Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Star Trek (2009) DVD



Picked up the original DVD of Star Trek (2009) because #1 I haven't seen it yet and because #2 I loved the sequel: Into Darkness (which, in my opinion is still better than it's contemporary - AKA kasabayan in the cinemas-Iron Man 3).

Paul and I enjoyed watching the movie, it was a great re-introduction for old fans and a great movie to start with for new fans. This isn't a movie review blog post so I won't be writing a lot about the movie. We did enjoy the Special Features added, in A New Vision we saw different camera tricks that J.J. Abrams used and man were they so cool! It gives me new hope pun intended for Star Wars Episode VII! ^_^ Of course the Gag Reel is always a hoot to watch. Will be watching the entire movie again (with commentary) soon! 

In this day and age of piracy and watching movies from tablets, hand held devices and even phones, I am more determined than ever to enjoy movies as they have always intended to be enjoyed- to be viewed on the wide screen of a cinema or from your TV (hopefully it's flat screen and huge) :p through an original DVD. 

People give me queer looks when I tell the, I still prefer to buy an original DVD rather than download it online, I mean how many people do you know who still buys original DVDs and CDs? 

Now, I won't be a hypocrite - there are times when I still watch series or movies online this is mostly for anime and just because it's not easy to find DVDs (subtitled in English) here. I do have the Rurouni Kenshin DVD. 

As Paul says it, it's a way to give back to the industry and to the artists who work hard in each movie. I'm just glad that he supports this crusade of mine. :p I guess this also works for us, since Paul and I are that couple who can stay at home and watch the Extended Version of a movie, including all the behind-the-scenes features that goes with it.



Now - we're not rich and have to often work on a tight budget just to make sure that we pay for all our bills and I know that buying DVDs isn't a cheap hobby but all you need is patience, since prices for old movies would go down eventually. All you have to do is to be patient and wait. 

Star Trek which came out in 2009 is for P199.00 and getting to enjoy the movie and all the features that go with the DVD make that P199.00 worth it. If you really like a movie, then I'm sure that you wouldn't mind paying P700+. I don't know I guess that's just me, I mean people would literally spend thousands on branded clothes and shoes, I choose to spend on movies, music and books. Hey to each his own right? 

I'm currently on the hunt for a Terminator DVD, I saw T2 and T3 DVD (only for p100.00) if anyone can lead me to a Terminator DVD please let me know. I want to make sure I get to watch it before the reboot is released (especially since they will be making a lot of changes (from what I can see from the trailer). 

Aside from Terminator, I'll probably pick up Star Trek: Into Darkness up next, I think it's p279.00-P300.00, I really enjoyed the movie, unfortunately I was late to the screening so I didn't get to catch the movie from the start (plus I love Benedict Cumberbatch) so it's definitely on my to-buy list. Monuments Men is another on my to-buy list. Missed this in the cinemas but definitely want to watch it since Paul and I are also History Buffs :P 

Some titles that we want to buy but are still on the P700+ range would be Pacific Rim, Guardians Of The Galaxy, The Lego Movie. Big Hero 6 has not yet been released on DVD but definitely is on our to-buy list. 

Lots of great movies for 2014 and I think that a good way of keeping those movies within your viewing pleasure would definitely be getting the original DVDs. :) 

For 2015 I will definitely make it a point to buy more DVDs - I think I've finally found my collection calling :P Might have a new segment in the blog for DVDs - any catchy ideas for a name? :D 




Monday, December 29, 2014

Dev and Em Ever after: The His And Her Project



Creating art through music is one thing but capturing memories and rendering them in videos is another. 

This year, The His And Her Project was fortunate enough to have been asked to cover the beautiful wedding of Dev and Em

It just makes us happy to think that one day, in the near future or perhaps in many years to come Mr. and Mrs. Dayanghirang will sit together hand-in-hand, perhaps they will be accompanied by their children and they will be watching their wedding videos, which we have captured.


Em and Devi Wedding (Same Day Edit) from THE HIS AND HER PROJECT on Vimeo.



Set on a beautiful sunny day in December, after a Super Typhoon Hagupit left the country, Dev and Em made eyes sting and tear up as they said their wedding vows, they made a frown into a smile, they made hearts flutter and they made the cynical believe that love is real and that it is a beautiful thing. 

The His and Her Project have grown from just capturing live performances of bands in local bars, we also create high quality music videos to match the great quality in music that our local artists deserve. Our growth continues and our niches expand as we now also capture arguably the biggest day in people's lives- their Wedding Day-check out our videos and get to see magic happen right before your eyes!

