If you're not a Beatles fan but loves music in general, give the playlist a listen and you may just get hooked to the remakes of the songs of the great English band.
Music Playlist at MixPod.com
Music Playlist at MixPod.com
Monday, April 11, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
My Top 10s +2: The Beatles (part 1 of 2)
Plus two tracks to make it 12 of my favorite Beatles songs. I just love their songs! Enough said. I just can't help it, I'm a Beatles addict and I just want to share.
Music Playlist at MixPod.com
Music Playlist at MixPod.com
Friday, April 8, 2011
My Top 10s: Most favorite movies of all time.
I have a lot of favorite movies. Ironically, I am not a movie type of guy, at all! I rarely like to go out and watch the latest movies, or watch movies, period. To the few movies that catches my interest, one thing important to me is cinematography, then the plot and acting.
So here are 10 of just some of my most favorite movies, with 1 liner comments from yours truly.
Casshern
A story about war, love, hate, and revenge; a movie of visual feasts of colors and moods.
2046
A colorful sci-fi drama of characters with broken hearts and broken lives.
Bangkok Love Story
Love knows no boundaries, and transcends through time, undying.
Cape No. 7
A light, feel good movie to warm your heart, make you smile and feel mushy inside.
Trainspotting
A movie about heroine addicts and the choices they make.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
An extraordinary drama about two brothers; this movie broke my cold wall between me and my younger brother. I can relate so much to this movie.
Dancer in the Dark
You will love your mother more after watching this film. Warning: this movie is very depressing.
Letters from Iwo Jima
I never appreciated such talent and drama in a war movie until I have watched this film.
House of Flying Daggers
How far will you go for love, how will you fight for it?
Across the Universe
A feel good musical that will leave you singing to the songs of the Beatles.
So here are 10 of just some of my most favorite movies, with 1 liner comments from yours truly.
Casshern
A story about war, love, hate, and revenge; a movie of visual feasts of colors and moods.
2046
A colorful sci-fi drama of characters with broken hearts and broken lives.
Bangkok Love Story
Love knows no boundaries, and transcends through time, undying.
Cape No. 7
A light, feel good movie to warm your heart, make you smile and feel mushy inside.
Trainspotting
A movie about heroine addicts and the choices they make.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
An extraordinary drama about two brothers; this movie broke my cold wall between me and my younger brother. I can relate so much to this movie.
Dancer in the Dark
You will love your mother more after watching this film. Warning: this movie is very depressing.
Letters from Iwo Jima
I never appreciated such talent and drama in a war movie until I have watched this film.
House of Flying Daggers
How far will you go for love, how will you fight for it?
Across the Universe
A feel good musical that will leave you singing to the songs of the Beatles.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
To my brother...
I never talked about you to anyone. I never was proud of you. I never wanted you in the first place. Everything was full of hate. I was full of hate, all I've given you was hate and pain. As you grew up and as I become older, I was not any bit wiser.
I hated you for all the wrong reasons. It wasn't your fault that our lives were in the dumps, that we grew up not knowing where our next meal would come from. It's not the son's fault that his Father was a sinner (after all, we all are). It's not your fault that we had to suffer from your Father's carelessness or lack of care and responsibility in the first place.
You were born when I was 7. I had to take care of you while mom was out looking for a job, or when she finally had one, I had to stay home and look after you. As you grow older and we continue to move from town to town, city to city, looking for cheaper houses to rent; I had to juggle being your older brother and earning from the streets. It was hard, the long walks, the hot sun, the shameless yelling and peddling, carrying that basket of good from across town. It wasn't easy being the eldest, and you know what? It wasn't easy to hear you cry because you don't have any milk. It broke my heart yet I can't do anything, kuya was not able to sell enough goods to buy you milk. Whenever you had asthma attacks, it was never easy to see mom burst into tears not knowing where to get the money to buy your expensive medicines. It was never easy for me thinking that you would suffer and die just because we didn't have any money. If kuya have been older that time, I might have crawled my self into prostitution, but no, I wasn't. I was only a kid and I didn't know what to do.
Your father died when you were only a baby. Mom was devastated, but I was happy. It was one of the happiest moments of my childhood life. We did survive without him, and was happier, at least I was.
You grew up like any ordinary baby to a toddler, to a young kid. Until I noticed you can't speak well. Mom never knew regarding my thoughts about the matter, but I was worried that you were sick. As you grew up, the manifestations of your mental shortcomings began to show. Not long, you were diagnosed with MID (Mild Intellectual Disability). Mom purged all her money to your checkups and schooling. While I... In silence and in my head... Wanted you to be as normal as you can be.
You gained medals in school that your kuya never had in his academic life. I am proud of you for taking care of mom as I went away at age 18. 'though you did ran away when you were younger and was lost for three years, you were miraculously brought back knocking to our tiny apartment's door one day.
