I've been inactive for a year mainly focusing on my life, new job, travelling, and of course my photography. Learning Portrait both Outdoor and Studio Light are very challenging for me. So, here's the start of my portrait shots...
They say when you Dream of Pink, it represents love, joy, sweetness, happiness, affection and kindness. Being in love or healing through love is also implied with this color. Alternatively, the color implies immaturity or weakness, especially when it comes to love.
The model is Dolly, taken during our high school reunion last year in Halfmoon Bay California. We went to same school from grade school to high school in Philippines. I am sooo glad she bring the hat with her. What I want to capture is her hat (mind you, Dolly is one of the pretiest ladies in our batch) to compliment the view and add mystery to the image.
"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles." ~ Audrey Hepburn
Each of us puts in one little stone and then you get a great Mosaic at the end. Here's "My Bday Mosaic" ... for my 40 years of Life's adventure and for another 40 years or so of Life ahead.
Another year has passed and I turned 40 today January 16. It is my moment of time to celebrate not just Myself but also Friendship, Love, God, and my late Mom. My 2010 car accident had kept me grounded. Instead of wasting my energy of blocking my true self, I used that energy to fulfill my 2011 New Year resolution of becoming active again, fit and healthy. So, I started hiking last Sunday, day before my bday, with my hiking buddy and bestfriend Uma in Marin Headlands just outside San Francisco. Once again, I felt and breathed fresh air, witnessed the boundless beauty of Mother Nature and celebrate Myself & Friendship. I celebrate God and my late Mom at the same time through prayers. Mom was the biggest influence in what I believe in and my Spirituality. Going to church is not only my obligation as a Catholic especially on my birthday, but also to re-connect with my Mom to thank her for giving me My Life and to let her know that her baby is now 40! I celebrate Myself for a Bday Spa treatment today. The Nob Hill Spa at The Huntington Hotel (http://www.nobhillspa.com/) provides total rejuvenating massages and treatments with whirlpool and swimming pool the captivating skyline views of San Francisco. I would like to thank the girls-at-work for organizing something big next week - Viva Las Vegas!
And now, I am finally feel and celebrate Love instead of fear, Joy in the place of worry and focus on possibilities instead of resentments. There is more hope and peaceful than ever before. Because today is the start to bring the best of My Life to Life!
It's a New Year and I am back! Despite of being inactive here, I never stop taking and creating pictures (actually more pictures). 2011 has been good to me despite of the economy. I have a job to pay my bills and my photo travels, good health to keep me going, and a special person who gives me inspiration.
It's 2012 and it's the Year Of The Dragon! To start my year and my blog, I want to introduce to you "Neva", the pet in St. Louis Missouri.
The Year of 2012 is the Year of the Dragon, which begins on January 23, 2012 and ends on February 9, 2013. The Dragon is the fifth sign of the Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 Animal signs. The Dragon is a creature of myth and legend. In ancient China, the celestial Dragon represents an emperor and power.
Today, it is the ultimate auspicious symbol signifying success and happiness. May the celestial Dragon bring great good luck to everyone.
"I imagined a dragon inside myself. We all have one, in one form or another. To me, this dragon is both the wild nature of ourselves and our conscience in his embodiment of the Old Code ethical behavior and morality. At the same time, he's our unconscious, the place from which our dreams arise. I just spoke my lines to the dragon within me." ~ Dennis Quaid on "Dragonheart"
I'm exhibiting the above images separately, not as a collage: "GATO", "The Psychedelic Walkway", and "KIDS PHOTO: Ball Ride & Silhouette". Please stop by at our exhibit and see not only my work but also images from my LVCC fellow photographers.
*Open to public. Free admission*
Address: 1188 South Livermore Avenue, Livermore CA 94550
Directions: from I-580 Take the N. Livermore Avenue Exit, head South toward the center of Livermore. Civic Center Library is 2.5 miles from the North Livermore exit on the left hand side of the street. College Avenue is the nearest cross street. City Hall and the Police Station are on the left immediately before the Library.
Library Hours: Mon-Thur 10am-9pm; Fri 10am-6pm; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun noon-6pm
For a long time, I used to subscribe to Outdoor Photographer (OP) magazine where I learned a good deal about photography, camera+lens+gadgets. One night, while I was browsing OP website, their photo contest The Art Of Expression - All About the Light caught my attention. I told to myself, why not? let's see if l get a vote. At the very last minute, I submitted 4 entries...Eventhough I didn't make it to the Finals, the 1st two of my images (The Psychedelic Walkway and Kids Photo: Ball Ride and Silhouette) was in top100 Highest Rated ~ with that, l felt like a winner!
