Where is the PAUSE BUTTON?

Taken using a Nikon D40 DSLR, this pic was taken Oct 6, 2006 in Alpha Salcedo Condo, Salcedo Village, Makati. 

PLAN FOR THE DAY...Achieved!

The more you study, the more you learn, the more you lean the more you know.

PANORAMA PICS
https://www.serif.com/FreeDownloads/Download/DownloadFreeSoftware.aspx?pOrderID=E915TC7TB&Product=PanoramaPlusStarterEdition&NewSignUp=N

PHOTO COLLAGE
http://www.fotor.com/features/collage.html
http://www.photovisi.com/collage/choose_template/wallpapers

OUTPUT

View of Bamban bridge & Mt Arayat from the Bamban Grotto

View of Hamilo Coast from St. Therese of the Child Jesus chapel

Bang Pa-In Royal Palace, Thailand

Sentosa Island, view from Merlion

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawaii

View of Pearl Harbor from USS Missouri

Pali Lookout, Oahu, Hawaii

North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii

View of Honolulu from Diamond Head, Oahu, Hawaii

Kilauea, Big Island, Hawaii

I Love Nature photo contest entry

http://www.philstar.com/microsite/ilovephilippinesyear3/ilovenature_entries.html

And the winners are...
http://www.philstar.com/microsite/ilovephilippinesyear3/ilovenature.html

Better luck next time, DL.

Photo Me again

I am joining my Nth photo contest in the last 3 years. I’ve actually lost count how many times I’ve joined but recall submitting entries in CNN, Air Asia, Sea Air, Havaianas, Smt Photo Club and now Philippine Star. Prizes range from airline tickets, electronic gadgets and gift certificates.

Last month, I joined the two Philippine Star photo contest with themes: (1) I Love the Philippines http://www.philstar.com/microsite/ilovephilippinesyear3/home.html and (2) I Love Nature http://www.philstar.com/microsite/ilovephilippinesyear3/ilovenature.html. The Phil Star contest runs until end July 2010.

My win ratio is a bit low since I’ve only won one first place in a photo contest that I joined last year. But that doesn't discourage me from joining more contest as long as there's no joining fee and I become richer in experience.

Pix used in SG photo exhibit

It's official, Singapore Philatelic Museum (SPM) used my pix taken of the Bamban Bridge in Bamban town, Tarlac, Philippines in their August 28 to 30, 2009 photo exhibit in Singapore.


This is the original photo posted in my Flickr.com (dylac) which SPM requested permission to use. This was taken using a Nikon D40 DSLR cam while on the Bamban Grotto which was a hill adjacent to the bridge.

Pix emailed by ML of SPM taken during the exhibit.

Pix emailed by ML of SPM taken during the exhibit.

Pix emailed by ML of SPM taken during the exhibit.

Here's the confirmation email from M. Lim of SPM, Singapore:

From: ML
Subject: RE: [Flickr] Request to use photo of Bamban bridge
To: DL
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2009, 11:32 AM

Hi DL,

Yes it did, it was at the Central Library from 28 – 30 Aug. Pls see the photos. Your name was credited next to your picture.

Once again, thank you for letting us use the pics.

Warmest regards,
ML
Assistant Manager, Special Projects
SPM, 23B Coleman Street, Singapore 179807
www.spm.org.sg

From: DL
Sent: Saturday, 7 November, 2009 10:28 AM
To: ML (NHB)
Subject: Fw: [Flickr] Request to use photo of Bamban bridge

Greetings from the Philippines, ML!

I was just wondering if the 3 day exhibit already happened and if I can ask for pictures of the exhibit for my reference.

Thanks.

DL

New York is In My Life

FAST FACTS:
City: New York
State: New York
Country: United States of America
Nickname: The Big Apple, Gotham, The City That Never Sleeps, The Capital of The World (Caput Mundi), The Empire City, The City So Nice They Named It Twice, The City.
Population: 8,363,710
Coordinates: 40°43′N 74°00′W
Zip Codes: 100xx-104xx, 11004-05, 111xx-114xx, 116xx
Area code: 212, 718, 917, 347, 646
Website www.nyc.gov

The movie In My Life featuring Batangas Governor Vilma Santos Recto, son Luis Manzano and actor John Lloyd Cruz was shot entirely in New York City. I was watching the trailer and can't help but reminisce. I had the privilege to visit The Big Apple in May 2006. I stayed with my cousin Bubbles' place in Scarsdale and was practically in Manhattan everyday. Here are some of the pix taken which I found in my database.