Autotelic Album Review



2014 was a good year for OPM, not yet the "boom" kind of good which I hope would come again one day, (think Eraserheads, Rivermaya, Parokya Ni Edgar) but good enough for there to be notable indie acts to break in the local music scene, release an album and gain a fan base and a following. 

Autotelic is one of those bands who with their distinct techno pop sound have catapulted in the local music scene. They have a unique sound that sets them apart from other bands. 

Fans and audiences can relate to their honest lyrics, mostly written in Tagalog. Only two songs from their 8 track album are written in English. 

I got their debut album for only P250.00 during Loop's Route 196 leg of their Manila tour, I've actually been meaning to get a copy of their album and/or catch them perform live in a gig but since our schedule has been a b*tch that has been hard to schedule or make possible. 

When I do album reviews, I also write about the physical casing that goes with the CD, I believe that this is also an important factor, especially since I've officially started collecting CDs :p (I would have preferred vinyls but it's just too expensive and si don't think that our local Indie acts would be releasing their albums in that format. Now does anyone know where I can have a CD player that's custom made to have a vintage look? Or maybe you guys would know where I can buy one - just let me know okay? ^_^)



In the case of Autotelic's album, the physical casing of the album is very well made, it even has the same quality as my The 1975 Deluxe Edition album and that's a very good thing. The album art was well thought off,as well as the art on the sleeves it has a contemporary theme and feel. The band also used their logo in a classy and subtle way. I was just a bit disappointed that there were no lyrics that accompanied the CD :( 

Autotelic's Pretty Lady Keytarist Kai Honasan 

It's a good thing that we were able to see Autotelic perform live since I believe that this too is an indication on the talent and musicality of a band and as I said in my blog post - these guys were a crowd favorite. The audience sang, danced and joked with the band throughout their set. 

The thing about Autotelic is that their sound is unique, it's light and easy to listen to, it's catchy enough for their songs to get stuck in your head (which is a good thing). Popping their CD in your car while on a drive, whether it is through the hellish traffic of the cities or long drives in the province is a good way to make your trips more enjoyable or bearable depending on where you are :p 

It's also a good chill out song, whether you are alone or with your friends. One thing I can say is that if you have your other friends listen to them - hindi ka mapapahiya (your taste in music will not be tainted in any way) as these guys bring a good name to OPM. 





Lead vocalist Josh's smooth vocals are perfect with the band's east going melodies coupled with cool guitar riffs and steady beats. Their music exudes positive vibes that just male you want to dance and it can brighten up any gloomy day. 

Looking forward to seeing more diversity and experiments from the band but in the mean time I know that they will continue in their streak through 2015. 

Catch you guys in a gig soon! I still lack 3 signatures on my CD! ^_^ 




Dev And Em Ever After



We spent our 3rd Wedding Aniversary in a very special way. We had the honor to cover and capture the memories of Dev and Em who we met while covering local gigs, as these two are part of the band Circa :) You should really check out their music (highly recommended ^_^)

More than just making beautiful music together, Em and Dev's love and union is actually 12 years in the making - like wow! How many people do you know that have stayed that long in a relationship right? That's why being able to witness their big day was a really big honor for us, especially since we get to immortalize these memories through our photographs. So even if the third wedding anniversary meant no date and having to work all day - we were more than happy to be behind the lens for their special event.



Leaves for work were long filed, it had to be two days to make sure we were well rested to cover a wedding. Before the actual wedding though, we also shot their engagement shoot (more in the blog here) you might want to check that out too! ^_^ 

For the actual wedding we were already up by 5:00 AM to make it for our 10:00AM call time at the Vivere Hotel in Alabang. Two thumbs up to this hotel - everything was beautiful! From the lobby, to the rooms and the Function room-everything! A good thing about having your wedding in December? They bring out all the Christmas lights and decor and that adds for an extra 1,000 points in photos and videos :p I decided to have our wedding in December for the lights alone :p 

The ceremony was held at St. James The Great Parish in Alabang, it's a really beautiful church but very strict. Paul and I had to attend a Wedding Suppliers' seminar. I kid you not, it was like attending a !arriage seminar but with other wedding photographers, videographers and wedding coordinators. You seem the Church is so beautiful that a lot of people have their wedding there and if you noticed, a lot of weddings nowadays have become some sort of production number with different gimmicks and what not, you know what I mean with the smoke machine, butterflies, song and dance number etc. the seminar is to help ensure that the solemnity of the ceremony is kept in tact, which I can agree to. Having a few do' s and dont's for wedding suppliers and providers is actually not a bad idea. :) 

