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FPPF Cebu Photography Workshop. Poster Design: c.a.m.p. Cebu.

The Cebu Photography Workshop of the Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation Inc (FPPF) will be held on June 3, 4 and 5, 2009 at the Audio Visual Room of the Salazar Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology at 211 N. Bacalso Avenue in Cebu City. Those interested to join the Cebu Photography Workshop may contact Icky Salazar through Cellphone No. (0923) 926-5979. Or register online by clicking HERE.

The workshop will cover the following course contents:

Day 1:
DSLR camera operation and handling
Basic camera parts and icons
Correct exposure by adjusting ISO, aperture and shutter speed
Reading the camera meter
Understanding SLR lenses
Practice shoot and critique: deep DOF, shallow DOF, freezing motion, panning, slow shutter speed, etc.

Day 2:
Elements of Design: lines, shapes, form, texture, pattern, color, perspective, framing, balance, story, negative & positive space.
Understanding composition: leading lines, rule of thirds, frames, foreground and background, S-curves, patterns, light and shadow.
Practice shoot and critique on composition

Day 3:
Portraiture and posing
Lighting theory and practice
Using flash and studio lights
Choosing filters for portraits
Hands-on shoot indoors and outdoors using studio lights, reflectors, and available light
Introduction to digital imaging workflow
Critique and judging of prints
Presentation of certificates of attendance, awarding of medals & trophies for photo contest

Workshop fee is P4,000. Register online via the FPPF website, HERE, or text/call Icky Salazar, cellphone: (0923) 926-5979.

Batch 10 2009 of the FPPF Basic Photography workshop turned out quite a number of creative types who made the 5-day sessions more enjoyable than usual.

Take their First Place winner in Still Life, for example. Tom Balete’s final work in the workshop was his 8×10 image of transparent jelly balls which showcased his mastery of depth of field and creative use of light.

Transformation by Tomas Balete

Jelly balls are transparent in color, round in shape and crystal-like in feature. Tom placed the jelly balls on a glass top table inside a dark room and used two table lamps as light sources. The lamp diffusers were covered by colored cellophane plastic. One lamp was used for back lighting and another lamp was hand held by the photographer above the jelly balls while looking at the viewfinder to create a reflection on the jelly balls.

“Jelly balls themselves are simple and colorless, but when light reflects on it, it changes color and transform into a brilliant feature. Likewise, humans are simple, but when the light of God shines upon us, it will transform us into his likeness making us beautiful in His eyes,” Tom explains.

The winners of Batch 10 2009:

Still Life:

1. Tomas Balete – First Place
2. Dennis dela Cruz- 2nd Place
3. Voltaire Manalo – 3rd Place
4. Jester D. Edquilag – 4th Place
5. Cyrus G. Gabilla – 5th Place

Environmental Portraiture:

1. Dennis G. dela Cruz – First Place
2. Roy Andreas Culata – 2nd Place
3. Lesli Evangelista – 3rd Place
4. Lauren Joseph ‘Lap’ B. Velasco – 4th Place
5. Maritess Omila – 5th Place

The Top 10 winners in Still Life. In front are (L-R): Dennis G. dela Cruz 2nd Place, Tom Balete 1st Place, Voltaire Manalo 3rd, Jester D. Edquuilag 4th and Cyrus G. Gabilla 5th.

Photo shows all the Top Ten winners in Portraiture, Batch 10 2009. The top 5 winners in foreground are (L-R) Lesli Evangelista 3rd, Roy Andreas Culata 2nd, Dennis G. dela Cruz 1st, Maritess Omila 5th and Lauren Joseph 'Laps' B. Velasco 4th.

Did we say this batch was creative? You bet! Aside from their photographic output, Batch 10 was also the most musical of all the workshop batches past and present. There were four guitars in the classroom during the final workshop day, their graduation, and there was a stream of several singers and musicians from within their ranks who made their graduation day that much more memorable.

