tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29385365277648675692024-03-19T05:41:16.048-07:00X-FactorSachi Villareal Photography BlogSachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-48565017900155843982009-06-24T07:27:00.000-07:002009-07-27T18:59:25.278-07:00I'm moving<span style="font-size:180%;">Thanks everyone for coming over and taking a journey with me.<br /><br />I am moving to my new and improved blog site, I hope you'll tag along.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.sachivillareal.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">http://blog.sachivillareal.com/</span></a><br /><br />See you there!<br /><br />Sachi</span>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-11988777179413153782009-06-12T12:23:00.000-07:002009-06-12T12:26:38.005-07:00NYC Basic Photography Workshop<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV88NUOFB_tPyzjw7f7bzW-JT8-E9z6V_OStYoEj6WN9uDpgv0Sm2qTnFDWFRICtoBO-W1gVudpSgT7OcA0pbhk5sRtrxYliBibABVEgLMIz8zS7Ul48PpA1wljE2euX-r5cEljq7Ys0/s1600-h/tn_49182626.IMG_5211.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV88NUOFB_tPyzjw7f7bzW-JT8-E9z6V_OStYoEj6WN9uDpgv0Sm2qTnFDWFRICtoBO-W1gVudpSgT7OcA0pbhk5sRtrxYliBibABVEgLMIz8zS7Ul48PpA1wljE2euX-r5cEljq7Ys0/s400/tn_49182626.IMG_5211.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346524598007516194" border="0" /></a>Please join me for an afternoon of photography as we walk around NYC and some of my favorite haunts to shoot in Manhattan. This is a great opportunity to learn the basics of photography and to spend the afternoon in the city with friends and people that have the same passion for creating beautiful images.<br /><br />I will discuss topics such as<br /><br />- The camera and the eye<br />- The lens<br />- Real world photography techniques<br />- Aperture priority<br />- Shutter speed<br />- Mixing them both for accurate exposure<br />- Composition and developing creativity.<br /><br />and much more<br /><br />I believe the best way to learn is to take more photos rather than talk about it. I will be your personal coach instead of your professor, we will as a group, critique and share ideas. This would make the afternoon more spontaneous and fun, and will unleash your creative eye.<br /><br />I will only accept a maximum of 10 people, so please let me know as soon as you can.<br /><br />Date : July 25 at 2:00 PM with a rain date of Aug 1.<br />Meeting place: TBD<br />Fee: $40 for four to five hours<br />Equipment needed: Digital Camera with the ability to control Aperture and Exposure. (Digital SLR and Point and shoot welcome. This is about photography not just the camera)<br />For more info and to reserve a spot: contact me at 201 647 9533 or email me at: sachiweddings@gmail.com<br /><br /><br /><br />Hope to see you there!<br />SachiSachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-13630460967272412882009-05-16T06:20:00.001-07:002009-06-10T14:16:49.349-07:00Wedding Photography - The Ceremony: Part 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0N69Gpm43N7sssBOfMjqjn0TK_-Y-V4J-1fQTtjt3SAozOXugPxOrKHicbYIvA_96gYAHPHCM7kQrtLszBK_q76VtwNmt-jrDAY0lnQgxTYE8WhM0MNwFa_ym6yoSmcZV1590b756Xc/s1600-h/tn_Cerem+%2827%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0N69Gpm43N7sssBOfMjqjn0TK_-Y-V4J-1fQTtjt3SAozOXugPxOrKHicbYIvA_96gYAHPHCM7kQrtLszBK_q76VtwNmt-jrDAY0lnQgxTYE8WhM0MNwFa_ym6yoSmcZV1590b756Xc/s400/tn_Cerem+%2827%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341057562079608706" border="0" /></a>This is it, the most critical and important part of a wedding day. The mantra here is "be prepared". The ceremony is a test of a good photographer, you have to be both technical and creative. You have to work fast but remain calm and focused.<br /><p style="font-weight: bold;">Do your homework</p><p>Scout the venue (If you have time you can even scout the area days or months before)</p><p>Know what the rules of the church or venue ahead of time, there are some that won't allow flash or even let you near the altar.</p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Check your equipment</span><br /></p><p>Make sure your memory cards are formatted. If you use dual bodies, check to see that the time and dates are synchronized on both (This would help out a great deal in post processing later). Always have a backup! I have two flashes, Two or three camera bodies a lot of memory cards and dual flashes as well. On one of my camera I have the Canon 17-55 2.8 IS lens, this takes care of my wide to moderate telephoto and on my other camera the Canon 70-200 2.8 IS lens for a longer reach and great bokeh to isolate my subject from the background. So with this two, I can cover a good range of photos. I have left in my bag a fisheye lens, if I want to go really wide with a different twist and the Canon 35 1.4 if I want to do natural light without flash.</p><p><strong>Check your Setttings</strong></p><p>When you are at the venue ahead of time, meter the ambient light inside the church or the venue, so you have a good idea of what settings you need to use on your camera. Measure for exposure and white balance, so you already have a mental note of your settings before the ceremony begins.</p><p></p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8I5TK7-FkSWezxPQSLpCUvi6HgpbE8l6ZKm0VWuXf4vYfOYhUd9AcegjUsg0Y-WPhXTLMQVYgKYhAmX5UdPj1_Ol590HzMatQWdHFLiEsgAZOxmJ48ttaSPqYf81XK4RgAUUWQojAVGE/s1600-h/tn_Cerem+%2848%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8I5TK7-FkSWezxPQSLpCUvi6HgpbE8l6ZKm0VWuXf4vYfOYhUd9AcegjUsg0Y-WPhXTLMQVYgKYhAmX5UdPj1_Ol590HzMatQWdHFLiEsgAZOxmJ48ttaSPqYf81XK4RgAUUWQojAVGE/s400/tn_Cerem+%2848%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341057721440452866" border="0" /></a><strong>Observe the light</strong><p>If shooting inside a church, observe the light patterns inside. Are there light from windows, doors or mostly incandescent artificial light. This would guide you if you can shoot with or without a flash. If you decide to use a flash, do you have high ceilings or neutral colored walls in order to bounce your flash from? I usually have a flash on my camera at this point, you never know when you'll need it (again be prepared). I usually tone it down a stop or two and just use it as a bit of fill light or catch lights for the eyes.</p><p></p><p><strong>Wedding shot list</strong></p><p>Although I shoot "photojournalistic" style, it's good to have a mental guide of some shots for the wedding, but always put your personal vision into your photos.</p><p>- The processional.<br />- Father giving away the bride.<br />- Bride and groom exchanging vows.<br />- Ring ceremony.<br />- The kiss.<br />- Bride and groom coming up aisle.</p><p><strong>Emotions...emotions...emotions</strong></p><p>Let's face it, most of the time ceremonies are solemn formal occasions. There is not a lot of action and you can't interrupt the flow of the ceremony to pose or direct your clients. There is something that you can find a lot of in the ceremony though and that is the abundance of emotions, from the look of the groom when he first saw the bride coming down the aisle, tears from the mother, the dad giving away her daughter or smiles and sniffs from friends. Observe and anticipate these fleeting moments, this is the mark of a photojournalist at work.</p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgzmA6p7cbIC_cVSlkb7JuI-KncDvocRS4OG8GqhUIleXAy096BFVjqr9XB9DKxl07790zLzwVkHAjL51YVRmKDCxYsF3bSNg7yw19HVYce32jdNQCiACZam-B3VeU53MXn32cNBsXEU/s1600-h/tn_erincry.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgzmA6p7cbIC_cVSlkb7JuI-KncDvocRS4OG8GqhUIleXAy096BFVjqr9XB9DKxl07790zLzwVkHAjL51YVRmKDCxYsF3bSNg7yw19HVYce32jdNQCiACZam-B3VeU53MXn32cNBsXEU/s400/tn_erincry.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341058035505230386" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OZbI3TqAcXJZszsMcbVO4MPVf9bgSTMBuO_Q7K4pvJ00G_1iJ-Zyeqp5ewqsWJxoCLTcQt2-rrqHgsWoAk4GDBIe-8uB-hpHLT5l6za0Bp6BUQdrzEYVCSPvo6xNihwb9dAw5Oawr3s/s1600-h/tn_DawnR-7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OZbI3TqAcXJZszsMcbVO4MPVf9bgSTMBuO_Q7K4pvJ00G_1iJ-Zyeqp5ewqsWJxoCLTcQt2-rrqHgsWoAk4GDBIe-8uB-hpHLT5l6za0Bp6BUQdrzEYVCSPvo6xNihwb9dAw5Oawr3s/s400/tn_DawnR-7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341058227977147010" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgPxJ9NwFk73VaUTqQbJFpSyMqstXu7Zz-X2cOmfD5X9P4LEw6O0-itnW4BQ8x86oc4OnPU7dA3I_dV9yE4I1psak33oHegmIp51nKNQjvQlyFi6Fku3w9lEeqTfD1AkPbB62OQAqGh0/"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgPxJ9NwFk73VaUTqQbJFpSyMqstXu7Zz-X2cOmfD5X9P4LEw6O0-itnW4BQ8x86oc4OnPU7dA3I_dV9yE4I1psak33oHegmIp51nKNQjvQlyFi6Fku3w9lEeqTfD1AkPbB62OQAqGh0/" alt="" border="0" /></a>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-73721133572206801482009-05-08T11:57:00.000-07:002009-05-29T13:40:27.758-07:00Wedding Photography: The Preparation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfFyJehVKK75vsRi7J4ouJ4kvueUrE8rCrv1iDQnTmm0njbf-aku2tXwLSa1m1Ll_OAED9NiKZcnlYhc44OLmWQbs6PEAikZj7VDdcdbxiGHo2kgvOczULs5IibouObE-p1sZwvovT8c/s1600-h/tn_tn_Prep+%2837%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfFyJehVKK75vsRi7J4ouJ4kvueUrE8rCrv1iDQnTmm0njbf-aku2tXwLSa1m1Ll_OAED9NiKZcnlYhc44OLmWQbs6PEAikZj7VDdcdbxiGHo2kgvOczULs5IibouObE-p1sZwvovT8c/s400/tn_tn_Prep+%2837%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334740127370412786" border="0" /></a><strong><em>Tell a story</em></strong><br /><div><br />I like to tell a story when I shoot a wedding. In that way, my photos flow like a romantic novel or a movie as the day goes on. It has a bit of drama, lots of action, laughter, comedy and the occasional horror stories :). It is up to the photographer to tighten up the script.<br /><br /><strong><em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Details... details</em></strong><br /><br />The preparation phase is a good opportunity to take photos of details that you might not have the time to shoot later and will add a supporting role to your story.<br /><br /><br />Here is a suggested list of what you can shoot:<br /><br />- Rings<br />- Coins<br />- The Wedding Gown<br />- Shoes<br />- Invitation<br />- A Watch and suit for the groom<br />- Flowers<br />- Whatever else tickles your fancy and has a special meaning to the person: cuff links, earrings, bracelets, cellphone etc.<br /><br />A lens with a good macro capability would be excellent for these shots so you can let the viewer see the details of say, a beautiful shiny ring.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyultdR3FrV9-6R0Ei9_fNwS7DywNZ9JadqrFNLGkqgnwRSNUmhjPkknlHvYJlFjFl0eW8mN4lPvQ2qdiu4khPR1NZuZxgzcjLBppGXGPp2IU01l2uerDiwZiEWB-aD5lT_5fVPy6gjU/s1600-h/tn_tn_KPrep+%2845%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyultdR3FrV9-6R0Ei9_fNwS7DywNZ9JadqrFNLGkqgnwRSNUmhjPkknlHvYJlFjFl0eW8mN4lPvQ2qdiu4khPR1NZuZxgzcjLBppGXGPp2IU01l2uerDiwZiEWB-aD5lT_5fVPy6gjU/s400/tn_tn_KPrep+%2845%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334740254834277074" border="0" /></a><strong>Tip:</strong> Don't just shoot the details by themselves, shoot them with the person too, like the groom donning his suit. Pictures of the bride with the bouquet. A hand holding an invitation etc. The pictures would appear personal and interesting.<br /><br />Add creative lighting. Sometimes I use a small flashlight to create dramatic lighting for detail shots.<br /><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEC6wsXRk89F98hv7WxFiUx1drVAuIaW1tJ7V_QZgsBuVaxhIZGpX7UbpQmhWrY2bjpFpXorZon8Q9EWzeKkSfBNzRpCuM_gR6J2sPLxMKQRmKkGuyvFxN1WsoRboZCBUzobsNDzZGRb4/s1600-h/tn_tn_mirror2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEC6wsXRk89F98hv7WxFiUx1drVAuIaW1tJ7V_QZgsBuVaxhIZGpX7UbpQmhWrY2bjpFpXorZon8Q9EWzeKkSfBNzRpCuM_gR6J2sPLxMKQRmKkGuyvFxN1WsoRboZCBUzobsNDzZGRb4/s400/tn_tn_mirror2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334740474550398690" border="0" /></a><strong><em>Be Candid...</em></strong><br /><br />This is a good time to shoot candids as well. The preparation can be busy and hectic, especially if the bride has her makeup done in the hotel room with the rest of the entourage. So get out of the way!<br /><br />Grab your favorite wide to mid-range zoom and be a reporter, just let things happen and keep your eye on the viewfinder. My favorite would be the Canon 17-55 2.8 lens. I like to shoot wide angle for situations like these where the room is cramped and at the same time, a wide angle forces you to get close to your subject, making your pictures feel intimate.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_w4hTGVefuj3OCev7ewclmMJsvJWFxmn1m2zQNMD89NJSDqOJLkCm9Mu1UBU3RxJji7ozmE3PWDvzxRowYvAjQ8iu2pSGtIH7YVv18TT3zjNP3WabR6VrOgsRK2DWLL_l6Y21yZGPhpA/s1600-h/tn_tn_DawnR-64.