This was also a special wedding for us, since we were also working with our fellow Indie-Media Partner - The His And Her Project who were handling the video documentation of the beautiful wedding. ^_^



All in all the wedding was indeed a beautiful ceremony, everything went smoothly from the start until the end, no running around and confusion and/or chaos that sometimes does happen in weddings :p

When the Bride and her father were having their first dance to the tune of Kermit the Frog's Rainbow Connection, I could feel the year stings in my eyes, and busied myself fixing bags that didn't need fixing :p and can I also say that the Speech of the Bride's mom was soooo beautiful! It really was :) 

Definitely a highlight for us this year, we're honored to have been tapped to capture the beautiful moments and memories of the now- Mr. and Mrs. Dayanghirang - Congratulations to the newlyweds!

#DevAndEmEverAfter
#StillIntoYou

Looking forward to that EP in 2015 or a baby will be nice too :p 

Click HERE for More Photos! 

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Christmas Toyfair 2014

Toys, toys and more toys
We actually weren't planning on going to Christmas Toyfair this year - blame that on Paul's late 13th month pay (it came out on the 19th) but my baby sister who is a big geek like us - convinced me to go. She even said - "Ililibre Kita" (I'll treat you.) Hahahah! ^_^ I guess that's a good change since being the elder sister I used to be the one to always treat my younger siblings out but now that my baby sister has a job she can treat me so - yeay! :D

Due to our weird schedule - we work the night shift, we decided to go to Christmas Toyfair - Sunday evening (and watch The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies after) this was also so we can avoid the Holiday Traffic. It's a good thing that even if it was already the evening of the last day of Christmas Toyfair we were still able to see a lot of great toys and finds.

I always tell people that if you really want to go out and shop for toys, geek stuff, that Christmas Toyfair is the better choice than Toycon (which happens in June), there is not that many people compared to Toycon, which is an event that is flocked not just by the toy enthusiasts but Cosplayers as well and there is just more stuff going on during Toycon I guess.For safe measure my cousins and I go to both :P



There were also other fun activities during Christmas Toyfair like the Toyfair Auction (proceeds go to Charity) I saw a pretty nice Rurouni Kenshin framed poster that was auctioned and I would have liked to see that hung up in our house :P

There was also the Christmas Toyfair Toy Photography competition - Paul and I were planning to join but due to our hectic schedule we weren't able to submit an entry T_T but we saw the entries submitted and they were pretty darn good, just imagine Naruto and Woody (from Toy Story) sharing gifts under a Christmas Tree! Hopefully next year we'll be able to join!

We were able to pick up some items for Christmas gifts for our geek cousins and a cute hat for Paul's niece (that she loved by the way). We always get great gift items during Christmas Toyfair, I guess it helps that we have geeky relatives too! :P

Rebel Leia and Rebel Solo - will shoot with the Leia shirt soon! 


I saw  this great "Rebel Leia" (Star Wars) shirt from Planet Geek and my baby sister bought it for me for Christmas! :D They also had Geeky Underwear (panties) for sale. Wonder Woman, Harry Potter (the back of the undies say - "I swear that I am up to no good" and I just had to LOL at that. There was also this awesome Princess Leia towel - I mean where can you find a Star Wars towel right? It was really pretty cool.

We picked up a couple of art work (from local artists) from Poop Shop that I picked up for my cousins. (Star Wars Cards, Joker Poster).

Joker Poster from Poop Shop. 


Hopefully we'll be more prepared for Christmas Toyfair - next year - definitely better budgeting :P But before Christmas Toyfair is Toycon in June - soo... Save! Save! Save! :D

Click HERE for More Photos

LOOP in Manila!




We've actually been fans of Iligan-based band Loop even before their short (but definitely sweet) Manila tour. We discovered the band (and consider them our favorite band discovery of 2014) through Amplify.ph and Social Media and it has been love at first hear ever since. 

I started blogging and featuring Loop in blog posts and we were fortunate enough to have been sent a digital copy of their Flirting With The Universe album and we loved it! 

There are many things to love about this band and it seems that 2014 was a big year for them, from releasing a bad as* album, touring Manila and being part of I think every single Best OPM bands list of 2014. 

