1st 2 Winning Pictorial Images For 2010

January 18, 2010 LVCC Pictorial Competition.

1st place Projected Pictorial Basic: "Electric Bird's Pole: Behind The Fence", Erendira Mexico
judge comments: Very nice image and capture. I like the perspective of blurring the fence and focusing/sharpening the electric pole and birds. It's like it has digital effects on it. Well done.
my commentary: This is taken next door from my cousin's cabin in Erendira Mexico. Got up 4 in the morning for sunrise. I took couple of shots with different angle and perspective. I like this image.

1st place Print Pictorial Basic: "Hidden Beauty", Kenosha Wisconsin
judge comments: I like the composition, the reflections and the yellow colors from sunset and the blue colors from the sky. Very sharp as you can see the trees and branches and the reflections. Only one thing that I'll do is to crop both sides to draw your eyes to the center.
my commentary: This is taken at my friend's property in Kenosha Wisconsin last Spring but freezing. I was actually on the other side of the pond, walked around and wacking all the branches and twigs to get this image. I'm into reflections and I'll definitely take the judge advise to crop the image. Thank you.


“The sun illuminates only the eye of the man, but shines into the eye and the heart of the child” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

[click the images to enlarge]

My Birthday Candle: for Haiti

I offer my birthday candle for the earthquake victims of Haiti. Light a candle, say a prayer...they need our help.



To send your donation:
American Red Cross International Response Fund
online: www.redcross.org
phone: 1-800-RED-CROSS. Designate gifts to Haiti relief.
text message: donate $10 by texting “HAITI” to 90999.

To pray for Haiti online: http://light-a-candle.org/Prayers/92339


"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
~ Winston Churchill

January entries: when my heart beats

January 4, 2010 First LVCC meeting/competition.
I only participated in Projected Image (Travel&Journalism), skipped the Print competition (Nature and Sequence) as I didn't have anything prepared. Any 1st and 2nd placer will be sent out to compete with the other winning images from 20+ camera clubs in Northern California. The 1st place photographer is entitled to give a short commentary about the winning image.

Travel Basic Projected
1st place: "Inside SFO", San Francisco CA
judge comments: "This is an interesting image, a different perspective inside San Francisco airport. Very nice composition of the art work from the ceiling, the window, and the reflection on the floor. There is no people! I like it and never seen a composition like this of SFO."

my commentary: I was concentrating at first on the art work suspended from the ceiling but the sunset reflection on the floor caught my attention. So, I let my eyes opened with the bigger picture inside SFO. The airport was suprisingly not crowded that day (taken last October on a Monday sunset time) - so I was rushing to capture the sunset reflection on the floor and take advantage of no people in the background. Dead end from the wall behind me, I was lying down on the floor to capture the whole image using my 18-200mm lens.


2nd place: "Overlooking Lake Tahoe From Mt. Tallac", Lake Tahoe CA
judge comments: The rocks, clouds, snow, and blue sky compliment this image. But the rock and Lake Tahoe on the right side is underexposed (dark) - need to brighten that a li'l bit. This must be taken during mid-day when the sun is up and strong but still the image is nice.




Journalism Basic Projected
1st place: "The Participants Of Radium Hot Springs Diving Competition", British Columbia Canada
judge comments: Very nice image. It will draw your eyes from one segment/row to another. I like all the diving shots esp. the center image is very interesting. The maker can also enter this in Sequence category. I also like the water as the canvas background. Very well done.

my commentary: After 7 days hiking in Canadian Rockies, I decided to skip the hike and drive around and check out Radium Hot Springs and get soaked. When we get there, these divers were having a goodtime diving. So I played with my camera to stop the diving motion. I used the pool water as my canvas to stay focus on the theme.

2nd place: "Young Fisherman's Catch Of The Day", Erendira Mexico
judge comments: The boy is very proud of his catch. I would cropped the lower part of the picture because of the shadow, same thing with the half-body man on the left as it is a distraction.


lub-dub...lub-dub...(my heartbeat pounding)...standing on the back while listening to the judge's comments, I always get nervous when I know that I am going to be picked...I knew from the time I've captured my "Inside SFO" and "The Participants Of Radium Hot Springs Diving Competition" they're surely are a winner!

[click on the images to enlarge]

My 1st Modeling: bring out the best in me

Unimaginable...Unthinkable...

Few months ago, I signed up for Model Workshop organized by our club's top Master Photographer John Goyer for two reasons: I want to learn from him and I want to branch out from Landscape/Outdoor Photography to Portrait. At the conclusion of the workshop, we (4 male photographers, the model, and myself) decided that I play around and pose for them. Which I did, simply just for fun.

Then I started to receive emails from John asking me to model for him. At first, I thought "He's just teasing me". A month later at the club's Xmas Banquet with his beautiful wife, he told me "I want you to model for me so we will schedule our photo shoot soon". I agreed "OK, as long as no nude". More emails came...then the rest is history.

I was immortalized (based from John's email. Meaning: to make famous forever) on December 27, 2009. We did the photo shoot in my place. I chose my silk peach/black pajama, purple satin drape, my everyday jewelry as outfit/props with light make-up and curled my hair a bit - Not too fancy as this is not a Glamour pictorial. But what we both really want is to be more creative/artistic and to bring out the BEST in me.


To John: I've always admired your talent and work since my day 1 at the club. And you reciprocate by appreciating my photo images and now my "Naughty Secrets That I Don't Want To Tell You" LOOK. Will definitely model for you again. Thank you.

"Inside you there's an artist you don't know about...Say yes quickly, if you know, if you've known it from before the beginning of the universe." ~ Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi

[click the top 3 images to enlarge]