Photo shows Batch 10 participant Arvin C. Taruc playing a melodious instrumental number, Saan Ka Man Naroroon, on the 10-string Laudara guitar.

Even their Australian classmate, Darrin Owen, joined in the fun. Darrin led the class in an impromptu chorus.

And here they are..!

A new batch of photographers graduated Saturday from the Basic Photography workshop of the FPPF. Batch 9 of 2009 successfully completed their 5-day workshop in the course of five weeks, from April 25 to May 23.

The graduates with the most outstanding works in Portrait and Still Life photography were honored with medals and trophies, courtesy of YKL Color/Fujifilm Philippines. These were based on their final 8×10 prints submitted as a requirement for completion. The photographs were judged by professional photographers – George Cabig, Edwin Loyola, Jun Santos, Daryl Quiogue and Revoli Cortez – themselves winners of national and international photo competitions.

The winners of Batch 9 2009:

Environmental Portrait:

1. First Place – Alvin E. Sibal
2. Second Place – Ling-Hann Kim
3. Third Place – Mary Ann Judith M. Delupio
4. Fourth Place – Fatima Salazar
5. Fifth Place – Jason Anthony D. David

Still Life:

1. First Place – Jason Anthony D. David
2. Second Place – Ling-Hann Kim
3. Third Place – Henry C. Flordeliza
4. Fourth Place – Joseph Eugene Tan
5. Fifth Place – Epsi Martin

The Top Ten winners of Batch 9 2009, Environmental Portraiture. The top 5 winners (in front) received trophies and medals, courtesy of YKL Color/Fujifilm Philippines. From left to right: Ling-Hann Kim 2nd Place, Alvin E. Sibal 1st Place, Fatima Salazar 4th, Mary Ann Judith M. Delupio 3rd and Jason Anthony D. David 5th.

Photo shows the top ten winners in the Still Life category, Batch 9 2009. The Top 5 winners, in front, are (L-R) Henry C. Flordeliza 3rd Place, Ling-Hann Kim 2nd Place, Jason Anthony D. David 1st Place, Joseph Eugene Tan 4th and Epsi Martin 5th.

During the graduation program that followed, the class was pleasantly surprised by a rousing musical rendition by one of their classmates, Kim Madrilejos, who turned out to be a fine singer. Kim says he does regular gigs in joints around town.

Pentax has unveiled the K-7 digital SLR camera, announcing to all and sundry that they are still in the running, in the game dominated by giants Canon and Nikon, with an excellent DSLR worthy of the Pentax pedigree.

Pentax (now under Hoya Management) officially unveiled the K-7 DSLR after weeks of speculation and leaks that a new model is up and coming. The K-7 is a 14.6-megapixel shooter, CMOS sensor, with a 3-inch LCD that boasts 921,000 dot resolution (translation: it’s a clear and brilliant display).

But the headline features that bring the K-7 DSLR to the forefront are these: widescreen high-definition (1080i and 720p) movie recording, a weather-sealed body which makes it sealed from dust, moisture and temperature, and in-camera HDR and automatic horizon correction. That brings the K-7 in line with the best in the industry.

The standard Pentax dustproof capability has been upgraded in the K-7 to a newly developed DR II dust removal system. The K-7 is weather, dust and cold resistant (to 14° F or -10° C), making it ideal for use in any environment.

To go with the K-7, Pentax also introduced two weather-resistant lenses: the $200 smc PENTAX-DA18-55mmF3.5-5.6AL WR, and the $250 smc PENTAX-DA50-200mmF4-5.6ED WR, both standard type kit-grade lenses, but with weather-sealing – like the K-7, they’re sealed from dust, moisture and temperature.

Top shutter speed for the K-7 is 1/8000 second, and it’s good for 100,000 actuations. Continuous shooting rate is 5.2 frames per second for up to 40 JPEG images.

The Pentax K-7 is scheduled to ship this July with an MSRP of $1300, body only.