We actually just got to see them, after months of being friends on social media sites during their Route 196 show, we had work then so we were just planning to stop by to say "Hi" but then when does your favorite out-of-town band come for a visit right? 

So there we were (after being absent in local gigs for so long) enjoying a wonderful night of OPM. 

Brought to you by Green Apple Productions, this leg of Loop's Manila tour featured amazing local bands so this was how the night went. 

Tom's Story was up first, a 3 piece Math progressive rock band whose members look like they could be your younger and his friends, spending hours in the basement playing beautiful music. Paul likes these math rock, all instrumental bands (Pulso, TOE) I think he gets it from his Dad so I know he really enjoyed Tom's Story's set. Hoping to see more of this young band in gigs in 2015! 

Charisse Fanacier of Cebu based band Womb. 


Loop was not the only out-of-town band that night since Cebu's WOMB also serenaded the crowd. A 3 piece band using only guitars, synth and the hauntingly beautiful voice of their vocalist Charisse Fanacier. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a copy of their album Anethesiac, the last copy was literally snatched under my nose :( Hoping to get a copy so I can feature it in the blog. They do have a song on Jam 88.3's Fresh filter so you can check that out and vote for it too! ^_^ 

Next up was Cheats who I haven't had the honor of seeing live, as you've noticed we've been absent in gigs lately and well I can see what the fuss is about with this young and up and coming band who have sky rocketed in the local music scene. The young energy that they exude on stage is infectious and you will definitely be dancing and jumping to their songs. Too bad we weren't able to get a good photo since we lost our spot in front :( Hopefully next time ^_^ 

Paul and I are not normally techno-pop people but a change in the pace is always a good thing and Tandems 91 brought that and more with their set. When I saw the guys bring out their Mac books and synthesizers I immediately thought of the phrase: "Age Of The Sytnth" 

These guys know how to throw a party -if they are throwing one, you should definitely come on down because it's hell-a-fun! 


Autotelic



I've been wanting to see Autotelic perform live for a long time, especially since I've already downloaded their song "Dahilan" on Amplify.ph -and loved it by the way! I also love that these guys are active on their Twitter account and really reply to fans and I love that they set up so quick too! :p

Definitely a crowd favorite - they were singing along to the band's songs and dancing too along too! 

Another plus was that I was able to get a copy of their album (albeit lacking in two signatures) hoping to complete all 5 next time, album review up on the blog really soon (hopefully during this Christmas break) ^_^ Like Just like Loop and Womb, Autotelic has also been a part of OPM bands of 2014 lists. So I just know that there are bigger things for this band in 2015! 

Last band before Loop took the stage was "Three" (they're actually four :p) another impressive band who even bought along Christmas lights to hang around the mic stand, adding to that Christmas and soothing vibe and ambiance that made their performance really memorable ^_^ 

When Loop took the stage to perform I expected nothing but an amazing performance and that was exactly what we got. Kudos to bassist J.P. Portado who still played despite a broken arm- I kid you not his arm was in a freaking cast but he still played! Which explains why his dedication to me on their Flirting With The Universe album is literally just a scrawl but I still appreciate it!  A true professional indeed!

Monday, December 15, 2014

Team Lexie Photoshoot



Originally our first Team Photoshoot to date - Team Lexie wanted to wait on the tarpaulin of their team (Team of the month gets to have a big a*s tarpaulin of the team's photo printed and hung up on the wall - pretty neat huh?) to be printed first before releasing their photos - hence the late post :)

Our idea was to have their photoshoot outside the Eastwood Mall area but since there was an event going on that day we decided to look for another place to shoot, We really did not have to go far since there was a lot of nooks and crannys around to have a great photoshoot.

It's a good thing that even if there were guards roaming around we were not asked to stop shooting :P Definitely grateful that the security of Eastwood is not that strict when it comes to photographers - unlike in Makati.

Definitely had fun shooting Team Lexie - especially since it was our first Team Photoshoot - lots of swagger for this team and they were really werking it :P


Click HERE for MORE PHOTOS

Sunday, December 14, 2014

More Cadbury Chocolate Please!

Cadbury? Rei is tempted.... 


I was fortunate enough to have won a runner up place in the Nuffnang and Cadbury Guardians of The Galaxy Movie Premiere Blog Contest :) You can read on my blog post here.

While this happened way back in August - we were only able to pick up my prize which has been waiting for me in the Nuffnang offices since winning the contest last November - during Thanksgiving long weekend.

