PHOTOGRAPHY 101: DEALING WITH THE MOB

People are a given, naturally attracted to famous landmarks, especially those steeped in history and mystique. 

I can't ask them to move away so I can have a nice view and photo.

That for me is faking the moment and counter to my cardinal rule in photography of shooting it as it is.

A photographer must do and live with the moment.

So people, those hordes of tourists, become part of the composition.

SEEING RED [DOTS OF IT]

I came to Red Dot because their name was on the receipt that was issued to me by the store-near-the-MOA-entrance where I bought my Olympus OMD-EM5.

[Nikon-ite talaga ako, nasulsulan ni Usec Fred at ComYeb na lumipat sa Olympus].

Red Dot and me started fine: I was able to bring home my camera the same day I had one of its detached buttons repasted.

[Tuwang-tuwa ako, sa Binondo pa ang opisina nila noon].

Red Dot also come highly recommended.

[May dalawa pang service center ang Olympus, pero nakumbinsi ako sa nabasa ko kay Azrael's Merryland Blog.]

So I brought my camera to Red Dot when the view finder blacked out.

[Madaming inis at galit na naghihintay sa reception, medyo nakahalata na ako n'un.]

The Red Dot lady who received my camera on 17 December 2013 said they will call me once the camera is checked.

[Hindi sila tumawag, kahit minsan.]

I called them and the rare moments I am able to get through their busy line, I was given what became standard Red Dot alibi.

[Hindi pa daw nakikita ng technician, bawal na daw umakyat sa floor ng technicians para mag-inquire, tatawagan daw ako para ipaalam ang sira at magkano ang magiging gastos.] 

I tried to be calm and polite but Red Dot would always say they will call back and never did.

[Matagal nang tapos ang problema sa Globe, sa Samsung, at sa BDO na kasabay ng naging problema ko sa camera.]

Red Dot finally gave me a definitive answer yesterday after 68 calls.

[Tatlong araw muna akong nag-dial bago nakapasok, at 16.26 minutes akong naghintay bago bumalik ang kausap ko sa linya.]

Red Dot told me I can have my repaired camera on Monday.

[Tignan natin, dahil tuluyan nang mapupuno ng pulang dots ang mga mata kong naimpeksiyon ng serbisyo nila kapag pumalya ulit.]

The thing, Red Dot, is I won't have my camera going to Bonn.

[Alam ng mga photographer 'yan, 'yung pakiramdam ng nakabiyaheng walang bitbit na camera pero meron naman sana.]

And to help Red Dot keep its promise of a Monday deadline, I offer them a plate of A-1 palabok and halo-halo.

[Bagong luto, sandali lang ang waiting time, malayong-malayo sa inyo.]

THE SEARCH FOR RED DOT PHILIPPINES

First there was Google who provided 3 hits:

Axis Global Technologies along 20 North Road corner 3rd Avenue in Cubao

and

Servimax at 2/F Unit G of Commercial Plaza along Gilmore Avenue in New Manila.

But netizens advised that Axis caters mostly to company clients...

...and gave a mixed review on Servimax.

So I opted for Red Dot Philippines somewhere along Dasmarinas corner Quintin Paredes Streets in Binondo.

I like the name.

Besides, I heard it before from longtime Olympus user Usec. Fred Serrano.

Unfortunately, the map I used to find Red Dot seems to be outdated.

So I ended up chasing streets with new names, getting squeezed in traffic along Claro M. Recto avenue, missing a corner turn on Reina Regente and ending up running over a huge concrete slab in Divisoria, before finally squeezing into a parking lot somewhere in Binondo.

The good side is I was able to reshoot San Beda Church during one of those unintended street turns.

Red Dot is just around the Binondo Church but I have to pass that (including Quiapo's church) as the glue is still fresh on my re-attached (and taped) camera button.

I like their service too...

RANDOMNESS LESSON 101

Bulan's photography...

...selected frames only.

LEARNING FROM THE OLYMPUS MASTER

I'm still flabbergasted by the deep menu and small buttons of my new camera.

I should have stayed with Nikon.

