IMAGE Visits the FPPF

The Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation (FPPF) welcomes Janet Martin and Andie Turner of Image Photo Services. Janet is the Personnel Manager (my mentor) and Andie is the Development and Training Manager of Image. The Miami-based company is the largest and best photo consessionaire in the cruise ship photo industry. As an x-ship photog myself I can attest to the profitability of this industry and elan of Image photogs that competition hopes to aspire. In the photo above you see Andie encouraging some FPPF Basic Photography batch 3 paxs to venture into the profitable world of cruise ship photography. Too bad they couldn't stay a little longer for the PhotoWorld Asia because these perpetual jet-setters are on a very tight itenirary recruiting/training photogs worldwide for the whole year! (Photos by webmaster: Chris Malinao)

It's PhotoWorld Asia 2009

PhotoWorld Asia 2009 is a photography convention and trade exposition for the photography industry in the Philippines and neighboring countries in Asia. This year's event holds simultaneous activities from January 29 to February 3, 2009 at the Glorietta Ayala Center and the Asian Institute of Management in Makati.

The trade show at the Glorietta Ayala Center will be open to the public the whole time during PhotoWorld Asia 2009 from January 29 to February 3. It will feature the latest products from the major players in the industry including Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, Fujifilm, HP, Panasonic and many others.

The convention and seminars at the Asian Institute of Management will be open only to registered delegates. The seminars will be held at SGV Hall, AIM Conference Center, Benavides corner Paseo de Roxas Streets, Makati City.

Master photographers Hanson Fong, Mary Fisk Taylor and Jamie Hayes are the featured speakers in the Master Class photography seminars. Wedding and Portrait photography will be given much emphasis during the workshops.

The full schedule and other actitivies at PhotoWorld Asia 2009 are as follows:

THURSDAY January 29
4:00 pm — Opening of Photo Exhibit at the Art Space, 3rd F, Glorietta Ayala Mall
6:00 pm — Opening of Trade Show at the Activity Center, Glorietta Ayala Mall

FRIDAY January 30
7:00 - 8:00 am —Registration at the AIM Conference Center
8:30 - 10:00 am — Copyright Law Applications by Atty Rod Vera LL.M
10:00 - 12:00 nn — Strobist Photography by Jun Rapanan & Victor Sison
1:30 - 3:00 pm — Underwater Photography by Gutsy Tuason
3:30 - 5:00 pm — Color Management by Nick Tuason

SATURDAY January 31
8:00 - 9:30 am — Capturing Moments by Bobot Go and George Cabig
9:30 - 10:00 am — Group picture taking at the Zen Garden, ACCM
10:30 - 12:00 noon — Portrait and Wedding Workshop by Mary Fisk Taylor
1:00 - 5:00 pm — Portrait and Wedding Workshop by Mary Fisk Taylor
5:00 pm — Photographers' Nite at the AIM Conference Center

SUNDAY February 1
8:00 - 9:30 am — VR Stitch 360 by Aperture
10:00 - 12:00 nn — Master Class Photography Workshop by Jamie Hayes
1:00 - 5:00 pm — Master Class Photography Workshop by Jamie Hayes

MONDAY February 2
8:00 - 10:00 a.m. — Sports Photography by Neil Confesor
10:15 - 12:00 nn — Master Class Photography Workshop by Hanson Fong
1:00 - 5:00 p.m. — Master Class Photography Workshop by Hanson Fong

TUESDAY February 3
Whole Day — Wedding, Bridal Portraiture & The Great Outdoor by Hanson Fongat Fernbrook, AlabangWhole Day — Studio Portrait Posing and Lighting Techniques by Jamie Hayes and Mary Fisk Taylorat the Angel Light Studio

Registration fee will be P4,500 from Dec. 20 to January 29, and P5,000 on seminar days.

Register Online or call at tel nos.: 528-0371 or 524-7576. See you there!

Ad Photography with Nikon Speedlights

Veteran advertising photographer Rod Banzon shocked me when he shared with me the fact that he sometimes shoots ad photo projects at 6 megapixels, fine JPEGs, ISO 800, illuminated with available light only. And his clients aren’t complaining! What aides Rod is a tripod, macro lense and lighting mastery. While I don’t yet have the cojones to duplicate his settings, I’m confident enough to shoot (at least) with portable Nikon Speedlights at lower ISO settings. Here are some pics of such shoots for David Salon.

GEAR TALK: Nikkor 50mm f1.2 Lens

I wouldn’t recommend photographing animls with manual focus lenses. But when I aquired the classic, exotic Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 I couldn’t resist photographing a feline visitor in available 12 watt florecent light at night. If you love rotating lense barrels like I do, then it becomes a passion and obsession heh heh heh! I find out-of-focus background and highlights (“bokeh” in Japanese) visually addictive. In Shane’s photo (cat's name, above) her body is immediately blurred into creamy oblivion by using the widest aperature of f/1.2! This "fast" glass is now part of my arsenal in extreme low light photography. Kudos to Nikon for being backwards-compatible with manual lenses!

Happy 2009 New Year To All!

Let’s all hope again for a brighter, better new year. Here is a quickie fireworks photo I took in just outside my apartment hand-held! Due to unregulated fireworks practices in our streets I just had to quickly hide indoors again. Very few families “hide” in hotels or go to their home province during the new year celebration to protect themselves from random, falling bullets (fired from guns). I should too-if I can afford it. I wish you all a prosperous new year ahead!

Nice Prints is Top 2008 Wedding Booker

Congratulations to Nice Prints studio and Charisse Tiño for being the top wedding booker for 2008 in the Philippines. What a meteoric rise from obscurity! When it comes to value-for-money wedding photo/video services, Nice Prints is hard to beat. And Filipinos know that-it shows. It does feel good to be a part of their roster of photogs. 2009 looks even brighter!

Revising Stage Lighting

I got permission to stategically place my two Nikon Speedlite flash units onstage for the preliminary event of the Mr. and Ms. Slimmers World 2008. T’was my chance to improve and prove that stage par lights can be dramatically improved-with the proper permission from the organizers. Have a look! I placed one flash at the back (far left-side) of the stage while I placed the other off-stage on my far right side (with moi facing the stage) The TriStar radio trigger tripped the two Nikon strobes wirelessly.

Glenn and Lizza Loraine

It's December and it's peak season for Philippine weddings. That's good news for freelance photogs like moi. I'd like to congratulate the gentle couple in Glenn and Lizza for "taking the plunge" finally. It was sheer joy and pleasure documenting their special event. I'm looking forward designing their elegant photo album soon. May your tribe increase guys!