My prize was two boxes of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate - in different sizes! ^_^ The grand prize was actually an iPad mini. :) - I know! Cadbury is just so damn generous! :)

Well - with all of these chocolate goodies - we made sure to give to our family and friends. Now Paul's nephew is also a Cabury monster like him. When I asked him what he wanted for Christmas he told me it starts with the the letter "C".

I tried to guess with 'Cash?' or 'Cards? - (playing cards - Cardfight Vanguard) but then he says:
"No. I'm thinking if I want Cadbury for Christmas" - True Story :)

Thank you again for this Sweet Ending Cadbury! :)





Rei is stuck in an avalanche of Cadbury - now I wouldn't mind being stuck in one of those! :P


Saturday, December 13, 2014

Calla's Christening


December was a really busy time for us, I think that the holidays puts people in an extra festive mood :p I was asked to cover yet another Christening for a colleague of mine at work. This time it was for Boss Ichi's first born daughter Calla.

It was one of those mass Christenings where in you would have to compete with other hired photographers to get that winning shot of your baby (the baby whose Christening you covering of course). I was surprised that the other photographers brought along with them their own lights. It was a good thing though as I was able to borrow of from their light for my own photos. 

I've noticed that some churches are becoming more strict when it comes to photographers and videographers covering their sacraments and ceremonies, for this particular one though, there were no rules and it was literally like a free-for-all for us photographers. 

Calla is indeed a lucky baby to have been born to a large, tight-knit and fun loving family who cooed at and passed her around with much love and care. I guess I'm lucky too because the babies whose Christening I've been covering lately are not cry babies at all (so far-which makes shooting much easier) I hope my luck continues :p 

Ica told me the story of when she was baptized back in 1986, one of her godfathers promised to develop the film of the christening, (kids, digital photography was yet to be born at that time-photos from captured in film and processed and developed in dark rooms-Google it) but somehow the film got lost and so Ica had no Christening photos, so whenever she had to bring photos of her Baptism for her assignment in school, she had to bring the baptism photos of her sister. I guess kids nowadays won't lack for photos of their milestones in life-what with all the mobile phones with cameras and selfie sticks that people bring around but I guess what I can bring to the table is that you get to sit back and relax and enjoy your event while I do all the heavy work and lifting - so to speak.


Thursday, December 11, 2014

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies





It's that time of the year again-when we rush to watch The Hobbit despite the tough Christmas schedule, overwhelming crowds, grueling traffic and of course making to sure to watch before MMFF hits- or else we could be watching the movie in 2015.

Although this yearly tradition of catching the Peter Jackson helmed installment will sadly be the last one, it is with a bitter sweet feeling that we enter the movie house, take our seats and sip on our Biggie from Wendy's as we look up at the screen to catch a piece of J. R. R. Tolkien's heritage to the world.

Why all the drama? Well - if you guys didn't know yet- Paul and I are big LOTR/The Hobbit/Tolkien/Peter Jackson fans. As boyfriend and girlfriend we would watch the LOTR Trilogy on DVD (extended DVD) and we would spend hours watching the behind-the-scenes footages and documentary on anything and everything in the creation of the films. We know people like Fran Walsh, Allan Lee and we could point out Peter Jackson's cameos in the films. 

So as big fans of the franchise here is our review on The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies: trust me, as a writer, with some script writing experience back in High Scool it really is hard to think about how you will adopt a well known and well loved story, much more cut it into three parts. How do you start and end each installment? Especially taking into consideration that there is a year in between each parts? It is with this thought in mind that I have to say that I am still conflicted with how The Battle Of The Five Armies started- right where The Desolation left off, Smaug flying into Lake Town to unleash his wrath. That was sort of a dissapointment for me since Smaug was such a big deal in the second movie, that his quick demise in the third really was a bit of a let down. I was even worried that he would have no lines and I wouldn't be able to hear Benedict Cumberbatch in the film :( 



Thankfully the writers gave him a couple of amazing bad ass lines so that's good. I think that adding that bit where Bard uses his son as a "kalso" to fire the black arrow was a bit of a nail biter. That was a good bit to add, it had a sort of Abraham-Isaac feel into it that just gave me the willies. 

Needless to say that Smaug I was dissapointment that Smaug's death was rushed. I kinda liked him. 

Oh and I should mention that I was also not to happy with the movie tag like being: "The Battle Of The Five Armies" in my opinion, sticking to the original "There And Back Again" would have been a better choice and would it would have been a great nod to the original story. 