And that it was until Usec. Fred Serrano, our lead in the UN climate change negotiations and he who inspired me in going Olympus, taught me the basics.

Like programming the settings for aperture priority...

...showing me the wonderful mysteries of my 12-50 mm kit lens...

...introducing me to the magic of the tele-converter...

...the beauty of the art button...

....and doing a shoot out during the Kingdom of Thailand's welcome reception.

I am on a new learning curve and here are some photos as mementos of my crash course in Olympus 101.

SIMPLY JESSE

It was supposed to be a happy fellowship in celebration of the conclusion of our acceptance into the Munoz Bodies of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rites.

Our batch was named "The Knights of the Scarborough Shoals" as I proposed.

Then Gen. Tom Rentoy, our batch president (I am the vice-president), received a phone call and broke the news that the plane carrying DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo crash landed.

Three days later, the secretary's body was found and the country mourned the demise of an exemplary public servant.

I took the photo below of then Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo with then PRRM president Conrado S. Navarro (RIP) in 2006 during PRRM's 55th anniversary celebration in Club Filipino. As the memories of that night rushed in, so are remembrances of the photos I took of labor leader Angelito Mendoza, activist Maita Gomez, and artist Susan Fernandez-Magno who were earlier called to the Celestial Lodge above.

I suddenly felt weird.

Do the people I shoot die eventually? 

THE FIRST OLYMPUS FRAMES

Para ulit akong bumalik sa Grade 1.

Malaki ang pagkakaiba sa settings ng bago kong kamera sa nakasanayan kong Nikon D40. 

At may touch screen pa.

Kaya habang humahagupit ang buntot ni Gener ay sige ang kalikot ko kay Olympus OMD EM5.

Pagdating ng Balanga ay tumugtog ang Bamboo Band ng PUP-Mariveles ('di ba tigaroon si Judith na nag-good bye kiss sa akin noon matapos ang CEGP Luzon-wide Congress?).

Sila ang una kong pinagpraktisan...

CONFESSIONS OF SERIAL PHOTOGRAPHER

Dear blog,

Dahil bumili ako ng bagong camera ay bigla kong naalala ang aking paglalakbay bilang isang maniniyot. Nagsimula ako na "wala lang" gamit ang camera ng aming opisina. Pero noon pa man ay ayaw ko nang pumitik ng mga taong naka-pose. At kahit wala akong formal training sa photography ay masasabi kong may mga lumilitaw nang mga elemento ng komposisyon sa aking mga kuha.

Nito ko na lamang nalaman na ang kamerang pinagpraktisan ko noon ay isang CanonEpoca. Dito ako na-break in at dito ko kinunan ang una kong lumang simbahan sa Baclayon, Bohol.

Pero hindi ang simbahan sa itaas ang paborito kong kuha noon kundi ang Tappiya Falls sa Batad, Banaue, Ifugao kung saan pinag-pose ko pa ang aking mga kumpareng sina Andreng, Arden at Dojoe para kako makita ang magnitude ng talon.

Winala ni Pare Ermin ang aking "first love" kaya ang mga sumunod na kabanata ay ang pakikiapid ko sa samutsaring mga hiram ding camera. Hindi ko na matandaan ang kanilang mga pangalan at kuha maliban sa isang SLR na hiniram ko kay Nona na dinala ko sa Bangkok. Dito ko unang kinunan ang Wat Saket at ang sementeryo nito.

Pagkatapos ng kabanatang ito ng paglalandi ay ipinakilala ako ni Pareng Oyet sa flickr at pagba-blog. Siya rin ang nagsabi sa aking hanapin ko ang kwento ng aking pamilya sa mga records ng mga lumang simbahan. 'Yung pansit ay dumating na lamang sa bandang huli. Dahil nga dito kaya nakumbinsi ko ang aking boss na payagan akong bumili ng bagong camera. At dito dumating sa buhay ko si Olympus Camedia point-and-shoot na matagal kong naging kaulayaw sa pagpitik sa mga lumang simbahan at iba't-ibang putahe ng pansit, hanggang sa bumigay ang sliding cover ng lente nito. Bitbit ko ang kamerang ito sa mga naging biyahe ko sa Cambodia, Pakistan at sa Japan kung saan nasabi sa akin ng aming Japanese coordinator na "You have a way of taking pictures" matapos makita ang mga kuha ko.

