PhotoWorldManila.com

The winning photos of Batch 8 2009 Basic Photography Workshop have been posted in the Gallery. Top places went to Razielle Ann L. Dionisio in the Portrait category and Butch Bandolon in the Still Life category.

Bubbles last only for a few moments due to their delicate nature. They represent something that is beautiful yet very fragile. In this photo, Butch Bandolon captured that short moment with the bubbles in their beautiful state. Shot with a Canon EOS 50D, 1/125 sec shutter speed, f/8 aperture, ISO 3200.

Butch Bandolon took the top spot in Still Life for his winning entry “Bubbles,” in the 5-Sunday photo seminar. He used only basic materials and simple techniques to produce his extraordinary image.

“I used an ordinary dishwashing liquid soap mixed with water in a glass to create the bubbles,” he explains. “I used a lamp shade as my source of light. I layered it first with white paper so I can diffuse the light, then with some blue cellophane for the color. I placed the glass with bubble solution on top of the lampshade and focused on the lowermost layer of bubbles hence the textured reflection on it.”

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FPPF Folio 2009, part of the on-going Eyes Wide Open: Perspectives photo exhibit at the Manila Ocean Park at the Luneta. The photo exhibit runs until May 31, 2009.

The Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation (FPPF) has an on-going photo exhibit at the Ocean Park main atrium at the Rizal Park in Manila. The exhibit is part of the “Eyes Wide Open: Perspectives” photo exhibit mounted by the Manila Ocean Park from April 20 to May 31, 2009. The photo exhibit is open to the general public from 10am to 9pm.

On hand to launch the FPPF Folio 2009 was FPPF Chairwoman Eduviges Y. Huang, Finance Director Dr. Amado Castro and Project Director Lito Beltran. The photos on exhibit for the FPPF portfolio include the best works from various member camera clubs and FPPF officers. Among them are photos by John K. Chua, Victor Sison, Carlo Carlos, Ador Pamintuan, Toto Celzo and many others.

Aside from the FPPF, other exhibitors at the “Eyes Wide Open: Perspectives” are Luminosi Studios, Pinoy Photography Organization (PIPHO) and Zone V Camera Club. [Click here to read more.. »]

Over the weekend, the FPPF graduated 3 batches – Batch 5, Batch 6 and Batch 7 – of Basic Photography workshop participants, representing a growing number of new users of digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras.

The workshop participants were taught not only the basics of DSLR camera operation and how to achieve proper exposure – but also other refinements for creating a successful image: composition, elements of design and basic lighting, among many others.

At the end of the workshops, the students were required to submit 8×10 photos in portraiture and still life which also served as their entries to the workshop contests.

The winners:

Environmental Portrait winners, Batch 5 2009 Saturday Class. Left to right: Julius A. Rigor 4th Place, Maybelle Ann C. Perez 5th, Abigail A. Arabit 1st, Willie Cheng 2nd and Edmund Pili 5th.

Winners in the Still Life category, Batch 5 2009 Saturday Class. From left to right: Jonathan V. Rosales 4th Place, Don Ryan San Mateo 2nd Place, Willie Cheng 1st Place, Abigail A. Arabit 3rd Place and Rachelle Ann Buccat 5th Place.

YKL Color/Fujifilm and Victory Liner have issued their final call for entries to the “Timeless Baguio” photo competition. This was relayed to the FPPF by Ariel Tresvalles, pictured at left, marketing services manager for YKL Color/Fujifilm Philippines.

The contest is open to all photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, aged 18 years and above. Theme is “Timeless Baguio as an Idyllic Tourist Destination.” The photographs should depict people, places and events in the Philippine summer capital. First prize is P75,000; second gets P50,000 and third prize is P35,000, plus YKL Color Fujifilm gift packs for the major prizes.

Deadline for entries to the contest is on April 30, 2009. See the Victory Liner website at www.victoryliner.com for full details. Contest rules and entry forms are available at the Victory Liner website and bus terminals, YKL Color Fujifilm outlets and at the FPPF offices in Intramuros.

Deadline for submission of entries to the Timeless Baguio photo contest, sponsored by YKL Color/Fujifilm and Victory Liner is on April 30, 2009.

