Sunset to a New Year

As the sunset in the final day of the year. May we wakeup on the
sunrise of the coming year filled with hope.
The photo above is the final sunset of 2008 shot using an Iphone.

2008 the year in review

2008 is a good year for me despite of the current economic crisis we experience in the last months of the year below are my recollection of the events that occur to me over the last 12 months (365 days).
- Started the year with a trip back to Manila for a couple of weeks vacation. Spend the first day of the year on a plane.
- Spend a few days relaxing at the Beach have a quality time with my wife and of course did some good photography.
-Did more shoot in my Lomo cam than in digital getting fond of cross processed images.
-Started to get unhappy with my present Job at that time began to think of other alternatives.
-Still continue to work out consistently (at least 3x a week) having lost a significant amount of weight and people started to notice that I'm losing weight which motivates me to workout harder. Getting used  to eating healthy cut down on Carbs and Fat although still pig out occasionally.
- Got a new job offer in another company in another country but still in the Middle East so its time to move on.
-Reach middle age celebrate it alone away from Family and Friends.
-Run my first marathon after 25 years. Running become a new passion along with Photography. So spending my time in Photography lessens.
-Overall it was a good 2008 with some changes happens. Although the year did not finished in good shape I'm still Thankful for the graces of 2008 hope this coming year will be better.

Above the clouds

The photo above was shot using the Camera of an Iphone. The picture quality is acceptable good for an impromptu photo opp when youre out with your family and friends so you can snap souvenir photo without lugging around a big camera. The last camera phone I enjoy using was a SE K70i.
This will be a good alternative for my DSLR specially that I don't
have a P&S digicam.

DUBAI SKYLINE

Been attempting to shoot this picture for the past two years. I was able to achieve this during my recent trip to Dubai. The photo above is the Dubai skyline stretching Sheik Zayed Road from the Emirates Tower Burj Dubai and the Building at Business Bay. I want to take Maricon for providing access at their Project Site to get a good vantage point for this shot.

Grand Mosque

Shot using Lomo LC-A loaded with Konica Centuria film

The biggest Mosque in Bahrain located at the sea side of Al Fateh Highway. If youre going to Juffair from Manama you will never miss this Mosque.
They said this mosque can hold up to 7000 worshiper... that's how big it is.

Index revisited

During my recent weekend trip to Dubai I got a chance to take a shot at the previous project I have worked on.

It seems that there are substantial progress from the time I left the project. The penthouse structure is already completed as what my former colleagues told me major structural works are already completed.

Regarding the works inside or interior of the building I don’t have a slightest idea on the progress as this photo was shot in front of the newly opened Dubai Mall when I visited the place which incidentally will be a topic of my later post.

Salam at Dusk

Shot Handheld using my DSLR set in ISO 800 

This is the photo the ongoing construction of Salam Resort (the project I'm currently working on in Bahrain) at dusk. The structure shown in the photo is the Hotel one of the several structure of the resort which includes SPA, Hotel Villas and Royal Villas.

As the color of the skies blended with the illumination of the Tower Cranes I took advantage of this took a few snaps before heading home to finish another day at work.

Juffair

Shot using Lomo LC-A

This is the area where most of the expats in Bahrain reside. You can find the luxurious flats here and you can also find good restaurants and coffee shops within the area.

Rental are more expensive compare to other part of the city but reasonable.

Gudaibiya

The photo above was shot using Lomo LC-A loaded with Kodak BW400CN

Its Bahrain equivalent of Dubai's Karama or Satwa most of the Filipinos in Bahrain  resides in this area. You can see several Filipino shops even Filipino "Carinderia" style restaurant here.

Theres one place I go in some Thursday night where they serves really good pork barbecue. So after having my Barbecue dinner stroll around the area and take some snaps.

Got it in 16:46

Running at around 1:00 PM in a 5% uphill steep in the middle of the desert with a slight sand storm I was able to clock in a 3KM run in 16 min 46 sec to cover my stage in the Bahrain Marathon relay. It was slower than my training time (I usually clock in between 16 min to 16:30 but I didn't expect running in this type of condition having done most of my training during night time and a relatively level surface but more or less I run in a  stronger intensity.

Since I want to familiarize with the route of my stage what I did is for me to be drop off at the end of my stage and walk and slow jog to the start of the stage as my warm up (so more or less I did 6Km combination of walk,slow jog and run)

It was a fun day and I have a good time at the end of the race me and my teammates gather around and have a couple of Beer I also rewarded myself with my Favorite Pizza it will be back to low carbs diet and weight training next week.

Sunset at work

The picture above was shot from using my DSLR

After a days work there nothing more relaxing than looking at the sunset through my corner office window.
At this time of the year daytime are becoming shorter so I can witness the sunset before I leave the office.

