Afternoon Sky

Someday .   .   .


 South Bay Gardens, Sucat 

Rushing to my car, on the onset of a light drizzle, chanced upon this rainbow.  I quickly grappled with my SLR [not minding the droplets] and tried to take as many images as possible [managed exactly 20], knowing that rainbows fade as quickly as they form.

 Here's my first frame

In less than a minute, the spectrum simply faded but I knew right there and then, that I had already shot an appropriate image for, possibly, a 2012 year-ender post ?  [That's the fun in blogging - sometimes the content/material for a blogworthy post simply presents itself - this is a clear case in point]

---

Thoughts on Good Times and Bad - the Year Past

[Two Horns on the Same Animal ]

Sure, [Why Not!!!] It's always great to reminisce one's Good Times, the times when everything seems to go right, when "luck" is always on one's side, when things are sometimes so seamlessly "perfect" and everything is "fine and dandy" and nothing ever seems to go wrong.. 

 But, I feel, it is the Bad Times that are the priceless,  more character defining / character forming  periods/opportunities where one can be truly challenged to truly grow and "become a better person".  Noboby & nobody wants to go through tough times [or hot water, in a manner of speaking] but it's just the nature of things  --> change, "growing pains" [caterpillars metamorphosising into butterflies], "adjustments" in careers, relationships, whatever - one can never escape that - And it is only through challenges and tests where one can truly dig deep and discover one's true self, find one's true strengths and be truly enriched.

---

Had been wanting to compose a blog entry to express my thanks to all my REAL friends ->those who where "there" during my bad days as well a during my good days ->the select few who really went out of their way for  me despite their busy scheds [specially when I needed a friend] - 

I simply can never say enough -

To those few guys and gals who E-mailed me ON my birthday.
Also to those who simply greeted me, albeit, even on the wrong date! Ha!
You guys actually greeted me - that's the important thing

Thanx a mill - You are the Rainbows that never fade.

---

And as Kermit the Frog once sang .   .   .

Someday I'll find it .   .   .

.   .   .  The Rainbow Connection  .  .  .

.   .   .   The Lover,  The Dreamer In Me  .  .  .


 
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Portraits

Javi, Johann, Julia and

Singapore Girl

- As usual - still in a daze [refer to previous post] -

 A few more Available Light Portraits ?  Why Not
Enjoyed shooting these recently

 Javi / Julia
 

 Julia / Javi / Johann

 Johann

 Julia / Johann


Piano Girl 

Singapore Girl

One thing's for sure - I'll see more of the four of you
 come the last few days of 2012, and maybe more so - this 2013

And B4 I forget - Love You Guys 

brosi gonzales

Friday

21 - 12 - 12

End of Daze ?
No

As far as sports images are concerned - I pretty much know when I'll eventually post which images in particular and how soon. When it comes to portraits [however]- I never really know even what images I'll  post [wether from a recent shoot only hours before, or from "random [even whimsical] picks" off my hard drives, until - a "certain mood" comes - then the "right" images simply feel ripe for posting.

Earlier today, tripping on the idea [whilst browsing through my computer JPEG files] of what I might want to do if I knew I had 24 hours left to live - I knew  I had to post a favorite portrait - at the least - a REAL Classic Timeless Image [if I may say so] - simply because Available Light Portraiture is one thing I 'd still like to do a lot of - that is, If I did have actually only 24 hours left to live.  And below, is the image that somehow stood out above the rest
[not that this image was the best]   It simply felt "right", choosing it.

 

So - It is what it is - this Black & White Classic -

 randomly picked from a select bundle of "Close Friend Portraits".

[using window light] & 
[Yes, Beyond what I see - Always capturing what I feel]

There will never be an end to this daze [dare i say romance?] - I feel I sometimes am in, when I get to experience the soul - of my images  -.even when simply browsing through files and more so when actually shooting portraits.

Seeing my work [old or recent, analogue or digital], I am constantly reminded of my close friends [past & present] [here, there, an hour away, a day away, or several thousand miles across a vast ocean]  -> their trust - [accorded to me in the shoots] - those ever so fleeting giggles, smiles, or glances - those fickle rays of sunlight  caressing their cheeks, eyes, hair [whatever] - 
My friends just being themselves. What more could I have I asked for ?