Happy in Her Own World by Environmental Photographer of the Year 2008 Abhijit Nandi

CIWEM, the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, based in London, England is calling for entries to the Environmental Photographer of the Year 2009 photo competition, open to all professional and amateur, national and international photographers of any ages. The competition is part of CIWEM’s Arts and Environment initiative.

Individual pieces of work will be judged on impact, creativity, composition, originality and technical abilities. The judging panel is made up of some of the most respected environmental photographers in the industry, including Gary Braasch, winner of the Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography, Anthony Epes and Ronnie Israel, as well as senior environmentalists including Lord Smith, the Chairman of the Environment Agency, and Nick Reeves, Executive Director of CIWEM.

This year’s categories are OSF’s Changing Climates; Black & Veatch’s World of Difference; Quality of Life; The Natural World; and the Young Environmental Photographer of the Year (Under 21). EPOTY encourages entries that are contemporary, creative, experimental, resonant, original and beautiful.

All winning and highly commended entries will be displayed at the international Environmental Photographer of the Year exhibition in London, England during the month of October, 2009.

The competition is open until July 31, 2009. Winners will receive cash prizes: £1,000 (P70,000) for the Environmental Photographer of the Year, £500 (P35,000) for the Young Environmental Photographer of the Year and £300 for each category winner. Entrants may also be given representation by photographic library OSF.

[Site: CIWEM.org]

“What I can teach you now is passion,” says professional photographer John K. Chua before workshop participants. “Passion will carry you through all the hardships of your work.” Photo by Chris Malinao.

John K. Chua, the country’s foremost commercial photographer, graced the final day, Saturday, of the Basic Photography Workshops. The 35-year veteran photographer (he’s 61 now) shared his insights and experiences as well as his work, giving the two batches of Saturday workshop participants an inspirational talk about what it means to be a professional photographer. “You need to be good. If you’re not good, forget it,” said Chua.

He also described what it takes to specialize in the different fields of photography such as wedding and portrait, fashion photography, children photography, photojournalism, events photography and in his field of commercial photography, explaining that certain talent and temperament suit a particular field.

John Chua delivers an inspirational talk with basic workshop participants. Photo by Chris Malinao.

He also advised the new photographers to be comfortable with their equipment to the level that camera controls come as second nature to them. “The level of camera and photographer should match. Even better, the photographer’s expertise level should be more than his camera model. Don’t aspire for a more complicated professional camera if you’re still an amateur,” the master photographer admonishes.

“But don’t believe either that it’s always the indiyan and not the pana,” he said, “the equipment helps, only if you know.”

John shares his portfolio of images with workshop participants. Photo by Chris Malinao.

John Chua also wowed the workshop participants with his portfolio of commercial photographs, including his latest shoots in which he captured a bumblebee carrying pollen from a flower.

John Chua demonstrates a Manfrotto stabilizer rig which he uses when he shoots video with his Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Photo by Chris Malinao.

The World Heritage Sites Photo Exhibit featuring images by US landscape photographer Tom Till opened Tuesday at the SM Mall of Asia in Manila. It will run through April 19, 2009.

The US Embassy in Manila Tuesday launched the photo exhibit, World Heritage Sites, featuring images by award-winning American landscape photographer Tom Till.

The photo exhibit was inaugurated by US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney. The exhibit will run through April 19, 2009 at the SM Mall of Asia in Manila, after which it will transfer venue to Baguio City, 150 miles north of Manila.

The World Heritage Sites photo exhibit features 3-foot wide photos by Tom Till of famous cultural sites such as the Taj Mahal in India, the Nazca Lines and Machu Picchu in Peru and the Banaue Rice Terraces in the Philippines. The exhibit is part of a larger program to preserve heritage sites in different parts of the world initiated by The U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation.

In the Philippines, the U.S. Embassy has been active in cultural preservation projects such as the rescue excavation of the Balobok/Sanga-Sanga archaeological site in Tawi-Tawi, Southern Philippines and the restoration of four murals painted in 1954 by National Artist Carlos Francisco.

The launching was attended by Philippine cultural and tourism officials, arts personalities and the media.

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney and Mrs. Eduviges Y. Huang, FPPF Chairwoman at the World Heritage Sites photo exhibit.