Training for a race

The photo above will be the running shoes I'll be using for training and eventually for the race.

At the end of the month I'll be running again in a Marathon after 25 years, yes 25 years.The last marathon I run was a 5K during highschool.
Now I will run in a relay marathon were our company has entered a team it will be 16 stages were each stage is 3 km so in short it will be a 3K run for each person. Yah its just 3K but the objective of the is to finish it in 15 min or less if you will do the math you have to run with an average speed of 12 km/hr as for me thats the speed I'm running if I'm doing high intensity run
The last time I timed my run I was able to cover 3K in 17:30.
Right now I'm training for the race so its a mix of endurance run and power run for the next 4 weeks and some core works it means no weight training for the meantime.

To Laptop or not to Laptop

The end of Ramadan will be in a few days time, but the day are not yet confirm it depends on the moon as they say. It means there will be a few days holiday. I will take advantage of this holiday to go back to Dubai for a few days stay, to visit my wife and of course to meet up with my friends there.
I got a nasty habit of traveling heavy since I pack most of my stuff I can think of. But not this time, I made sure that I will be traveling light. The first one to go off my list is my DSLR. Ihave  decided not to bring a DSLR on this trip I’ll just bring my Lomo LCA and a couple rolls of film I can always buy film there in case I need more. If I’m not bringing my DSLR there will be other stuff that I don’t need like lenses, extra chargers, batteries and others.
As I'm packing my things as we speak just a few change of clothes my running shoes as I ‘m training right now in preparation for a short marathon I will run (that will be another story). Other stuff for sure I’ll be bringing will be my Ipod, my Phone, the External HDD with the new seasons of TV shows in it.
As I almost complete my packing is I’m still thinking whether should I bring the Laptop or not. There are still lots of space in my backpack but carrying that will be some weight as my objective is to travel really light.
There are still a couple of days to think about it then I can just slip it in my bag even in the last minute. Anyway looking forward to go back to Dubai after a month and a half.

New Apartment

After almost a month, I finally moved out from the Apartment that my company has provided for my temporary accompdation. So I moved in to my new apartment a fully furnished two bedroom apartment with Satellite TV, Internet connection most of all the building has a Gym which I can use for FREE. Incidently I share this apartment with a Brazilian Guy. What I like most on my new place is the location, just a stone throw away from the Supermarket, strip of restaurants nearby including Starbucks and Costa.

Right now I'm enjoying my stay on my new place after a week. I'll keep you updated I will post some pictures after I have the rolls of Film I have are processed which I'm having a hard time finding a lab to do it in Bahrain but that will be another blog entry.

Reaching Middle Age

Its been 4 decades since I was born. Its been full of ups and downs mostly ups I supposed. I think its the most unfamiliar birthdays I have so far. Celebrating it on a new place alone without my friends and family beside me thanks for the advance technology at least they were in touch to send in their greetings and wishes. As they say life begins at 40 so heres to a new life and more blessings to come.

Shooting with Film

The Photo above is my Lomo LC-A and my stash of assorted Film which ironically shot using my DSLR

I've been shooting mostly with Film for the past months using my Lomo LC-A and sometimes the Lomo Fisheye. Because of their compactness which you can bring everywhere, I just slide inside my everyday bag no more heavy gears to carry.

Before leaving Dubai I purchased several rolls of assorted film so I will have a stash in case I will have a hard time purchasing film in Bahrain during my first few weeks here. So far I haven't shoot much except during my walk in the town last weekend while looking for an apartment to stay and incidentally I haven't finish one roll.

Maybe this weekend I'll go around town again to shoot. I'll post the pictures after its processed.

New Project

The photo above was shot using a Lomo LC-A loaded with Fuji Superia Film

This will the new project I'll be working on in Bahrain its a Hotel Resort and Spa located in the Southwest portion of Bahrain around 40 Km from the city its a 1 hour travel from where I live. Right its still in its structural stages this will keep me busy and in Bahrain for the next few years. As always I will keep you posted on its development every now and then.

Check on the photo below to see how far is our project site from where live.

Brand New Day

This is the view as I wake up to a Brand new day in a Brand new place going to a Brand new Work. Things are going smoothly lately hope it will continue all throughout.

Touchdown Bahrain

The photo above is the view from my Hotel Room

I arrived at Bahrain international airport around 8:30 AM local time. There was a long que at the Visa Counter so it took me over 2 hours before I was able to come from the Airport but not before passing by Duty Free to grab a couple of six pack.

Right now I’m in my hotel room writing this post thanks to the complimentary Wifi connection from the Hotel. I might snooze off for a couple of hour then run a little workout at the Gym downstairs then hacve a walk at the city later to see whats on and maybe take some shots. Will keep you posted on my adventure here.