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Solid

Eagles, Tigers, Maroons

[random] 
My ONLY Team Photos from the UAAP  Football Tournament, 
so far - besides the two images of the Ateneo Womens Team
posted in an previous entry

Ateneo Women's Team
[December 12, Wednesday, after beating DLS  2-0]

 UST Women's Team

[December 12, Wednesday, after beating UP  3-0]

The Ateneo Men's Team 
[December 13, Thursday, after beating FEU 1-0]

Ateneo Women's Team
[December 16, Sunday, after their {rained out} match vs UST was stopped 
- and eventually reset for 2013 -]
[Ateneo was leading [2-1], when the match was halted in the 2nd half] 

UP Men's Team
[December 19, Wednesday, after beating UST  2-0]



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Random

Blast from the Past
 Archival ?

During a 2008 pre-season Football Tournament I shot my first ever action images of Stephan Permanes [#9] [ UP Fighting Maroons] 

and Ojay Clarino [UST Growling Tigers] 

[above is a favorite] 

Since then, up to the present, I've witnessed many a clash between these standout UAAP booters.  At present, both Ojay and Steph have already finished their playing years for UST and UP, respectively

 My first ever digital SLR [a Nikon D-60] 
was just about four months old then when I snapped this photo

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Eye Like

Black & White

[On the Spot]

Asian Beauty

Was in a coffee place recently [over the past weekend] shooting portraits of a female companion - when I noticed this lone patron  [working on her laptop]  around 5 meters to my 11 o'clock position.   Of course, I did not let my friend notice my glancing at the other person - [Where are my manners?] So, when my companion went to the CR - I immediately [non-chalantly] snapped several  [I put my SLR in servo!] images of the young lady - and the image above is just a favored one [from about 10 frames]

Thing is, I've always favored fair-skinned girls over darker ones - but occasionally, I come across/meet brown-skinned [Kayumanggi] lookers - and Jesus !, was this one a hell-of-an-Asian Beauty !!  I was actually mesmerized for a couple of seconds [while shooting] until my companion came back.  By then I knew i had a couple of backlit portraits of the brown skinned beauty.

Course, I never mentioned or showed [through my LCD] the stolen images to my companion. [Yes, I do treat my solo portrait subjects as thought they are the only person that exists at that moment  and that, to me, they are most beautiful person in the world] - it's just an "artistic mindset" I've learned to hone all these years]  Call it style, diskarte - whatever !!

That's just how I execute my art, in a manner of speaking - and no matter how unconventional one's/your technique might be - who is to question it as long as it yields great results ?

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Behind-the Scenes

Sunny Side Up

Behind-the-Scenes snaps from just a few days ago
-after the Dec. 17 [Stallions FC - Global FC] UFL Finals match at Rizal  &
- during the Dec. 19 [UP-UST] UAAP Football Match at the Ateneo Campus

Tasha & Fille

 Inigo Rafael Gonzales aka  Nace

 Eric Figueroa [right] and schoolmate

The Pensons/Prietos 

 Belay Fernando / Nathan Alquiros / Tasha Alquiros / Sam Nierras

Ojay  Clarino / Jeremy Cristaens / Cy  Samson

 Tasha / Yu / Fille 

Tasha Faustino / Nace Gonzales / Yu Murayama
Understandably Uneasy

I requested my young nephew [Nace Gonzales] [a freshman at DLSU and rookie for the DLSU Football Team] pose between Lady Eagle Tasha Faustino and ADM keeper Yu Murayama - [to simply find out what might come of it - knowing that Nace is a complete stranger to the two UAAP athletes].

Not surprisingly, he hesitated and stiffened up awkwardly - so I just took a few snaps as fast as possible.  Nothin' doin' - no harm in trying to make the best of an expectedly awkward moment. Maybe I'll find a better approach next time around.

For you Fille Fans out there

 ! ! !

And Why Not?

Something for you DendenLazaro fans too

Portrait - Denise Michelle Lazaro

What should make the two images above blogworthy is the fact that it shows the two volleybelles with their hair down. [Well, the Lazaro pic was just a whimsical choice just to spicen up this entry]  [I actually shot her portrait way back May 20, Sunday - at the Arena, before an ADM match [whilst having a private conversation with the young lady].