How I wish you can read well, so you can read this letter of mine. Telling you how sorry I am for not being a good brother to you. I am proud of you, bro. You and mom will never go hungry again, neither of us will. We will lead better lives and you will be a better boy. Kuya will always be here, as I learn to let go the of the hate I had and learn to love you more.
I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused.
Andito na ang kuya.
I hated you for all the wrong reasons. It wasn't your fault that our lives were in the dumps, that we grew up not knowing where our next meal would come from. It's not the son's fault that his Father was a sinner (after all, we all are). It's not your fault that we had to suffer from your Father's carelessness or lack of care and responsibility in the first place.
You were born when I was 7. I had to take care of you while mom was out looking for a job, or when she finally had one, I had to stay home and look after you. As you grow older and we continue to move from town to town, city to city, looking for cheaper houses to rent; I had to juggle being your older brother and earning from the streets. It was hard, the long walks, the hot sun, the shameless yelling and peddling, carrying that basket of good from across town. It wasn't easy being the eldest, and you know what? It wasn't easy to hear you cry because you don't have any milk. It broke my heart yet I can't do anything, kuya was not able to sell enough goods to buy you milk. Whenever you had asthma attacks, it was never easy to see mom burst into tears not knowing where to get the money to buy your expensive medicines. It was never easy for me thinking that you would suffer and die just because we didn't have any money. If kuya have been older that time, I might have crawled my self into prostitution, but no, I wasn't. I was only a kid and I didn't know what to do.
Your father died when you were only a baby. Mom was devastated, but I was happy. It was one of the happiest moments of my childhood life. We did survive without him, and was happier, at least I was.
You grew up like any ordinary baby to a toddler, to a young kid. Until I noticed you can't speak well. Mom never knew regarding my thoughts about the matter, but I was worried that you were sick. As you grew up, the manifestations of your mental shortcomings began to show. Not long, you were diagnosed with MID (Mild Intellectual Disability). Mom purged all her money to your checkups and schooling. While I... In silence and in my head... Wanted you to be as normal as you can be.
You gained medals in school that your kuya never had in his academic life. I am proud of you for taking care of mom as I went away at age 18. 'though you did ran away when you were younger and was lost for three years, you were miraculously brought back knocking to our tiny apartment's door one day.
How I wish you can read well, so you can read this letter of mine. Telling you how sorry I am for not being a good brother to you. I am proud of you, bro. You and mom will never go hungry again, neither of us will. We will lead better lives and you will be a better boy. Kuya will always be here, as I learn to let go the of the hate I had and learn to love you more.
I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused.
Andito na ang kuya.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
4:59 A.M. April 05, 2011 Tuesday
Yesterday, after reading several blogs, browsing photographs and reading stories about Humanitarian Photography. My passion to reach out and give back to society is further fueled. Even back when I was still in college, I have been wanting to somehow give back what I can to society. Back then, I would volunteer to teach for free to computer illiterate adults and teenagers in the towns surrounding our school. The most fulfilling moment at that time when this mother approached me and said how much she appreciates my time and effort in teaching parents like her, her kids wouldn't help her learn the basics on how to use a computer, but I did. I usually taught a class of 15 to 20 heads per session, I did this in between classes because I had a 2 hour gap from one subject to the next one. When my friends go to the mall and hangout, I chose to teach in whatever subject I can, that time was about computers because I was a Computer Science major. It was a small thing compared to what a lot of dedicated individuals do for their cause and advocacy, but it was a small step to touching the lives of others and helping the illiterate become skilled individuals, or simply, how to use a computer and to do productive things on it.
Now that I have something to use as a tool to reach out and show the world, my craft, photography... Will be the catalyst for reaching out. Reaching to those who are in need, to see their lives, to see their happiness in spite of their struggles. For me to let those who can help, help them lead better lives. By showing them the beauty and the brokenness of the hearts and lives of those in need. I am not visioning this endeavor to someday become famous or to profit from it, no. Simply because it has a personal impact on me. I witnessed and experienced poverty first hand. Now that I have something to give, I want to help those living in poverty, to be helped at, to be heard, to be seen, to dream, and to fulfill those dreams.
When I was diagnosed with HIV, and finally came out from a short stage of depression. I wanted to reach out to other newly diagnosed individuals, that this condition is not a death sentence, but a new lease on life. During my first few trips to San Lazaro hospital, I saw in their cramped rooms in the H4 ward, dark faces and fragile souls. I saw how heartbreaking the final stages of AIDS were. I saw people in beds so fragile and thin, it's like their soul was taken out from them. I cannot bare to look at them in the eye. As my visits to the hospital became regular, the sight of the sickly people became normal to me. I wanted to talk to them, I wanted to reach out. I want to hear their voices and their stories, the battles they fought through the stages of this condition. I know that someday I will be in one of those beds, so while I am this strong now, I want to hear the stories and share them to the rest of the world. For the uninfected to understand, and see what we are going through, most of all, that many of my co-infected are living in poverty, that they have no access to medicines; because not all medicines for people living with HIV/AIDS are free. I want the world and the people of our country to know that they need help, and we need prevention.