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_w4hTGVefuj3OCev7ewclmMJsvJWFxmn1m2zQNMD89NJSDqOJLkCm9Mu1UBU3RxJji7ozmE3PWDvzxRowYvAjQ8iu2pSGtIH7YVv18TT3zjNP3WabR6VrOgsRK2DWLL_l6Y21yZGPhpA/s400/tn_tn_DawnR-64.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334740695558167362" border="0" /></a><strong><em><br />Be Stylish </em></strong></div><br /><div><strong><em></em></strong> </div><em>Portraits and Editorial shots</em><br /><div><br />If you have time and the Bride is all dressed up with makeup on, grab her for a couple of minutes and take pictures. This is the best time to take portraits and editorial (fashion) shots since her makeup is fresh and the mascara is still on :) </div><br /><div>Use available light as much as possible. The pictures would appear more natural and dramatic than using a flash. Window light is the best or whatever light is available (an overhead ceiling light, a lamp or a candle). Use a reflector to balance the shadow and if you need to use your flash, use it as a fill light.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqw7ZHE8g01JKomT82zzYX-4UV_sQkwIyqWz-_cUu00064W-HzJhFH2yx6w9DrK76650fyFjfrM9IEex6-etcHjHqaWRyU7VKv1rx3IKBn_G6e01PGqk78IvmpPDkw1EpKiWEU_MITjds/s1600-h/tn_noemiprep+%2873%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqw7ZHE8g01JKomT82zzYX-4UV_sQkwIyqWz-_cUu00064W-HzJhFH2yx6w9DrK76650fyFjfrM9IEex6-etcHjHqaWRyU7VKv1rx3IKBn_G6e01PGqk78IvmpPDkw1EpKiWEU_MITjds/s400/tn_noemiprep+%2873%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334744993134167762" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Find the light and you will find your picture.</em><br /></div><br /><div>Once you are satisfied with your shots, leave early to get ready for the main event... The Ceremony.</div><br /><br /><div>Next topic: <a href="http://sachivillareal.blogspot.com/2009/05/wedding-photography-ceremony.html">The Ceremony</a></div>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-65877783594685808062009-04-26T07:14:00.001-07:002009-05-11T18:38:23.618-07:00Wedding Photography: The Engagement Session<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigwXsA2P-NKAqttSlUhwaC4Gr82vANljnJzKXCHrAV469fROrL2s-8Acfbsf7CGRJGZC1NIX7YNS6LDayerKyS1Cm_m2oEaOdQNGQQYMs17-mO_P3VHh9f8ezyNJ7-SChFl39qFGKnMo/s1600-h/tn__MG_7911.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329028081625963458" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 266px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigwXsA2P-NKAqttSlUhwaC4Gr82vANljnJzKXCHrAV469fROrL2s-8Acfbsf7CGRJGZC1NIX7YNS6LDayerKyS1Cm_m2oEaOdQNGQQYMs17-mO_P3VHh9f8ezyNJ7-SChFl39qFGKnMo/s400/tn__MG_7911.jpg" border="0" /></a>I love Engagement sessions, this is the part where you get to know your clients and just have a fun day at a park or their favorite venue. For me, the engagement shoot is more about relationship than the photography itself. This is the first time that the couple will get to be photographed by you.<br /><br />Have you ever noticed that when a camera is pointed at you, either you stiffen up, get your usual smile from your bag or do crazy things in front of the camera? The reason being, a lot of people are camera shy and they don't feel comfortable being photographed.<br /><br />A goal of the photographer is to ease this tension and let them relax and get to know you. So what I do during the first half hour is just to take candid shots, I go further back, becoming almost invisible and just let the couples talk and have fun. This would break the ice and slowly I ease them into a more portrait or editorial session (posed but un-posed photos, I know its confusing. It's basically posing the couple so that it looks natural in the photo, as if it's candid). So go have fun and be creative.<br /><br />As Bambi Cantrell said "Emotion Instead of Perfection".<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQIz8zLf8aEMaUFtu3CjdvDpPY_TdU7jOyNETag94awOWbjNN6gxyBjnUbEMpV2f8Dw1RL6dH2Y9C3iXWJuO3BjqLXGg0BBvpXqzdIdVkB2R63F3W2OnNNXjtjdwJWz59KIyElQv8LQs/s1600-h/tn__MG_0159.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329018967220013794" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; width: 266px; cursor: pointer; height: 400px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQIz8zLf8aEMaUFtu3CjdvDpPY_TdU7jOyNETag94awOWbjNN6gxyBjnUbEMpV2f8Dw1RL6dH2Y9C3iXWJuO3BjqLXGg0BBvpXqzdIdVkB2R63F3W2OnNNXjtjdwJWz59KIyElQv8LQs/s400/tn__MG_0159.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Tips: For the Photographer</span><br /><br />- I usually schedule the engagement shoot, if possible, two months before the wedding, since I create a slideshow for them to view at their reception. This is great for both the bride and the photographer. The couple gets to see their images for the first time and for the photographer, this is a good marketing opportunity as well to the future brides that might be in the audience. So it really is a win-win situation.<br /><br />- Don't rush to take photos before you meet the couple, talk to them a bit, get to know them more. They will respond better if they feel comfortable with you and trust you.<br /><br />- This is a good opportunity to study their angles, what pose works for them and study how lighting affects it. You don't have the pressure of time unlike the ceremony, so do your mental notes now and the wedding day would be so much easier.<br /><br />- Bring a telephoto lens with you, this would let you be far away from the couple and be invisible to them. Telephotos are great portraits lenses as well. My favorite is Canon 70-200 2.8 IS and the Canon 135 2.0 f2.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZTlsCuNxVWX-3jIzlDLyOnE2F4VbsIJLe2sYMcI-sTlkOT4nIyeGMTSwN6DwD8toHIWbDQizbns_FoETeSFhyxe7gyRfBJTHfMgX3mgWkzwV1no8Lztr8G9SNF6MeusJ8auWeYMP_U4/s1600-h/tn__MG_7950.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329019487732938866" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 266px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZTlsCuNxVWX-3jIzlDLyOnE2F4VbsIJLe2sYMcI-sTlkOT4nIyeGMTSwN6DwD8toHIWbDQizbns_FoETeSFhyxe7gyRfBJTHfMgX3mgWkzwV1no8Lztr8G9SNF6MeusJ8auWeYMP_U4/s400/tn__MG_7950.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Tips: For the Bride</span><br /><br />- If you can, flow with your photographer and let him pose you or set you up in an environment for a good picture. Your photographer needs to have his creative juice going, so go with it (unless he wants you to dangle off a cliff or something :) ).<br /><br />- Wear plain clothes with light colors and if you can with no pattern. This makes you the center of attention and not your yellow polka dot blouse :)<br /><br />- Set up an appointment later in the day if possible to get the best quality of light available if shooting outdoors.<br /><br />- Pick a venue where there would be a lot of different environments to shoot. A lake with a bridge for example or a place where there is a lot of nice architecture or even a graffiti wall.<br /><br />- and most important HAVE FUN AND ENJOY THE DAY!!!<br /><br />Next Topic: <a href="http://sachivillareal.blogspot.com/2009/05/wedding-photography-preparation.html">Wedding Preparation</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDxMjll2VTAIwFm6s7eErFoUDTfsZMW7GKv9wzA14Hwu63FyWjul1XZSHje-Cn6Y2rDNDh8uErBZZ6BuXQfzqI0CgMkivIIa1Z93p8_rtLoTeWB20s0o4LDt0-uihZN6PTzI_XklinOw/s1600-h/tn_Engage+%285%29.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329029292436849602" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 175px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDxMjll2VTAIwFm6s7eErFoUDTfsZMW7GKv9wzA14Hwu63FyWjul1XZSHje-Cn6Y2rDNDh8uErBZZ6BuXQfzqI0CgMkivIIa1Z93p8_rtLoTeWB20s0o4LDt0-uihZN6PTzI_XklinOw/s400/tn_Engage+%285%29.jpg" border="0" /></a>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-8695821219102306932009-04-21T13:19:00.000-07:002009-06-03T13:30:29.564-07:00Wedding Photography: A Personal Guide<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mOPdRsELDvuIdOlewe0ws5ALRqvdKydjd_FcBB4OlgAW24mBFXswrdhd_d8C9val2DOxm4pu4FEawopz_t57V0Zl_ZoKyYNUR6Fok_Ss4NxO1TuF_WGfOJ2K10GZxpbN58oKRBuG-Kc/s1600-h/tn_eekiss.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327331221998251746" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 266px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mOPdRsELDvuIdOlewe0ws5ALRqvdKydjd_FcBB4OlgAW24mBFXswrdhd_d8C9val2DOxm4pu4FEawopz_t57V0Zl_ZoKyYNUR6Fok_Ss4NxO1TuF_WGfOJ2K10GZxpbN58oKRBuG-Kc/s400/tn_eekiss.jpg" border="0" /></a>People ask me why I ventured into wedding photography. I guess for me, it all boiled down to an interest and love of portraiture and people. In one day of wedding photography, you get to be a Photojournalist, Landscape photographer and a Portrait photographer, couple that with a high adrenaline environment and it can be very challenging and fun. It is a culmination of all that I love about photography wrapped into a neat package.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1YESfEv_uFGI2ozyVQotIJY29lTEIW8Hwmf-dQ05-mOPOsb44fxlRzGfkbe-ljb7a6eYBWqX-18Hz9yv6P-FFe_UlG2e6zBcIj0fyd0JpQVWTgHh-00Ab5-etYCpxOJUkPateEGhC2A/s1600-h/tn_Post+%2815%29.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327331096770286786" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; width: 266px; cursor: pointer; height: 400px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1YESfEv_uFGI2ozyVQotIJY29lTEIW8Hwmf-dQ05-mOPOsb44fxlRzGfkbe-ljb7a6eYBWqX-18Hz9yv6P-FFe_UlG2e6zBcIj0fyd0JpQVWTgHh-00Ab5-etYCpxOJUkPateEGhC2A/s400/tn_Post+%2815%29.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong>Tips for the Photographer:</strong><br /><br /><p>This is the only time where you will change your hat and be a businessman instead of a photographer. Have a portfolio ready or a sampler album to show your clients. Be clear what you are offering to them. </p><p>For me, my photography is about <strong>Quality</strong>. I only shoot 12-15 weddings a year to really spend time with my client's wedding day and photographs to process later. </p><p></p><p>My brides are those that appreciate art, beauty and quality of work. They deserve only the best from me.</p><strong>Tips for the bride:<br /></strong><em>The Meeting</em><br /><p></p>It is very important for the couple to meet with their photographer in person before signing the contract. <em>Wedding photography is people photography</em>. An effective photographer has to have excellent people skills and a good rapport with the couple. The couple needs to be confident in the skills of their photographer and to feel at ease with him.<br /><br />Read the contract carefully make sure you are protected and that everything is covered. Don't hesitate to pose questions to the photographer not only regarding the contract or the package, but also on how he feels about his photography and his vision for your wedding as well.<br />Photography is an art and it needs a lot of creativity and passion to drive it.<br /><em><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1YrRlulYpzZgVc1GkLTQ8wZynISulbCaKIySVoGhmE_No0-KGvPwR_Zb0z_SdJwYnkVVpcCVGO9fTeRbyAYKtrIyrehXee75aacVEgLrcMgMvEAGonq23mcuHT6I9USI38Ostn1kVo-c/s1600-h/tn_Post+%2834%29.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327333439748753762" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 266px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1YrRlulYpzZgVc1GkLTQ8wZynISulbCaKIySVoGhmE_No0-KGvPwR_Zb0z_SdJwYnkVVpcCVGO9fTeRbyAYKtrIyrehXee75aacVEgLrcMgMvEAGonq23mcuHT6I9USI38Ostn1kVo-c/s400/tn_Post+%2834%29.jpg" border="0" /></a> </em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em>The Package</em><br /><br />Here is a breakdown of the package that I offer to my clients. I wanted a package that is affordable and customizable.