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For Cathy

[A Few] Portraits In A Party
December 17, Sunday
One Roxas Triangle

After spending a whole day shooting UAAP Football at the Ateneo Campus - I rushed, by cab, to the Multi-Purpose Hall of One Roxas Triangle at around 5 pm. to attend the Bday dinner of  my sports colleague ->Cathy N. Rivilla.

[Her Bday's actually on the 20th]

 Franky Rivilla & Keri Younghusband

Youngest daughter Reese Rivilla w a first cousin

Can't say that I'm that close to Cathy [I actually met her way back 2008 at the Cuenca Field during a Younghusband Football Clinic] BUT, Truth be Told every single time I had bumped into her, since then, wether in Manila, Bacolod or Singapore / wether in a sports event or what not - I had somehow felt at ease with the lady - seeing her occasionally w/ husband Dicky, her daughters Franky, KitKat, and Reese in "never ending" functions/sports events the past months only brought more pleasant memories to me.  'Twould have been a sin for me to miss the private dinner.

Cathy Rivilla [middle], flanked by Jojo Durian [right] [business associate] 

and a family member [who I never got introduced to]

When I seated myself, I did feel just a few seconds of uneasiness so [I came alone] [I had yet to meet the rest of "Cathy's loved ones"] so I simply chatted w/ daughter Franky [who graciously entertained me] and the rest of the evening was just fine - Instinctively, I started taking on-the-spot photos of Franky, Reese, James, Phil, Keri [the younger sister of Phil and James], Jojo Durian and eventally - some of Franky's first cousins.

I wasn't invited there to take pictures officially, but, knowing me, I just couldn't help it.  Of course, I would only take shots of the people I knew

[That's just me] -and then some- - but 'Twas all good.  [Another family member was taking photos anyway].

 Reese [right] with cousin Bea and a baby

Franky [left] actually couldn't stay long [she had to rush to the UST Football Team Party] so I made sure I had shots of her - w/ her sisters KitKat [in black]and Reese [in printed blouse] - B4 she left [ I couldn't get hold of Cathy then cos she was so busy w her guests]

Napakasweet talaga nitong magkapatid na si Phil and Keri - Grabe ! 
[carbon copy pa sila]

 Keri and Reese

Kitkat / Reese / Bea / Maia / Keri / Nikki 

Light moments w business associates and a few athletes
[above & below]

 [latter part of the party]

Keri / James / Cathy [behind]

Portraiture has always been, and will always be my best way of expressing/reflecting my most personal sentiments.

[Of course, even if you're a total stranger I'd still craft a great portrait of you anytime - as good as those of my real friends and loved ones]

FACT is, I've got a ton of really great, soulful portraits of my real close friends - those who I cherish the most - that will never be posted in this blog. It is only for them [they know who they are] to see and have.

[That's just me]

This blog is personal, but not that too personal.

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Up and Coming

The Backlog

There's  always a bundle of action images waiting to be posted in this blog.  [Notice how, lately, I've been prioritizing my Behind-the-Scenes images and portraits over my action shots?]

Here are a few teasers from some match "action-photo-postings" due to be released, as in ->inserted chronologically" in the blog's timeline in the next few days :

Azkals vs Singapore

Suzuki Cup Semis

FEU   vs    UP

UAAP Men's Football    Rnd 1

ADMU     vs    DLSU

UAAP Men's Football     Rnd 1

 Alaska    vs    Meralco
PBA Philippine Cup Quarters

 Rain or Shine    vs    Ginebra
PBA Philippine Cup Quarters

ADMU    vs    DLSU
UAAP Women's Football     Rnd 1

ADMU    vs    FEU
UAAP Men's Football     Rnd 1

 San Mig Coffee    vs    Petron
PBA Philippine Cup Quarters

 Talk n Text    vs    Air21
PBA Philippine Cup Quarters

 UST    vs    UP
UAAP Women's Football     Rnd 1

 ADMU    vs    UST
Women's Football    Rnd 1

UP    vs    DLSU

UAAP Men's Football     Rnd 1

Stallions FC    vs    Global FC

UFL Championship Match

This blog is configured in such that I can 'insert" a post so that regardless wether  I post it [a day, week, or even a month after] the said post will be automatically follow a default chronological order.

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