Digital Photographer Philippines 7th Anniversary – May 4, 2013

Spread it like a virus.. The biggest FREE photography event in the country is happening on May 4! Lectures and live shoots from the best filipino photographers, great raffle items, awesome exhibit, booze, and everything nice.. Save the date and share to all your friends. Leggo!

For more information, visit the following websites:
Facebook: DPP Magazine
Website: http://www.digitalphotographer.com.ph/

Travel Tidbits: Ferry from Cebu to Tagbilaran

Coming from Bantayan Island, I took the bus from the port of Hagnaya to Cebu City and a cab from the Cebu North Bus Terminal to the port of Cebu to catch the 15:35 Ocean Jet ferry bound for Tagbilaran.


Fare was supposedly Php800 for both Open Air and Tourist/Airconditioned classes, as indicated on the website, but paid P500 (plus Php20 for the terminal fee) because there was an ongoing promo. How lucky!

*Click here for Ocean Jet fares and ticket info for their other destinations like Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin, Iloilo, Jagna, Siquijor.

The issued tickets have seat assignments but they really let passengers sit anywhere they like as long as the seat is empty. I dislike being in the airconditioned areas of ferries because to be honest, much as I love boats, and I travel a lot, I have motion sickness. I have always had motion sickness. So much so that I never took fun rides. I have never been to Enchanted Kingdom! Only because I would not be able to do anything there. I always booked the top deck of the Super Ferry or Negros Navigation too. So on this ferry from Cebu to Tagbilaran, I took a seat, the best one actually, on the Open Air part of the ferry, with a direct view of the entire back part of the boat. And these are what I got because of that.

Travel Tidbits: Ocean Jet Ferry Cebu to Tagbilaran

I don’t know what I was passing by but I took photos anyway.

Travel Tidbits: Ocean Jet Ferry Cebu to Tagbilaran

Travel Tidbits: Ocean Jet Ferry Cebu to Tagbilaran

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Waiting for the Sun to Set – At Stunning Vistas, Corong-Corong, El Nido, Palawan

I love riding my bike in El Nido. On one January afternoon, I concluded my ride by having a glass of shake and some food at Stunning Vistas Beach Resort in Corong-Corong and happened to have caught this. <3 

Bacuit Bay, El Nido, Palawan

Stunning Vistas Beach Resort
Lugadia, Corong-Corong, 5313 El Nido, Palawan
http://www.elnidostunningvistas.com
Contact numbers: +639217515783 or +639995660888
Email: reservation_stunningvistas@yahoo.com

If you are looking for more accommodations in El Nido, here is the link to the most updated list of accommodations, with contact numbers, links and a map. Click HERE.

Photography Journey: Early 2013

I said, “Welcome back to me, Photoshop. Long time no everything,” because it is only now, in the past three months, that I have opened this application to work on my photos. So long that I have, I believe, forgotten how to use it.

If you notice, I have a new watermark, and I am trying to do justice to it by putting it on photos that I am proud of myself and amusing myself with its placement every time.

If there are some differences in the ways I process my photos now, I have the following to thank for:

1. Mark Terence Sy – for the mentorship and the workshop last December where I learned a few camera tricks and tips, as well as how to use Adobe Bridge in some ways, among other things, of course.

2. My workshop classmates who basically taught me the existence of some, as well as how to use, awesome Adobe Photoshop plug-ins. I have not mastered them as I have not been sitting long enough in front of my laptop in the past months to effectively learn anything.

3. Some cheap filters that I acquired in November 2012 that I have also not mastered enough but yes, I will get there, that because they are cheap and I do not know anything, have also taught me how to use my camera in such a way that I shoot with the knowledge that I will crop the vignetted edges.

4. Some people and experiences to draw inspiration from. Not to mention infographics brought to me daily by my fantabulous Facebook feed.
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A Look into: Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point, La Union

I am almost always obsessive-compulsive with the way I post my photos and blogs, making them as chronological as possible, but if I have to be such at this point, I believe I will never be able to get back on track on this blog. There are just too many photos to wade through and too many stories to process.

I was in Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point, La Union last January 26th to attend the Digital Influencers Marketing Summit organized and spearheaded by Janette Toral of Digital Filipino. As I am still writing the blog on it, yes I know, nearly two months later, I will post the photos of the resort first, because I, in my eagerness to use my new watermark, decided to spend hours picking up my post processing knowledge. Believe me, it had been all over the floor.