<br /><br />- <strong>Free consultation<br /></strong><br /><strong></strong>- <strong>Six to Eight Hour Coverage</strong> <em>(This would cover 2 hours of preparation, 3 hours of ceremony and 2 to 3 hours of the reception. )<br /></em><br />- <strong>Photographer and assistant photographer</strong> <em>(A second photographer is a big plus since it will allow different perspectives on the wedding and also a greater range of photos you can choose from. It also protects the client from shots that could be missed by one photographer)</em><br /><br />- <strong>Ownership of original high resolution images on DVD of all shots taken</strong> <em>(This is a great value to the clients, as they do not have to pay extra to the photographer for prints and they could see the whole selections of images from their wedding. Print all you want :) )</em><br /><br />- <strong>Ownership of 50 edited photographers choice images on DVD </strong><em>(One of the reasons why my clients choose me is my approach to photo editing. I apply different styles to my favorite images, be it black and white, editorial, bold fashion or subdued and romantic)</em><strong> </strong><br /><br /><strong>- 50 4 x 6 prints of edited images</strong> <em>(There is nothing like seeing a photo on paper and touching it, rather than on a computer screen. I also give my clients prints of my favorite edited pictures in lovely lustre paper)</em><br /><br />- <strong>1 - 11 x 14 Metallic Print</strong> <em>(I love metallic paper, it adds a nice pop to the image. I offer this to my clients for them to frame and hang on their wall)</em><br /><br /><strong>- Online album of 50 Photographers choice images </strong><em>(Two to three weeks after the wedding, I post my favorite images on my <a href="http://www.sachivillareal.net/">website</a> so the couple can share their pictures to their friends and family as soon as possible)</em><br /><br /><strong><br />CUSTOMIZE IT WITH ADD-ONS</strong><br /><br />- Premium Coffee Table style photo album<br />- Canvas Gallery Prints<br />- Thank You Cards<br />- Engagement session with slideshow cd to present on your wedding reception<br />- Trash the Dress session (for the daring and funky bride)<br />- Budoir Session (a more private sexy photo shoot, high fashion)<br />- Additional Photography Hour(s) (if six hours of coverage is not enough for you, you could always add more)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqJTeSMaZm4PlkvbgceAK0gOHnK-t6c_ILs_ryU2M3I5d_lGKgDRYOevqVFT6THm2v5wc_2FAwrKU921gGbNc77p1SL3RWLI8XKPlwdual91q0lK_zis7SV0bMYELuDrOaoBfoY9rsbE/s1600-h/tn_inday.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327332241401295874" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 266px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqJTeSMaZm4PlkvbgceAK0gOHnK-t6c_ILs_ryU2M3I5d_lGKgDRYOevqVFT6THm2v5wc_2FAwrKU921gGbNc77p1SL3RWLI8XKPlwdual91q0lK_zis7SV0bMYELuDrOaoBfoY9rsbE/s400/tn_inday.jpg" border="0" /></a>I will be writing this article in four parts, the engagement session and the three parts of the wedding day: the preparation, the ceremony and the reception. This will act as a primer not only for other up and coming wedding photographers but also to the bride, so she knows what to expect from her photographer on that special day.<br /><br /><br /><strong>next topic... <a href="http://sachivillareal.blogspot.com/2009/04/wedding-photography-engagement-session.html">The Engagement Session</a></strong>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-49045278587726602332009-03-04T19:11:00.000-08:002009-03-09T18:56:46.758-07:00A Child At Heart<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh182IQqahgGNZhsWiZhgJgJSqzWP2ygiBykaUJcfdl71LrD74zirnZKvgT49OGPhR5vl9Q2ZWNdFdKdKysbFgv66JgbZLDMO1AqMiObHN4tCMBeApdAiUss18z-jmZB4D-G2xNNVoXQgE/s1600-h/tn__MG_1465.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh182IQqahgGNZhsWiZhgJgJSqzWP2ygiBykaUJcfdl71LrD74zirnZKvgT49OGPhR5vl9Q2ZWNdFdKdKysbFgv66JgbZLDMO1AqMiObHN4tCMBeApdAiUss18z-jmZB4D-G2xNNVoXQgE/s400/tn__MG_1465.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309543353675267794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.</span><br />- Pablo Picasso<br /><br />Last October I was fortunate to shoot with my friend <a href="http://www.bradfranklin.net/">Brad</a> for his child's school fund raising. This time the subject was kids!<br /><br />I was a bit apprehensive at first, since I haven't taken photos of kids professionally before, just for friends and family, but I was excited at the prospect of this new aspect of photography that will open up to me. So I did as much research as I could regarding my subject and absorbed photos, tips and inspiration before the shoot. One can say that fear can only be tempered by understanding.<br /><br />It was a two day shoot, an hour for each family at Riverside park in New York on a chilly October morning, and slowly they came... one by one, shy and leery at you at first. I was like, ok how do I get them to like me? I did not know what to do. I had to adapt fast and the best way is to be like them, to see the world through their eyes.<br /><br />I had to be six again and still keep my wits about me, and you know what, it worked. In a couple of minutes we were running along the park, laughing and tossing leaves at each other. It was fun and they were full of energy and joy. I did not have to pose them, I just let them play, and I acting as a photojournalist just sat back and captured the moment. Here are some of the pics that day.<br /><br />Enjoy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHiLNFdIS8zrBeT7CRyR0FMXvMJwhAZFXK2NFG8xVI13lI26u_VW_w8qq1c-M58W18CE8xpYA6cp7lknH50pY_Tto8arShTOcTxcy7mZzT8DHOmmT-6UMxqWOLhELONjXkpC_OCk29U8/s1600-h/tn__MG_0784.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHiLNFdIS8zrBeT7CRyR0FMXvMJwhAZFXK2NFG8xVI13lI26u_VW_w8qq1c-M58W18CE8xpYA6cp7lknH50pY_Tto8arShTOcTxcy7mZzT8DHOmmT-6UMxqWOLhELONjXkpC_OCk29U8/s400/tn__MG_0784.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309542446058177234" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tWQqgXiXbiXyTeIGwEKaj9sygM2niLn8NcGEB3EYTth2Bvt272yNpKwh4wpV02IFIpWSzdpseVSQMcwnUww7EuDMwowiiSP4-8NQ8DqXf3Y-lc5lfcaDTpiCkQyv83uNsqNIytsvDUQ/s1600-h/tn__MG_1389.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tWQqgXiXbiXyTeIGwEKaj9sygM2niLn8NcGEB3EYTth2Bvt272yNpKwh4wpV02IFIpWSzdpseVSQMcwnUww7EuDMwowiiSP4-8NQ8DqXf3Y-lc5lfcaDTpiCkQyv83uNsqNIytsvDUQ/s400/tn__MG_1389.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309542690494168802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEi086svm41sTECXkEZ2qCD_nOnqEnBxUgWz8XIVyAM0GFBAuzLPI8FMVpPUXkh4Qj6_B_gCR350-gUWUycSPpeLxY6y_mAcflAVxUsvMnE_UeXTuXCyELn2MdIh1TGD-NcCN84C89nKg/s1600-h/tn__MG_0467.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEi086svm41sTECXkEZ2qCD_nOnqEnBxUgWz8XIVyAM0GFBAuzLPI8FMVpPUXkh4Qj6_B_gCR350-gUWUycSPpeLxY6y_mAcflAVxUsvMnE_UeXTuXCyELn2MdIh1TGD-NcCN84C89nKg/s400/tn__MG_0467.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309547257221253154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeyMQLXozTuD6v3z80I9zthHagr4r3loz3sV9GHn-L3tDyAglQ9tQHSbb_Uy3v_ZMdCPC2SFU6Pp637oAyL4qGP2Jv2rLQwllNCxOsx9WW60KUOmjjRLnZvCXq7rz1wWxSHzZezDANqcQ/s1600-h/tn__MG_1715.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeyMQLXozTuD6v3z80I9zthHagr4r3loz3sV9GHn-L3tDyAglQ9tQHSbb_Uy3v_ZMdCPC2SFU6Pp637oAyL4qGP2Jv2rLQwllNCxOsx9WW60KUOmjjRLnZvCXq7rz1wWxSHzZezDANqcQ/s400/tn__MG_1715.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309543166673561266" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYp9dKEv6TZr5pwuIJ4dYEIie5yoXnPM5p1jzNbhQv0jWx6Fx6NBsR8gTxDbb_AjvaeoYkEoNfVl-HXF23D9bFwTLcMz0NEH6E7547Fck-V91wm3wKYqczCHGQ880p0ePusmuT9SyrmoI/s1600-h/tn__MG_1091.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYp9dKEv6TZr5pwuIJ4dYEIie5yoXnPM5p1jzNbhQv0jWx6Fx6NBsR8gTxDbb_AjvaeoYkEoNfVl-HXF23D9bFwTLcMz0NEH6E7547Fck-V91wm3wKYqczCHGQ880p0ePusmuT9SyrmoI/s400/tn__MG_1091.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309543430234986162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Tip:To take pictures of children, you need a camera that focuses fast and can do multiple shots. Keep your eye on the viewfinder and anticipate their reaction. It could be a fleeting smile or a serious look. Go low as much as possible and be at the same eye level as them. Shot with Canon 135 f2.Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-19952737219665688042009-02-03T15:00:00.000-08:002009-02-03T17:41:30.643-08:00Hong Kong Day 2 and 3<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzU3tCAbTLO1MfO5TiCC2ygMRw2APVPHfFJFQXQiFmlCxNQ46HdOrYUZwXp3x40do0v91UfNm4txgM2FO0_cgAlarOpLqKtV3FDoOopxhDg_FNAoTRh1KugSzMOlZbjdS6nlaSK_551E/s1600-h/market.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzU3tCAbTLO1MfO5TiCC2ygMRw2APVPHfFJFQXQiFmlCxNQ46HdOrYUZwXp3x40do0v91UfNm4txgM2FO0_cgAlarOpLqKtV3FDoOopxhDg_FNAoTRh1KugSzMOlZbjdS6nlaSK_551E/s400/market.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298747396010534514" border="0" /></a>Day two can be summed up in two words, <span style="font-style: italic;">eat</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">shop</span>!<br /><br />It is the main reason you go to Hong Kong anyway, the food is excellent and there are shops galore from really high end brand names to knock offs of Prada for $5.<br /><br />I started day 2 by going for a bit of a walk at the wet market. This is always a good barometer of the culture and the food of the people of a country, it tells us where all that excellent food comes from. It was an eye opener, with fresh fish still swimming in their containers and a great selection of fruits and vegetables. I had to get some dried scallops and oysters to bring back home, these little widgets of dried seafood will add a profound flavor to soups and stews.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOxOU-2_Uzv7Fh_Z0YhE9UNP41H_mm1i_Ijr_8w3V_eZf6Zt-y6TMgUEa2QST8c02OXFz7eN_vTnJUTyPT_-7-SSIbp6NskHUQUL5bIrFk_m6fiKFa3dbiumFxRandnco0HnboMF7n4M/s1600-h/jap.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOxOU-2_Uzv7Fh_Z0YhE9UNP41H_mm1i_Ijr_8w3V_eZf6Zt-y6TMgUEa2QST8c02OXFz7eN_vTnJUTyPT_-7-SSIbp6NskHUQUL5bIrFk_m6fiKFa3dbiumFxRandnco0HnboMF7n4M/s400/jap.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298748412183439538" border="0" /></a>The highlight of day two was the birthday of my mom in law. We reserved dinner at the Japanese restaurant of the Hongkong Shangrila hotel, called Nadaman. We had really fresh sushi, the likes I haven't had before, Nobu was close, but this was more classic. I had eaten in a hotel in Japan once before and this was better. I ordred the Uni (sea urchin) sashimi to start and miso glazed black cod for my entree. The table ordered some more sashimi to share. My wife and mom ordered the Lobster and Scallop Teppanyaki. It was amazing, the lobster meat was so fresh a bit chewy and very flavorful. The nighttime view of the harbour was great as well. We ended the meal with a berry and pistachio cake for desert with a wee li'l candle for our mom to blow.<br /><br />After the very sumptuous dinner, we had to walk it off. Off we go to Mongkok, shopping bargain central and brand knockoff haven. I wasn't a big fan of it, but it is part of the allure of Hong Kong and it is definitely worth the visit not just for the bargains but for a bit of the culture of the city itself.<br /><br />Day 3<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDA7Kqf6ZjvRTFCeTK_Tx25uWwr9VA0ddMJEFsNYKu0qGAL6Q5KN4d2TuvFQMaINxBEi5VGlWEPcwA4ettt47jK7JziKdJXb9z5Onr_xwCgK3cK9hCgnmCS9pnVzwB9pa2pDT9CyQHE8/s1600-h/tram.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDA7Kqf6ZjvRTFCeTK_Tx25uWwr9VA0ddMJEFsNYKu0qGAL6Q5KN4d2TuvFQMaINxBEi5VGlWEPcwA4ettt47jK7JziKdJXb9z5Onr_xwCgK3cK9hCgnmCS9pnVzwB9pa2pDT9CyQHE8/s400/tram.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298748666493988706" border="0" /></a>We started day three by riding the tram all the way to the top of the "peak", for the best views of the city's skyline and harbour. The tram takes you to an incline so steep going up, it felt a bit weird to see the world at an angle. There are shops and restaurants up top as well and lot of nice nooks to enjoy the views or to just walk along the path with covered with trees.<br /><br />After having coffee at the peak we headed out to Kowloon Island via ferry for lunch. We had dimsum this time, fresh steaming little dumplings where Hong Kong and Cantonese cuisine really shine. This is definitely a must for anyone visiting the city.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXGZP-E9qX259JZUmeXPakR2rl5gae0B0Znf7KgV2YGodVboqr8yePr2D-K5-SdDxuQCLuy2FQBGw-4ScElwvoGQIo8ehOvKTI3Ua1seYBFe_NWc7lB1-Emaop-fZPbQW3OaDbQlRJgkQ/s1600-h/sky.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXGZP-E9qX259JZUmeXPakR2rl5gae0B0Znf7KgV2YGodVboqr8yePr2D-K5-SdDxuQCLuy2FQBGw-4ScElwvoGQIo8ehOvKTI3Ua1seYBFe_NWc7lB1-Emaop-fZPbQW3OaDbQlRJgkQ/s400/sky.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298750314332841266" border="0" /></a>After lunch we headed out ot Lantau Island to see the Giant Buddha. It is about a half hour drive to the island from Kowloon and we took the cable cars up the mountain, the ride itself is 25 minutes and the views are spectacular, with the mountains and the sea surrounding you. You could also take the bus to go up top, but this is the way to go.