"The Psychedelic Walkway"
a favorite from my camera club as some photographers have taken the same shot but never captured the same color and without people.
http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/expressions/the-contest/all-about-light/717381-psychedelic-walkway.html#gal-img
"A Walk To Remember"
This is not rated as there was a problem in JPEG compression that it appeared flaky when downloaded in OP online. But it you click this image to enlarge, you'll see why I entered this. My previous blog talked about this cemetery that one photographer commented as an Outstanding B&W and if I will do this thing, I will kick their butts in our Monochrome competition.
"The Light In The Church Hallway"
an old fave of mine. Believe me, this is a raw image without any computer/photo editing software manipulation at all.
The People's Choice Voting has begun. Start voting for your favorite images but need to log in to vote. Vote for the BEST and if you think my images deserve your vote, help OP select the People's Choice Winners because these are four images where I expressed myself into an Art and captured a good deal About The Light.
"Dwelling in the light, there is no occasion at all for stumbling, for all things are discovered in the light." ~ George Fox
In this hot summer July, I am blogging my walk on a snowy cemetery.
Cemetery is a snapshot of time where soul must be remembered. It's quiet setting that has become a haven in the midst of a bustling city: for orphan to find refuge, for tourist to visit, for mourners to remember loved ones, for soul searcher to wander in quiet contemplation, for photographers to capture a different perspective. Our living presence provide company to the wandering and rested soul.
Winter brings a unique perspective to the arboretum at MaryHill Cemetery. The unusual bark and interesting forms of various tree species give the winter landscape a special character. The snow and the cross are the main attraction. Added bonus are the trees, shadow, wreaths, flowers, angels, etc. But the best experience of all is my walk on a snowy cemetery, A Walk To Remember...to remember a great mom on her birthday today 7/11. Happy Birthday Nanay!...I will always miss you.
Me, niece Janel, and cousin Remy
Located in Niles, Illinois U.S.A., Maryhill Catholic Cemetery is the first Archdiocesan Cemetery to have a shrine honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe. It has Interment Chapel / Garden Crypt Complex consisting of 1,800 crypts and three chapels.
"Years will pass before we see our Mother's face once more, the faith she taught us at her knee, will lead at last to Heaven's door. " ~ Unknown
[click the images to enlarge, click play I Will Remember You song]
Just thought of blogging my airport pictures for this month. Recently, I've been neglecting this site and even my photogallery because of my Facebook as I'm posting more photos there to share with my family and friends (so if you are on my Facebook - lucky you ;-), if not please understand my privacy).
Below are 2 of my winning airport images (more to follow, hopefully). One photographer in my camera club calls me "The Airport Photographer". Many professional photographers even the Master photographers and the judge complimented on how I was able to capture those images with such colors, lines, reflections and most of all, NO PEOPLE!
"Psychedelic Walkway, Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD)" 1st place,Travel-Intermediate 03/07/2011
judge commentary: Wow! very colorful and l like the lines, reflections, and the way it is framed. The negative space in upper right is not a destruction at all, it worked actually on this image to balance the neon lights and the walkway. Well done!
my commentary: It was my 1st time to spend Xmas holiday in Chicago last December and my 1st time to take United Airlines. This is the United Airlines walkway from the baggage claim to exit door. The flight was delayed so arrived there at midnight. Coming down from the escalator to this walkway was magical for me: the xylophone music plays in the air while it is synchronized with the neon lights. Since we're on the last flight, I waited for the last person in the walkway and took this shot.
"Inside SFO" 1st place, Travel-Basic 01/04/1010
judge commentary: "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.
I make frequent travels from SFO since I live in Northern California and ORD to visit my relatives. In all of my airport travels, I use my time wisely by simply walking and looking around for some photographic opportunity. Because, in any busy airport scene, I know that there's a beauty waiting for me at The Terminal.