Storytelling through photography will be my medium for my vision.
Now that I have something to use as a tool to reach out and show the world, my craft, photography... Will be the catalyst for reaching out. Reaching to those who are in need, to see their lives, to see their happiness in spite of their struggles. For me to let those who can help, help them lead better lives. By showing them the beauty and the brokenness of the hearts and lives of those in need. I am not visioning this endeavor to someday become famous or to profit from it, no. Simply because it has a personal impact on me. I witnessed and experienced poverty first hand. Now that I have something to give, I want to help those living in poverty, to be helped at, to be heard, to be seen, to dream, and to fulfill those dreams.
When I was diagnosed with HIV, and finally came out from a short stage of depression. I wanted to reach out to other newly diagnosed individuals, that this condition is not a death sentence, but a new lease on life. During my first few trips to San Lazaro hospital, I saw in their cramped rooms in the H4 ward, dark faces and fragile souls. I saw how heartbreaking the final stages of AIDS were. I saw people in beds so fragile and thin, it's like their soul was taken out from them. I cannot bare to look at them in the eye. As my visits to the hospital became regular, the sight of the sickly people became normal to me. I wanted to talk to them, I wanted to reach out. I want to hear their voices and their stories, the battles they fought through the stages of this condition. I know that someday I will be in one of those beds, so while I am this strong now, I want to hear the stories and share them to the rest of the world. For the uninfected to understand, and see what we are going through, most of all, that many of my co-infected are living in poverty, that they have no access to medicines; because not all medicines for people living with HIV/AIDS are free. I want the world and the people of our country to know that they need help, and we need prevention.
Storytelling through photography will be my medium for my vision.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
A practical guide on choosing a DSLR (Canon bodies only)
There so many options for potential buyers out there, whether one is a beginner or an advanced enthusiast or perhaps a professional. So many brands and models to fit a lot of budgets. For me, I chose an entry level body that fit my budget that time, with features that I think are enough for my needs and a camera body that will grow with me as my skills improve. I will definitely buy lenses in the near future, but a body? That will depend if my shooting style will be more demanding.
Here are things to consider before swiping that plastic card or withdrawing a hefty amount of bills from your stash. The tips are more focused on first time photography enthusiasts and first time DSLR buyers.
1.) Why do you want to have a DSLR? - This is something that you may want to think of first before buying one. A DSLR body ranges from prices of around P25k for a sub entry level body, to around P35k-P45k for an entry level body, around P50k-P60k for a mid level DSLR, and P70k up to P400k for professional levels. Why you want to have this type of camera is important because you don't want to spend a significant amount of cash for something that you will just use occasionally. Unless, you have very deep pockets.
2.) What and where are you going to shoot? - This will be more about lenses, but camera bodies will have something to say too. If you are going to shoot sports or you want to freeze a single moment out of something that is happening very quickly like in sports, rallies, performance, festivities, or anything that involves a lot of action, you may want a body that shoots a lot of frames in a single second. 3.5 fps(Frames Per Second) is enough to freeze a moment in most parties, but that is significantly slow in sports and capturing news as it happens. You may miss a lot of good shots with only 3 frames per second, some entry level cameras are like that. The higher the level of the camera, the faster they shoot, meaning the more frames they can capture in a second, except for the case of the Canon 60D. the Canon 60D's fps speed is slower than it's predecessor the 50D, slower than the 7D (of course), but a bit faster than Rebel cameras (like what I have). Another thing to think about in what do you want to shoot is outdoor exposure, how often are you going to shot outdoors? Are you going to shoot in the moist outdoors of the mountains, or perhaps in any extreme weather conditions of any given place? Then you may want a body that is weather sealed. The more expensive cameras in the Canon line with 1 digit model numbers are the cameras for you, the bodies are made of magnesium alloy and are weather sealed, meaning you can take photographs under a drizzle, out in the fog, and the body is not afraid of a little splash here and there, but take note; being weather sealed is different from being waterproof.
3.) Budget - How much are you willing to shell out for a DSLR body? Remember, prices go down as the years go by and as new models come out. If you want a camera now or sooner, consider your budget.
