Latest Photos

This was the collage of the photo session I did last week. What makes me excited about having this self portraits is that, I always learned something new every time I did my session. The difference with this was I used a beauty dish together with the softbox. The lens used was 50mm also which I haven't really tried using much. I wanted to see how it will looked like. It was a challenge.

One thing I've discovered also, the monolight's sensor can trigger using my nikon's remote control. I've never realized that it could be possible. So the lighting this time was too low. But I've realized there was a mistake in my part using the ttl on my camera's built it in flash. I haven't tried putting it off. I will take that as a no no for the next pictorial. At least this mistake will take me something better photography and lighting next time.

Crazy Obsession

There are many things to get obsessed about. It could be anything. Mine is with photography. I did study a little bit on it's basic and apply it for real. This year I attempted to make it more fun by buying the home studio kit for pictorials. I saved months to get it from my extra income. I hope I could get more from the latter these days. I am really hoping that they could get me some work again.

Anyway, I am thankful with the extra money I have I was able to buy some of the things that I need from my obsession. So to give you an example of my accomplishments for 3 weeks here are the photos:

June 11

June 18

June 25

I am hoping for the next pictorial would be someone else and I am already thinking about it. But it's good I try it out myself first and apply it to other people. I am crossing my fingers that the next one will be something fun and more colorful.

Headshots

I have been obsessed lately about self portraits particularly head shots. Mind you, it's not that easy because head shot is pretty technical. You have to emphasize the eyes. I did most of my shot hand held. At times I could have shaky hands and retakes of shots are a great number. But as one of my friend had said, I am very patient with this thing. Yes, I do. Definitely I am hooked to this.

It helped me get to where I am now is by being resourceful and read several online photography ideas and websites daily. I never get bored. There are so many artistic ways you need to learn. With all my curiosity, I subscribed a few training online. Price are not that much as long as you know what website to go to. I will keep it a secret for now. I would let you find it yourself. It also depends on what level of expertise or interests do you have.

The photos below are shots that has been edited using the new knowledge I've learned from my training. It's a success to see a very big difference to my raw files using the acquired skills and technique. I am glad I come across with this new strategy. I hope you like the photos.

Latest Photo Edit

It was last week that I overly got a little bored and feel so down that I just grab my camera and started doing self portraits. I read a few times on how to do it but it wasn't really set up professionally. I just have the camera on top of something in a coffee table set the timer while in my hand I have the remote control laid on the couch and took the pic. Just one picture turned out okay the rest are bad. But I took for more shots handheld checking the lights in the room and took different angle shots of my face. I had a good one.

Below are the photos and I did some photo retouch through PP:

Learning my own Portraits Shot

If you are a friend that I know for long, you would not wonder the many pictures I posted in here. It is because photography is just one of the hobby that I am really into and I could never get bored. I had been doing just ordinary photos before through film that cost me a lot of money for the good and the many bad results. There was no mentor and no books to read. I just go with what I feel and shoot hoping for the best ones but majority, it didn't look like those professional pictures taken in studio. What I learned from that experience is not on the quality of pictures I got but the memories behind the photos. Those things had been on going until I got married and not so happy with my photos. The shots were great but there was just no editing on the bad pictures. Until then, I got hooked with photoshop and photography itself. It's almost 10 years now but I only learned some few shooting tips when I bought my Nikon D80 year 2008. From that time on, I never really tweaked my camera. It was last year when I said I need to make the most of my camera. I bought some books and read some stuff online. I did learn in day to day basis. I had lots of bad pictures and with that I got frustrated at times and it's helpful in learning how to take better ones.

Anyway, there are many fields in photography and areas of interests. What I am into is portraits. So I started buying some accessories to build up my gear so I can do some portraits shot and learn by it as the shots progress. For today's event, I got my umbrella, its bracket and reflector. I only use the umbrella and bracket with the SB-600 flash and just the kit lens using Nikon D80 body. Here's my shot for the day.

HDR Photography First Attempt

While I was in Hawaii few weeks ago, I was into reading HDR. I have some readings on it and so I wanted to apply it while on vacation. I thought I could get more scenery and more time dealing with my camera. In the end I didn't get much as I would have want to but I am already glad to be able to use what I have known base on my readings. I have 3 that I have made. These are all in Oahu, Hawaii.

This is my very first attempt at night. During the firework display. We were waiting the night to swept by while the building lights were turning on one light at a time. It was lovely to being there.

This is my 2nd attempt. It's a little bit overexposed but it's good for a firs timer.

This is the 3rd attempt the very same day where we had the tour. This was taken at Blow Hole.

