Creating images from objects you usually overlook

After reading the blog of one of my Mentors in Photography Jo Avila. I challenged myself to produce an image without leaving the four corners of my room using objects or things that just in front of you and usually overlooked. What I came out is some screw driver bits randomly arrange it on my work table opened up the window beside it for some light and viola another image on my personal collection. What I learned from that article on his blog and from this exercise is that you have to create an image out of mundane objects if you just exercise your creativity. Will be doing more of this exercise and posting the pictures for the mean time I'm thinking of what will I produce next.

Joys of Life.

One of the many Joys of Life indulging yourself with Good Coffee and your favorite Doughnuts on a weekend afternoon while surfing the cyberspace.

This photo was shot by the camera of my spanking new Treo 680 (So photo a little bit crappy).

This year will mark that I'm into Photography for a Decade. Starting as a enthusiast then a Serious Hobbyist to a Semi Pro. But now I'm back into a serious hobbyist being busy with office work ( But I still welcome commisioned work if there will be oppurtunity). Four years ago I started to put my photography works online creating online galleries to show others my works and for others to criticize my works in order for me to improve more.
But nothing compares to seeing my photos in print. Eversince the digital technology started to Boom I seldom have my photos printed except for the one that is worthy of printing. But everytime I print some of my photo I still feel the excitement when getting my prints from the lab or waiting for it on the printer.
the photo above (not sure if Iposted this before) was taken in Kuala Lumpur around 1997 when I was still working there and starting to take Photography seriously with my first SLR.

Marsha the Cat

The Photo above is Marsha a Persian Cat. Pet of our next door neighbor. I'm not really into shooting Pets as its hard to get a good portrait of them as they tend to wonder from one place to another. Here one of the few frames I shot with her.

Festival of Sports Photo Exhibit

Just want to invite all of you (If youre base in Dubai) to take a look at the "Festival of Sports Photo Exhibition" being displayed from 11 March till March 31, 2007 at the Crescent Walk, Dubai Festival City participated by different Sports Photographer base here in Dubai and Iternationally.
Been lucky that couple of my entry were included in this exhibit One of them shown above.

This is Joyce a Good Friend and a Colleague. This picture was shot while waiting for our bus one evening after work. She has her shole with her so I ask to put it over her head to have a Middle Eastern theme. She is always a willing model in fact I have a couple of entries in our Camera Club with her as my model.

Tennis

There are 3 international sporting events I dream watching Live. NBA Basketball Game, Formula 1 racing and Grandslam Tennis Match. Got a chance to watch the third one not exactly a Grandslam Tennis but an ATP tour. Was able to watch the Quarterfinal matches of the Dubai Open Tennis Championship featuring Tommy Haas, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in seperate matches. Was able to take a good seat plus arm my Camera with Telephoto lens was able to take a good shot of the action.

You can see more photos here.

Its Blocked Again

Just came back from a month vacation in the Philippines. When I went online to check on my Flickr Gallery to my dismay when I found out that Flickr is banned again in UAE after they lifted the ban few months back damn just uploaded some of the pictures i shot during my vacation I just upload it before leaving Manila.
I just hope that they will lift the ban again in the near future for the meantime just looking for alternative.

Regatta

rowing
Originally uploaded by mondp.

Shot of the Philippine rowing team during their afternoon practice at Manila Bay. I intentionally included the barge in the picture to give you the Manila Bay environment.

Quiapo Church

Been planning/trying to shoot this church for quite sometime (4 years to be exact) have a chance to do it recently during my vacation and I make a trip to Hidalgo St. to get some photography stuff (for those of you not from the Philippines Hidalgo is the Photography haven in the Philippines which incidentally have its Facelift last year more on that later).
this is my version of the Quiapo Church its one of the oldest church i the Philippines it just celebrated its 400th year last month I make this in B&W which is my concept for this shot. I was able to take a couple of shots and this one of the picture I came out which is my favorite for this series of shot.