Till then.

Leaving on a Jetplane again

On a couple of days I'll be leaving Dubai to move to Bahrain still here in the Middle East in a little laid back place. It will not be a permanent setup I will still go back to Dubai after a year or two who knows only time will tell. I will leave behind here all the good and bad experience I had in these place. Its a welcome change for me a new place to stay a new work to tackle and some new place to photograph.

I'll keep you posted on my new adventure there as I go along with my everyday life there.

All Wired up

I'll be moving to Bahrain next week so right now I'm packing my stuff which I will bring when I transfer. The stuff I'm packing will be of course my Clothes, a couple of books and magazines (the rest my books and magazine will be shipped to me from Dubai when I'm already settled in).

As I travel one of the things that will fill up spaces of my luggage will be those wires and cables as I bring along some of my electronics I have to bring along those chargers and cables in order to use these things. The Cables consist of Chargers for my Laptop,Camera,Mobile,PSP etc ,USB cables for external HDD, Synch cables for the smartphone Ipod and a lot more. I placed all of the wires and cables in a separate bag that will eat up some space.

I remember one experience at the Airport before when I run my luggage in the Xray machine the security inquire about those cables why I'm carryting lots of it I just told that those are Chargers.

Lets just hope that there will be no more questions about those Cables on the Airport.

On the way to Taiwan

The photos above was the package of the traveler before sending it to the next participant (shot using the camera on my Treo)

The traveler has left Dubai after it stayed here for almost a month. I sent it the other day to the next participant in Taiwan. I'm pretty excited on the completion of this project to see how the photos (mine included) will come out lets wait and see. I'll keep you posted on the developments.

Where the light is

I'm enjoying right now my sudden 3 week vacation before I move over to my new job. I have all the time to do the things I enjoyed (which includes photography but no outdoor photography for now as its really hot to do outdoor activities) like working out in the Gym which I can do now 5 times a week 3 days of Weight training and 2 days of Cardio and also swim a few laps on the pool. I can also now fix, update and tweak my itunes library. 

My latest addition to my itunes library is John Mayer's "Where the light is (John Mayer live in Los Angeles)" I already have 3 of his albums in my itunes library and most of the songs in where the light is but the live versions of these songs made me get this CD.

Farewell

The photo above was one of my last shot of the Index building before leaving the project. It was shot using Lomo LCA loaded with Fuji Velvia and cross processed.

Well I can say its official I'm no longer part of this project. I have my last working day the other day it was 2 weeks earlier than schedule as what should be in first week of August due to some misunderstanding which I rather not go in details. Well as I can say that I substantially completed my task as early this year as most of my final task on the project was to help others in their areas of work.

Its been a good and challenging 2 years of working in this project no regrets and I have learned new things that will help me as I moved on to the next challenge I will face elsewhere in the region (more on that on my later post).

To the people I've worked with and become my good friend Farewell to all of you for now till we meet again.

Yo whats up!!!

The photo above was shot using my Lomo LCA loaded with Kodak BW400CN

This is Joyce think I already posted her photo before, she is my perennial model. I always used her for my shoots whenever I have an entry for a competition, doing some lighting studies or just getting bored at the office.
You may be wondering about the title of this entry its our greeting whenever we see each other every morning at the office.

One of the things I do not like about Dubai beside the humid summer weather is its Public Transportation. There are few buses plying around the city and you have to wait for hours to get one thats traveling the route of your destination chances if its a rush hour you will find your buses fill to the rafter so they will not take new passenger so you have to wait again. They don't have subway or Metro train yet at least for another year until the construction of its first Metro are completed. The best but expensive way to go around the city by public transport is the Taxi.

Aside from that there are a traditional mode of public transport here called the Abra (shown in photo above)its a small boat that ferry passengers from Bur Dubai to Deira across Dubai Creek. Got a chance to ride one after 2 years of stay courtesy of one weekend afternoon walk.

The photo above was shot using Lomo LCA loaded with Kodak BW400CN.

Twin Brother

As I wrote in my previous entry that the traveler is with me right now and still with me for almost a week. I'm just waiting for the advise on when will I send it next so to the other participant who is yet get to hold of the traveler just stay put our baby is just fine sitting side by side with his twin brother.
To all of you who don't know I happened to own a camera same as the traveler a lomo action sampler so took a photo of the twin sitting side by side.

The Traveler reaches Dubai

After 2 years of waiting I finally the traveler has finally reach me. I'm planning to get the process as quick as possible be shooting this afternoon if the weather is good as you know at this time of the year in Dubai its sandstorm everyday and its so humidly hot not a good time for outdoor photography. Anyway I'll try to wrap it on Saturday the latest so I can send it to the next participant.