Photo Edit

Yesterday, Eve my friend from Australia talked over voice chat in yahoo messenger. Our topic went a long long way. She's so much fun to talked to. With our friendship, we just happened to see once. But the one night event were we crossed our paths gave us a very good impression. Until this very month, we haven't seen each other in person. The friendship we built for few years could be a lifetime. Out of her request, she wanted me to edit something for her. The following photos are mixed of a professional and a glimpse of my friend's profile. Photo editing is one of my passion. The photos below are my very first try.

Dream Camera

I love taking pictures. Every occasion and events I always love to take that special moments with me through photograps. In my entire life I owned 4 cameras. Two is from Minolta and 2 from Canon. The two Minolta's where given from my mom but I don't have it anymore. It's those film camera used back then. The first camera I bought was Canon Sureshot WP-1. I was so happy to buy this camera back then. Though it was quite bulky, the features of this one made me happy that time. You can't imagine how many photos I took with this one. Also the compilation of Albums I had which somehow was destroyed when I checked back the last time I visit home in the PI.
The second canon I have is the one I got as a wedding present. It's a Canon SD400 5mp. This time not a film but digital. No worries on film just to worry on the batteries life and the number of shots per SD. I remembered the moment I grabbed it in my hand. I was in the kitchen with my dad-in-law looking at the beautiful bouquet I have where I got no pictures of it. We were talking that time to have them keep it or preserved it for me I should say. Then hubby all of a sudden gave me a bag of box. He surprised me with this gift. I was so happy and I took pictures of the bouquet that I left that day in my in-laws house.


This 3rd picture is not a Canon but one of the products from Nikon. I have heard so many good reviews with this. It's a Nikon D80. Many amateur and starting photographers are using this. My wedding photographer in Cebu used this camera and the quality of pictures he took it at the occasion was so beautiful. That is the time where I am loving to get this. Maybe someday, have to save first or if lucky can get this for a gift. LOL!

Learning Css

It has been years that I am fascinated to know how to make a website or know how to read the codes. I have a little bit of background in HTML by studying in a short course program at ACT - Cebu. I studied it but I wasn't sure enough if I could use it. It was a 2 months program learning to know MS office, Html, troubleshooting and java scripts. The program was too short that the coverage only features the very basic. I never got to really go into deep studying. All I just wanted was to know the basic.

When I got here, Friendster, Myspace, Multiply are introducing CSS. It was tough to know it at first glance. There are codes to get familiar into, how to manipulate it to your liking. I tried to change my lay out but still I don't know far and deep on how to really personalize my page or customize it the way I wanted it to be. Up until today, I am on and off learning. I had bought books to learn but didn't get to really use it by heart. I wish someday I can be familiar the codes, alter and make my very own page.

Yesterday, I make my own banner and footer. I used photoshop, not too creative enough but its clean and neat.

Make up trial

Since hubby is working very hard this weekend due to the project that he needs to do before the trip. And with no luck at SS, I am browsing again some free video tutorial at youtube. I found a make up tutorial. I was looking for some of my pictures that I am not wearing make up. Well, at most times I don't. I saw this recent picture and give it a try. It took me time to internalize all the details and with no school background in Photoshop, I made justice to my first try. Here is the pictures and see the difference.

My own Photo Collection

I haven't been progressing on learning about photo editing. Days are just hard at times when you mixed it with work and personal chores. From time to time when I have the chance, I make one something out from an ordinary picture with just a 5mp canon digital cam. I am hoping to get a better more powerful camera. I can buy it if I need to but for now there's no need for it. I will just have to stick on what I have. Besides, it is still functional and works fine. If in case, I could be needing one I am hoping for a higher mp like 10mp or more perhaps. I wish to find a better means of saving just for that alone. It is not because I don't have savings but I don't want to spend what I have now just for an extra pleasure. I rather want to spend when I don't worry about where the money goes. For now I am still counting of loosing it not having the pleasure to buy it. So I have to deal first with the old cam. I hope there will be one day when I can get what I really wanted.

Here are the photos I made this past few months:

I made to create my own background. It is quite hard to imagine certain backgrounds that you have in mind. But I just go with the flow when I make mine. So far I am liking the simplicity and cleanliness of my creation. I don't know if you could agree with me but this is just how I feel. LOL!

Ocean Ripple

Bare with my enthusiast on technical stuff in using Photoshop. I am delighted to see myself getting more ideas and create some of things that it's in my head for awhile. I am no expert. An amateur of this digital imaging. With no mentor at my side, just researching online and read my books in my spare time, I made justice to my time. I am happy that day by day I learn something new.

Below is the ocean ripple and wind filter I am using. It is so cool to use this tool.