With the aid of modern technology, hopeless or overexposed pieces of photographs can still be recovered in ways you never seemed to imagine upon first look. The first picture on this post is an example. It was one of my recently mailed scanned film images from Digiprint. It looks like just one of the frames that can be just scrapped from the rest of the shots I have taken but… I was still able to recover and transform the picture into something that still tells something about what I shot. With Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, there’s this ready adjustment feature of recovering the details of the picture. With just a drag of a button, I was able to recover the details of the whole scenery. A little adjustment here and there and some black and white conversion, one can finally see the whole shot:

I’m just happy how Adobe Lightroom helped  me turn a blank frame into something. I recommend digital and film users to use it.

The Lomography Fisheye2 camera is my favorite camera after I bought one from a friend-schoolmate-Lomomanila member Aaron Roselo. It’s my second toy camera after my Holga and from my toy camera purchases, I do think that this camera was worth my buy.



The picture above is the one I shot last July 31, 2008 at Harbour Square in Manila. The place has already been developed with lots of restaurants in teh area. Me and my family used to drive to Harbour Square after eating at a Seafood Wharf (a.k.a Dampa) at Macapagal Avenue. Before only the Japanese restaurant was on the area together with all those pirated VCDs (yeah they existed back then :P) and DVDs. Now, there’s Starbucks, Teriyaki Boy, Jollibee and other food establishments at Harbour Square. There are still some interesting subjects at Harbour Square though, the boats, yatchs etc. Nice place for some street photography.

I like how the Fisheye captures a fieldview of 170 degrees, it’s a whole new world when you can capture at a wide angle. I’ve been thinking of purchasing a DSLR Lomography Fisheye Attachment to my liking, but I’m still thinking about the total $135.00 purchase…that’s already excluding the taxies and duties that the Philippine Postal system puts on top of the held product once it’s turned within the country for shipment. Boo.

Nevertheless, I can manage with my favorite Fisheye2 loaded with different kinds of slide film that gives normal shots that ooomph of color. I’ll be bringing my Fisheye 2 for a newbie Lomowalk in Intramuros, Manila this coming November 23…I’m just excited to use it again and have another Digiprint CD delivered.

Wow, I just received an e-mail about the first movie premiere activity in cooperation with Nuffnang Philippines on this new movie with Brad Pitt and George Clooney! It will be on November 18, 2008 at Robinson’s Galleria at around 7:30pm, which is just in time for me to meet up with my fellow Bloggers and Nuffnangers. I’m writing this entry because I want to go to the event because Nuffnang is giving away limited tickets for the premiere.

So why do I want to go?

• I want to watch the two hunks in this new movie…LOL
• I get first glimpse on the movie
• I get to be with my fellow bloggers (it’s been a long time! :D)
• I get to meet fellow Nuffnangers
• It’s free if I get to be included in the free tickets
• I don’t go to Robinson’s Galleria that much and it’s about time I just explore that mall…lame? LOL
• 7:30pm is the perfect time to watch (It’s after work and dinner ^_^)
• I want to know more about being a Nuffnangers and the projects of Nuffnang Philippines.
• If I win, I’ll share the ticket with other bloggers too

The first 50 winners for posting entries will get 2 tickets. Hoping to win ^_^ *fingers crossed*

What I hate most about the packaging of certain food products is that the pictures of the foods on the labels don’t completely or totally match the actual look of the product itself. Take for example this local cookie product here…the cookies on the label really look attractive, but then if you open the package the cookies look rather like ‘rejects’ of the produciton process. Geez… it looks like another product by itself. *Sniff*



I noticed that the local cookie brands here in the Philippines have really misleading food labels and pictures unlike international brands. I wonder who regulates the acceptance of food labels to the Philippine market. I little difference in the look of the products can still be accepted because of certain enhancements to the photos or what, but if companies like that mislead Filipino consumers on their product labels to get their products punched at the cashier, it cannot be tolerated. (Boo Hoo)

A title like Maki the I.R Photographer doesn’t really fit me because I’m still new into I.R and it sounds funny if you tell it to some DPP forum members who know something about I.R Photographers beyond the scope of Infrared Photography…hehehe. I actually bought a Hoya R72 Infrared Filter lately, it’s pretty expensive for a filter, but then I was just interested in shooting images in infrared lately more than just shooting things with bare need for any post-processing other than little quirks in exposure, color, contrast etc.



