Sa Pula O Sa Puti ?

When I accompanied Media Officer Mr. Rick Olivares and his assistant ,Ms. Mia Domingo, at the Mizuno store at Magallanes, after lunch earlier,  Mizuno General Manager Paolo Cagalingan showed me the complete outfit Team Azkals will don this Sunday.  It's all white. [They wore dark blue last Wednesday at the away match].  Logic says the Brave Reds from Sri Lanka will wear red.

Head to Toe - In Mizuno White 

['cept for the socks]

 Close Up

L- R Mizuno General Manager Paolo Cagalingan, Mizuno President Lovell Gopez,

Mr. Rick Olivares, & Ms. Mia Domingo  --- All Smiles !

Siyempre, para sa  PUTI tayo sa Linggo.

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Sel - A [Sizzling] Sight for Sore Eyes

A little past 10 a.m. today, I arrived just in time for the PFF LOC Media Briefing at the Rizal Memorial Media Office. [This was in prep for the July 3 Azkals vs Brave Reds match].  Right of, I saw Media Officer Mr. Rick Olivares, who was holding the briefing, along with Cathy Rivilla, up front.  Promptly seated myself and listened. Off course, there were familiar faces all around - there were unfamiliar ones too.  Among the new faces I noticed was this girl beside Mark Sambrano [whom I met way back at the Iron Man at Cam Sur last year] of GMA 7.  Newbee, I thought, maybe, no matter -- She was a looker.  After a brief chat with Mark [pasimple lang] I eventually met her -->"Thistle" Guevara, or Sel, for short..  Brief intro, gave her my card , the routine - media talk -- -whatever - asked her to visit this 2 week old blog - asked her about her job at ABC 5 - and so on and so forth.  Then, I had to attend to my missing ID. Soon enough though we were all out on the Rizal pitch checking out where each one might be situated during the Big Match.  'Twas very hot, hardly a cloud in the sky, and I think it was close to 11-11:30 by that time.

Before taking the group shots of the Media Guys,  I promptly told them to be aware that the sun was casting very unflattering shadows below their eyes so that they could make the "adjustments".  

One can only do so much in certain situations but I always try to get a little more SOUL from my subjects EVERY single photo I take. Press release, snapshot, portrait, stolen shot - I need SOUL in my pics -- I want SOUL in my pics -- and though I know I won't get it all the time [reality check] -- 
At least I try to.

The media group shot, I took in the middle of the football field, can be viewed at bleachersbrew.blogspot.com.  Wether I will eventually post some of the other group photos here in my blog, or not - am still undecided.  But there's this one photo that you'll never find at that blog.  And it's an impromptu/spur-of-the-moment available light portrait I took of a once unfamiliar person --> Sel.

--- Just a Sec !! --- 

A young lady news correspondent on a blue seat on a Sunny Day in July.

Love it !  Hope you do too Sel !

Thank you for your time.

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The Spirit

What is a "Contact Sheet" ?

Loosely defined, A contact sheet is a hard copy analogue photo print having the positive image from a few strips of negative film [color or black & white]. All the strips coming from the same roll of film.

 This contact sheet is an [8 x 10] print [as per contest requirements] which I entered in an Absolute Vodka Photo Competition [Asia] years ago.  Now, how did i compose this mosaic of sorts or photo puzzle, -- for lack of better descriptions ?  Well, I sketched a "compre" first and figured out how the layout of the individual frames, based on the shot sequence and arrangement of the six strips of negatives [each strip had 6 frames each] would eventually combine to complete an image of a bottle.  Having done that, laid out my colored crepe paper sheets accordingly, set up the Absolute Vodka bottle, waited for the right amount of sunlight -- then, with my sketch beside me, stood firmly on one spot, and patiently took one shot at a time then glancing at my sketch before taking the next one -- until I had taken all 36 frames.  I used Fuji 35mm ASA 100 Color Negative film.  Then had the film processed, specifically asked the film roll to be cut in 6 strips [w/ 6 frames per strip]- and requested that the strips be laid out according to my sketch - hence the resulting Contact Sheet.

Never expected my mosaic/puzzle to be seamless because I did not have the appropriate lens,  and even if I did -- it would still have been EVEN MORE tedious.  I felt that even an approximation of a complete bottle would be enough for my creativity and originality to show.  Then after achieving that image, challenged my creativity again and tried a few more photo interpretations of the bottle.  [I actually had about 5-10 bottles].

I went as far as photographing AV bottles silhouetted against open flame, air-brushing an AV bottle with military camouflage color patterns, gluing a small scale model [authentic, off course] of the Space Shuttle.  Had a shot of an AV bottle where the background is my air-brush shooting some flames towards the bottle [like a minature military flamethrower !!].  Was so into it, I simply tried every idea I thought off.

The prize money was big.  Yet, it was also the challenge of creating a Good Advertising Image of the AV bottle that drew me.  All that Effort, Time, Money and a whole lot of prayers that at least I could get an Honorable Mention, a 3rd Place or even a 1st place , Why not ? Baka makatsamba. 

That hoped for phone call or notification Never came.  So, said to me self - 

At least you tried to outdo yourself, accepted the creative challenge and just did your best  - No regrets -  now -  That's the Spirit.

P.S.

About a year or so after that contest, I bumped into an acquiantance of mine, who used to work with the marketing arm of Absolute Vodka.  She claimed to have been present at the last few deliberations among the judges leading up to the final selection of the winners.  She stated that from about a total of 5,000 entries, my Absolute Vodka Mosaic made it to the Top 25, then was eliminated.

