New Image Model For Akari Batteries

The Akari name brand is known for household light bulbs. Little do Pinoys know that this Chinese-Filipino (Chinoy) company is into rechargeable batteries. Their 2011 print ad campaign chose moi as their first-ever image model! And yours truly is very grateful and feels "unworthy". The concept was to choose a heavy battery user, thus, freelance strobists like moi seemed like the candidate. Being a FPPF and DLSU-CSB SDA photography lighting instructor proved invaluable.

Guess who was the advertising photographer who took my shot? It's none other than Ms. Edi Huang! Edi is one of the pioneer lady photogs in the Philippines advertising photography. Thanks, ma'am, for my fab look!

Jason Evert In Manila

A funny yet educational symposium for teenagers entitled: Pure Mind Heart was conducted by the renowned Roman Catholic Jason Evert in the Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon city. The auditorium was jam packed! Hot issues of the heart, virginity, Reproductive Health Bill, dating, petting, etcetera were addressed in light of doctrine and social and medical statistics without sounding pretty preachy. Jason's funny anecdotes helped a lot too. Kudos for that, sir!

I did setup my strobist's lights but the spot light was more than enough to capture Jason in motion. I used my Nikon D300, aperture-preferred mode, 50mm, 1/100 sec., f/2.8, ISO 400, AWB.

This event was organized by Youth For The Family, PAREF Woodrose Chapter in cooperation with UA&P Center For Social Responsibility. Congratulations!

EDITORIAL: Super Quake Rocks Japan

Shock and helplessness are my initial reactions to the super tremor and tsunami that hit Japan. Our prayers and sympathy go out to all the victims of this calamity. This should be a warning that all maritime dwellers: that they must eventually move to higher grounds inland. Because the earth is mostly molted rock at its core with, comparatively "thin," floating tectonic plates (cooler earth crust) on top of it, thus all land masses will eventually experience earth quakes in various degrees of intensities-sometime. I hate mentioning this: what happened to the Land of the Rising Sun will happen to the Pearl of the Orient some day (again) as long as our isles rest beside the Ring of Fire zone. Prayerful alertness and action plans must be firmly established by all concerned-now.

Advance Photography Workshop

Yours truly lectured on advance photography with The Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation at the posh De La Salle University in Dasmariñas, Cavite on March 4, in conjunction with the DLSU’s Annual Calabarzon Graphic Design Convention. 'Twas a hectic but fun day as participants even held an on-the-spot photo contest after the lecture series. The organizers were very thoughtful and polite. Kudos! (Photo: Chris Malinao)

Revisiting Graduation Photography

When videographer Dan Pamintuan offered moi the opportunity to do seniors' photography ("grad pic") I couldn't resist getting reliving the past as one of the last studio photographer for the great, late Toch Arellano-the dean of Philippine grad pic. Here are some samples which yours truly shot and retouched for the Adventist University of the Philippines. Because tech progress, a tethered Nikon D300 with a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 was used in tandem with my netbook. For the first time, yours truly used-not studio lights-but small, old Nikon SB27 Speedlights for the hair and background lights. I could have gone full, portable "strobist" studio lighting if Dan challenged me-but that means I'll hafta charge him a little more for my gears in use. Thanks much Dan!