local comic shop, got a few issues plus the latest Time magazine then headed for Bo's Coffee, where I ordered a cup of brewed coffee and enjoyed reading. Suffice it to say, I enjoyed my afternoon and did not get impatient.

Did I get to read all the issues? Almost... I just had one issue left to read before the ladies arrived - well, that and the Time magazine. I intend to finish the remaining issue, plus the magazine in a while.

This was a straight forward picture taken... no adjustments in Photoshop or anything like that. Since I was sitting beside the glass window, I had ample lighting without the need for any flash photography.

Photoblog - day 06, April 16, 2010

Extra-ordinary Friendship

This is a picture (just one of several) showing Bubbles and Neco in their playful mode. The fact that a dog and a cat are civil with each other is rare enough - one where they're close friends or feeling like family... well let's just say it's great to watch these two in action.

At times, Neco is the seeming aggressor - and Bubbles just lets her have her way. At times, they run around the ground floor and in this case, they share a playful moment while lying on my bed. Since Neco was introduced to Bubbles while still a kitten, she probably thinks herself a dog - at least, that's the way it seems... specially when she starts panting like a dog after running.

For this particular picture, I just used my auto-focus as they were moving quite actively. No adjustments to the picture's settings were made - this was purely a shoot and picture compress moment.

Photoblog - day 05, April 15, 2010

Morning Reading, marker, coffee and my glasses.

When I find myself in the training room relatively early, I bring out the book I'd be currently reading, and try to finish a few pages (or if things are really interesting to me, this can stretch to a few chapters).

It's a way for me to spend time while waiting for my training to officially start, i.e. the time to start - or sometimes to wait until 50% (or a relatively sizeable number) of attendees to arrive. This practice lets me actually finish reading books, where I would normally not get to even consider starting (let alone, finish) one for a seeming lack of time to really sit down, and enjoy reading one. It's also a time when I can reflect on some poignant lessons the book may offer.

The marker (a dry marker type) is for when I wish to highlight a passage, quote or message from within the pages. The coffee is courtesy of a coffee dispenser during those days when a Starbucks or it's likes are too inconvenient to purchase. The black mug is from one of the many pantries at the client's site which can normally be found on the same floor, so it's just a short walk to the dispenser and (limited) choice of coffee. Other than that, I naturally will be needing my reading glasses; though there are days I can and do try reading without them - but if the font is insensitively written small or when the color combination is such that it becomes hard to discern letter from background, then it's out with the reading glasses.

This was just a straight forward shot - no frills... having paused for a while as I was reading, I noticed the ordinary setting and thought that it would be cool to preserve this scene for posterity... hence my taking the shot.

Why did this picture appeal to me enough to choose it as my picture for the day? Simple... it reminds me of how I can be creative in finding time to continue my quest for knowledge; for my self-awareness or my self-improvement.

Photoblog - day 04, April 14, 2010

A play with perspective:

This what I was trying for here. Fans of Lord of the Rings will of course find my picture's subjects familiar... the Argonaths; which we all saw in the first film 'Fellowship of the Ring'. These were the two tall and imposing statues that the fellowship - while in boats, rowed through enroute to Mordor, close to the movie's end (before they encounter the Orcs and get split up).

I tried to take a picture of the statues from what I thought would be the viewpoint of the Fellowship as they paddled their way between the monolithic landmarks / sentry posts. Just to give you an idea, these statue replicas are just about 5 to 6 inches tall... the picture hopefully gives the illusion of these being tall and intimidating - just like in the movies.

To accomplish this, I just places the statues near the edge of our dining table and took the shot from below the table's surface. It was just a stroke of luck that the wall was somewhat grayish blue - replicating the effect of overcast skies seemingly signaling the ominous plight of the Fellowship. That said, I just adjusted the contrast and color a bit.

Photoblog - day 03, April 13, 2010

Tito Joseph:

This is Tito Joe Tipton, a balikbayan and one of my cooler uncles, though not really a blood relative type uncle... more like a family friend uncle - then again, he also happens to be one of Barbie and my god fathers in our wedding.

Around 7PM, I noticed several missed calls in my cell phone - with a number I did not recognize... so I called to find out who it was. Now, one of my unheralded talents is my ability to recognize peoples voices even if by phone... and the voice of Tito Joe did register after a few seconds. Apparently he was here (only for a limited time) and he was free this particular evening... so off I went (to his hotel) to meet him and catch up with what's been happening.

We spent the night (and had a light dinner) at Cafe Havana in Greenbelt 3, where I had two glasses of Mojitos, and I can honestly say that I prefer our own home brewed Mojitos over the Cafe Havana mix any time.

