arvato Masquerade Christmas Party

Preparations. The hard team at work, a few hours before the party. 

Before you go over the 400+ plus photos in this post. I hope you take time to read what I have to say first. :p 

Ahem** When I first read that the Christmas Party committee was looking for a photographer from the employees. I thought to myself, poor guy (whoever that would be) I pity the guy who would volunteer for such a task since I know how tiring it is to cover an event. If you were an employee and you are also the official photographer you certainly would not be able to enjoy the party since the responsibilities of a photographer can be overwhelming- there is definitely no time to party, let loose and have fun. 

But then I thought why not volunteer my husband? 

In case you didn't know, my husband is a freelance photographer and even if this gig is pro-bono [AKA TY (thank you) ang TF (talent fee)] I was going to ask Paul (my husband) to go on leave anyways since we would be checking in the Remington, so might as well get him the photo gig, it would inevitably mean more exposure for him as a photographer. :) 

So I hope you guys take time to like our Facebook page here. You can follow us on twitter here. If you have any inquiries about photoshoots or event coverage just contact us. ^_^ 

By the way, we had some trouble uploading some of the photos with our official watermark, although some of the photos are watermarked. Please keep in mind that all photos are by: PCheng Photography :) Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New year to all! ^_^ 

Official Event Coverage brought to you by: PCheng Photogprahy. 

and now for the photos! Enjoy :) 

The calm before the storm. Candles light up a dark Republiq club before the festivities begin. 

Our Adventures: Resorts World Manila + Movie Review: The Hobbit

Lights in the sky. The signage for Resorts World shining bright against the night sky. 

Paul and I have always been making fun of the airy ad for Resorts World Manila. (Resooorts Whoorld Mhanilaaahhhh), we'd have laughs when we would imitate that catch phrase, so imagine our reactions when we found out that our company was having our Christmas Party in Republiq (a club in Resorts World Manila). We basically had more reasons to say Resooorts Whoorld Mhanilaaahhhh 


The Hotel 

When I heard that we were having our Christmas Party at Republiq, I immediately researched into having a room booked in a nearby hotel. 

I learned in my research that there are 3 hotels in Resorts World Manila: 

The Remington Hotel (affordable hotel) published rates: P3,900.00/night

Marriott Hotel Manila (5-Star business hotel AKA- expensive) published rates:P P8,500.00/night 

Maxims Hotel (All suite luxury hotel AKA - really expensive) published rates: lowest price is P15,800.00/night.  

Nifty Nails: Product Review: Wide Nails PP401

Wide Nails. Face it with one of my Rei Ayanami figures. 

During my last trip to the Face Shop I decided to break my P100.00/polish rule and I purchased the Wide Nails variation of the nail polishes. This nail polish is for P295.00. So how was it different from the other P100.00 polishes? Well the brush is actually more flat than the ordinary polish. This actually made the application of the polish easier. 

The polish I purchased had the code of PP401. It had a bluish and violet color to it which I think is more suited for more formal occasions but it still has a playful shade which won't make you look too old. It also has a shiny look which makes it more appealing. 

Would I purchase another polish from the Wide Nails series? Well when I think that I could have already bought 2 other polishes at its price, maybe I wouldn't be too quick to break my P100.00/polish rule next time. :p 

Book Spotlight: A Feast for Crows

Weather worn but well loved. 

I always find it easier to write when I am currently reading a book. I'll try to make it a point to read a book moving forward-and of course to share my reading experiences with you guys and just like one of my favorite Game of Thrones characters said: "A mind needs books like a sword a whetstone". 

My mom would always tell the story of how a 9 year old me, asked for books for one Christmas. I got from 'Santa' The Little Women and Daddy-long-legs. 

I have always been fond of reading and as a consequence have poor eyesight, although I don't know what the grade of my eyes are all I know is I sometimes miss Jeepneys since I can't read the signs. 

So despite the poor eyesight I still love to read and my eyesight would most probably become worse but that won't stop me from reading more and more books!