[Site: Pentax]

Unilever Philippines is sponsoring a photography contest, the “Bellissima Filipina” Flores de Mayo sa MOA 2009, to be held at the SM Mall of Asia in Manila on May 24, 2009.

The contest is open to all photographers – professional and non-professional – Filipino citizens aged 18 and above. Theme of the contest is “The Beauty of Flores de Mayo”. To qualify, the entries must capture the essence of this long time Filipino tradition, showcasing the majestic gowns and the beautiful sagalas. Subject of the entries must be the participants of the Flores De Mayo sa MOA 2009 which will be held on 24 May 2009, Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

Entries must be printed in full color, size 8″x10″, unmounted – with or without borders.

Prizes are:

• 1st prize: P50,000 and Unilever gift pack
• 2nd prize: P25,000 and Unilever gift pack
• 3rd prize: P15,000 and Unilever gift pack
• Special prize: P10,000

[Site: Unilever Philippines]

Master Portraitist Toch Arellano, 1953-2009

Master Portraitist Toch Arellano, a beloved instructor in the FPPF workshops, died at 2:00 am today after suffering a massive stroke. He was rushed to the Medical City in Pasig last week after the initial seizure and was confined at the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) the whole time. He succumb to death at 2:00 am today. He was 55.

The FPPF faculty and staff deeply mourn the loss of their beloved instructor who shared some happy days with them.

Friends may pay their last respects to the master portraitist at the Marian Chapels along Marcos Highway in Antipolo City where his remains may be viewed.

Final interment rites will be held at the Heritage Park in Taguig, Metromanila at 11:00 am on Thursday May 21, 2009.

Friends are requested to pray for the eternal repose of Toch Arellano’s soul.

Toch Arellano's mortal remains lie in state at the Marian Chapels, Mariano Marcos Highway, Antipolo. The FPPF went there in full force, led by Chairwoman Mrs. Eduviges Y. Huang and Project Director Lito Beltran, to pay their last respects to the master portraitist. Photo shows Photographer Vic Sison viewing the remains of his fallen colleague. Photo by Chris Malinao.

Remembering Toch in one of his last portraiture lectures. Photo by Butch Bandolon, Batch 8 2009.

We are opening another batch (Batch 15 2009) for Basic Photography workshop to accommodate the growing number of new DSLR users who want to enroll with the FPPF.

Batch 15 will have 5 Sunday sessions on June 7, 14, 21, 28 & July 5 at the FEMII Bldg. The FPPF limits its class size to 40 persons maximum to maintain the quality and effectiveness of the workshops.

Those who wish to join the newly opened batch may register here, or get in touch with our Secretariat at Tel: 524-7576.

Saw this on CNN. Just beautiful… Street musicians from all over the world playing Ben E. King’s classic “Stand by Me.” It starts with street musician Roger Ridley in Santa Monica, California. His base track was then flown to New Orleans, Louisiana, where Grandpa Elliott—a blind singer from the French Quarter—added vocals and harmonica while listening to Ridley’s base track on headphones. From there, it circled the globe for more additions by musicians from South Africa, Cuba, The Netherlands, back to New Mexico, then France, Brazil, Russia, Venezuela, The Congo, Spain and Italy.

Where’s the photograph, where’s the picture? Well, the photograph here is that of ordinary people with extraordinary talents, of one world singing the same song, one world united in peace by music. That’s the picture, that’s the photograph!

Playing For Change | Song Around The World “Stand By Me” from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

Mount Apo, from a distance, at the beginning of the trek.

It’s Sunday, 2:00 am of April 5, 2009. I am going to Mount Apo! Finally, after waiting for a long time I decided to go alone to Mt. Apo. Since college days we have been dreaming of going to this popular mountain where all mountaineers love to be — at its peak. This is the highest mountain in the Philippines! Mt. Apo towers over Southern Mindanao, and straddles the provinces of Davao del Sur and North Cotabato. It possesses a formidable array of landscapes, from craggy rocks to virgin forests and other wonderful sights; from mossy swamps in Lake Venado to volcanic structures.

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