I feel breaking the rules today!

The sign says "Bawal Mangihe", meaning No Urinating.
Model Lloyd Rempis, after shopping gladly do a urinating pose.
As if breaking the sign.
We had a laugh.

Supporting Light For Life by Edwin Loyola

I am supporting this selfless endeavor of Edwin Loyola. For the benefit of Children with Cancer. Visit the site.

Makes Me Full

Taken in Magellan's Cross, Cebu City.

Taken in Magellan's Cross, Cebu City.

Silip, or Peaking...

He was shy to pose on his own.
He thought he was posing with his sister.
I was focusing on him.
I had never seen the Koren Pose so amazing as his interpretation.

Would you like to be ANONYMOUS for a day???

Taken in Dynasty Hotel Inn, Cebu City.
Title: Apple and Anonymity
Model: Benedict M. (His Idea, kinda cool!)
Props: Thanks to Irene T. for the MacBook Pro

Inocencia de un Niño

Taken in Magellan's Cross, Cebu City.

While my peers are taking pictures around Magellan's Cross,
I was more interested with the children in the vicinity.
I sure took some pictures of the historical cross but that is history.
Countless photos are already archived and filed.
I am looking for the souls representing the area.
And I think I found it...

Profile: Kathy Macasling

Taken in STK, Lapu-Lapu City (Beside Liberty Shrine)

All about Kathy:
She is into details.
Very professional.
Single.
Has 6 steps into their house.
Each step takes about a year to take.
Has a curfew.
Can haggle for a good price.
Has a dog for a child.

Profile: Kiko Ramos

Officemate Kiko.
DOTA is his game.
Checkpoint-Endpoint, his mastery.
Frequents the nearest Starbucks and BatCave =)
Part-time Model.

Profile: Lloyd Rempis

In Cebu,
He get things done.
He pays for lunch with our clients.
He then asks for OR.
He likes soaps, picked up by another.
He's a Certified DOTA Mentor.
He's never drunk.
Red Horse to be exact.
He's scanning.
Always. =)

Children of Cebu

Pressed on a taxi window.
Humming Merry Christmas tunes.
He saw me pointing the camera.
He smiled.
I snapped.
He signed OK.
I smiled back.
A smile is a smile.

Are you a rough guy?

Taken in Calayo, Batangas.

Well are you?

Sibling bitten by the same Bug

Edited using LR.

She was so young, back then. Now she was bitten by the same bug that bit me. Oh well. The same blood was running in my veins.

Welcome to the club!

Typhoon Ondoy

Date: Typhoon Ondoy arrived on Sept 26, 2009.
Location Cambridge Village, Cainta, Rizal.

Woke up 3AM.
About to wake up the family to travel to Pampanga.
But it was still raining. Sleep overcame the desire to travel.
Then it was morning.
After having breakfast, we were monitoring the weather, it was now raining very hard.
News says that it will be like this all day.
Noticed the Rancho Verde (our little name to our view on the window) has now knee-deep high of water.

Before lunch was finish electricity died down. No news.
We watched in horror, water is rising inch after inch of height.

These pictures are the aftermath of the Typhoon Ondoy D2 to D3.

My son, Izaac, as he watched Rancho Verde's flood water.


People living in the roof of their houses. Waiting for help.


With the things or pets they can save.


People were looking for wood to be used for fire. Or maybe someting to eat.


Our Village parking lot. Submerged in water. The parking wall collapsed due to high current.


A view of Rancho Verde. No more rain and yet water is still rising.


Another view of Rancho Verde.


This vehicle, although already retired. Showed how deep is the water. On D1, this was totally submerged.




At last, help is on its way.





On Day 3, we decided to evacuate to Pampanga. Then monitor the news from there.

Mass murder at first degree.

I grew up in Pampanga. Capital, San Fernando now a city. But recently I heard a news about a road widening project. They are cutting down that trees that are planted along the McArthur HiWay. This is their story...

This is the boundary of those murdered trees and the last remaining of their kind.


Concern Kabalens drew images of people and hearts to show them that they are like us.
They have the right to live.


This is how I remembered those trees.
Taken few kilometers from the clearing made by man's onslaught.


A signage showing the project.

I am not familiar with the issues at hand.
I am just sadden by the lost of tree lives that was made just to give way to progress.

Maybe there's a better way. There is, always.