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwFG-jfID2m_3SfOCoN2HcxcOAEWEVWHXXHvWJKOLfghjaSUE7NUJ2NGTqWk5oofqoVci_GwBLBsTKitFJWe_6hps6ZM1FGi3dgBLb3PhtumbBH8C90vzSLgqXSRy0D8bdSHTDheV_k0M/s1600-h/buddha1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwFG-jfID2m_3SfOCoN2HcxcOAEWEVWHXXHvWJKOLfghjaSUE7NUJ2NGTqWk5oofqoVci_GwBLBsTKitFJWe_6hps6ZM1FGi3dgBLb3PhtumbBH8C90vzSLgqXSRy0D8bdSHTDheV_k0M/s400/buddha1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298750773628643378" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />At first I thought this was more of a pilgrimage site and a place for meditation, but no, not with the Chinese entrepreneurial spirit. The place was packed with shops and restaurant designed as little pagodas to blend with the scenery. More of a theme park than a serene setting, but I had to admit I like how they did it though. I mean how long can you really stare at a giant Buddha. It's nice to have a place to sit and have coffee or get souvenirs hehe. It is tastefully done though, no street hawkers of sorts, just a nice place to spend the day. There are also trails to the nearby mountains with incriptions of the Heart Sutra along the way, if you need to clear your mind and relax. We headed back around 6:00 pm just perfect for the sunset to light our path going down the mountain.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GTUq0a80h20NWRGjWXUNnk51Nx8UzLsBPHkkw35YhWjFlx6-BPo86mK6CfGg348y2Jw-rL7IJ6U-HwxOBQiHWpRSCFFZImTFcGPUMCS7yQEYcwKgB8kQtcwq2ilDoRJ-aZmbf3OcucA/s1600-h/buland.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GTUq0a80h20NWRGjWXUNnk51Nx8UzLsBPHkkw35YhWjFlx6-BPo86mK6CfGg348y2Jw-rL7IJ6U-HwxOBQiHWpRSCFFZImTFcGPUMCS7yQEYcwKgB8kQtcwq2ilDoRJ-aZmbf3OcucA/s400/buland.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298751036124085186" border="0" /></a>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-40082476531449803462009-02-01T10:59:00.000-08:002009-02-01T18:19:54.366-08:00Hong Kong - Day 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VMCsM2N2sddTWWXGEcDw4TPILkP8AZ0Y6Xb01Tn5DOE_Ga47sRIC4_Gj3D7IHCjShViQgurbSSn4hXCJ-F82LyZ_tfU22TJmTy657j22P4M_6sy8ZxD68efcu98e1hW-m3TR_SaQPcQ/s1600-h/hk.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VMCsM2N2sddTWWXGEcDw4TPILkP8AZ0Y6Xb01Tn5DOE_Ga47sRIC4_Gj3D7IHCjShViQgurbSSn4hXCJ-F82LyZ_tfU22TJmTy657j22P4M_6sy8ZxD68efcu98e1hW-m3TR_SaQPcQ/s400/hk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298016034310878370" border="0" /></a>My wife and I arrived in Hongkong last night around 9:00 P.M. eastern, after a long but non-stop flight from NJ. I was beat, it made me remember how it feels to be in a cramped seat for 15 hours, and yes jet lag is pretty much true too, I am writing this at 3:00 this morning.<br /><br />OK enough complaints, in a nutshell, Hongkong is awesome. I love the place! It totally blew my mind, this is one of those places that draws you in and spins you around.<br /><br />Let's take a walk shall we...<br /><br />I woke up yesterday at 6 a.m.still feeling a bit tired from the long trip, I just can't sleep anymore and got out of bed. We waited a bit for my wife's dad to start his daily ritual of jogging and we decided, why don't we join him. My mother in law also came with us too. I always loved mornings anyway, especially for traveling and photography. The light is nice has this lovely color tinge to it and the world is just starting to wake up. The park is beautiful and near, it also has a little zoo with exotic birds and monkeys. It really felt like a jungle in the heart of a metropolis.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijGxfpJws3s7Fybq3SF2aWQ3AOPxDKi6xMQfBTYqJ-5tWjdw76XmQ3M4KcuaVHxYOLPkymUjkP2uEz-HPo1572rNYBV3HBAR3HmBL449wKCGeFpPyPPByVBgGJLd6qxXgofgx-ljAYoSc/s1600-h/congee.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijGxfpJws3s7Fybq3SF2aWQ3AOPxDKi6xMQfBTYqJ-5tWjdw76XmQ3M4KcuaVHxYOLPkymUjkP2uEz-HPo1572rNYBV3HBAR3HmBL449wKCGeFpPyPPByVBgGJLd6qxXgofgx-ljAYoSc/s400/congee.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298017617286007554" border="0" /></a>After our short stroll we decide to have breakfast, Hongkong style. We took the cab to the Causeway bay area for some... Congee! We went to this fast-foody kinda place that serves real food :) Of course I have to order the weirdest Congee (rice porridge) that I could find. Blood Jelly Congee with shredded pork with a side of Yiu Tiaw (it sounded like that anyway, its a sort of unsweetened donut that soaks up the broth and adds texture to the dish). It was great, simple but well done. Kellog's, eat your heart out, this is breakfast at it's finest, hehe.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-dET0lRyIbMt2VYDrEbr9l_TPb8_7jxOJjIYJNwaa18oLNIWR0hEAjfqDhh-xufHB24FofdJKnujf5VUJ1YMXRqLfy5eH1P9B-JkogTXjtWyqoTSi80FxDB3xptWHowgaBJ6OkXoLV0/s1600-h/street.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-dET0lRyIbMt2VYDrEbr9l_TPb8_7jxOJjIYJNwaa18oLNIWR0hEAjfqDhh-xufHB24FofdJKnujf5VUJ1YMXRqLfy5eH1P9B-JkogTXjtWyqoTSi80FxDB3xptWHowgaBJ6OkXoLV0/s400/street.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298018041124956402" border="0" /></a>After breakfast we head back home for a quick shower and to prepare for mass, and of course I'm looking forward to lunch again. One thing I noticed at the mass, a lot of Filipinos. It is a Sunday and it was a day off for a lot of my countrymen working here (OFW's). I'm like ok that's cool, Catholic as we are, there are always Filipinos in churches on sunday, nothing surprising about that. But after the mass, it was a totally different story, we took the tram to the restaurant and I kid you not, I thought there was a rally going on and I was in Edsa for People power 4, there was even a mini "sinulog" festival going on. There were literally hundreds of Filipinos in the streets, eating, talking and just plain hanging out. I thought before that on a Sunday they were you know, having a little picnic in the park, having fun with friends. But no you are talking, newspapers or table cloths to line the sidewalk and cardboard boxes as temporary walls. I was dumbfounded, I didn't know if I was to smile or cry. More to the latter I guess. I am an OFW too and I have read the plight of our country men overseas, but to be reduced to this. I don't know what to say. I am glad that they are with friends, But to be called "tsimay" and eating on the streets on cardboard boxes?! It is something else entirely. I do have an admiration for them though, It shows a lot of the Filipino heart and spirit to find joy in simple things and helping each other, the "bayanihan" lives on. This is not the image of the Filipino that I want to share to the world, I want the world to know my heroes: Rizal, Bonificio, Ninoy. Our Artists: Salonga, Macuja and Licad among others. We are a people proud and capable of excellence.<br /><br />I am silently praying for the day that we could all go back home and enjoy our time with our families and live the rest of our lives in peace and dignity.<br /><br />Anyway, for now "Carpe Diem", seize the day and move on.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeldMtz5I4ukwUOqAWamyPhBhm4Sr-YIO33Bd0AeG4NEW3wW4joLnnMZALANZ8r1_JvMrGmodfolKOD7ikoboJlrpbrXNlCiCkXPU4qZWaM9k_SKCrfRWbeCW5d7pphAtKvoBxMe0q1rI/s1600-h/duck.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeldMtz5I4ukwUOqAWamyPhBhm4Sr-YIO33Bd0AeG4NEW3wW4joLnnMZALANZ8r1_JvMrGmodfolKOD7ikoboJlrpbrXNlCiCkXPU4qZWaM9k_SKCrfRWbeCW5d7pphAtKvoBxMe0q1rI/s400/duck.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298018486063705298" border="0" /></a>For lunch we ate at the Peking House, and you know what that first word means. The legendary Peking Duck (3-ways)! We started off with appetizers of jellyfish salad and poached egg whites with dried scallops. Yummy. Subtle but executed perfectly. Then came the main course, the duck. It is carved near our table, served with freshly made thin pancakes, scallions and hoisin sauce. It was extraordinary, best duck I had so far. The skin was crispy but not greasy , well seasoned and just amazing. We had a side of tofu and some stir fry of celery roots to balance the richness of the duck.<br /><br />This is my impression of real Chinese cooking. The flavors are subtle unlike their greasy American counterparts, but the ingredients fresh and the cooking techniques is superb . I mean if the ingredients are fresh no need to cover it up with a barrage of sauces right?<br /><br />Still with me? After all that food, we had to burn it out with walking. So that's the signal to go shopping, another one of those things you go to Hongkong for. The stores have a great selection from name brands to the local fare.<br /><br />After a couple of hours of walking and the jet lag rearing its ugly head. We needed to go home. So after getting food for dinner, we had for take out roasted goose, roasted bbq pork and suckling pig, I had to make a quick stop at a bizarre food stall I passed by where I picked up braised tripe, intestines and beef brisket. My cholesterol counter was probably arguing with me at that point hehe.<br /><br />My day ended on the couch watching the finals of the Australian open tennis on TV where my idol Nadal won the trophy. It was a great day and the experience was fulfilling. I can't thank enough our parents Papa and Mommy, our gracious host my sister-in-law Pam, her husband Poch and their two darling kids Katrina and Xavier. This is the main reason actually that we went home more than anything, to spend time with our family. Hongkong is just a bonus.<br /><br />Let's see what tomorrow brings, but I am raring for more!Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-5184717760894456802009-01-27T13:12:00.000-08:002009-01-27T14:01:46.395-08:00Yousuf Karsh - The Power of the Portrait<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8l48P0CtAHVEJQwaCxjqUVLrTe72mvNvNjCYycA-93jp6VfRx9PlnX1fQTiNv7pbixmg8O2KXMqVY-i00wGa9zNSGlDr7hL3pfbykBihpMY0RuwmvNle2rEQsqp-FzynD4SmxwzijIyU/s1600-h/200px-YousufKarsh1991.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8l48P0CtAHVEJQwaCxjqUVLrTe72mvNvNjCYycA-93jp6VfRx9PlnX1fQTiNv7pbixmg8O2KXMqVY-i00wGa9zNSGlDr7hL3pfbykBihpMY0RuwmvNle2rEQsqp-FzynD4SmxwzijIyU/s400/200px-YousufKarsh1991.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296085233060585714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yousuf Karsh</span><br /><br />Was a Canadian photographer of Armenian heritage and one of the most famous and accomplished portrait photographers of all time.<br /><br />Probably one of my favorite portrait photographer and his work continues to inspire my own. It is hard to explain it in words but his subjects in a way speak out to you.<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >Within every man and woman a secret is hidden, and as a photographer it is my task to reveal it if I can. The revelation, if it comes at all, will come in a small fraction of a second with an unconscious gesture, a gleam of the eye, a brief lifting of the mask that all humans wear to conceal their innermost selves from the world. In that fleeting interval of opportunity the photographer must act or lose his prize."</span> - <span>Y. Karsh</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYF_VFLan7MHo00Zv-8ToYowqHWncNUlD6kE1qMxRbmf72rjsIceBpLrKnPRNyI_GntrYl7RNJBiTanSTUM-cyOKLMG4qkbjvBVwTGcTFFISjui51OM_mtIHn3dT7ENp14c3MFBd-D4zg/s1600-h/karsh_churchill.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYF_VFLan7MHo00Zv-8ToYowqHWncNUlD6kE1qMxRbmf72rjsIceBpLrKnPRNyI_GntrYl7RNJBiTanSTUM-cyOKLMG4qkbjvBVwTGcTFFISjui51OM_mtIHn3dT7ENp14c3MFBd-D4zg/s400/karsh_churchill.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296088623978989522" border="0" /></a>One of his more famous photographs was of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, as the story goes Churchill wasn't in the mood for a photo session and was chomping on his cigar. Karsh went on and tried to pose him, but the cigar bothered him for that solemn occasion. finally Karsh said "Forgive me sir" and plucked out the cigar from his mouth. At that time the churchillian frown deepened, leaned forward a bit put his hand on his waist in an attitude of anger and Karsh took the photograph.<br /><br />In essence this is all we can aspire to be as portrait photographers, to be able to connect with our subject and have them reveal their spirit to you.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip: </span>How do you go about it though? There is really no technique to this, you have to improve on your people skills if you want to be a portrait photographer, after all you are dealing with people. The secret is you have to be genuinely interested in the person. A person can detect if you are faking your relationship with them, but if you talk to them first get them to relax, let them be comfortable with you. That is then your cue to take your shot.<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"My chief joy is to photograph the great in heart, in mind, and in spirit, whether they be famous or humble."</span></span> - Y. Karsh<br /><br />Here are some of his shots<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-H8Fbm0Xynb2KyRCEGc9ao2QYAaUxaeY2LZEvMZZCD7Rv9d2Sq_Rb7PyTLBmXPs_gk9nsbWCeHC4nWOl4phwENY4r8Fis0FJHn32VO8zIAnIj0yHcUt_Rwh5uOVdykiUG73iTwLGw0t8/s1600-h/einstein.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 367px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-H8Fbm0Xynb2KyRCEGc9ao2QYAaUxaeY2LZEvMZZCD7Rv9d2Sq_Rb7PyTLBmXPs_gk9nsbWCeHC4nWOl4phwENY4r8Fis0FJHn32VO8zIAnIj0yHcUt_Rwh5uOVdykiUG73iTwLGw0t8/s400/einstein.