I gave my filter a test run during a short-lived vacation during the whole weekend. I’m amazed with the color ranges and channel swapping you can do with photoshop with the basic captures. Using an IR filter is like no other filters since you can barely see anything to compose a shot on the camera’s viewfinder. You also have to set the whitebalance according to the surroundings and all those other quirks in shooting. Images look bloody red before color channels are swapped via Photoshop:

Unprocessed Picture

I personally love how Infrared post-processing turns healthy trees like Cherryblossom trees

Shooting at Infrared is not an easy task. It really requires a lot of patience and scrutiny with camera settings, awareness of the weather, foliage etc. . I’m currently a statistical member of those who shot images with the so-called ‘hots spots’ (see my unprocessed infrared shot..it’s at the middle of the frame :P) . It’s really a sickness of my kitlens, so that experience alone suggests in buying a good hot spot-free wide angle lens…*cough* *cough*.:P

Well, here are the other few shots I made during the weekend. If you’re interested in shooting IR, just tell me because I’m really going gaga on shooting IR on places with lots of foliage on one sunny weekend.

I’m a Krispy Kreme Doughnut lover really. My favorite donuts is the Original Glazed with either of my favorite Sola Iced Tea flavors of Lemon or Rasberry, but I sometimes take home a Blueberry Cheesecake Doughnuts or a Hershey’s Cookies and Cream. Yum…LOL.Last night I was invited by Spot.ph to a Krispy Kreme Factory tour and community sharing at Bonifacio High Street with Krispy Kreme’s Marketing Manager (Mr. Mark Gamboa) and Staff.



Everyone just has to be aware of the new Doughnut flavors from Krispy Kreme. I got to eat the new Reese’s line of Peanut Butter Doughnuts from KKD…all 3 were just yummy but I liked the one with the chocolates and caramel on the top (a.k.a Reese’s Pieces and Kreme) .The staff of Krispy Kreme said that their bestseller among the 3 Reese’s Donuts is the Peanut Butter and Kreme. If you love Reese’s even before, then you’ll love it more. Not too sweet and goes well with Krispy Kreme’s brewed coffee too- that goes for the Peanut Butter and Chocolate Reese’s Doughnut.







It’s great to know that the initiative for the creation of these new line of doughnuts, like the Reese’s is unique to our country than the rest in the world. I was also happy to know that the price of a Krispy Kreme Doughnut is low compared to other countries. It was also only during the tour that I knew about the last batches of unconsumed Krispy Kreme Doughnuts go to charity. I guess that’s also what makes Krispy Kreme different from other doughnut chains in this country. What I also appreciate most about them is they localize Krispy Kreme in such a way that it becomes part of the most celebrated events in our country such as Mother’s Day, Easter Sunday, The UAAP Season, Halloween and more. I also agree with Ms. Cathy of Spot.ph on what she said that it’s great that Krispy Kreme doesn’t push it too hard on localizing the doughnut flavor line like having a durian doughnut, ube or what have you. It still maintains the characteristics of its origin and continues to improve by accepting feedback from consumers like us in a community talk. Whether it’s about the doughnuts, customer service, the prices…the Krispy Kreme staff is always there to listen and make ways for improvement. (Keep it up KKD! ^_^)



Here are the gallery of pictures I took during the talk and tours. Just click through any and I hope you get a good glimpse of how Krispy Kreme Doughnuts are produced.

I have been blogging for 2 years already on my previous blog and on this current blog of mine. It has only been months since I’m actively participating in offline blogging activities and there are really more things to learn about blogging. Last Saturday, I went to the Digitalfilipino Networking Night and the best bloggers rated by Ratified.org were awarded and shared their thoughts on how they reached their status.