So going back to the film- 

There was a bit of comic relief provided by Alfred, the former right hand man / Deputy of the Mayor. This was a good addition, especially considering how grim the content of the last movie would be. The audience laughed at his subtle and cowardly antics and every laugh was a good trade off to the rest of the emotions that you would surely feel when you see the movie. There are a bit of surprise deaths in the movie but since I've read the book I was already expecting them even if I was willing for them not to happen-don't worry no spoilers here. :) 

Peter Jackson and his team took a lot of liberties with changing up the story which I think is an okay deal, I'm not a purist who would complain at every non-book change. I believe that Jackson et al. have made a great adaptation of the books to the films. So much so that even non-readers would be able to enjoy it. 

So some book-movie changes coupled with my thoughts: For one, Legolas isn't even in the book. Yes fan girls and boys the hunky elf, played by an older Orlando Bloom does not make any appearance in any shape or form in the book, his appearance in the movies was more so for the fans really, so at least they have someone they know or who looks familiar that they can watch on screen and so that the fan girls and boys can cheer and swoon on him too :p 

Tauriel (the she-elf), also not in the book. Tolkien is not known for his leading female characters and of course in this day and age a bad ass chick is always a plus on a movie ensemble cast. 

Not really sure what to make of the whole Tauriel-Filly love team though, yeah for Aragorn and Arwen it works but for these two...not so sure. It was like Jackson et al. just throwing a random love team in the bunch plus an awkward love triangle with Legolas too. But I guess it was still effective since two people I know posted Tauriel's heart breaking lines in the film on Facebook after seeing the movie. Not putting the lines here though-to avoid spoilers :) 


Watching the movie, I remembered all those fairy tales that I read as a child, of a King consumed by greed, willing to forsake and sacrifice everything for the sake of gold and treasure. Although no childhood fairy tale can bring to the screen bad as* fight scenes that only Peter Jackson can-okay I'll have to admit that some of the fight scenes were too far fetched and were literally defying the laws of physics but still bad as* enough for you to gush and cheer. ^_^ 

The movie like other Hobbit/LOTR movies was over 3 hours long but you really won't feel the length of the movie since it was one bad as* fight scene after the next! there was absolutely no dull moment. Definitely an epic end to the trilogy! 

And in classic Jackson style he joins The Hobbit trilogy with The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy by littering the movie with Easter Eggs and teasers, making you just want to watch The Fellowship of The Ring right after The Battle of the Five Armies. 

Here are some actors and roles I loved - aside from Bilbo and Smaug ^_^ 


Luke Evans (Dracula Untold) really did a good job playing Bard- he really had that traditional hero role pinned down and it is also an added plus that he's a loving dad of three children ^_~ 

Good representation on the race of Men of which few are hard to come by these days- in books or in real life! 

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Dev and Em's Prenup BGC Prenup Shoot



Definitely one of the highlights for PCheng Photography this year was being tapped to shoot Em and Dev's Prenup shoot and cover their wedding (which coincidentally is one the same date as ours-3 years ago ^_^) 

We met Em and Dev through our coverage of local music and gigs, in case you haven't noticed it yet these two love birds are actually from one of favorite local bands - Circa! So being asked to cover this important day in their lives is definitely a big honor for us,

As if -that was not a big enough project, the actual wedding would fall on our 3rd Wedding Anniversary! So we'd be sharing the same wedding date as them! There must be something about December 10 eh? 

Well before the actual wedding, of course we had to do the prenup shoot which was done around mid-October and through the couple's request we haven't released/posted/blogged about the photos :p 

Hence, waiting until the last minute before posting them ^_^




The couple asked us to shoot around BGC and it was a great thing that Sonja's Cupcakes (which is also their Wedding Vendor) allowed for us to invade their store on a Sunday morning- so to speak and and shoot there! ^_^  It was definitely a sweet experience- pun intended! So I would definitely suggest for future brides out there to check their contracts with their vendors or maybe inquire if you can have your engagement photos done at their shop!