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296094843564884658" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiyXHm5N-F18pxCVOUwKRBDDYaZd9Gu5jaX0UB65RtxP29qFVCh7cUbAfHXsu-0xG119de_UNajQEz9APnxQIGuOhLTkAYjwjPfnaN8Lv2sHZ5ZoA_E2HPteoQEDFJXvZGdqS_2iQ_wd4/s1600-h/m198130600049.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 358px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiyXHm5N-F18pxCVOUwKRBDDYaZd9Gu5jaX0UB65RtxP29qFVCh7cUbAfHXsu-0xG119de_UNajQEz9APnxQIGuOhLTkAYjwjPfnaN8Lv2sHZ5ZoA_E2HPteoQEDFJXvZGdqS_2iQ_wd4/s400/m198130600049.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296095087091953378" border="0" /></a>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-90537961043498702382009-01-23T12:40:00.000-08:002009-01-23T13:46:34.774-08:00My GearGung hei fa choy! Happy chinese new year to all!<br /><br />It's been a while since I wrote, I wanted to write something new for the new year. Well since I didn't make it for the regular gregorian new year. The chinese new year will do hehe.<br /><br />I guess to start the year off, I want to show you what is in my camera bag and why I picked and use them for the work that I do.<br /><br />Let's start off with the lenses, for me a great lens is the most important piece of my camera gear. I believe that the lens is your eye to the world and the camera, the brain. So no matter how intelligent your brain is, if your eyesight is bad. The pictures will come out blurry as well.<br /><br />So as much as possible I invest on the Canon "L" lenses. the L designation in the canon line means it is their pro series, with a well constructed and weather sealed body and amazing optics. My pictures comes out sharp, saturated and contrasty.<br /><br />They are expensive mind you, but It is also good to invest on a high quality lens since their value does not diminish even over time and the resale value is great at almost 80% of the original price. Here they are...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HjDQF1kN8p9LJvXLxCywOLYpMdJoltneEZhXA8GcdemWTuWi6tbrJkKbx8MaooGKpzk7zUBVs9jOQi43wluC3qD6Kc_8wFWYwnoWtnJI1uW8SeI5e-oaMBEdHjj-tok0v1NNoHR6pdE/s1600-h/Canon-EF-17-40mm-f-4.0-L-USM-Lens.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HjDQF1kN8p9LJvXLxCywOLYpMdJoltneEZhXA8GcdemWTuWi6tbrJkKbx8MaooGKpzk7zUBVs9jOQi43wluC3qD6Kc_8wFWYwnoWtnJI1uW8SeI5e-oaMBEdHjj-tok0v1NNoHR6pdE/s400/Canon-EF-17-40mm-f-4.0-L-USM-Lens.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294593844170788738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Canon 17-40 f4 L</span><br /><br />This is my all around well used lens. It has great optics. It is fairly lightweight and compact which is good for traveling around. The range is good also ranging from landscapes to environmental portraiture, travel and street photography. It's aperture is f4 though, so it is more of an outdoor lens, but with cameras right now that can shoot clean images at iso 1600 to 3200 it can handle indoors now no problem. It is moderately priced and one of canon's bestselling lenses. Highly recommended for a first pro lens.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_a1UuE9nYWZN25WhZVrxeQB8B0sYSPtgKpX23_G1hwnuZgK6hGGXz0w1ZZRCFRvJzQwc8k1KYEzAxk4sbE6onZyKaaTHGaW4JILFNshZjsQ32Pe0M4Rp4p-2Vq6NC9twwFD9R-YSnthQ/s1600-h/Canon-EF-70-200mm-f-2.8-L-IS-USM-Lens.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 323px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_a1UuE9nYWZN25WhZVrxeQB8B0sYSPtgKpX23_G1hwnuZgK6hGGXz0w1ZZRCFRvJzQwc8k1KYEzAxk4sbE6onZyKaaTHGaW4JILFNshZjsQ32Pe0M4Rp4p-2Vq6NC9twwFD9R-YSnthQ/s400/Canon-EF-70-200mm-f-2.8-L-IS-USM-Lens.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294594835512148338" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Canon 70-200 f2.8 L</span><br /><br />Next up is my go to guy lens for my pro work. Weddings and portraiture. It is built like tank, a bit heavy and bulky. So I'm not that fond of traveling with it. But for low light work, like a dimly lit church it is amazing. It is also sharp for a zoom lens, with a great range from 70 to 200. It has a fast aperture at 2.8 and has Image Stabilization which is important to hand holding a lens this size. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh"><span style="font-style: italic;">bokeh</span></a> is creamy and excellent for portraiture.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgr_Uk3N5PkRDJAzAfL9mC5CR_3LS9Mfsre5sZUfUsjaVfhLfzxnyTBYxXKU5UimWLyT0SR039EdZMvllUVspc4LM1yYXmMcqhyphenhyphenhrWJ9GSMgRTIyjZx5-FnIjCOmwW27fBm6_DuF0tjoU/s1600-h/Canon-EF-35mm-f-1.4-L-USM-Lens.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgr_Uk3N5PkRDJAzAfL9mC5CR_3LS9Mfsre5sZUfUsjaVfhLfzxnyTBYxXKU5UimWLyT0SR039EdZMvllUVspc4LM1yYXmMcqhyphenhyphenhrWJ9GSMgRTIyjZx5-FnIjCOmwW27fBm6_DuF0tjoU/s400/Canon-EF-35mm-f-1.4-L-USM-Lens.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294596264747400850" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Canon 35 f1.4 L</span><br /><br />I usually use this as my low light lens. It has the fastest aperture of the bunch at f1.4. I use it for indoor shots when I do not want to use flash. So I could grab shots of candlelit dinner tables so the mood would not be lost by the camera flash. It helps me also to be invisible and candid at events. It does have a very shallow depth of field when shooting at f1.4, great for taking the background out of focus. It is compact and and a fixed lens (non-zoom).<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80XQGzt5IJB_mIvOLapibQDwCNn3nfphL7KGxKiqVgx30vPjcqRGRCVL395AZWn-ARJT-24qYj7RDa1Nz3Ue22JNyfMCFtoohVGBFpqLTF4l8eMyAZIyDKKi1cjpOqiIBOzSWxInW1uA/s1600-h/Canon-EF-135mm-f-2.0-L-USM-Lens.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 324px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80XQGzt5IJB_mIvOLapibQDwCNn3nfphL7KGxKiqVgx30vPjcqRGRCVL395AZWn-ARJT-24qYj7RDa1Nz3Ue22JNyfMCFtoohVGBFpqLTF4l8eMyAZIyDKKi1cjpOqiIBOzSWxInW1uA/s400/Canon-EF-135mm-f-2.0-L-USM-Lens.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294597720001100418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Canon 135 f2.0 L</span><br /><br />Last but not the least, my favorite lens for portraiture. It is regarded as the sharpest lens in the canon line. It has a great <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh"><span style="font-style: italic;">bokeh</span></a> and compression for portraits. It is great for indoor sports, if you want to shoot massive mountains in the distance. Street photography is a good use for it as well as you could shoot from the other side of the street without your subject noticing you. It is fast at f2.0 and a great walk around telephoto. It is a fixed lens and a bit long, so use those feet to zoom!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqS5t_w1wYZyAc3E5MlXrj5VOU1c-u718vQlT7p8cnuHvNP3WrkZzQV5uShsC-xyg_abRyGrq7gfHM7zJwPlcJIEIumtPCOVwCEYydlGeCdd0Poa4UWvKnjkDCZaCdxbwZljlX2nf4gE/s1600-h/Canon-EOS-5D-Digital-SLR-Camera.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 380px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqS5t_w1wYZyAc3E5MlXrj5VOU1c-u718vQlT7p8cnuHvNP3WrkZzQV5uShsC-xyg_abRyGrq7gfHM7zJwPlcJIEIumtPCOVwCEYydlGeCdd0Poa4UWvKnjkDCZaCdxbwZljlX2nf4gE/s400/Canon-EOS-5D-Digital-SLR-Camera.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294600535434037138" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Canon EOS 5D</span><br /><br />For my main camera. I use the Canon 5D. It is canon's first prosumer full frame camera. I like full frame because it let's me use my lenses with it's original range. No conversion factor unlike the other camera bodies. It has clean images even at ISO 1600, which is a big plus on my photography which deals with low light situations. It produces excellent image quality in a more compact form factor, unlike it's big brother the Canon 1DS. There is a newer version that just came out with an HD video. I might check it out at some point.<br /><br />So there you have it guys, these are my most used gear. the other stuff would be flashes, reflectors, tripods etc.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Thanks for the-digital-picture.com for the product images.</span>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-81529996567594279442008-12-17T13:18:00.000-08:002009-01-08T09:59:44.466-08:00The Ultralight Philosophy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0qYPI7KWtpPT8wXQleVRiooyMyW4MoGrRQ3LdulnbjzLZcQv7FGj-AxBxPG_-7qRzQqhPcJpPunxBJyidmGsg_8QgYgb2w_BCY-2cPoIourNWgF3pgw6k_IdMw2xVSpUAQO1UsSQC54/s1600-h/379263080_z32Bg-M.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0qYPI7KWtpPT8wXQleVRiooyMyW4MoGrRQ3LdulnbjzLZcQv7FGj-AxBxPG_-7qRzQqhPcJpPunxBJyidmGsg_8QgYgb2w_BCY-2cPoIourNWgF3pgw6k_IdMw2xVSpUAQO1UsSQC54/s400/379263080_z32Bg-M.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280872749467841154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I love the great outdoors and being with nature, be it swimming with the fishes, scuba diving or just being in the forest backpacking on my favorite trails. The freedom of being one with nature, just being absorbed by your environment, your mind goes inward and the heart beats slowly to the rhythm of the blowing wind.<br /><br />I have been an avid backpacker, and my hiking habits changed when a guy name <a href="http://www.backpacker.com/february_1998_feature_ultralight_ray_jardine_profile/gear/2451?page=1">Ray Jardine</a> introduced a backpacking philosophy called <span style="font-style: italic;">ultralight backpacking</span>, where you only bring the essentials that you need for your trip and not be bogged down by unnecessary gear. A tarp instead of a tent, a shorter and lighter sleeping pad, summer weight sleeping bags, a small knife instead of a multitool, cotton balls as firestarters etc. He advocated that the reward of hiking is the journey as much as the destination.<br /><br />I kept that philosophy with me and applied it even to my daily life and my photography. I used to be one of those guys that would salivate every time a new camera model or the latest gear comes in, because I would tell myself it could make my pictures better when I knew all along that it’s the photographer that makes the picture, not the camera. The great Ansel Adams took his legendary pictures with a square wood box camera, right? In martial arts, my teacher would tell me, "It's the warrior not the weapon".<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8zZ-QH-MI7Itf02UuIgzQGhxjC3Gn4YfKcfVHZ_7F4kmZItmptL7FQnTbnF4CLEVpZRpRERbk3izZjB4Q5aSO4vbY5g-LNLKJCVwUEJvQiw9YrzlE_G8oYGEHknDh1pXFiMbEo8naMY/s1600-h/379245018_Fcrfw-L.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8zZ-QH-MI7Itf02UuIgzQGhxjC3Gn4YfKcfVHZ_7F4kmZItmptL7FQnTbnF4CLEVpZRpRERbk3izZjB4Q5aSO4vbY5g-LNLKJCVwUEJvQiw9YrzlE_G8oYGEHknDh1pXFiMbEo8naMY/s400/379245018_Fcrfw-L.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280885605238703682" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Photo Tip: </span>To lighten your camera load in backpacking, you do not need to bring a 2 lb slr (unless it is a photoshoot hike). Instead bring a compact point and shoot that has a wide angle to moderate telephoto lens, sharp and has great colors and saturation. An optical image stabilizer is a big plus, since you can leave the tripod behind. Do not focus so much on the technique but instead focus on your composition and vision.Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-76970522600427837982008-12-08T17:57:00.000-08:002008-12-08T19:18:55.906-08:00Cape May<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLaOtinLvSqvgShz8hyberqMEp5hjoexpMNi8qKbGGGtqqF9BVS06c2x3-Sm40b4K-I7WkP9LYF_zQuZAWcwq0Pi15RgDtOYfnWYQF2lrxp26Rn1t5paiCJVlW2iSQwXTd5IMVhaWIWs/s1600-h/IMG_8999.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLaOtinLvSqvgShz8hyberqMEp5hjoexpMNi8qKbGGGtqqF9BVS06c2x3-Sm40b4K-I7WkP9LYF_zQuZAWcwq0Pi15RgDtOYfnWYQF2lrxp26Rn1t5paiCJVlW2iSQwXTd5IMVhaWIWs/s400/IMG_8999.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277612321662138274" border="0" /></a>Last Thanksgiving, we wanted to do something different than staying at home slaving in front of the oven and cooking a 15lb turkey. This time, I wanted to be fed and just relax for a couple of days.<br /><br />We looked around where to go, we wanted to go somewhere that is relatively near us and where there are good restaurants that are open that time of the year and could offer something different from the city.<br /><br />We decided to go to Cape May, my wife and I haven't been there and I have heard of some really great restaurants, plus I miss the smell of the ocean. So off we go, booked a hotel and drove 2.5 hours to the cape.