on Sail Boats, Beaches and Panoramas

It has been awhile...

I have been planning to write a blog for weeks now and yet I haven't had the inspiration to actually start writing; until now.

I finished stitching up some panoramas from a recent trip the island of Boracay. These photos were taken during our island hopping trip via sail boat or known locally as Paraw. While the weather during the trip was sketchy, there were times that we had clear blue skies. It was my idea to ride a Paraw instead of the regular boat with an outboard motor. It was fun, sometimes harrowing because of the wind and waves, and a very unique way to explore the island.

Here are the panoramas I took during the trip.

Station 1 Boracay

Station 1 was our jump off point. We were picked up by the boat there. It was around 6Am when I took this photo and in the distance the clouds were looking very ominous.

Magic Island

Magic Island is a small island not far from the main island. The trip to the island was a bit scary because we were facing the huge waves. There were times when one side of the boat would get lifted up to about 10 feet or get swallowed by waves. It was like a roller coaster ride of sorts; one that lasted about 30 minutes.

Puka Beach

The last photo was taken from Puka Beach at the tip of the main island. The scenery made the trip worthwhile. The sand was powder white, the breeze was cool and the waters were crystal clear. I could imagine myself staying in the beach, with a book and a nice milk shake. I promised myself that when I return to Boracay, I will spend a day there.

I only had a short stay in Boracay and only got to shoot a few times mainly because of the weather. I plan on returning probably in a year or so just to explore more of the island. I hope the next time I will be blessed by good weather.

PS: All photos were taken with my  Nikon D7000 and stitches in photoshop CS6.

on Finding Crab Spiders

I've been under the weather lately and work is killing me. Anyhow, I found some time to blog since tomorrow is a holiday. This post is long overdue.

It's been a long time since I started doing macro work and people often ask me this question: "how on earth do you find these spiders?"

 perfectly camouflaged in its surroundings and waiting for passing prey...

I've learned a lot about how to track spiders and where the most promising spots are in our little garden. Since I specialize in Jumping Spiders, I tend to go to spots where there are big leaves as they like to hang out there. But the most sure fire way to track them down is look for the food source. Where there are flying and crawling insects, you will surely find a spider nearby.

 front view of this Crab Spider...

This curious little critter is what we commonly call a Crab Spider since its stance is similar to that of a crab. They tend to be well camouflaged and according to my research can change color after a few days of being in the same spot. I've seen greens, yellows and brown colored ones in the past. This particular one is somewhat orange as I found it on dried up leaves and flowers. They are really hard to spot since they do not move and are well hidden. They are ambush predators and wait for days on end to catch prey.

 old photo of a Green Crab Spider...

I think I am lucky to have spotted and photographed this specie as it is very hard to find one in the confines of our small garden. I am hoping that by exploring other areas, I'd find some more of them in the future. And since tomorrow is a holiday, I'll make it a point to go shoot macro. 

on Holiday Macro Adventures

Overcast days are perfect for photography especially when you go out hunting for macro subjects.

The country is celebrating it's independence day and it is a holiday. I took advantage of the holiday plus the overcast skies to shoot macro. I got about fifty keepers today; I will sort them out later. But as I have said before, one photo will make your day. And boy, did this one really make my day.

I was in my favorite macro spot where there is a pepper plant. It is home to huge and fierce looking ants and some predator flies. I was waiting for a bronze jumping spider to face me when I saw movement about three feet away. There was this fat jumping spider moving from leaf to leaf. It was one of the few times I saw a Jumping Spider really jump about a foot in distance. I quickly moved around the bush to where it was and found it already had something in its jaws. I would have been awesome to see it grab the wasp looking insect but I had to settle for a photo of it feeding. I only had three frames of this spider and this one is the best.

This is probably my current favorite spider photo. The details are awesome and I can clearly make out the prey too. It makes walking around in the bush for hours worth the effort.

Happy Independence Day to everyone!

on the Year of the Dragon...fly.

Kiong Hee Huat Chai!!!

In this side of the world, we are celebrating the Chinese New Year. It is a holiday here and I am glad I found some time off from work and my (amazingly) busy photography sideline to write another blog. I do hope that this year bring me good fortunes in photography.

And as it is the Year of the Water Dragon, I have been hunting down water born dragons... errrr... Dragonflies.

I was lucky that I did not have to go far to find a dragonfly. It was about four and a half inches long and green. I got only two snaps of it but I am happy I got close to one. I wish I could shoot more dragonflies but they are such a rarity here in our village these days. Next time I'll go looking for a red or blue dragonfly.

Again Happy Chinese New Year to all!

Under the Blazing Summer Sun : The 73rd Araw ng Dabaw

Well, two weeks has passed since the 73rd Araw ng Dabaw, but its only now that I have time to post some of the pictures I took during the events.

I went out on the streets to shoot the dance competition and the grand parade. I endured the blistering heat of the midday sun just to shoot. It was my first time watching the Araw ng Dabaw in a very long time. I remember the days when I watched the event with my mom and siblings; that was ages ago. Shooting at the event brings back memories of my childhood.

Anyhow, I managed to get a few good shots of the parade and dance competition. Sadly, the event wasn’t as colorful as I was expecting. It’s all for experience sake.

This is my favorite photo from the whole set:

Post Xmas and Early New Year's Blog

It's the week after Christmas and I'm back in my desk, working on year-end tasks. It's a bit weird to be working during the holidays as this is the first time in four years I had to come to work after Christmas; usually I take a break during the Holidays.

I learned something profound this year; something that friends have been telling me about since four years ago. I learned how to wait for my time to be happy. People know for a fact that I am a result driven person and I hate waiting. But this year, I waited and it was worth it. And it’s true, that happiness doesn't come in a box or is found when you seek it. It comes when you least expect it; as a pleasant surprise.

I have had a lot of reasons to smile this year, and it was not because I looked for it. I went about my business with much hope that this was my year. And yes, good things really do come to those who wait. I'll apply my new found patience and wait some more; I feel that something is coming that would make me smile from ear to ear.

As for my Christmas wish, I think everyone knows what I really want. It's not something that comes in a small or big package; it’s not even a thing but a person. Well, I didn't hang a stocking that could fit a person in it, but then again I feel that I'm waiting has paid-off. I thank all my friends who, in those four years always reminded me that there was someone for me, and for listening to my endless rants. And for all those who tried to hook me up with their friends and supported my search for the ONE.

Lastly, gifts aren't that important to me anymore. The best gifts I ever received are the love and support of family and friends. I met a lot of new friends this year, and I am truly thankful for that; friends are truly a blessing. There is not much that I could ever ask for. I have lived a contented life this past year and I wish for it to stay the same in 2010. I wish to say THANK YOU to everyone who have been a part of my 2009 and I hope that they all stay for 2010 and beyond.



SEASONS GREETINGS TO EVERYONE... HAPPY NEW YEAR... GOD BLESS US ALL!