Subject: Berlin Wall in Battery Park
Location: Battery Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: A piece of the Berlin Wall

Subject: Ground Zero
Location: Lower Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: The site of the 9/11 loss, the World Trade Center

Subject: Rockefeller Center
Location: 5th Avenue in Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: St. Patrick's Cathedral
Location: 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: The Library
Location: New York Public Library
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: Worm's Eye View
Location: 350 Fifth Avenue
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: A view from the street of the Empire State Building

Subject: Bird's Eye View
Location: Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: Taken from the Empire State Building viewing deck

Subject: Brooklyn Bridge
Location: Lower Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: Bow Bridge
Location: Central Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: The Pond
Location: Central Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: A view from Central Park

Subject: Old School
Location: American Museum on Natural History
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: Bright Lights
Location: Times Square
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

It up to you - New York, New York! (from a song by Frank Sinatra)

[Flickr] Request to use photo of Bamban bridge

You've been sent a Flickr Mail from XXX:

------------------------------------------------------------

:: Request to use photo of Bamban bridge


Hi dylac,

Greetings from Singapore Philatelic Museum! We are a
non-profit stamp museum that targets children and families
under the National Heritage Board of Singapore.

In Aug 09, the Philippines and Singapore are producing a
joint stamp issue on bridges to celebrate 40 years of
diplomatic relations. The Philippine bridges featured are
Bamban Bridge and Marcelo Fernan Bridge.

We are holding a 3-day exhibition on the new stamps and
will feature the Philippines and the bridges mentioned
above. We hope that this exhibition will let more people
here know about your beautiful country.

I enjoyed browsing through your lovely photos and would
like to request the use of this photo of Bamban Bridge for
free:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12465415@N02/1985507702/

If you are agreeable, please let me know how I can credit
you for the use of photos.

Your help would be much appreciated. Please feel free to
contact me at @@@@@ if you've any queries.


I hope to hear your positive reply soon.


Warmest regards,
ML
Special Projects
Singapore Philatelic Museum
www.spm.org.sg

Go Cart

Mount Pinatubo
Originally uploaded by dylac

Pix taken on the way home from Mount Pinatubo last February. I used to ride a carabao drawn cart similar to this when I was a kid. I hope my children will also have an opportunity to experience that instead of spending time infront of a PC or a PSP.

Future Photo Plans

Now that I've officially won a photo contest, it's time to invest on new cam "low expense" accessories to up the ante.

These are what I currently have in my treasure chest:
1- Nikon D40 camera
2- Tamron 28 to 300mm zoom lens
3- Nikon SB 600 Speedlight flash
4- Case Logic (camera only) camera bag
5- Tamrac (camera ++) camera bag
6- Vixen tripod
7- Gorilla Pod
8- Battery Charger and rechargeable batteries
9- Lens cleaning kit

My "low expense" wish list includes:
1- Flash Diffuser = P300 @ tipidpc.com
2- Extension Tube = P600 @ tipidpc.com
3- Velbon mono pod = P1500 @ dgphoto.com
4- Nikon ML L3 IR remote control = P800 @ tipidpc

My "high expense" wish list includes:
1- Upgrade camera body to either D80 or D90
2- Nikon 50mm fixed lens
3- Ultra Wide Angle lens
4- Nikon 18 to 135mm VR AF lens

This leaves me with a BIG question, which hobby should I prioritize? Mt. Biking, Car Audio, Photography. Ang hirap!

Opportunity on a Mishap

Focal Length: 28mm / Taken from Mt. Luho view deck (the highest pt in Boracay)


Focal Length: 300mm / Taken from Mt. Luho view deck (the highest pt in Boracay)

I learned last week just a day before our Boracay trip that our Nikon 18-55mm kit lens is not functioning properly. The lens has two modes - automatic and manual focus however only the AF mode is malfunctioning. What great timing! I didn't want to go to a family trip with an uncooperative equipment so I was off to a camera shop. The knight in shining armor is called Zoom Digital Walker in Greenbelt 5. They carry multi brands - Nikon, Canon, Sigma, Tokina, Tamron, et al.