So I just finished with A Feast for Crows which is Book 4 of 'A Song of Fire and Ice' by George R. R. Martin. I'm already done with the first three books- A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords.  I did get hooked into reading the books due to the largely popular series- Game of Thrones and I also got my office mates hooked with the series :) 

7th Christmas Toy Fair: Tips and Buys

Girls! Girls! Girls!!! Lovely figures during the Toycon 

Christmas is the time when kids happily get toys for gifts but of course there is that child in all of us and even the 'big kids' AKA adults can also have a Merry Christmas with their kind of toys. 

And the best place to get the best toys at the best prices? Is none other than the 7th Christmas Toy fair! Which is organized by Collectibles Unlimited Association. You can check out their Facebook page here. 

For the employed it is a great place to finish...err...spend your 13th month pay and for the students it is a great place to spend your early pamasko from Ninong and Ninang. ^__^ 

I'll be honest with you, I'm just really a newbie when it comes to collecting toys (Wait! Don't close the window!) You might be thinking on what authority then do I have to start blogging about events like this? Well (hear me out) even if I am still a beginner when it comes to collecting toys it doesn't mean that my love for them (anime and the geek genres) is anything but new. 

So I've recently just started collecting toys and figures and I bought a couple during the Christmas Toy Fair. As usual, Paul and I came from work so we were pretty much done for the day. 

Alfhie & Kat. 12.15.2012

Love is in the air. 

Last December 15, 2012 our very good College friends Alfhie and Kat got married for the second time. Isn't there a saying that goes that 'love is the sweeter the second time around?' I guess the same can be said about weddings. Especially if you will be marrying the same person. ^__^

We were guests at the wedding so there was no pressure about taking photos. Actually we were a bit late to the ceremony since we came from our department's Christmas party. Unfortunately we also had to pull a 'eat-and-run' routine during the reception since Paul still had work in the evening. 

Photo Insight:Lights

In case you guys are wondering - this is Paul writing (for a change) I thought to myself that most(if not all) our blog posts doesn't have much information on how the photos were taken. 

So I think I'll start my 'how to' section with this post, and call blog posts focusing on Photography 'Photo Insight'.  I'll put in what I did on the photo(before shot, EXIF data, and what was used) I'll critique my work and you can join in on this as well (be gentle please). 

Lights and greenery - Louisse Private Resort
ISO 100, 15 sec, f/9 at 18mm

Back story:  My wife's co-workers were planning to go out and have an overnight stay some place out of town.  The original plan was a road trip to Cavite.  When my wife caught the news, she suggested a resort that they already stayed in and it was in Taytay, an hour drive from Eastwood, Quezon City.  They agreed and arranged an impromptu get together since they didn't have to report for work for the long weekend. (Thanksgiving Weekend)  And that is the reason why we came to Louisse Private Resort - to P-A-R-T-Y!

Working in low light situation has always been difficult for people who would like to get a decent photo.  You'll either get a blurry shot, or will be needing some flash.  

The question arises: What if you don't want to use your flash and prefer to use natural light? 

PREVIEW: Ica behind the Lens Tagaytay Part 2

It can't be helped but there are times when Paul is not with me on trips and I have to be the one to bring the camera and take pictures. 

For some time now, Paul has been teaching me how to take photos but of course he really is the photographer between the two of us. Of course it helps if I know a few principles in taking photos. 

Last December 1, 2012 we took a few guests on a trip to Tagaytay after work (if you notice in the blog) we were also there a few weeks before but during this trip we were lucky enough to be able to watch a cultural dance troupe who performed cultural dances while we were having our lunch at Taal Vista Hotel. 

Of course our guests (one American and another German) were thrilled to be able to witness dances all over the Philippines- the courtship dances from the mountains, to the Spanish inspired dances of Manila, to the graceful movements of the dances from Mindanao to the heart stopping national dance-Tinikling. 

Here are some of the photos I was able to take of the dances. It was against the light so I decided to shoot with monochrome colors. It was a great photography experience for me. I was also the one who did the post-process in the photos. :) 

Since this is just a preview of the photos, here are just a few of what I have been able to finish. :) 

Are the photos worthy to have the PCheng Photography watermark? ^___^

Movie Musings: My thoughts on the Rurouni Kenshin (Live Action) Movie

Caution: Contains spoilers and Anime comparisons 

One of the first promotional material for the movie. From the movie's Facebook page. 

This is more than just a movie review since I will not only be talking about the movie itself but I will also be blogging about how a decades old hero still has a presence years after his ideals and principles touched the lives of a generation of  children who have now grown into adulthood.