That said, I was about to post a picture from home until I got the unexpected call from Tito Joe. Guess I shouldn't consider the day ended just because I arrived home; as this evening's surprise twist showed me... and since Tito Joe rarely comes to Manila, I would say the picture I took of him wins, hands down, as picture of the day. If anything, it's a nice surprise and a great reminder of a unique event that happened this day.

Nice seeing you again, Tito Joe!

Photoblog - day 02, April 12, 2010

What a Clown...

This is one of my three Clown Loaches (the fresh water counterpart to the Clown fish of Finding Nemo fame). This picture was one of the latter pictures I took for today, and it was actually a toss-up choosing this and the harder to capture Rummy Noses.

My older camera... an Ixus V, had difficulties capturing moving fishes, hence my having a lot of blurred pictures - specially when we try capturing my smaller, but faster moving Cardinals and Rummy noses. As you can see, the DSLR does not have any problem capturing my fishes now, and I was able to capture the Rummy Nose as well. So why didn't I show that picture? Well... the over all composition of this picture looked much better. If I didn't know better, I'd think my Clown knew it's picture was being taken and posed deliberately for this shot.

Bottom line, I can now better capture my fishes - and I'll probably choose a better picture for my Cardinals and Rummy Noses at another day. Meanwhile, in case you're curious about said Rummy Nose and Cardinal shot, I'll be placing it in my FB pictures. I can now enjoy looking at my fishes for de-stressing sessions - plus look at and share pictures of them when I'm not home.

Technical aspect: I tweaked the contrast a bit to make the fish look less pale, and cropped the excess background. Other than that, I used a manual focus, rather than trying things out automatically.

Photoblog - day 01, April 11, 2010

Water and Wine:

As I was coming in for mass (which we usually attend in the Promenade mall) I spied these two bottles at the end of the makeshift aisle - which normally is where it wold be placed in preparation for offertory. The difference now though is that I brought my camera - so I sat behind the table... focused and took the shot.

Technical background: Cannon D1000 - in 'P' mode and manual focus (to get the closer item while the background becomes de-focused) using an EF-S18-55mm II lens.

Starting out a picture diary / photo blog.

I know it's been a while since my last entry here... guess one reason (aside from a lack of time at times) is my wondering what to write. I know it doesn't have to always be profound, but there are times I have writer's block. So one thing I can do in between - while waiting for my moments of brilliance to strike, is to borrow an idea from a friend (thanks Aodhan) and try out a photoblog with a daily picture that can somehow be used to show my growing skills (crossing fingers here) as a photographer.

Now that I've got that preamble out of the way, I'm wondering how to start it. What rules I should set and what leeway I should have. Let me explain... the original idea of a photoblog - at least, the one I know, is for the blogger to take a picture a day (a discipline I may not be able to always accomplish) and another thing... can I, for example, just present one picture when I may have several?

To answer that... discipline. I'll do my best to try and take a picture a day; and not necessarily from just my DSLR camera (I can likewise use my phonecam), so no real excuse. As for the wanting to show more than one photos - in case, you know, I've got more than one great one... well, I can always post the others in FB... they just won't officially be part of my photoblog. So problem solved.

Moments worth freezing in time...

Have you ever had one of those moments when you pause, take a step back - then realize you wished you could remember that one particular moment in your mind? That if you had a camera - or a blank canvas, you would try to preserve the moment? I know I've had them... and in some instances, they represent very simple - yet wonderful visuals that tell me life is worth living.

One such moment happened just a while ago - in fact, it happened twice around the same time yesterday and today. Of what do I talk about? Simple... it's the image of seeing my kids asleep - really peaceful and rested, while Bubbles, likewise enjoying the lull of the moment and the cool environment, is at times curled up at their feet (sometimes, she's stretched... at other times, she's got her head rested on a pillow).

So why does this merit a pause? Simple, it represents what I want in life... the peace, the quiet, the safeness, the fact that at that point in time, they are blissful and rested. My kids - though they technically are more teens now than kids, are two important aspects of my life... and Bubbles resting at their side - represents of course, the added love, loyalty and security offered them unconditionally. Bubbles stays with them - not because she is forced to... but because she does not think otherwise. It's not for her protection or sheer comfort either... she is very protective of anyone in my family - specially when we are asleep.

But yeah... going back to the topic on hand, this is one image worth remembering. It makes me think everything is okay in my world... and that both Barbie and I are able to continue giving them what they need - including the bliss of resting in a home... mindless of time passing.

Despite what I said earlier about wanting to preserve it with pictures though, I know it's inappropriate to do just that - so I will merely preserve it in my mind... and in this blog.

We should all be so lucky.