4.) Usage - Similar to some statements in numbers 1 and 2. Usage is something to consider. Are you someone who can see something else in a particular scene that nobody else does? Do you like pretty pictures and wants to have his own set of pretty pictures too? Do you see photography as an art form and you want to express your feelings? Are you a photojournalist? Does your job require you to have a camera that can take a lot of beating through rough assignments? If you are new photography and looking for your first DSLR body, do you see yourself as an advanced hobbyist or an enthusiast sometime in the future or perhaps a professional photographer somewhere in the future? If you are not new to photography but considering your first DSLR body, what's your budget and what and where are you going to shoot?
4.) Read reviews - You can learn a lot and compare . Below are some websites that offers excellent camera gear reviews.
However, with all the above statements, it all boils down to skill and talent. Having the best DSLR body one can buy does not usually equate to great photographs.
Here are some resellers of photography gear for your guys to check out.
Gadgetgrocery
DP Online/JT Photo
Henry's Camera
Remember, it is not always the tool, but how you use it.
Here are things to consider before swiping that plastic card or withdrawing a hefty amount of bills from your stash. The tips are more focused on first time photography enthusiasts and first time DSLR buyers.
1.) Why do you want to have a DSLR? - This is something that you may want to think of first before buying one. A DSLR body ranges from prices of around P25k for a sub entry level body, to around P35k-P45k for an entry level body, around P50k-P60k for a mid level DSLR, and P70k up to P400k for professional levels. Why you want to have this type of camera is important because you don't want to spend a significant amount of cash for something that you will just use occasionally. Unless, you have very deep pockets.
2.) What and where are you going to shoot? - This will be more about lenses, but camera bodies will have something to say too. If you are going to shoot sports or you want to freeze a single moment out of something that is happening very quickly like in sports, rallies, performance, festivities, or anything that involves a lot of action, you may want a body that shoots a lot of frames in a single second. 3.5 fps(Frames Per Second) is enough to freeze a moment in most parties, but that is significantly slow in sports and capturing news as it happens. You may miss a lot of good shots with only 3 frames per second, some entry level cameras are like that. The higher the level of the camera, the faster they shoot, meaning the more frames they can capture in a second, except for the case of the Canon 60D. the Canon 60D's fps speed is slower than it's predecessor the 50D, slower than the 7D (of course), but a bit faster than Rebel cameras (like what I have). Another thing to think about in what do you want to shoot is outdoor exposure, how often are you going to shot outdoors? Are you going to shoot in the moist outdoors of the mountains, or perhaps in any extreme weather conditions of any given place? Then you may want a body that is weather sealed. The more expensive cameras in the Canon line with 1 digit model numbers are the cameras for you, the bodies are made of magnesium alloy and are weather sealed, meaning you can take photographs under a drizzle, out in the fog, and the body is not afraid of a little splash here and there, but take note; being weather sealed is different from being waterproof.
3.) Budget - How much are you willing to shell out for a DSLR body? Remember, prices go down as the years go by and as new models come out. If you want a camera now or sooner, consider your budget.
4.) Usage - Similar to some statements in numbers 1 and 2. Usage is something to consider. Are you someone who can see something else in a particular scene that nobody else does? Do you like pretty pictures and wants to have his own set of pretty pictures too? Do you see photography as an art form and you want to express your feelings? Are you a photojournalist? Does your job require you to have a camera that can take a lot of beating through rough assignments? If you are new photography and looking for your first DSLR body, do you see yourself as an advanced hobbyist or an enthusiast sometime in the future or perhaps a professional photographer somewhere in the future? If you are not new to photography but considering your first DSLR body, what's your budget and what and where are you going to shoot?
4.) Read reviews - You can learn a lot and compare . Below are some websites that offers excellent camera gear reviews.
However, with all the above statements, it all boils down to skill and talent. Having the best DSLR body one can buy does not usually equate to great photographs.
Here are some resellers of photography gear for your guys to check out.
Gadgetgrocery
DP Online/JT Photo
Henry's Camera
Remember, it is not always the tool, but how you use it.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Binondo - Intramuros (Solo) Photowalk (part 2)
Here is the second part of my Binondo -Intramuros photowalk. I started at 2 PM, walked around Binondo, got lost, found my way, and then walked to Intramuros until I exited near Manila City Hall. I was done with my photowalk around past 7 PM. My legs and feet were so tired that night. I ate dinner in SM Manila, watched a movie (I forgot what movie that was, it was an action movie), then went to see a friend afterwards. When I got home at around midnight, I was so tired I slept on the floor.
Fort Gate
Sigaw ng Bayani
Kawala
Black Sky
Sky Blue
Street Walkers
The Spanish House
Night Walker
White on Black
Manila City Hall
Fort Gate
Sigaw ng Bayani
Kawala
Black Sky
Sky Blue
Street Walkers
The Spanish House
Night Walker
White on Black
Manila City Hall
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