Ang kamerang masasabing tunay kong pag-aari ay isang Nikon D40 na ibenenta sa akin ni Boss Joey tatlong buwan matapos ko siyang samahang bilhin ito sa camera shop ni Mang Ramon sa Quiapo. Ang deal nnamin ay 4-gives at 1k para sa aking bunso na inaanak niya. At ito na ang aking naging kaulayaw sa mabahabang panahon. Dito ako natuto sa seryosong photography kasama ang panakanakang mga tips mula kina Boss Joey at Hermo na hanggang sa ngayon ay masasabing tanging naging training ko sa photography.

Bumigay ang shutter ng aking Nikon D40 minsang hiniram ng aking panganay na si Bulan para sa kanyang photography worksahop sa iskuwela. Ipinaayos ko ito 'dun sa Kamuning pero bumigay ulit ng dalhin ko sa Coron, Palawan. Siguro ay panahon na niya kaya minabuti kong muling isilid sa kahon na pinaglulalan niya noong una siyang dumating sa akin. Matagal din akong naulila at nagtiyaga sa camera ng aking mga mobile phone. Hanggang sa kumbinsihin ako ni Usec. Fred Serrano na subukan ang mirrorless technology ng Olympus na kamuntik nang ikapasubo ng aking credit card sa Bonn, Germany. Hanggang sa ipakita sa akin ng aming Boss Joey ang itsura at specs ng Olympus O-MD EM-5 sa internet. Hanggang sa ayain ko si Jowa na sumaglit sa Mall of Asia matapos ang personal appearance namin sa DFA para sa aming passport renewal.

At sa bungad ng mall ay namalas ko si Olympus O-MD EM-5 na kumakawaykaway sa akin kaya pikitmata kong ipinakaskas ang aking credit card sa halagang P55,220...

SHOOTING MAITA

HER STORY: She was a medical student at UP turned beauty queen turned political activist turned underground revolutionary.

THE INSIDE STORY OR HOW I TOOK A SHOT AT MAITA: It was a boring conference called "Bantay-Kaban: Kaban ng Bayan, Bantayan!" in Clark-Pampanga where we discussed of things we already knew. It's Maita Gomez facilitating the plenary so I took out my camera, surveyed the best but most inconspicuous vantage point, and clicked 2 or 3 photos. I thought this was the best I got and would post it on flickr and facebook later. That evening, me and Kuya Milo Tanchuling met with a long lost brother from Tayabas Lodge and ended up drinking beer until midnight. That night, I slept at the floor of Pare Amor Cabico's room at the Holiday Inn as the villa where I was supposed to be billeted was locked from inside by my room mates. Weeks later, I learned that Kuya Milo was diagnosed with a Stage 4 metastatic colorectal cancer. Yesterday, the news broke that Maita died in her sleep. Today is Friday the 13th and I am finally posting the photo I took of her...  

AMAZING TAGUM

Pampublikong sementaryo na mukhang parke at kinagigiliwang dalawdalawin...

Magarang munisipyo na nagpapahiwatig ng tapat na pamamahala at maluluwang na kalsada na napapalamutian ng mga higanteng palmera...

Pagmamay-ari sa isang "pinakamalaki" sa buong mundo...

Malinis na pamilihang bayan na naglalako ng mga lokal na produkto...

Mapayapang hapunan ng mura subalit masarap na pagkain sa night market.

Ang TAGUM CITY

ay isang mahusay na halimbawa

ng GOOD GOVERNANCE

at POLITICAL WILL!

THE BEST REASON TO GET SUNBURNED...

...is them.

WATER WORLD

From the docks of the ugly reclaimed land...

...to snorkeling in crystal clear Siete Pecados...

...lunching at the Banol Beach hideaway...

...swimming the depths of the Twin Lagoons...

...exploring the mysteries of the Barracuda Lake...

...and teasing the sea-tizens of the Kayangan Lake.

I love Coron!