<br /><br />Cape May is a rather charming town with the colorful Victorian houses lining the street and rustic restaurants. The best thing about going there at that time of the year was that the crowds were all gone and you get transported back in time with the Island almost to ourselves.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNVxPvcXVR_5xaY41I2O9b0II_fL_JXNWxj58vCTe4rzTbL8ePYHSdM9V-9n6UJj0YXl6uzN3i6UmG-Q0v0cqobk4_l7931ccq8wrA-8cEgJMzMx-VNrSF1LsgPul-cUk6bPeGhuGYfw/s1600-h/IMG_9004.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNVxPvcXVR_5xaY41I2O9b0II_fL_JXNWxj58vCTe4rzTbL8ePYHSdM9V-9n6UJj0YXl6uzN3i6UmG-Q0v0cqobk4_l7931ccq8wrA-8cEgJMzMx-VNrSF1LsgPul-cUk6bPeGhuGYfw/s400/IMG_9004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277612918706231378" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In the afternoon, we walked along the beach, with the wind blowing through our hair and watched as the sun went down.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTiHpLDTisaZEy1l_D-cCCPjbA19IUmZ8BxCwEbUJK1Vw4L3P9z_bJMTQ6myvR1ZXSGkLM12wm0I6Bi0_xrZGu-l_1coh2y7O_Iwx-onGFHHVT86PIobulrFuoE-0fR_EpLjJ_eHMXmhU/s1600-h/IMG_9012.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTiHpLDTisaZEy1l_D-cCCPjbA19IUmZ8BxCwEbUJK1Vw4L3P9z_bJMTQ6myvR1ZXSGkLM12wm0I6Bi0_xrZGu-l_1coh2y7O_Iwx-onGFHHVT86PIobulrFuoE-0fR_EpLjJ_eHMXmhU/s400/IMG_9012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277613575139724114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDIyVp13g8Gb5PER-ectSVPp4HKfOBGCX5gBcbXzsParXYkADyMPtQxM2Dy9gPaAz3jsB5iXWkT0HrAaaqEjY9rnDHc2qQpURSirdLWkwNZfL6RJqO2qabWXgYkPaq8NU8bwsKIyvzrFU/s1600-h/IMG_9027.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDIyVp13g8Gb5PER-ectSVPp4HKfOBGCX5gBcbXzsParXYkADyMPtQxM2Dy9gPaAz3jsB5iXWkT0HrAaaqEjY9rnDHc2qQpURSirdLWkwNZfL6RJqO2qabWXgYkPaq8NU8bwsKIyvzrFU/s400/IMG_9027.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277614036906316642" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzalHCKS873fxYVqpJrp740GGzS2aO_2n3Gqqp2uI1tTHJfqelxxxfhP_q2RvIhYOvwHAmNlXUJPAGR_L5N1dJsydm9w1LiYLXdDpKk7Hm_onzYvm2uMxSUNnhMWuS2IjzGGGaJSeAXo/s1600-h/IMG_9042.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzalHCKS873fxYVqpJrp740GGzS2aO_2n3Gqqp2uI1tTHJfqelxxxfhP_q2RvIhYOvwHAmNlXUJPAGR_L5N1dJsydm9w1LiYLXdDpKk7Hm_onzYvm2uMxSUNnhMWuS2IjzGGGaJSeAXo/s400/IMG_9042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277614540263534002" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We ended the day with a glass of wine, great food and thankful to God for all the blessings that we have.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;">I don't need no proof when it comes to God and truth</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> I can see the sunset and I perceive - <span style="font-size:85%;">Heaven Lyrics by Live</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9Z7TDZ3w796v9EfEnscdcaKXHqQGnZrSKjhmjqgnmEgObl44RVXnCNdgayvI5PCRHF1QI-tFW-Rwp9ysnzAkFHp0dzjqE9UuraU9_EaLCXUwaQnlXO-7zCIibJf40vk4y3H4gGbVTVs/s1600-h/tn_IMG_9077.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9Z7TDZ3w796v9EfEnscdcaKXHqQGnZrSKjhmjqgnmEgObl44RVXnCNdgayvI5PCRHF1QI-tFW-Rwp9ysnzAkFHp0dzjqE9UuraU9_EaLCXUwaQnlXO-7zCIibJf40vk4y3H4gGbVTVs/s400/tn_IMG_9077.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277616843542238994" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Photo Tip:</span> To take photos of a sunset, set your camera to aperture or manual mode, select an aperture of 5.6 or higher and meter on the sky beside the sun but do not include the sun, take note of your shutter speed. Lock the exposure and recompose your shot. This will cause a silhouette of your foreground and will render the amazing color of the sky.<br /><br />Warning! Be careful not to look at the viewfinder too long as the sun can burn your eye.Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-83680115838877034132008-11-23T18:44:00.000-08:002008-11-25T19:04:10.223-08:00Capture the Moment<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Xc-GFPi8lkGiNLWXZBeUgNQypAejq8x9oc8NQOeTHvzspfmSy9UBz7x36k_E0QmmakrYlgyB6auzhoED1twHbU7WnW7crJRjTwnRgR1MeByiaAQXx5J85usQgdPDDRKJFnETzzL0D4k/s1600-h/flower.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Xc-GFPi8lkGiNLWXZBeUgNQypAejq8x9oc8NQOeTHvzspfmSy9UBz7x36k_E0QmmakrYlgyB6auzhoED1twHbU7WnW7crJRjTwnRgR1MeByiaAQXx5J85usQgdPDDRKJFnETzzL0D4k/s400/flower.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272067468689346482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">As photographers, we are given the task to "Capture the Moment". But what is a moment? It has nothing to do with time. It is about being in the present. When you are fully absorbed in that "Now".<br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:'Arial','sans-serif';font-size:11;" ><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:'Trebuchet MS','sans-serif';font-size:12;" ><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Eternity isn’t some later time. Eternity isn’t even a long time. Eternity has nothing to do with time. Eternity is that dimension of here and now that all thinking in temporal terms cuts off. "</span> </span>- </span>Joseph Campbell<br /><br /></span></span></span></span>Peer into the viewfinder of your camera, it is dark in there, save for that little box which is your window to the world outside. Inside your viewfinder there are focus points and whichever focus point you pick and aim towards an object you will see that the object nearest that focus point will be clear and sharp, hence the term "in focus". While the rest of the picture will fade away in the background. Again breathe, focus, click the shutter and time will stop and that moment will be captured forever.<br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:'Arial','sans-serif';font-size:11;" ><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:'Trebuchet MS','sans-serif';font-size:12;" ><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ></span><br /></span></span></span>As in the cacophony of our daily lives we too can be in focus, stop time and live in the moment. Without dwelling on the past and worry about the mysterious future.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />Stand on a corner of a busy street and watch as cars pass by, honking their horns. Observe the people rushing on to the street, talking, shouting. There is a certain chaos. Breathe deeply and slowly and focus on one point on the street, be it a person or a red fire hydrant, focus on it while being aware of your breathing. In a brief moment your mind will be calm, time will stop and the world will be in focus. Blink! You have just captured the moment.<br /><br />By having your mind free of thoughts your photos will flow with life itself.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Stay centered by accepting<br />whatever you are doing, This is the ultimate"</span> -- Zen Saying<br /><br />Tip: Pick your focus points carefully, study your subjects whether it is a person, a rock or a flower. The correct focus point can make or break a picture and will even affect exposure. When taking portraits, a good rule of thumb is to focus on the eyes. The eyes are the window into the soul and thus will let your images speak for themselves.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCg6Q_IRIfTXculvXJSLTNfFxiyPRbQmIeGO2my3ZlaD6hLIJoM0l9srVpZ7Jj5ccXvf7MYwCxfHCOZiTQ4Iyk7NVT3EB09JsZva659Z08ZoGoJI4DKjPkxoYYdaGHGyzwlsqh2O1kTg/s1600-h/tn_pinkgir.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCg6Q_IRIfTXculvXJSLTNfFxiyPRbQmIeGO2my3ZlaD6hLIJoM0l9srVpZ7Jj5ccXvf7MYwCxfHCOZiTQ4Iyk7NVT3EB09JsZva659Z08ZoGoJI4DKjPkxoYYdaGHGyzwlsqh2O1kTg/s400/tn_pinkgir.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272796627041482162" /></a>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-1165258530869327232008-11-10T08:48:00.000-08:002008-12-08T18:58:11.895-08:00ParaisoI have been fortunate last night, to have been able to take intimate photographs of the concert of a great Filipino composer and all around musical genius, Maestro Ryan Cayabyab. It was always one of my dreams to be able to shoot concerts or musicals up close, last night was the first step and I loved every bit of it.<br /><br />It was a really great experience. The new singing group of Maestro Ryan after his previous hit group the Smokey Mountain was amazing. They are dubbed the RCS (Ryan Cayabyab Singers). Classics from the maestro, new compositions, "Kundiman", Christmas and some "APO" songs have been sung as well.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwXGzfQNFCBuLfiVSt4KnKuB7oQwtWAH4KCjnnwlxNRXW8P1kSqRCrYFKKZ4aEkh8Zo_c2aSU6W2JD4gBZiQeO2VJu7y8-Jod5mPiMvW1jjo1tj5RFPUGOUPDjjUL5yAbOHOMotE2jWI/s1600-h/tn_RyanC+%2814%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwXGzfQNFCBuLfiVSt4KnKuB7oQwtWAH4KCjnnwlxNRXW8P1kSqRCrYFKKZ4aEkh8Zo_c2aSU6W2JD4gBZiQeO2VJu7y8-Jod5mPiMvW1jjo1tj5RFPUGOUPDjjUL5yAbOHOMotE2jWI/s400/tn_RyanC+%2814%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267212184264041426" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.stephaniereese.com/">Stephanie Reese</a> stunned the crowd with her soprano voice and dynamic performance. <span class="style4">She starred in Miss Saigon in Germany, played Esmeralda in Disney's World premiere of "The hunchback of Notre dame" she also played the Princess Tuptim in "The King and I" in London among others.<br /><br /></span>Her journey from the spotlight of the stage, to a powerful voice for the slums of the Philippines, warms the heart.<br /><br />The most important thing of course last night are the plight of my countrymen who have found new homes and rebuilt their lives through the generosity of a group called <a href="http://www.gawadkalinga.org/">Gawad Kalinga</a> . It is a touching tribute knowing that the private sector has more impact than the government in building homes for the poor. There is still work to be done and the best part is... we could help.<br /><br />I will let Maestro Ryan's lyrics tell us the story of the plight of the homeless in the Philippines and all over the world.<br /><br />Excerpt from the song Paraiso, sung by Smokey Mountain, lyrics by Ryan Cayabyab<br /><br /><br />I live in this land called paraiso,<br />In a house made of cardboard floors and walls.<br />I learned to be free in paraiso,<br />Free to claim anything I see.<br />Matching rags for my clothes,Plastic bags for the cold.<br />And if empty cans were all I have, what a joy.<br />I never fight to take someone else's coins<br />and live with fear like the rest of the boys.<br /><br />Paraiso, help me make a stand.<br />Paraiso, take me by the hand<br />Paraiso, make the world understand<br />That if I could see a single bird, what a joy.<br />This tired and hungry land could expect<br />Some truth and hope and respect<br />From the rest of the world.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbXygax8ztJ58MLHP9bqbhdC8MF7GysgxogVMb71Uf24TBpCqnuQL_2frHUKiHvB92jdgIxhFg3u77nzuriheoop6OYN537PALnroiIt1V2gRiu0rWYwWYP0khQptI_VdtqADokg9HYc/s1600-h/tn_RyanC+%2869%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbXygax8ztJ58MLHP9bqbhdC8MF7GysgxogVMb71Uf24TBpCqnuQL_2frHUKiHvB92jdgIxhFg3u77nzuriheoop6OYN537PALnroiIt1V2gRiu0rWYwWYP0khQptI_VdtqADokg9HYc/s400/tn_RyanC+%2869%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267212689473809426" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBR-ZZC8t5LcX6I_oCMb3IN7Fm0ktnoPVT7c-VTg9cnWIO17yXThbGUURn3Nv-ose9cUAm7tF56_DUVi8SRM5gBdagXg7gtkE_KHNtv42YtsAsKYJOZ6k5A3nLCuyh8gTGx1G8eas9PWo/s1600-h/tn_RyanC+%2824%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBR-ZZC8t5LcX6I_oCMb3IN7Fm0ktnoPVT7c-VTg9cnWIO17yXThbGUURn3Nv-ose9cUAm7tF56_DUVi8SRM5gBdagXg7gtkE_KHNtv42YtsAsKYJOZ6k5A3nLCuyh8gTGx1G8eas9PWo/s400/tn_RyanC+%2824%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267212907877596354" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Proud to be Pinoy!<br /><br />Additional pictures on my site, sorry if there is no direct link.<br /><br />go to <a href="http://www.sachivillareal.net/">www.sachivillareal.net</a><br />enter the wedding site<br />navigate to the: featured gallery tab<br /><br />Photo Tip: In low light situations such as concerts, you will need a fast lens and a camera capable of producing clean images at a high ISO. So I took out my trusty 5D and my fast telephoto lens Canon's venerable 135 F2 to get the shots. I needed the fast lens and high ISO to get my shutter speed to the point that I can stop the motion of the performing artists and also to prevent camera shake from my long telephoto.<br /><br />Setting: Camera set on manual f2.0 at 160/Sec ISO 1600Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-4533993528063000502008-11-09T13:36:00.000-08:002008-11-09T10:36:12.823-08:00Spirit of Place<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1GWuIY8-NFcbEFTAu8qbjZclq246H2mDmtUjc4R0QJePPDn4RhsAbwptfClVeIIxkfS1635JJA01isyUTvH4pvYeLdWb-ZVllaxDhaxBPTViYbmN1H4Z0nnhNJQLFMFvu5BxydobTR0/s1600-h/tn_50289486.IMG_5582.