It was definitely a good first set during our engagement shoot since Paul is always anxious about shooting in public and getting told off by the guards, remember that this was during the time when the whole Photography Regulations in BGC have not been settled yet but needless to say we weren't scolded by any of the guards (probably because we didn't have a tripod with us) we could have just gotten lucky but I definitely suggest that you guys check out the new BGC Photography Regulations before going out on a shoot :)



We definitely had a fun day at Sonja's cupcakes and shooting around BGC (going on Ninja mode to avoid guards) there are just so many beautiful spots to shoot at and of course Dev and Em were a beautiful couple and were a pleasure to shoot <3 

We're really excited for this project, as it is the biggest that we've ever tackled in our humble career and it is with overwhelming gratitude that we take on capturing the memories of one of the most special days in their lives :)  

Congratulations guys! 
#stiLLintoYou
#DevAndEmEverAfter

Click HERE for MORE PHOTOS

Monday, December 8, 2014

Juami's Christening


The Proud Parents with their beautiful dessert set up and cute Juami photos!


Benjo and I go way back, we were actually classmates in the First Grade in Lourdes Mandaluyong, Years late we found out that our office mates/friends in the BPO industry were actually common friends, and so the story goes. He eventually asked me to shoot for Air Asia's Philippine Patriots back in  - yes I also used to shoot and cover Basket Ball Games photos here.


So it was really an honor for me to have been asked to cover the Christening of his first born son, Juan Miguel or Juami for short :)

Now this was actually on that Saturday which I have hence forth dubbed as 'Shatter-days' since we came straight from work then attended the Tamron Goes Wild event in Fairview and raced back to Eastwood for the Christening.

So even if I was really tired I still wanted to take good photos of the event, this is after all a once in a lifetime event for little Juami who was so cute and charming, he wasn't crying at all and everyone was cooing at him and his cuteness.


It was nice to see his Grandparents hover over him, and you can see the love overflowing in their eyes, it was especially touching to see Juami hold on to his Lolo's finger.

It was a great gathering of family and friends to celebrate Juami being part of the Christian world.


More PHOTOS HERE



Sunday, December 7, 2014

Team Gian Photoshoot



Paul and I have been working in the BPO Industry for about seven years now and we're excited to be able to add a new service to our line of shoots and that's the Team Photoshoot!

Whether it's because you're the top team for the month or if you just want to have bad ass photos just let us and we can work on a theme and concept. ^_^ 

Since Christmas is just around the corner a Christmas themed Team Photoshoot would be nice too! 

Thanks Team Gian - you guys are awesome ^_^ 



False Apart Album Review



I will be returning to my punk-rock roots with this review from up and coming pop-rock band False Apart! I got a copy of their debut self titled album (recorded at The Yellow Room Music - by the way) at Built By Sonic Eastwood - which is near my office. Unfortunately we were not able to attend their album launch as we had prior photography events and a Christening coverage that day  but that doesn't mean that I won't be featuring their album ~ hence this review! ^_^ 

Before I start with the review I have to go on and say that I've actually known two members of the band prior to getting to to listen to their music. 

Bassist and vocalist Arianne Gonzaga is actually the younger sister of my former boss turned wedding coordinator. Don't worry I'm not writing this review to suck-up as I said earlier Arriane's older sister is my former boss who also coordinates weddings and events  (shout out to Event Junkies Manila ^_^)   

While I met False Apart guitarist Jepp Padilla through the Tricot Manila Street Team.

Tricot is a Japanese Math Rock band who performed in Manila earlier this year-let's just say that it was one of the most amazing shows we've seen this year and being part of the Street Team made that experience even more special. 

Peejie Abia who is the artist for the album's cover and sleeves is also a part of The Tricot Manila Street Team :) 

Okay so I really made it a point to mention that I knew some of the band members prior to being introduced to their music and I really wanted to emphasis this because that's what happens when you support local music there's a chance for you to know these musicians; they could be your cousin - (Barbie Almalbis is actually my second cousin) or your childhood friend or your (mysterious) neighbor and I think that's pretty cool. 



Okay...so now that that point was made let's get on with the album review shall we? 

The image that comes to my mind when I listen to the music of False Apart are two young lovers holding hands and jumping to the band's infectious melodies. Their debut album is a good starter album for anyone looking for a good dose of pop-rock. 

One of the things that sets False Apart from other bands is that they have both a male and female vocalist which makes their sound very unique. 

They are not a female fronted band despite Arianne's vocals nor are they a "Pogi-Rock" band despite Jepp's very pogi voice :) but the working and intertwininga of Gonzaga and Padilla's voice coupled with guitar riffs which reminds one of Coheed and Cambria a bit makes False Apart one of a kind. 

You can check out False Apart's video to their song 'Nothing's Left, Nothing's Right' below! 

You can also download the song (and support the band at the same time) through Amplify.ph - 
just click HERE!