As participants of the summit, we were given the chance to tour the resort. And as one of the last participants to actually leave, and to be honest I suppose, the most persistent, I, together with my newfound friends from Team SpyderFrancis Romero and Aris Suarez, was given the chance to take a tour of one of the villas.

Thunderbird Resorts in Poro Point is beautiful and the photos speak for themselves. I was also at the same summit in Thunderbird Resorts in Binangonan, Rizal, a week later and I have to say that I found the mountain resort more breathtaking than the one in La Union. Sadly though, there would be no photos like these because I. forgot. my. camera. at. home that day.

Much thanks to Thunderbird Resorts, the staff, most especially Joma Giron, for the generous accommodations at the resort, and Digital Filipino, for holding the summit in La Union. This is just one of the reasons why I think the summit was awesome.

 

Overlooking the sea:

Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point, La Union

Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point, La Union In color, click here.

Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point, La Union

Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point, La Union

Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point, La Union

Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point, La Union More

Young Artists’ Studio Summer Art Workshops 2013

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MOMents at Stonehouse Gardens

Lia was borrowed by her grandparents during the weekend and I was missing her so much that I went back to the photos taken at Stonehouse Gardens Resort while we were in Bicol last month. This is really, I could say, Part 2 of Lia and her Mama at Stonehouse Gardens.

At Stonehouse Gardens, Naga City

At Stonehouse Gardens, Naga City

At Stonehouse Gardens, Naga City

At Stonehouse Gardens, Naga City

At Stonehouse Gardens, Naga City

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Lia and her Mama at Stonehouse Gardens

Having finally decided that Lia and I will never come back to live in Bicol, we embarked on a road trip to haul all of our stuff back to Manila. We used to travel together every two weeks when Lia and I were both based in Bicol in 2011 but this was Lia’s first return trip to Bicol after leaving nearly ten months before. We allotted two out of the three-day long weekend for just driving the 900+ kilometers back and forth, and only one day to stay and roam around the area. This mainly meant having coffee at Starbucks Magsaysay, dropping by Bigg’s Diner and Red Platter, having kinalas and puto bucayo. Of course we could have done more but with the limited time, we had to prioritize the ones I missed the most.

I have always wanted to go up and visit Stonehouse Gardens, and because we had no plans of ever coming back, it was imperative that we go this time.

Finally.

We arrived a few minutes before four in the afternoon on the first Saturday of December. The sun was nearly at the horizon and behind the clump of trees by the fence. After refreshing ourselves with glasses of juice served by the resort and take-out food from Bigg’s Diner, we went on a walk around the place and took photos. The setting sun gave just the right light for what would become some of my favorite photos for the year 2012.

At Stonehouse Gardens Resort

At Stonehouse Gardens Resort

At Stonehouse Gardens Resort

At Stonehouse Gardens Resort

At Stonehouse Gardens Resort

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Stonehouse Gardens Resort, Naga City

One of the very first things I learned about when I first arrived in Naga last year was the existence of a semi-private mountain resort nestled in the foot of Mt. Isarog, Stonehouse Gardens Resort. I have vowed, and repeatedly tried in the course of many months, to get there, only to be stopped by typhoons, floods, time constraints and my general need to move about the country all the time. One December weekend though, we finally made it. And this was the result. A few hours of shoot time on a cloudy day while playing peek-a-boo with the setting sun.

Stonehouse Gardens, Panicuason, Naga City

Stonehouse Gardens, Panicuason, Naga City

Stonehouse Gardens, Panicuason, Naga City

Stonehouse Gardens, Panicuason, Naga City

Stonehouse Gardens, Panicuason, Naga City

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Join the Club at Freedom Bar – Nov. 23, 2012

JOIN THE CLUB

Biboy Renia – Vocals/Guitar
Brian Lotho – Drums
Congie Lulu – Bass
Migs Mendoza – Guitar/Vocals/Synths

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Join the Club at Freedom Bar - Nov. 23, 2012

Join the Club at Freedom Bar - Nov. 23, 2012

Join the Club at Freedom Bar - Nov. 23, 2012

Join the Club at Freedom Bar - Nov. 23, 2012

Join the Club at Freedom Bar - Nov. 23, 2012

Join the Club at Freedom Bar - Nov. 23, 2012

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