Taal Volcano

taal volcano 002.jpg
Originally uploaded by mondp.

Shot this during our trip to Tagaytay recently while having my vacation in the Philippines. This view is from the viewing deck juist outside Starbucks.

Fisherman

fisherman 002
Originally uploaded by mondp.

I shot this late in the afternoon at a Fishing Village in the province of Batangas 2 hours south of Manila.

Janel

janel 002
Originally uploaded by mondp.

A portrait of wife's Niece.

Trying to finish all the stuff I have to do at the office before I'll go on a month vacation back to Manila. I'm quite excited about this break it means seeing again my Family, Friends and got to dine in some of the resto I missed while I was here in UAE.
Everything is all set. Bulk of the things I will carry will be mostly gadgets I'll be bringing both of my Film and Digital SLRs plus couple of lenses, my laptop and even the dock for my iPod. Plus the barage of cables, chargers and storage device that will go with this. I will post some of the photos of this trip till then.

Welcome 2007 (Better Late than never)

Well Better Late than never Happy New Year to all may we all have a fruitfull year ahead of us.

Breaking the Record

Ten Years ago it was Kuala Lumpur with the Petronas Twin Towers . Now its Dubai turn to break the world record in having the tallest building in the world with Burj Dubai (photo above). I have the oppurtunity to witness the construction of these two skyscrapers.
I was involve in the Construction job of the Retail Podium of the Petronas Twin Tower. Just working below this building so I have the oppurtunity to go to the top floor.
I always see Burj Dubai since its near to where I workk so i passed by that structure everyday so I took time to take a snap of it and hoping I will have an oppurtunity go to its top level oneday. Currently the Construction are on its 93 rd level what is rumored to be 180 floors well till now they haven't confirmed on how tall this skyscraper will be. Lets just wait and see.

Seasons Greetings

Wishing you all a Blessed Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.
Thank you very much for taking time to visit my page.

Caroling in the ME

One scenario I missed during the Christmas season here in the Middle East is children singing Christmas Carols (Caroling) in front of your house or in your car during traffic stop in exchange of giving them loose change.
Well I didn't missed it completely as the next door kid together with his cousin go in every room in our place to do some caroling there are only four rooms iin our place so they sing in every room like 4 times.
Suddenly feels like your home again. Well before giving them my "Aguinaldo" as they say it back home I took a couple of snaps at them.

I just want to greet everyone who have time to read my blogs for the past year a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

My Top 11 Photos for 2006

Shot in a Desert in UAE

I started it last year where I show my top 10 photos of thr year now I'm showing you my top 10 Photos in 2006 actually its 11 just having hard time till the final minute to choose on which photos I will drop so I decided to post the 11.

A view of Dubai Creek by night

One of the many Mosque in UAE

Creek Park, Dubai

Somewhere in our neighborhood

Most of the photos here were shot in the UAE with a photo shot in Manila. Photos here are a mixture of Digital and Film (Yes I still shoot in Film even in the Digital days ) shots. And these were from my personal project and arrange in Ramdom order.

Portrait of a Friend

Portrait of CJ

Burjuman Plaza, Dubai



A street kid in Manila Bay



Somewhere in Dubai


In a Desert somewhere in UAE

Honorable Mention:

I also included a couple of picture though thay don't rank in the top 10 or 11 but they are pictures that are shot using my Cellphone so i thought to include them as honorable mention.

Macro this time

My first crack in Macro photography in years. Well I didn't even used a Macro lens (shame,shame,shame) but one of my Mentors told me before that he was able to do Macro photography for several years using a Close up Filter. So I used one to give it a try for my first subject I use what most of Macro Photographer used a "Flower". I have to photograph this flower early in the morning (on the way to work actually) because this flower wilt in the afternoon and have some fresh one when morning comes don't know the name but its similar to the Yellow bell but obviously its not Yellow so for sure its a different name har har har.
Well what do you think?