An Angry Little Bugger

It’s really amazing when you get to see the world of the very small. These are the things we tend to take for granted. There are so many interesting things to see when you zoom in for a really close look.

This was my realization after just one macro session. My friend lent me his extension tube and I tried it out on a boring Saturday. And then I got hooked. Seeing the output made me want to take more and more shots. And I really haven't gotten myself bored with the countless times that I zoomed in on my shots. And it's also very challenging since the extension tube makes the viewfinder go dark and there is no Auto Focus (AF); it makes shooting more fun.

This particular insect, which I am not really sure if it’s a beetle or a bronze version of the lady bug, has got to be one of my favorite things to shoot on macro. I usually find this critter on the purple sweet potato (kamote) leaves. It probably is good camouflage because the colors kind of make it look darker and less visible. Its actual size is about half of a 5 cent coin. And if not for the movement, it can remain virtually hidden in plain sight.

It becomes much more visible when it moves into the outer edges of the leaves.

Set against lighter green foliage and darker background, you can see clearly the profile of this angry little bugger.

I wish I had more time to shoot macro. It’s been raining lately and I'm having a hard time getting up early to shoot; and besides, there is nothing to shoot when it rains. I am also hoping that I'd find the budget for a proper macro lens so I'd have sharper photos to share.

PS: if anyone knows what the name of this bug is please inform me. I wish for all my insect macros to have proper labels.

The 100 Portraits Project: 3, 4 & 5

Every photoshoot invite is an opportunity for me to add to my 100 portraits project. A simple SMS on a weekend afternoon to shoot a new face gets me out of my hibernation to go out and shoot.

Most of those organized shoots have themes or concepts. I just come to the shoot with my camera and other gear. And most of the time, all I really have to do is shoot as there are already people who direct and do the styling. What I do is shoot first for my project and then shoot for a set with the theme. As my project is evolving, so are the concepts that we are doing.

Portrait #3: Lara Kim (Fairy in the City)

This is different from the one I uploaded in Facebook.

Portrait #4: Aysen (Tifa Lockheart of Final Fantasy VII)

Portrait #5: Yuri (The Two Sides of Yuri)

I'm glad I don't have to think of concepts or whatever for these particular shoots. And honestly, my creative mind took an extended vacation and hasn't returned yet; I do hope it returns soon as I need it for the prenup shoot I'll be doing next weekend. Wish me luck!

The Flooded Streets

Climate change has certainly been in the spotlight for the past weeks with those monster storms in Australia. Floods, at least, flooding of city streets during heavy rains is very common in Davao City. As far back as in my childhood days, flooding has been a problem in this city. And in recent years, it has gotten a whole lot worse.

A couple of Saturdays ago, I was stuck in Victoria Plaza, a local mall, with Anna. We met up there to go to another mall to watch a movie. But it was called off on the account of rain. The flooding was so severe that we decided just to eat and hang out at a coffee shop on the mall grounds. Before proceeding to the coffee shop, I got curious and took a closer look at how bad the flooding was. With camera in hand, and inspired by the Bad Weather Photos by Danny Santos, I took a few clicks. Then realized I had the perfect vantage point for panning shots.

On the first set of clicks, I got my first keeper.

Then, I waited patiently and got another one.

The pair of photos I got were the ones that I liked the most. It was hard to get panning shots but I had fun. I know composition is key to a good photo, but when your subject is moving, it’s a different thing all together. What matters is that I had fun taking these shots. And I do hope to take some more bad / extreme weather shots and perhaps make a portraiture set out of it in the near future. For now, panning shots keep the boredom away.