Of course you can also grab a copy of their debut album from Built By Sonic and/or meet up with the band or better yet see them live in shows ^_^ 






As part of my album review, I will say that I love that the cover and the sleeves not just because of the art but because of the (good) quality on which it was printed. The font of the lyrics were nice and readable which is definitely a plus for someone like me with bad eyesight :P So you'll definitely get your money's worth - not just for the awesome music but also because of the great physical album that comes with it :)

There are 8 tracks on the album which showcase a variety of styles from the band.


I'm really looking forward to see this band grow as musicians and can't wait to hear new music from them. This first album is a good indication of their potential and I just know that with more angst and impressive riffs and melodies they are definitely a band that will be making waves in the local scene.  I should mention also that these guys bagged the Runner up position during The Yellow Room Battle Of The Bands. ^_^ 

So definitely bigger and better things for them! 

Make sure to like them on Facebook


Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Samsung NX Club: Food Photography Workshop

My wife tagged me on this event post in Facebook for a Food Photography Workshop sponsored by Samsung. 

Fortunately I was free for the event. I was curious what it was all about.

Everybody knows that Samsung creates smart phones and tablets that can stand against mobile mogul giants like Apple but other than creating excellent handy electronics, they also create other appliances and digital cameras.  They were very generous enough to have  a food photography workshop facilitated by Francis Rivera.

Sir Francis Rivera has been a commercial photographer in the country he has shot multiple renowned brands and companies like, Shakey's, Cravings, Kenny Rogers, Aristocrat, Kraft products and many many more.  The workshop was pretty straight forward as Sir Francis first breaks down things that we should keep in mind, like considering characteristics of food when shooting, light position has a certain effect on your subject.  Sir Francis also taught us some industry tricks like food stylists only prepare half-cooked food, and who would've thought that chemistry has some uses in food photography as well.  

Monday, December 1, 2014

The Cuckoo's Calling Book Review



I have to admit that the only reason that "The Cuckoo's Calling" made it in range of my to-read radar list when the internet exploded that Robert Galbraith is actually celebrated author J.K. Rowling, under a pseudonym. 

I grew up reading and watching The Harry Potter books and movies, I remember as a kid, there was one Christmas where in I received a lot of Harry Potter stuff and that made me and my sisters very happy. 

The Harry Potter franchise also has a special place in the love story that is Paul and Ica, it goes something like this: When we were still in College and in that "teasing" stage I was reading The Half-Blood Prince, Paul along with a now long time friend of ours asked to borrow the book, they put in a piece of paper with something that they had written on it. Curious, I opened the page to where the piece of paper was and when I pulled it out this was what was written in Paul's hand writing. 

Snape kills Dumbledore. 
Dapat si Malfoy pero hindi niya kaya. 
(Should have been Malfoy but he couldn't do it) 

I was so mortified to have the book spoiled big time! Don't worry I have surely been able to get back at Paul one way or another in our 9 year (and counting) relationship :p 

So going back to The Cuckoo's Calling...

It was definitely on my to-read list since I am a fan of Rowling and it was with much high expectation that I started to read the book. The Cuckoo's Calling is a good old detective kind of story, where in Private Investigator Cormoran Strike is asked to look into the apparent suicide of super model Lula Landry. For me, the charm of the story comes with Strike as being your un-traditional hero. He is a war veteran, amputee, who is as big as a bear (an exaggeration, of course, but the book describes him as huge) he has a hairy belly and "pube" like hair. So, now he is not your typical good looking, lithe detective with complete extremities but rather a realistic hero who can easily be your uncle or crazy downstairs neighbor. 

Aside from the hero's unconventional appearance and description he also has a dark and queer upbringing which makes for an interesting background story, although it's not too dark and queer that it's impossible but you can say that it could happen and that makes it even more interesting. 

The story is not only told through the perspective of huge bear-like detective Cormoran Strike but it also changes views and perspectives and is told through Robin, the temporary Secretary who is more than just a pretty face and who could more than just make you a cup of coffee. She's actually more Watson to Holmes and more of a Robin to Batman, hence the fitting name. 

The Cuckoo's Calling moves in a fast pace, littered with small clues here and there which will keep you on your toes and will keep you guessing who the culprit is. 

Like classic Rowling, everything falls to place and is explained in the end which will give you that Clarity you have been looking for. Definitely a recommended title, I'm glad to know that Rowling has been reported as saying that there will be more adventures for Detective Strike in the future! Will definitely be looking out for that one!