All in all I could sum up my Rurouni Kenshin (Live Action) Movie experience in the words of my sister 'It was my childhood coming to life'. 

Creator Nobuhiro Watsuki wrote and illustrated the manga in 1994 and it ran until 1999. An anime series was developed and was shown from 1996 to 1998. The series was not only a big hit in its' native Japan but in other countries as well. It is one of the most recognized anime titles all over the world. 

3 Mediums of Himura: The reluctant assassin. Haunted by his past, Himura seeks to atone for his sins by wielding a reverse-edged sword to help people in need. He has graced pages of a well loved manga, appeared in a well accepted anime series and is now alive on the big screen and fans have followed him no matter what medium he is featured on. 

Source. Posted on the movie's Facebook page. 

More than a decade after the manga was released, news of a live movie production took the Otaku world by storm. 20-30 year old fans of the series were very vocal about their excitement to see their beloved samurai slash his way on the big screen. 

Promotional material from the movie. Source: Rurouni Kenshin the Movie Facebook page.

FROM ANIME TO MOVIE: Fans have been raving about the spot-on casting of the characters. From Satou Takeru playing the legendary assassin (sometimes clueless) Kenshin Himura to Kikkawa Kouji playing creepy villain Udou Jin'e. (Yes he did lick his sword like that). 

Promotional material from the movie. Source: Rurouni Kenshin the Movie Facebook page.

Isay's 20th Birthday/Post Process Fun

I've recently discovered the joy of post processing photos.Sometimes other people hold on to our cameras and take photos. So when we get the camera back there are so many photos to choose from :p 

Paul has been trying to teach me how to take photos with his good old Canon 500D, but I haven't really caught on to the lessons, especially when it comes to the settings. (My mind goes blank when numbers are involved.) What with the F stop, shutter speed, ISO and so much more. 

It's always been a struggle for me to follow and navigate through the settings. That's why I've always had a more behind-the-scenes contribution when it comes to Paul's shoots. There are times when I am a secondary photographer to Paul and I just lucky and get good shots during those times. 

At least with my new found joy of post processing I have another contribution to the photos that we enjoy sharing with you guys. So here are some of the photos I've post-processed recently. 

My sister had her birthday last October 30, (yeah these photos are already late in the post-process and uploading). So the friends of my sister just went trigger happy with our camera and here are some of the photos that I also post-processed. 

Paul uses Adobe Lightroom when he edits his photos. So I've also been learning how to use it also. Another application we use is Pixlr.com which is basically a site which allows you to put your photos in a collage and to also add borders/text and other images. 

Product Review: Etude House Princess 3D Mask

Princess 3D Mask with my Japanese wax doll :) (Japan and Korea right there) 

This is already a late product review. Actually I haven't been able to do much product reviews as of late. As you can see we've been pretty busy (and I mean really busy) these past few weeks, actually this weekend is the first weekend that I've had to myself for a long time. Although I did have to write 17 articles for a client- so I wouldn't really call it a 'weekend to myself'. 

So even with the deadline of 17 articles over the weekend I still wanted to insert this product review :) 

I actually have products to review already. They are all lined up and I've been using most of them already so I guess that's a good thing since I would have more to write about ;) 

Our Adventures: Cafe Ilang Ilang, Manila Hotel

The extravagant lobby of the Manila Hotel

We were very fortunate to be invited by Paul's uncle for a dinner at the Manila Hotel- so with the rest of the family we headed out to Manila Hotel one Monday evening- even if some of us still had work/was in the middle of work. 

I was really excited to go to Manila Hotel- I mean we are talking about a hotel which has such great history aside from its great beauty. Just think that the Manila Hotel is the oldest premiere hotel in the Philippines and was also the residence of Gen. Douglas MacArthur from 1935-1941 and for a history buff like me that was enough to make me drool. :p 

Aside from the rich history that surrounds the Manila Hotel no one can deny its lavish architecture and extravagant fixtures it is after all a five star hotel. :)

Welcome. Dinner was at Cafe Ilang-Ilang.