My choices were a Sigma 18-135mm with HSM and OS or a standard Tamron 28-300mm lens. My unexpected expense cost me an arm and a leg but the trip was priceless so I had an I- MUST-HAVE-A-NEW-LENS attitude. Sabi nga ng aking may bahay, parang bumili ka lang ng baterya sa kanto. That was funny.:) I had the future of my photography hobby in mind so I choose the old school Tamron 28-300mm zoom lens.

I'm in Boracay as I handwrite this piece and I have no regrets on the purchase. The new toy is serving its purpose to the hilt. I got what I paid for so you can call me one happy Tamron customer.

Photo My Firsts

In February, I joined Smart Photo Club since it was a pre-requisite for me to join the Mount Pinatubo adventure trip. Not that I didn’t want to join the club but I had reservations on the club requirements which I may not be able to fulfill because of my new job responsibility which started only January 2009. Anyway, I really wanted to see Pinatubo so that paved the way for me to be part of the club.

My First Photo Contest
One of the requirements of the photo club was to join a monthly photo contest. A monthly theme was set and for the month of February, the theme was “In the eyes of a worm.” The basic idea was to take pictures from the lowest point on the ground. One of my fave angles is called upskirt and it is somewhat similar to the requirement for the month in fact I had a database of pictures that may fill in the requirement. I submitted my entries before the February week 3 Mount Pinatubo climb.

My First First Place win
And the first place goes to…DyLac! I got a text from the club prexy saying that I won First Place. I didn’t expect it as I submitted an entry because of the requirement and not because I wanted to win. The winning shot was taken in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia during our family trip in April 2008. The subject was, you guessed it – Petronas Twin Towers! Though it was not the typical Petronas shot and looking at the picture, you may not have guessed that the subject was the tallest twin tower in the world. I took the picture around 9:00PM freehand (without a tripod) almost lying down.

Aside from the bragging rights, the win came with a Starbucks Gift Certificate and an inspiration to join the monthly contest and gun for the win.

Upskirt and Personal (Part 2)

Part 2

# 6 - Aguinaldo Shrine in Cavite taken in September 2007
during a family escapade. Taken from a Nikon DSLR.


#7 - Singapore Hall of Justice (looks like a UFO)
taken in June 2008 using a Nikon DSLR.

#8 - Coconut upskirt in Dakak Beach Resort taken in

February 2008 using a Nikon DSLR.

#9 - Taken in Tarlac Penal Colony in December 2007,

a basketball ring and board upskirt using a Nikon DSLR.

#10 - Bamban Grotto taken in March 2008
using a Nikon DSLR.

DYK? Did you know that it is illegal to take upskirt photos of a person's intimate body parts (without the subject's consent) in Australia, New Zealand and United States?

Upskirt and Personal

I learned recently that there is a photography classification called UPSKIRT. Wikipedia defines upskirt as a slang term usually referring to up skirt photography, images of the view up a woman's skirt (as seen from underneath). Alternatively, an "upskirt" may be a video, an illustration or simply a view.

I've been taking a lot of "legal" upskirt shots mostly buildings and trees since I got hooked into photagraphy. Here are my TOP TEN UPSKIRT SHOTS:

#1 - Disneyland Hollywood Hotel in HK. Taken using
a Sony Cybershot during a family trip in 2007.

# 2 - Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Manila taken in October

2008 during a family weekend escapade using a Nikon DSLR.

#3 - Empire State Building in NY during my

trip in May 2006 using a Sony Cybershot.

#4 - San Francisco CA City Hall dome taken in

June 2006 using a Sony Cybershot.

#5 - Petronas Twin Tower in MY taken last April 2008

using a Nikon DSLR.