The crappy photo of the traveler is from my Treo since there are no digital camera handy when I receive it.

Whats keeping me from Shooting

The photo above is one of the pair of Dumbbell I own and used in case I wasn't able to workout at the Gym which seldom happens as I go regularly for the past 10 months. For the past months it was a break in Photography were most of my free time were spent in the Gym. But I was able to regain my shooting groove courtesy of a back injury which sidelined me for a while from working out. I manage to finish some rolls of Film (by the way I shoot more with Film nowadays with my passion with lomography). There are few more to be finished and process I'll post the pictures once its processed and scanned.

Getting my groove back

Its been over a month already since I pick up my Camera and did some serious shooting and even doing some snap shots with my point and shoot digicam even with my Lomo cameras. The last time I post some pictures on my online gallery was last February 16 and those pictures were shot during the first part of Feb. There are some unfinished rolls in my Film SLR and I just recently finish a roll in my LCA which I load during the last week of Feb. Its not that I lose interest in Photography I just cannot explain why I’m not shooting for the moment. I usually experience this every year when there are months that I just don’t feel it like shooting.

The photo above is one of the photo in my recently completed roll of film thanks to the trip to the beach early Friday morning which I managed to finish the roll. Hopefully in the coming days I will get my groove again and came up with some photos.

Around the world in one camera update

Its almost two years when I joined a project called "Around the World in One Camera. In case you don't know whats this project all about.

"The whole idea is to create a photo album from images taken by 36 people from around the world using the same “travelling” camera and a single roll of film. Every participant will receive the camera by mail along with a notebook. Using that camera the participant will take a photograph of anything he or she wants and will have to submit a short note, explaining his or her choice of what has been photographed. When it’s done, the camera will be sent to the next participant. The whole process will be repeated until the roll is done."

When i joined this project I thoought it will be over in a few months or less than a year but it took a long time before the traveler (as what we call the camera we are using) to reach other user. We also thought that last year that the project will be a failure as the traveler was lost for a few weeks only to resurface again. Now we have to start the project again. Just got an email from the organizer of the project that I'll be next in line to have the traveler and shoot so I'll get a hold of it in a few weeks will keep you updated when Its i my hands already till then.

I'm back at Dubai once again after a 26 days vacation in the Philippines. It was one hell of a travel back which started on the hassle I have on the Airline check in counter at the NAIA. After queing for over 30 minutes when its my turn then when I way my check in baggage it weigh a 29 KG so I'm over the limit the lady on the counter asked me to lessen the weight of my check in baggage so what I did I switch the clothes in my hand carry to some of the contents of my check in baggage which consists boxes of "pasalubong". We weigh it again 25 KG but this time the kind lady in the counter let it go. So she gave me my boarding pass when I'm about to leave the counter she told me that she will put a Tag in my hand carry bag which is my Backpack where my MBP laptop is kept and the other one is my Camera Bag which carries 1 DSLR body, couple of extra lenses and my Lomo LCA. When I gave my bag to her she told me she has to weigh ...... 13KG the limit is only 7KG for hand carry I was surprise that they have to weigh hand carry bags nowadays. I travel to and from Dubai since 2006 and its my first time to encounter that they are weighing hand carry baggage now. Back to the lady in the counter she asked me to remove some of the contents of my hand carry baggage to met the allowable weight I politely told her that I cannot remove any more contents of my bag. I told her I cannot leave my Laptop and Camera behind so she let me go I greatfully thank her and left the counter to catch up with my flight. The flight went okay except that I have trouble sleeping so I just watch a couple of onflight movies. Then after touching down in Dubai and completing other requirements for re-enter i passed by the duty free shop at the airport and pick up a couple of 6 pack for me its one of the legal way to get liquor in this country. Then another hour of queing for the Taxi I reach home around 3:00 AM only to get up at 6:00 AM to go back to work.
Today its back to the office the rest of the working day was spent reading emails and other correspondence that piled up during my absence.
So its back to reality once again.

Approaching the end of the 2nd week of my 3 week annual vacation here in the Philippines. I have 1 more week to go to enjoy and do some unfinished business. So far the last 2 weeks was Fantastic went to Boracay for 5 days for some relaxation. Have some couple of photo shoots with some friends. Since my schedule are not that hectic unlike in Dubai I have a chance to do some personal project but using my Lomo since its easier and safer to carry a small camera unlike carrying a bulky DSLR which is also not safe when walking in the streets of downtown Manila. Next week I'm planning a whole day walk in Manila maybe riding the 3 line of MRT. The photo above is one of my Favorite photo I shot during this vacation the other photos which I posted so far can be seen here