"God hadreally intended men to fly, he'd make it easier to get to the airport.” ~ George Winters [click the image to enlarge, click the play button to see the movie trailer The Terminal]
The Spring season is about halfway through. This season has positives and negatives. It cools down the earth to the point where I need to wear a jacket in the evenings, and keeps everything lush and green. And it just changes your plans when it starts pouring. So I’m sort of looking forward to Summer. San Francisco is different. Always cold and foggy. But once in a while, Mother Nature will reward you of a beautiful clear blue sky. It has a special significance for me: a place for photographic opportunity and a playground for Arts, Music & Food. Definitely a magical place, a place that always special in my heart. Always looking forward to go and and even hoping to live there someday. The image of Me is taken somewhere somplace in San Francisco by a friend. Why I posted it here?...Stay tuned for my future blog to showcase both familiar and unfamiliar places around San Francisco. And why in color vs Black&White?... Ansel Adams once said "Our lives at times seem a study in contrast... love & hate, birth & death, right & wrong... everything seen in absolutes of black & white. Too often we are not aware that it is the shades of grey that add depth & meaning to the starkness of those extremes.”
Acknowledgement: GM thanks for showing me the heart and soul of San Francisco...will always be grateful. All the BEST!
[click the image to enlarge, click the play button to listen san Francisco song in French by Maxime Le Forestier]
When you look into Buddha's eyes... what do you see? The above image is my winning image this early part of the year:
2nd place in Livermore Camera Club (LVCC) last month's competition
4th place for the monthly competition in Northern California Council of Camera Clubs (N4C) for Color Pictorial category. Competition-wise, I entitled My Buddha as "When Buddha Shines His Light", but it is popularly known especially to San Franciscans as the Three Heads Six Hands. It is the giant Buddha that sits in front of the San Francisco City Hall on loan since May 2010 through early Spring of 2011 (by the time you read this blog, The Three Head Six Hands is now gone reunited with the artist in Shanghai China). The city hall usually lits in yellow but because of the celebration week of San Francisco Giants championship for the 2010 World Series, the city shines in Orange that night!When I look into the Buddha's eyes, it allows me an unprecedented look into a world that lights up the journey of my Life! Chinese artist Zhang Huan Zhang hand-picked the city of San Francisco to debut his 2008 copper sculpture of Buddha - Three Heads Six Arms. It is the largest work that the artist has yet made, and weighs in at an astounding 15 tons and stands nearly 26 feet tall at its highest point. Zhang chose San Francisco because of the long-standing history being honored between Shanghai-San Francisco Sister City 30th Celebration last May 10, 2010. Inspired by the Chinese mythological character Nezha, Zhang replaced two of the three Buddha heads with human heads. Among the sculpture’s three heads is his self-portrait. The Three Heads Six Arms is now on display at the Joseph L. Alioto Performing Arts Piazza, which is located across the street from San Francisco City Hall. Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue. ~ Buddha[click the image to enlarge]
And this old world is a new world. And a bold world. For me. What is your old world?
January is here and so is my birthday. The things I should have been doing are looming in front of me as new opportunities! I have chances to change the things I need to and start the things I need to. I can do things the right way and let the past mistakes go away. I have ways to find the motivation that I need, the intimacy, the courage and the commitment to live fully every day.
As I evolve into a more mature stage of my life, I realized that I need to do things that I regret of not doing in the past: to explore outside the comfort zone of my full time job, to experience life living in the big city, to be more creative in my photography (and perhaps in modeling) and to try going back to school (this time in Art School) ~ all of these are now work in process.
There were tough times in my life: death of a loved one, heart broken, hardships, failures but none of those will stop me from learning, from dreaming, from achieving, and from living. Because I am a big girl now that my father used to tell me when I was 7. I am a big big girl now... living and traveling in this big big world.
"I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil. I am just a small girl in a big world trying to find someone to love." ~ Marilyn Monroe [click the play button to play Big World, click the image to enlarge]
N4C is the Northern California Council of Camera Clubs, and is the governing body for over a dozen San Francisco Bay Area Camera Clubs. N4C collects slides, electronic images and prints from each club monthly and has judged competitions with awards going to first through fifth place in each category. Each local camera club has its own monthly judged competitions in several categories with winners from these categories that go to N4C for judge competition among all the other clubs.
Each year N4C has an Annual Banquet along with its annual competition of judged winners from each category (the best of the best for the year).
I just got back from my holiday vacation and checked the list of photographers who'll represent our camera club. I saw my name with excitement and right away signed up for the big event. So, I am going to the N4C this Sunday! Not for winning but just to be a part of it is a big thing for me. Happy New Year everyone!