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1GWuIY8-NFcbEFTAu8qbjZclq246H2mDmtUjc4R0QJePPDn4RhsAbwptfClVeIIxkfS1635JJA01isyUTvH4pvYeLdWb-ZVllaxDhaxBPTViYbmN1H4Z0nnhNJQLFMFvu5BxydobTR0/s320/tn_50289486.IMG_5582.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264662367519126018" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Wonder is the beginning of wisdom - Greek Proverb</span><br /><br />For an artist, the world is his palette, and adventure his brush. We all yearn for a little adventure in our lives, the sense of something new excites us. We are all born to a life of adventure. The moment we got out of our mothers womb, we are introduced to the sights, sounds, smells and touch of the world. Everything is new, everything is exciting.<br /><br />But when we grow older this excitement takes a backseat, we engulf ourselves in the monotonous currents of our lives and the simple joys become mundane. We want something bigger, we strive for something better and we work very hard for it, then we get tired of working, then it is back to square one. Our sense of wonder does not go away, it is just under there somewhere tucked under the covers.<br /><br />Let's get away, pick a favorite place you have always dreamed of going, take your camera and capture life<span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span><br /><br />How do we capture the<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Spirit of a Place</span>? By taking a pause, breathe and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Feel</span> the gentle breeze of the ocean. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Listen</span> to the music played on the street, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Smell</span> the wonderful aroma from that little french kitchen,<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Gaze</span> upon the giant monoliths of the Swiss alps and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Laugh</span> with the people who live in there. This is the spirit of the place, by being one with your environment. After you absorb all that, then and only then can you take the picture.<br /><br />With all your senses heightened and your sense of wonder back in you, you will unleash your creative self and with the camera stop time and capture life's essence. It is with deep passion can our photographs be alive. Like our mothers cooking made with patient preparation, the right ingredients and gentle care can the food be so memorable.<br /><br />Try taking a picture of a mountain at sunrise, wake up early, prepare your gear, visualize your shot and find your spot. Once there listen to sounds of the birds and the smell of the morning dew and once the sun finally kiss those peaks you will feel a joy so profound it is beyond words and then breathe, compose and press the shutter.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The rich and varied journey of life, encompassing all opposites, connecting all things.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Great Journey is full of blessings for the person </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">who has eyes to see</span><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span> Tao - The Great Way.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvboi7-cEuMwtz7ay_Scc3UTkzx9ZasUvPQFlsEfQdji3MSzNWz3hoXo6FBZ1jY0kilcAIo1d_N0Fd-q7liJYqKwoDIUBhL0SiWwIJbTvXG1oLKGh29V_0UpNDLEVYnztBIZCQhK0q9k/s1600-h/tn_46545026.IMG_1817.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 229px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvboi7-cEuMwtz7ay_Scc3UTkzx9ZasUvPQFlsEfQdji3MSzNWz3hoXo6FBZ1jY0kilcAIo1d_N0Fd-q7liJYqKwoDIUBhL0SiWwIJbTvXG1oLKGh29V_0UpNDLEVYnztBIZCQhK0q9k/s320/tn_46545026.IMG_1817.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265014374520170210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip:</span> When taking pictures of your travels, tell a story. Think of how the story begins and how it will end. You can start with photos of you at the airport and end it walking away from the camera at a beach at sunset.<br /><br />A good story needs a good backdrop to work with, grab your tripod and wide angle lens and take pictures of the place, the mountains, the monuments. Zoom in and grab the details that make the place unique. Vary your angles, shoot at different times of the day. Night shots of city lights, sunsets at the beach or the drama of the rainy day. A good rule of thumb when shooting landscapes is to be mindful of the horizon and that it is horizontally straight and shoot with a smaller aperture.<br /><br />A good story will need actors, so take photos of the people in that area, learn their customs so you could shoot them in their environment. Use a long lens and be invisible, in that way they can act naturally. Once you get a good rapport with them, take a closer more intimate portrait to emphasize their eyes and face, which in themselves tell their own story.<br /><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzrVqw6GceSpWB_LOkVqno0numALs_aD29eHDm2O4YrI6CUk16TIBg_vN_oDJ_9PUL0Up6ZlXnAjEIFaLTg4-myuRc0nQ71fC8YxJro-WPYD5uc8H6UVfQTqJ8CDBosmH2KbpzHXln5g/s1600-h/tn_39913846.IMG_8117.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 236px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzrVqw6GceSpWB_LOkVqno0numALs_aD29eHDm2O4YrI6CUk16TIBg_vN_oDJ_9PUL0Up6ZlXnAjEIFaLTg4-myuRc0nQ71fC8YxJro-WPYD5uc8H6UVfQTqJ8CDBosmH2KbpzHXln5g/s320/tn_39913846.IMG_8117.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265011802361217842" border="0" /></a> <br />And lastly don't forget to enjoy the moment.Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-28105787483031647522008-11-05T08:08:00.001-08:002008-11-05T10:40:47.916-08:00The Tipping Point<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WditAMOiaGXp8Q7MC9FDQMSi4lCAzt1lfz2MODEpVUL-vuk-fN7BIcqvC55JJDIpf4D9jQXsj2SACdMmtMsCY_jnhyphenhyphenJVm65I8mw6jslIY_E0Y68wDLE73BOkjMJmwOOglzsAMXeXdQo/s1600-h/barack-obama-official-small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WditAMOiaGXp8Q7MC9FDQMSi4lCAzt1lfz2MODEpVUL-vuk-fN7BIcqvC55JJDIpf4D9jQXsj2SACdMmtMsCY_jnhyphenhyphenJVm65I8mw6jslIY_E0Y68wDLE73BOkjMJmwOOglzsAMXeXdQo/s320/barack-obama-official-small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265233439719581170" border="0" /></a>I am taking a break today and not talk about Photography for a second. <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I wanted to take this time to relish this moment in history, when <st1:country-region><st1:place>America</st1:place></st1:country-region> voted its first African-American President in the true sense of the word. Although I am not a citizen of this country, I feel indebted to it because it has provided me with a lot of opportunities and memories.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have to admit, if I could vote I would've voted for the old warrior John McCain, because being a martial artist all my life I do have an affinity for the warrior and the code that embodies a warrior. But there was no question change is coming. It all pointed to it, 911, the Iraq war, the failed Bush administration and the worse economic downturn since the great depression. A Tipping point has been reached. All that is needed is a catalyst to facilitate that change.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipping_point" title="Tipping point">Tipping points</a></i> are "The levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>- Malcolm Gladwell, from his book, The Tipping Point.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Back home in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>Philippines</st1:place></st1:country-region> in 1983, after years of brutal dictatorship under Ferdinand Marcos, the assassination of Senator Benigno Aquino, the killings of innocent lives and the suppression of freedom. The country had its Tipping Point. Masses of people stormed the streets, stood against the might of the government and eventually toppled it. They clamored for change and they got it.</p>Last night was the same it was a people powered revolution, albeit in a more civil and peaceful way. Americans young and old, black and white got in line in record numbers to cast their vote. Red states were turned blue as the evening moved on. The change was underway. <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Obama's strategist recognized that the Tipping point is almost upon us. Like Clinton's slogan on his campaign "It's the economy stupid"!<span style=""> </span>Obama's rally cry was "Hope and Change" and it worked, he made the people understand his message and the strategy was perfect.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">What started as Rev. Martin Luther King's dream culminated last night and it was a moment to remember.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;" class="body">Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> - </span><span class="bodybold"><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/martinluth121065.html">Martin Luther King, Jr.</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="bodybold"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="bodybold"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="bodybold">America</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="bodybold"> truly is now, a country of Red, White and Blue. White being…"The absence of color".</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-47492172900681822272008-11-04T14:30:00.000-08:002008-11-05T09:53:29.186-08:00Perception<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlHhbM29I_qi3-pqYEFZB5_b4N9IqUn1azch9pUJppekEsvuvUTp9kjbQUJa9BZSKBHsA3Tx_1rltMyEI0rNspbwj97HCM4qhTOz4RLP16xdLZntoqmA3IujSBUCcR5FhqBsX1mTic8g/s1600-h/26745.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlHhbM29I_qi3-pqYEFZB5_b4N9IqUn1azch9pUJppekEsvuvUTp9kjbQUJa9BZSKBHsA3Tx_1rltMyEI0rNspbwj97HCM4qhTOz4RLP16xdLZntoqmA3IujSBUCcR5FhqBsX1mTic8g/s320/26745.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263149076595808178" border="0" /></a>Some of you might have seen this picture already. For those of you who have not, please indulge me and let's play a game. Here goes, what is your first impression when you take a look at the picture?<br /><br />tick..tock..tick..tock..brnngg time's up!<br /><br />Ok, you got your impressions by now I assume. This is a classic optical illusion of an old woman or young woman image. There is really no right or wrong answer here, it all depends on how you <span style="font-weight: bold;">perceive</span> the image.<br /><br />I ended my previous article with the phrase "Master the rules, before you break them". In photography once you master the technical aspects of it (aperture, shutter speed, exposure, reciprocal rule, composition etc.) then you can now move to the next step. Break the rules and try to find your own vision.<br /><br />Because in photography as in any creative pursuit, there really are no rules. It is all based on how we perceive the world, and for each and everyone of us, it is unique. The only thing that hinders us from that process of freedom is the environment we belong to or the belief system of that era.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >From infancy, we collect, correlate, and learn to transmit sensory data. The sum of these impressions make up our mind's internal model of the reality around us. With maturity, value judgments replace sensory data as primary factors determining our regard for someone or some thing.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> - from the book, The Warrior's Edge</span><br /><br />Remember that before Columbus set sail for the new world, the belief system of that time was that the world is flat (thanks to Thomas Friedman, the world is flat again!) and that the horizon is the edge of the world. That is why fishermen or seafarers of that time hugged the coast for the fear of falling off the earth. So Columbus set sail, broke the rules and the rest is history.<br /><br />This is more important now more than ever since here in the digital age we can access a library of thousands upon thousands of photographs and we can only ask ourselves, how can our photos look unique?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip:</span><br />When taking a picture of say a toy, try to resist the urge to take the same pictures you see on the postcards or the hundreds of the same photos you see on the web. Instead let your mind be free and capture the picture the way your mind and heart tells you to.