I thought I was not gonna make it to the event because I feared on getting lost. I’m not really good at directions…but when I already go to a place, I can remember the way quickly. The venue was far up south in Paranaque. I would like to thank Sonnie, Ms. Annalyn, Rico of Technogra.ph for helping me figure out the way to Pagcor. I was glad to see Jonel, Mica, Billycoy, AJ, Tita Dine and the rest of the bloggers in the event. I’m really glad for my friend Jehz, who got the top spot. You can really learn a lot from Jehz when it comes to blogging and also learn how to enjoy blogging too. I was glad to meet new friends, friends in plurk and others. If only I had more time to stay in the event because of my curfew.







Well, I’m looking forward in more Digitalfilipino.com from Ms. Janette Toral. When I was still starting how to blog and the Blogging from Home book was still at its embryonic stage, I was reading helpful tips in blogging and yeah…making blogging as a living. It landed me to Ms. Janette Toral’s sites and that’s actually how I met her online. I was finally able to meet Ms. Janette during iBlog4. I can admit that I’m one of her fans since I do appreciate how she keeps the blogging community alive and gives seminars about e-commerce.



What I really appreciate from offline blog events is that it makes bloggers well-rounded online and offline. We get to interact personally with the people behind the blogs we read and comment about etc. There are just more things to learn personally and offline which are richer than the single blog posts and reviews we read once in a while in the blogosphere.



Video:

• Live Video Streaming of the Manila Bloggers Networking Night at PaGCOR (Azrael)

Photo:

1. Blogger’s Fellowship @ Casino Filipino (Carl)
2. Digital Filipino Club and Manila Bloggers Networking Event at PAGCOR (Anna)
3. DigitalFilipino Event Part 2 (Ada)
4. Bloggers Night (LAD)
5. DigitalFilipino Event Part 1 (Ada)
6. Philippines Top 100 Blogs Recognition (Jehzeel)
7. DigitalFilipino.com Clug and Bloggers Manila Networking Event(Azrael)

Posts:

1. I am not proud of my blog (Gary)
2. Tips from Top Bloggers @ DigitalFilipino.com Club and Bloggers Manila Networking Event (Dine)
3. Digital Filipino’s Networking Night at PAGCOR (Lace)
4. The Manila Fellowship Night (Ada)
5. Dumalo ako sa Manila Bloggers EB ng DigitalFilipino.com Club(Ederic)
6. Digital Filipino Club and Bloggers Manila Networking Event(Anna)
7. Digital Filipino Club and Bloggers Networking Night Manila (LAD)
8. Philippines Top 100 Blogs for 2008 (Jehzeel)
9. Aftermath of the DigitalFilipino.com Club and Bloggers Networking Event Manila in PAGCOR (Chris)
10. DigitalFilipino.com Club and Bloggers Manila Networking Event(Azrael)
11. Digital Filipino Club and Filipino Bloggers Manila Networking Event (Mica)

Before I went to shoot at the Manila Fashion Show, I just had the craving for a frozen yogurt dessert. Since I was in the Mall of Asia, I went straight to The White Hat to get my frozen yogurt serving topped with my favorite topping- strawberries and syrup. It’s the only place at the Mall of Asia that I know that serves frozen ice cream yogurt. I became familiar of the place because it’s near the area where we usually shop for Nikes…hehe ;).



When I finally entered the store, the staff were all smiles. They already saw me take a picture of the store from outside, which caught their attention already of asking whether I’m a blogger. They’re a friendly trio, they even insisted a picture of me taken with the yogurt on top of my head as a ‘white hat’. The said they will upload it to their official website (which they usually do to customers who are happy with their White Hat experience).

Honestly, the prices are quite steep if you want to treat yourself for a frozen yogurt dessert. On the other hand, it’s a healthier alternative to other frozen desserts out there. If I’m craving for a dessert, I would pick it over a frap from a coffee shop.