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Late Monday Afternoon

After 8 jeepney rides, 1 LRT trip, and 4 bus rides - it was nice to get back home by 4:30, having been able to finish all my errands. By 5:30 or so, having unwound already, I made an unannounced visit to a neighbor [and good pal], who, by the way, recently became a father only last May 14, and requested to get a few more portraits of his little baby.  The sunlight was fast fading but it was enough.  The breeze was soothing and the little one just happened to be awake.  Time to bring out the 105mm howitzer -er - I mean --> lens, I thought.  And after about 10-20 clicks,  got exactly what I requested for - 
a few more portraits.

Andrew F. Garcia

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My Sundae Best

In recent months, more often than not, Saturdays and Sundays would find me in a stadium, arena, or football field ->shooting sports. The next 24-48 hours would then keep me busy editing photos from the just concluded weekend. - after which I'd come up with a very select few [really good photos] to add to my growing portfolio. These "Best Of" photos could be very few in some cases [not good] or they could be a lot [better].  Bottom line is -  I have to have produced some GOOD photos, at the very least, every weekend.

Today was a lazy Sunday [need that occasionally] - no shoots.  Brought my parents for a couple of chocolate sundaes at Jollibee.  Usually, it's a simple snack [sometimes at Chowking or Shakey's],  brief, and uneventful.  [My dad's 85 and my mom's turning 89 next month - They celebrated their 62nd Wedding Anniversary last May - Everything's pretty much in slow mo!]  Brought their yaya to assist them when they walk [ever so slowly].  And as always, took my SLR w/ me, expecting the usual "generic" snapshots amidst the Jollibee crowd. 

Thing is, while waiting for our sundaes, I noticed a just vacated corner table beside the window.  There was a dark blue wall which I thought would be a better background than customers walking to and fro. There was a wide window pane with the 2:30 afternoon sunlight coming in.  A Jollibee waiter then graciously pulled down a transluscent shade that diffused the direct sunlight.  Then Viola!!  ---[Being very observant when it comes nuances of available light]  I knew that I had, unexpectedly,  an "improvised" studio light w/ a softbox, in the form of sunlight diffused by a window shade. Right of, I knew I could go beyond my "generic Jollibee snapshot". Before the sun had a chance to change her mind, I composed an image in my mind, then proceeded to take a couple of tight shots, using my 105mm lens, all the while talking to mom, and trying to illicit a few smiles - then, I was done.  I just knew I had one of the best portraits of my mom in years. 

They were oh so SIMPLE, yet there was something I could feel even just by looking at my SLR LCD dispaly.  There was a sadness in her smile, a humility, a vulnerability or maybe something else -- that really hit home.  It was just a nice feeling to have captured it.  It's not the "jumping-with-joy" type of happiness,  It's a different kind. but equally, or even more gratifying.  

[Why spend so much for a studio shoot when one can achieve even better results on location and  "on-the-spot"??]  No denying I absolutely love sports photography but I also Absolutely Love Available Light Portraiture.

 

That little corner at Jollibee.

Portrait of My Mother.

I Love You Mom.

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From LCD to Football Field

Sometime late last March, I, alongside several members of the media and Azkal manager Dan Palami, Coach Michael Weiss and PFF President Nonong Araneta - were  gathered around a laptop [that was around sometime 4:30 p.m.- of the opening day of the Suzuki U-23 Nationals at U.P., Los Banos]   awaiting the results of the official draw which would determine the next opponent of the Azkals in the World Cup Qualifying Rounds.  With bated breath, we waited and anticipated, in real time, for the results.  Soon enough, the Sri Lankan flag appeared beside the Filipino flag. [third from bottom]  So the writers all started composing their articles, after which . . .

 

 

. . .a few Q & As between Mr. Palami, Coach Weiss, Mr. Araneta and the media followed.  As for me, I took a few more photos,  unwound , then took the trip home with some media colleagues.

Front - Left to Right:

A rep from Suzuki [Suzuki shirt], Eilleen Esteban,Suzuki PR Officer [fuschia cap & bag],

Mia Domingo [printed blouse], Celeste Flores [blue blouse], TJ "Balita"[yellow shirt], 
KC CRuz [white printed shirt]

Rear - Left to Right:

AJ Bolando [black shirt], Team Manager D. Palami, Coach M. Weiss,  PFF Head N. Araneta,
Sid Ventura  [w/ glasses], Diego de la Paz [blue shirt],  Mark Escarlote [light blue shirt]

In about a few days from now, the Azkals will be slugging it out in the "away" game at Sri Lanka, and next weekend, July 3, will battle the same Sri Lankan team in the "home" game at the Rizal Memorial.  There isn't much for me to say at this point. I'm just as excited as everyone else.  Just have to be ready.

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Wet, Wet, Wet

In keeping with the inclement weather, I decided to post some  'Rainy Day Soccer Shots" from my Sports Archive.  These are a few of my favorites.

At Colegio de San Agustin   [Southridge vs San Agustin]

At the Ateneo [Mama Africa vs La Salle]

At U.P., Los Banos [Iloilo vs Laguna]       [above & below]

  

At De La Salle Zobel  [Southridge vs La Salle]

Rain dramatically alters the dynamics of any soccer match.  The heavier the downpour, the more mud and puddles you have.  For the athletes,  control of the ball becomes almost impossible and the risk of injury increases tenfold.  For me, it is more of a challenge than a problem.  Images tend to soften. On the other hand there are more graphic elements to play with.   It is also a chance for me to use my pro "rainsleeve'"which keeps my camera dry.  I can stay out in the open and shoot as if it were a sunny day.  

As long as my equipment is in good shape,  [I couldn't care less about getting soaked]    --->I can concentrate on my art.

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