Currently, the cutting down stopped.
Maybe after the election, they will resume.
We just need to elect the ones that really care.

San Isidro Labrador Parish

Nangka, Marikina
Edited using Picasa.

Long time, No see

Been busy.
I got no time for PP.
But I tried using purely Picasa to edit this image.
My son doesn't like posing very much.
Moments like this are very rare.

PP Done:
-B&W
-Filter B&W
-Add Grain
-Add Soft Focus

It hurts me to stare.

I was trying to enhance this image.
I was adjusting contrast.
I was indecisive on what to say.
Then I just stared.
Then it hit me.
He was staring back...

Bata, Tabo at Batya

BATA:
1) b´ata n. nightgown, robe, dressing gown
2) b´ata' n. child
3) b´ata' adj. young, immature bat´a magbata, bumata (mag-:- in) v. to endure, to tolerate, to bear, to suffer. Nagbata ng hirap ang aking ina para sa aking kinabukasan. My mother endured hardships for my fu- ture.

TABO:
t´abo' n. a dipper, scoop, usually a coconut shell or an empty can · magTabo', tumabo', tab´uin (mag:-um-:-in) v. to scoop water with a coconut shell or an empty can, to use a dipper or a coconut shell or an empty can. Tumabo siya ng tubig sa tapayan. He scooped out water from the earthen jar.

BATYA:
baty´a' n. laundry tub, flat basin

--from the Tagalog Dictionary

Punished without a Sin

Innocence in their eyes.
He did nothing wrong.
Though we punished them.
Maybe far from reality?
This maybe true.

On a side note: Batman unmasked.

Reversed

I remember my first ever street photography.
I was going to a mini fashion shoot.
I was to meet my friend around the corner.
There were children playing.
They saw me with a cam.
They gladly posed for me.
I was ecstatic to affect children in the streets that way.
I was like an instant big brother.
I was accepted.
The street embraced me.

Six and Half Dragon Boats

Some info:

Make Canon
Model Canon EOS 350D DIGITAL
Software Adobe Photoshop CS4 Windows
Exposure Time 1/250
F-Stop f/8.0
ISO Speed Ratings 100
Focal Length 48/1 mm
Date Taken 2007-02-11 10:00
Metering Mode Pattern
Flash Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
File Size 217 kb

This was from the Dragon Boat Archives.

I will Carry you

For as long as I can.
Do not worry.
Do not let go.
I will be here

Bed of Cards

Some are born in a bed of dough.
Some with a silver spoon in their mouth.
He was lying in a Bed of Cards.

To all you Mothers!

Mother Anywhere, originally uploaded by redhatkeeper.

Mother Anywhere...
Mother Anytime....
Mother Everywhere...
No day offs...
No idea of rest...
Caring, Loving...
Mothering.

This is your day.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Ungrateful You

I served you well.
And now this?
WTF!
--A shoe

I wanna be Rockstar

Where cool people are...
Where groupies flock...
Where you can sing all you want....
Where you can lip sync and get away with it...
Where you can wear shades anywhere, anytime...
Where you can leave everything behind for music...
Where you are wasted, or high, or both, constantly...
....NOT!

Among Crosses

Found this among crosses.
I reflected.
Do you not feel out of place sometimes?
I do.

I am not Clowning Around

I kid you not.
I am serious.

Do you remember your first day in school?

Well I don't.
But I remember the moments on the way.
Separation anxiety.
Fear of rejection.
Excited to meet new friends.
It occurred to me now, I never felt joy.

Like Father, Like Son

I am like my father.
My father like his.
And my son like me.

Sarah+Iren Wedding

I had the priviledge to witness the Civil Wedding of Sarah and Iren.
The Wedding was held in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

Congratulations Guys!

Father and Daughter Tandem

Maxine And Marvin, originally uploaded by redhatkeeper.

The Daughter: Maxine

Marvin Smile, originally uploaded by redhatkeeper.

The Father: Marvin

They have beautiful smiles.

Note: Post-processed high key in mind.

The art of light set up

Turning Japone, originally uploaded by redhatkeeper.

I was studying and practicing light set up under Ken Go(master photographer) back then.
We are five our group.
While the others are shooting using the strobe set up.
I was waiting for my turn.
She called my attention and poses.
She was getting ready for her turn.
I used the available light(window with blinds) to illuminate her with little light creating a 1:16 ratio showing drama.
Sorry, I can't seem to remember her name.