<br /><br />from this<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqY6ns-rD7-jbBfc7nWDCIIpjE1c3Iv5WEgdmz7qpYPfC99QLgilPOnjiR_r_ibPH3vdePaBjejuQWN2lYYCwIN3B_Ncv5qYn17d_EI1VznFxexGNfVkhVrZL8UC-RJx6it4Jp5w4BsKM/s1600-h/tn_IMG_8929.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqY6ns-rD7-jbBfc7nWDCIIpjE1c3Iv5WEgdmz7qpYPfC99QLgilPOnjiR_r_ibPH3vdePaBjejuQWN2lYYCwIN3B_Ncv5qYn17d_EI1VznFxexGNfVkhVrZL8UC-RJx6it4Jp5w4BsKM/s320/tn_IMG_8929.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263175335650512354" border="0" /></a><br /><br />to this<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwb6CJtlgACYybz9WRNVgynKS2hnWbTVbwb6hM11P5mEThow9I3-PfIJ98geGtrn4PSVBTS6JumgxD2xCs8HJDWxa_w2I-XruR7CPE8i1rO7XNEHPnYKH1eeFNi30PVcaDtnOmvZCDFo/s1600-h/tn_rings.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwb6CJtlgACYybz9WRNVgynKS2hnWbTVbwb6hM11P5mEThow9I3-PfIJ98geGtrn4PSVBTS6JumgxD2xCs8HJDWxa_w2I-XruR7CPE8i1rO7XNEHPnYKH1eeFNi30PVcaDtnOmvZCDFo/s320/tn_rings.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263175579554164370" border="0" /></a>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-36101487263878093742008-10-31T11:35:00.000-07:002008-11-14T09:03:56.689-08:00The Art of SeeingThe human eye is the perfect camera, it can adapt to instant shifts in light and can focus near and far almost instantly. It can even see in the dark as long as it gets the time to adjust, and can grab minute gradients in color.<br /><br />The camera is nowhere near that, even the most expensive and advanced ones. It does have the camera body as the brain, where all the processing takes place, and the lens which serves as its eyes to the world. But even with all its processing power, it is still the human brain who will have to teach it how to see. The camera makes decisions based on levels of light. It does not know that you are shooting a sunset, but it knows that there is a light source in there with gradients of light mixed in.<br /><br />So let's teach the camera how to see then, by understanding exposure, as it is the main building block of photography. I will not get into too much detail on it, because there are hundreds of articles written on them and books as well. Just Look at it as a guide that you can study in more detail later on.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip:</span> A lot of people would ask me what camera to buy. my answer is I would rather invest in a decent cheap body and put the money towards a nice lens that you can afford. Because no matter how intelligent the brain is, if the eyes vision is blurred then it will only record a blurred image. A good lens is sharp, has great color and contrast and focuses fast.</span><br /><br />The building blocks of correct exposure<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aperture</span>:<br /><br />Think of aperture as the pupil of your eye. It grows bigger or smaller depending on the light that it gets. That is why doctors shine a light on our eye to see if it reacts to light. So in the camera this applies to the opening of the lens. If you want more light to get to your film or sensor then you want it to grow bigger, a larger aperture and if you want less light to shine through then use a smaller aperture. Notice that when you look at the sun directly you squint because the light is too bright.<br /><br />Aperture can be confusing because of the numbering system that they use. For example if you want a larger opening or aperture you generally set it to a smaller number like say F1.8 - f2.8. If you want to squint and need a smaller aperture, the number becomes bigger say f11 - f-22.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip:</span> This can be confusing at first, so grab your camera set it to manual mode, pick a shutter speed of say 1/100 of a sec and take a picture of an object with different apertures. Observe how it affects your photo. Make sure that the flash is off when you are testing this out.</span><br /><br />Aperture has a unique effect on the photo also not just control of light; it also creates <a href="http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/depth-of-field.htm">Depth of Field</a> .<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Shutter Speed:</span><br /><br />Shutter speed to put it simply controls the amount of time the shutter closes for the sensor to absorb light or it could also stop motion. For example if you want to control motion, you could slow a waterfall to a nice silky veil using a slow shutter speed or stop a racing car in a fraction of a second say 1/2000th. You could use a slow shutter speed too, to get beautiful night shots using lights from buildings, lampposts or even candlelight because a slower shutter speed will let the sensor absorb more light.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip: </span>To practice set your camera to manual mode, select an aperture say f4 and adjust the shutter speed and take a photo. Observe how it affects the light on the image. Practice this on a moving object too and observe the results. Make sure that the flash is off when you are testing this out.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Exposure:</span><br /><br />Exposure is the combination of both the aperture and the shutter speed. This is where you almost have total control of the light. Mix and match aperture and shutter speed and observe the results. Again exposure is an extensive topic, read more on it and practice, practice, practice.<br /><br />Here is a good article on exposure if you want to get deep into it.<br /><a href="http://photo.net/learn/basic-photo-tips/correct-exposure/">Exposure Basics</a>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-61349928018128916242008-10-24T12:59:00.000-07:002008-10-24T13:20:38.485-07:00The Photographer's Mind<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3QmXwu5VC7xcZqP4ylXQHRR95Tr7HvHMLU8GJ9mnAMHPxPhyphenhyphen-niP11rccm2wu6CtLrxAwI7AbwhveCSMwih3iTEZXmKIA8PpmrqvR8xSY1KAuI2TMQiZV-UFdHbdYvBavJkxD5PSRG0/s1600-h/puddle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 310px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3QmXwu5VC7xcZqP4ylXQHRR95Tr7HvHMLU8GJ9mnAMHPxPhyphenhyphen-niP11rccm2wu6CtLrxAwI7AbwhveCSMwih3iTEZXmKIA8PpmrqvR8xSY1KAuI2TMQiZV-UFdHbdYvBavJkxD5PSRG0/s320/puddle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260813790471772018" border="0" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">I have been asked a question once.<span style=""> </span>What makes a good photographer? I am sure there are a lot of varied answers out there, but here is my take on it.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">By studying other photographers out there and from my own humble experience. I noticed that before I even look at the viewfinder of the camera, I have a sense of what the photo would look like already. I would study the scene first, check my subject, foreground and background then take the picture. Or I would place myself in a place such that if a scene happens I will be in a best position for a shot.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">A lot of new photographers would look at a scene and take a snapshot and hope they do get a good shot and delete it if they don’t and take another one. They did not have a sense of purpose in their shots. They just hope they get lucky and tell themselves "That's good enough".<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Ansel Adams would look at the mountain on a dull gray day and say to himself "this would be better if there are a bit of clouds in the sky and an orange sunset would illuminate it from the side". He would wait for that moment, kept on coming back to that same spot when all the conditions are right, then take the picture.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><span style="font-family:Arial;">Adams advocated the idea of visualization (which he often called ‘previsualization’, though he later acknowledged that term to be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redundancy_%28language%29" title="Redundancy (language)"><span style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">a redundancy</span></a>) whereby the final image is “seen” in the mind’s eye before taking the photo - Wikipedia<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">But how about if its photojournalism where everything is happening so fast and you do not have time to study your subject or location. Well there is something that is faster than thought, and that is intuition. That is the secret of the Photographers Mind.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">What is intuition? To me, it is a fraction of a second where mind and body become one. As Bruce Lee stated it "If a punch comes at you, you don’t have time to think what block you will use,<span style=""> </span>by the time you decide the punch would hit you already, instead don't think just react". <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">There is a photographer who took a picture of a man jumping a puddle. At first there was no man, just the puddle. How did he take that picture? He waited until a man passed over the puddle and in a moment he took the picture. He called that the "Decisive moment". That photographer was the great </span><b>Henri Cartier-Bresson </b><span style="font-family:Arial;">the father of modern photojournalism. Take note he used the term "Decisive" it means that there is some sort of thought process involved not just luck but visualizing a scene and reacting to the moment.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Here is a quote from him<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><span style="font-family:Arial;">"There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative," he said. "Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever."<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Arial;">Tip:</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;"> Take time to study the subject and the scene before you shoot. Like a great painter visualize how the photo would look like in your minds eye before you take the picture. Once you master that then your instincts will be honed and you can take the next step. Let go of your thought and grab the "Decisive Moment".<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Master the Rules, before you break it.</span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2938536527764867569.post-71410121337951815602008-10-10T19:08:00.001-07:002008-11-03T19:25:02.047-08:00Fall<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqohcnlvIQfHP86fpbPkVbZS7qBDk-_NKVGP8MlY8QYiyZWNjU3IoKxc-NP3j7mEHIK4SHEtWybk4H_hfJfn5bQq_oQEH3fb0YmFXIZOMvI2T8t1USLzlrQdeJd_SjxH_G1eusYp9po6s/s1600-h/_MG_8261.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqohcnlvIQfHP86fpbPkVbZS7qBDk-_NKVGP8MlY8QYiyZWNjU3IoKxc-NP3j7mEHIK4SHEtWybk4H_hfJfn5bQq_oQEH3fb0YmFXIZOMvI2T8t1USLzlrQdeJd_SjxH_G1eusYp9po6s/s320/_MG_8261.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255712957910487938" border="0" /></a><br />Hello and Welcome,<br /><br />This is my first time writing a blog and I am not sure yet where or how it will evolve. I do love to write, though the question of whether I am a good writer remains to be seen. I guess we all have to start somewhere. So let's start now... in <span style="font-weight: bold;">fall</span> when the leaves are at their apex.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNUvrInx4QqXu_53o7cP-ljeRhDxu4Kw_mFp_LCOn3KfiHkIR7-YeWBmp7n86WlPxbKOdUTpIViwdi4E7yHhPhIN_o2z1Zkv7wMglg5GCN_X-35yUnd5BiSoMJ8g2fGy7CVIltceT9yw/s1600-h/_MG_8284.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNUvrInx4QqXu_53o7cP-ljeRhDxu4Kw_mFp_LCOn3KfiHkIR7-YeWBmp7n86WlPxbKOdUTpIViwdi4E7yHhPhIN_o2z1Zkv7wMglg5GCN_X-35yUnd5BiSoMJ8g2fGy7CVIltceT9yw/s320/_MG_8284.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255717263505836210" border="0" /></a><br />I do love photography, it is a passion, a <a href="http://www.sachivillareal.net/">profession</a> at times, a vision, a different glimpse of the world. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Fall</span> is also my favorite season to photograph. It is a time when each leaf becomes a flower and mountains a carpet of rainbows.<br /><br />It is also for me a time to ponder impermanence. Like "Sakura" the cherry blossom. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Fall</span> comes fast, colors radiant in their beauty, then in a moment, a downpour of rain and the sting of winter air, it's all gone and replaced by black... and white.<br /><br />But is it really gone?<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSaJg_Bw-kll_5oRBkwbrEe4QV_9FQBPLmvQNH9l3gnV4sKClzv-kYiV20Vme-r-LCtYJzp6GRKpL_Q0LMJnT_JSzvk1dTNh4vqI3AdX8CcaVSS5pv9FCYzmwQQilYQYaXLObDFQLKIo/s1600-h/_MG_8315.JPG"><br /></a>Sachi Villarealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494893076578889953noreply@blogger.com0