Mirror Reflection: New York Art Wall, 5th place N4C 05/2010, 3rd place LVCC Creative Projected 04/05/10
Bird's Electric Pole, 5th N4C Projected Color Basic 03/10, 1st LVCC 01/18/10
Red Mums (Chrysanthemum morifolium), 4th place N4C 04/2010, 2nd place LVCC Pictorial Projected Basic 02/19/10
California Adventure, Honorable Mention N4C 06/2010, 1st place LVCC 05/03/10 Travel Projected Basic
Earwigs (Forficula Auricularia) Hanging on the Grass, Honorable Mention N4C July2010, 1st place LVCC Nature Projected Basic
“Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner. Even if you are behind, a sustained look of control and confidence can give you a mental edge that results in victory.” ~ Arthur Ashe
It's a wet Winter this year and it slows me down from any outdoor activities, confining me at my home playing with my images. This time, I'm playing with my crayons in Photoshop.
"Neon Central Park" This is a shot taken last February in New York City. You'll never miss any golden photographic opportunities inside Central Park even after the snow storm.
"RainFALL At The Big Meadow canvas" My FALL image for this year. A big surpirse from Mother Nature when I spotted this big FALL meadow while exploring Lake Tahoe backroad. I turned it into a canvas so l can present to you like a painting.
"Farm Night Colour" For my cat "Buttons", the image that I shot on the the day she died. Drove to the farm to see for any interesting landscape despite of the rain. The original image is a lonely scenery but when I played with my crayons, I turned it into something ... magical.
"Artists are just children who refuse to put down their crayons. " ~ Al Hirschfeld [click the image to enlarge]
"Come apart and rest a while". St. Clare Retreat Center will provide you a peaceful place to reflect, surrounded by nature.
St. Clare of Assisi is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. She founded the Order of Poor Ladies, a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan , and wrote their Rule of Life.
Located in Santa Cruz Mountains California, St. Clare Retreat Center has a beautiful chapel, library, lounge, garden, dormitories, large dining room, swimming pool, and a hiking trail with Station of The Cross.
The retreat is conducted by the Franciscan Fathers and the Franciscan Missionary Sisters. There are conferences, masses, individual counseling/confession with ample time for private prayer and reading. Added attraction is Bear the dog (he looks like a bear) who was rescued from Hurricane Katrina. And you'll never get hungry at St. Clare, the sisters and the volunteer chef always make sure that they will satisfy your palate.
Traditionally specializes in Silent Women's Retreat, St. Clare also offer other types of retreats; married couples, mothers&daughters, Secular Franciscan, men and women, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, AA-Alanon, and Legion of Mary. Members of all denominations are welcome!
The sun shines at St. Clare! I usually get up before sunrise for my meditation walk up on the hill, to witness the breaking of a new dawn comes the light of a new day and the endless possibilities of that day. Solitude is my companion on my way up there. The trail has Station of the Cross where each cross has a built-in prayer that you will feel like having a personal dialogue with God.
Retreat has been a part of my life growing up in Catholic School. It was in 2006 when I started going to St. Clare. Since then, it becomes my tradition: a 3 day Silent Women Retreat every year. Personal preference is the Palm Sunday weekend in preparation for Lent when St. Clare's magnificent plants in Spring bloom.
And when life's goodness is overshadowed by critical challenges, it is at St. Clare where I pick up my life, renew my spirit and polish my halo o:-)
Life is not a series of gig lamps symmetrically arranged; life is a luminous halo, a semi-transparent envelope surrounding us from the beginning of consciousness to the end.” ~ Virginia Woolf
[click the images to enlarge, click the play button to play Beyonce's Halo]
As the High Sierra got snow today, I'm enjoying the RAIN from my window.
"Rain falls Dark clouds are racing up above I gaze in solitude Looking through a misty glass window ‘Cause then it used to be the two of us
This empty room Filled my thoughts with memories of you I turned and looked around Oh, but found no sight of you I guess it'll never be as true, no no ooh
Starlight All I need is you tonight Oh, starbright Grant my wish tonight I'm beggin' you, starlight All I need is you tonight Hoh, starbright Get rid of the spell tonight, ooh
Rain falls Dark clouds keep racing up above It's still in solitude Oh, longin' for you Guess my heart will always be with you My heart will always be with you Looking through a misty glass window" ~ Pido
[click the image to enlarge, click play button to play the music Misty Glass Window]