Top Ten Digital Camera Tips

Even though I have progressed to an entry level SLR digital camera, the point and shoot digital cam that we own still comes in handy. It still serves certain purposes because of its size and un-still camera features like the short movie. Some of the techniques that I use when taking shots with my latest toy, the Nikon D40 are holdovers from our first digicam, a Sony Cybershot T1. Here are my top ten tips:

1. Clean as you go. The top tip is to “clean the frame” before shooting. This means removing obstructions or objects that won’t look pretty on picture like a trash bin on a portrait shot or twigs on a landscape shot. Of course, this excludes not so pretty people J
2. Red Dot. This phenomenon seems to be irreversible on earlier compact digicams but I read that there are models which reduce red eye without any need to remove it using a software. You may use MS Office picture manager to fix the red dot.
3. Let there be light. Natural light is still the best. When shooting outdoors, it’s best to harness the power of sunlight hence avoid using the flash. Just a word of caution: there may be occasions when you still need to use a flash even when outdoors. This is done to highlight the foreground.
4. Set it up. A typical camera has prefix settings like landscape, portrait, sports mode, etc. Landscape’s almost universal symbol is the 2 uneven mountains; portrait is that of 2 to 3 uneven face silhouettes and sport is signified by 1 to 2 persons in running position. Use the mode that is applicable for the shot however when all else fail, stick to the trusty AUTO mode.
5. Angle's galore. Shoot the same subject from different angles. From the top, bottom, left, right, diagonal, horizontal, vertical. You’ll be surprised of the outcome!
6. Lens is your friend however... A lens is extremely helpful if you want to take a closer shot of the subject without moving an inch from your current position. But try taking the same shot this time move nearer the subject. You will not immediately notice it until you download the picture or print it out. Using the zoom lens uses less kilobytes therefore more chances your picture will be noisy when printed out. Remember, the heavier is the file size, the clearer it will be.
7. No cleaning after the shot policy. This does not conflict with the first item. A natural shot is still the best. If you have all the time in the world to take the shot and you have gigabytes of storage space, take multiple shots with different settings and scenarios. A cleaning agent in photography includes MS Office Picture Manager, Adobe Photoshop and a dozen of other software which can be found in the net.
8. No crop policy. Similar to number 7. For “not so photo buffs,” cropping means cutting the sides, top or bottom for “dirty” objects. My personal philosophy is that you should crop only if time in not on your side.
9. Different Strokes. A picture from a digicam’s viewfinder may seem the same compared to a PC monitor output but there are subtle differences. At most the digicam’s viewfinder is 2.5 to 3 inches while a PC monitor normally ranges from 14 to 21 inches. The difference is magnified tenfold. Pls. take careful notice of the little things.
10. Practice makes perfect. I’m sure you’ve heard about this adage and it applies to taking pictures as well. Practice taking shots of different subjects with different scenarios so when game time comes, you’ll know what is the best shot for a particular situation.

The beauty of the digital cam is that it is cost effective as long as you don’t regularly print pictures so go practice and take thousands of pictures. As the saying goes “A picture paints a thousand words.”

Photography 101 : Twilight Zone

Subject: Makati Skyline
Location: Salcedo Village, Makati
Date: September 2007
Camera: Nikon D40
Shutter: 10
Aperture: F5.6
Focal Length: 88mm
ISO: 400

This is picture just brought my photo skills to another level. It looks SO SIMPLE but believe me, this is one tough shot. If you have a point and shoot cam or a compact digicam, try copying the shot. There is a high probability that you won't be as successful. I can't say though with finality that only an SLR cam can take such a pix. Here's the perfect formula to take a similar photo: SLR camera + tripod + read a good photo book + patience.

Photography 101 : Do the Locomotion

Subject: A Locomotive in Luisita
Location: Luisita, Tarlac City
Date: October 2007
Camera: Nikon D40
Shutter: 1/640
Aperture: F5.6
Focal Length: 38mm
ISO: 800

I've been yearning to take a picture of this locomotive. I'm not much of a train fan but I reckon the subject looks good on camera. Finally, I mustered enough strength and found time one Saturday and took snapshots of the mechanical icon. I took about 3 dozen shots until the security guard called my attention and said that taking pictures is prohibited. Too late the hero. Thanks anyway, Mister Sikyo. Both of us were just doing our jobs.

Photography 101 : Tita's Garden

Subject: Plant in front of house
Location: Tarlac City
Date: September 2007
Camera: Nikon D40
Shutter: X
Aperture: Y
Focal Length: Z
ISO: A

Photography 101 : Alin ang naiba?

Subject: A row of high end cars in a high end street
Location: Santana Row, San Jose, CA
Date: June 2006
Camera: Sony Cybershot T-1