Puso, Kaluluwa, at Mga Bola

Was at the Conservatory [Manila Peninsula] for the Kobe Press Con.
Was at Barangay Pakisama, Taguig, where Kobe  played with some  kids.
Was at High Street, the Fort, where Kobe answered a few Qs, met up with some kids again, then gave away a couple of autographed Nike basketballs.
Was at the Araneta Coliseium, where Kobe teamed up with some UAAP All-Stars in a 20 minute exhibition game vs the Smart Gilas Team.

Now, have a ton of JPEGs of the Black Mamba.  Of course I'm eager to post them BUT I'll postpone that in the meantime.  A few UAAP entries will come out first, then a few Azkals vs Brave Reds pics [July 3 match].  And even before those are these three OLD, behind-the-scenes photos.

DLSU Lady Archers

One for the Road.

This was taken after a FEU-UST Finals match at Ateneo after the DLSU girls claimed a few UAAP Season 73 awards.  Their next visit to the Ateneo after this would then be on Season 74.

U.P. Fighting Maroons

. . .And another one . . .

Taken on the same afternoon as the  DLSU photo.

Just before hopping into their cars, these footballers from Diliman,

gave me a few seconds of their time.

TJ Manotoc, Henry Atayde, Rick Olivares, Boyet Sison

Rarin' to Go

I snapped this one at the Panaad Press Room about an hour before the

Azkals-Mongolia match [we won that 2-nil], last Feb.9.

Irrelevant, stale images ??  Certainly not. What might seem generic snapshots are actually nice photos with a lot of Heart, lottsa Soul, Balls, and "Libog".  These pics belong to my Favorite Photos Folder.  

"Fire in the Belly", "In Your Face", "In the Moment", "Sucking it Up", "Chutzpah", "Panalo!!!" -- there are many words that come to mind when I look at these.  FUN moments, fleeting as some of them are -- but blogworthy enough for me - I simply had to post them sooner or later [even though they're old pics].

Rick Olivares, JC Intal, Bianca Gonzalez, Boom Gonzalez

Parting Shot

This was literally the LAST photo I took yesterday night after the Kobe Bryant event at the Araneta.  A few moments after this I packed up and went home.

Yeah !! My kind of Snapshot !

Though it would be unrealistic for me to expect ALL my impromptu-on-the-spot group shots to be like this all the time,  once I sense that "something" is there, that vibe in the people I am about to shoot -- I just throw in a few words, do a few gestures -- and if the subjects have "it" or are "in the moment" it just happens.  A collective growl, smile, stance, even a dirty finger, a Kung fu pose, a "come and get it" or "take me, I'm ready" or a "showdown" pose -- or whatever -- like I said, it just happens -- then I just have to be quick and sharp  --  cause there are no retakes - It's either I get it or not. 

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I'm Actually Glad It Rained

July 9, would the FIRST time ever for me to actually watch [and photograph] the UAAP Opening Day Ceremonies.  This time, though, 'twas going to be a risky one.  Rain was the only thing on the menu.  Host Ateneo, as Mr. Palou mentioned  at the July 4 UAAP Press Con,  would be prepared none the less.

That rainy first half experience at the Azkals win a week previous was still fresh on my mind on that Friday evening, July 8, I just couldn't help but feel frustrated, knowing that more likely than not, the opening would be a wet, wet, wet one.  Well, just have to deal with it - I thought. 

In hindsight, now, looking back now on Saturday [Even though I lost A WHOLE LOT of potentially Good Images due to a technical oversight - Bad Trip, Bad Day at the Office] - I am somehow weirdly thankful it rained.

Rain & Mud put a totally different dynamic [drama] to the UAAP Opening Day Ceremonies.  The more difficult the shooting conditions were the more one had to adjust [quicker], and to be more resourceful.  The Unexpected can make one a better photographer - That's what I say - if one Learns from it, that is.

BUT, enough of that.  It's over and done with at this point.  Those who attended will probably remember the event for different reasons.  Maybe some dancers will remember the "fun" of doing their routine  under the rain, with mud on their feet, some organizers might never forget many anxious moments, maybe one or two photographers will regret not having prepared for the rain, some might have even regretted attending in the first place -- who knows.
Everyone of us will have their OWN favorite and not so favorite moments from that afternoon, [Fortunately, as a photographer, I get a chance to capture the moments I like {and then some}] Well, point is -- different strokes for different folks.

Now, if it's down to my four favorite photos, er, I mean moments - They would be: a shot of some UST UAAP Basketball jocks passing in front of me, a shot of some Lady Eagle UAAP Volleybelles with their light blue umbrellas, a shot of the Ateneo Choir singing and some cadets holding a huge Filipino flag, with the image of Jose Rizal on a big screen serving as a backdrop, and snap of Bianca Gonzalez. [Who knows, one of these days I'll get to meet her, and make on-the-spot portaits] 


All in all, Saturday was real stretch for me because of the weather but in some weird way I'm glad that it rained.

 UST Growling Tigers Melo, Kevin & Jeric

V-League Champs Fille, Alyssa, Gem, Natasha, Carol, Gretchen & Denise.

 The Immortal Atenean, Jose Rizal.

Bianca Gonzalez --- True Hues of Blue.

 Greg Slaughter -- Leading the way Fourward.

 Sponge Cola -- "Soaking" it all up.

A "drizzling" routine no less.

 

 July 9, 2011 --  Fire and Rain.

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Family Snapshots [No game faces here]

A day after the Azkals-Brave Reds match, though I could spend a whole day at home, taking my sweet time editing JPEGs, and in between playing PS3 games. Turns out the UAAP Press Lunch was to be held at The Topaz Room at the Gateway in Araneta center on that day. 

Seeing my media colleagues again, having a catered lunch, getting souvinier tees, getting primed for Season 74 [Opening Day ceremonies were to be held 6 days later at the Marikina Sports Complex], possibly making  new acquiantances, and of course taking photos [this time I brough a handy cam too], having some participating hoopsters from all the 8 Universities all together in this salo-salo of sorts is something a sports photographer and die-hard UAAP fan like me simply couldn't miss. Not only that, being relatively new to the UAAP Basketball circuit, it would the FIRST time ever for me to attend such an affair.

There are only a small handful of hoopsters that I address by their first names - JaiR, SimonA, EmanM, JustinC, ChrisC, AlexN, LesterA plus acouple more guys that I occasionally have small talk with.  I call Boom  Gonzalez "Boom".  I address TJ Manotoc as Mr. Manotoc.  I don't want to be "presko". That's just me.  Maybe, after Season 74 I can have a couple of more acquiantances in the UAAP "family"- and so the more fun it'll be for me come any UAAP event.  My media colleagues, those guys, I call by their first names of course.

Botom line -- Archer, Bulldog, Eagle, Falcon, Maroon, Tiger,Tamarraw, or Warrior -- hoopster, footballer, swimmer, volleyball jock, or softballer -- die hard fan, coach, TV crew, photographer, commentator, writer, referee, -- all have roles to play in making the UAAP work, promoting  different sports, while upholding the Ideals & Values of the league.  I look at it as one big family, where school fanaticism gives way to sportsmanship and fair play, where concern for one's ego gives way to teamsmanship, where one doesn't have to know everybody, - one just has to do his part the best one can - in order for the league to stay healthy, [also for some organizations to generate business] and for everyone to be better athletes, photographers, trainers, TV producers, students -- at the end of each day. And if one makes a few or a lot of friends along the way - Great.  Even better.

Here are some RANDOM snaps from that lunch.

 Jerich [Ready as he's ever gonna be]

 U.P.'s new courstide reporter [a looker no less]

Simon [On his last playing year]

Kirk [Keeping the faith] 

Chris [Jay-R look alike].

 Janus & Lester [Proud . . .

 Alex & Jeric  . . .Falcons]

 Coach Austria [Enjoying the moment].

 Coach Altamirano [Cautious optimism?]

Coach ["Itagalog mo na lang"] Flores.

 Coach Codinera [Now a Warrior]

 Coach Pido [Hands down, the most humorous of them all].

 Mr. Hard Ball himself  [Boyet, the Sison]

 Asst. Coach Trillo [Light moment]

Mike Gamboa  [Still haunted by Season 73's nightmare?]

 Mike Silungan [Time to move On].

 Coach Black [Looking Fourward].

 Coach Pumaren [Rarin to go]

 Coach Dandan [Break the streak Coach!].

I just love this guy !  Must be great to have a few beers with Coach Pido.

 Joey Villar [Grizzled columnist].

 Bacon [In focus].

 The Dynamic Duo [Terence & RR].

 Once more, for the photogs.

On the eve of the UAAP Board decision -- [Bobby P Jr.-2nd fr the right]

Will this Bulldog be let out to play ?

 Mr. TJ Manotoc [Take five].

 U.S.T.'s new courtside reporter

[She's on the cov of the latest issue of Sense & Style].

The Board [An unguarded moment].

The Ball is in your Court, Gentlemen.

 [Roughly 2 years ago, It was Mr. Richard Palou 

who gave me my first Official UAAP Media Pass - for soccer]

Gotta thank this man, Mr. Olivares, 

for giving me a lot of Opportunities.

[I wouldn't be where I am now if not for Rick]

Someone once said, good company makes any meal a FEAST.

Rightfully so.

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Flagrancy Photographed

Above is a 4-Frame sequence of the Sri Lankan foul on Stephan Schrock.  This tackle earned the Azkals a free penalty kick, which Phil Younghusband promptly converted, to seal our 4-0 triumph over the Brave Reds last Sunday.

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P.S.

AFTER a few postings dealing with UAAP Season 74, I will release my PHOTOS of the 4 GOALS by the Azkals.  Those points were netted by Chieffy Caligdong [Goal #1], Phil Younghusband [Goal #2], Angel Guirado [Goal #3] , and Phil Younghusband [Goal #4].  Abangan.

A Few More

Here are a few more photos from the match.

What the the Sri Lankans sorely lacked in their home game vs the Azkals

--People Power--

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