We had a buffet dinner at Cafe Ilang Ilang. The buffet consisted of a wide variety of cuisines from all around the world :) They had a different station for a type of food like: Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Italian, etc. :p 

Our Adventures: Thunderbird Resorts, Binangonan

We had our first official (after the wedding) honeymoon in Thunderbird Resorts in Binangonan Rizal, it was sort of a last minute thing and we didn't really want to spend so much on the honeymoon so in a not-so well thought of plan we decided to settle on Thunderbird Resorts-which is like a stone's throw away from our house. All in all we enjoyed our stay in Thunderbird Resorts- it was more of a get away and relaxing honeymoon than any of the adventures that we've recently had. 

We wanted to bring my boss from the US to the resort since she plays the machines in the Casinos, now when Paul and I were here for our honeymoon we didn't get to play any of the Casino games. 

Our accommodations came with a complimentary P300.00/each coupon but you can only use it for the table games and when Paul and I went up the casino at around 4:00AM there were still people playing the tables and we just decided not to play since we had a feeling they were going to eat us alive :p 

So during our recent trip to Thunderbird last November 17- we really had the casinos as our agenda :) 

Resort Entrance

A room in Thunderbird would cost around P5,300.00 for the weekday and P5,600 for the weekend but they also have a day trip package, for P1,000.00/person this already includes being able to use the amenities, P900.00 consumable for food and drinks plus the P300.00 coupon for table games. :) It wasn't a bad deal at all and this is what we availed of when we went to the resort. 

Unfortunately when we got to the Casino there was a dress code for Men- they could not enter the casino wearing slippers, sleveless, sando etc. So it was just the ladies who went over to the casino to play the machines. :) 

Now I've never played in the casino and thinking that I might have beginner's luck my boss gave me P500.00 to play with in the machines. After some time--and realizing that I did not have beginner's luck I cashed out at P200.00- although I would say that I still had some kind of beginner's luck since we played with the P200.00 ticket and let's just say that it grew an amount which was enough for us to have dinner outside :)

Tagaytay Trip

Tagaytay Blue. View of Taal Lake from Taal Vista Hotel 

We went on a day trip to Tagaytay to show our boss from the US around. So after our Friday shift we all headed out to Tagaytay so this was actually at Saturday in the morning already. 

Oh I forgot to mention we had to meet up with a client for a birthday -event coverage- even before leaving for Tagaytay. So yup! Nothing new- busy as always. 

So anyways, one thing for sure was that it was really hot when we went to Tagaytay, it was really hot considering it was also in November. The wind was cool but the sun was really hot. 

So here are our photos from our daytime Tagaytay trip. :)

Our Adventures: Coron: Day 3

Traveling in the early morning we were met by a breathtaking landscape. 

Day 3 of our Coron Adventures, we set out really early in the morning-as in like 4:00 AM and this was because we were going to Calauit Island which was about a 2 hour boat ride. We road on a fast boat. 

It was really dark when we set out, it was pitch black and you could not even see your hand in front of you. 

My husband asked the boatmen 'How do you navigate in the dark?' Our guide answered that the captains used the stars, landmarks and mountains. Although that was not entirely reassuring, we put our faith in our guides and the captain of the boat. 

Trying out Black and White to capture the scenery. 

The early morning air was very cold and unfortunately I did not really pack any windbreakers, jackets or sweaters. It was a good thing Dexter brought an extra windbreaker or else I would have lost my teeth chattering from the cold. 

The Things Around Us

Worm's eye view of Unionbank Plaza in Ortigas

Paul works in the Ortigas area, so it is no surprise that he takes so many photos here. Whether it is of the high buildings that make up its' urban view, or random people and things in its' streets, it is always interesting to see Ortigas through Paul's eyes. 

 

Electricsky 

Paul: I remembered a weekend hashtag project from Instagram and did it here. 

Shag Rug- Rug from a room in Astoria Plaza. 

Some of these photos are also taken in Astoria Plaza- which is also in Ortigas- this was the time when my sister had her bridal shower and classic Paul just takes advantage and shoots. :) 

Interview with a Storm Trooper

An oldie but definitely a goodie. The first film in the franchise was released in 1977. 

I grew up knowing Star Wars. My father was such a big fan that when my parents were first expecting to have a baby my Dad wanted the baby to be named 'Luke' if it was a boy and 'Leia' if it was a girl. 

After two miscarriages though Luke and Leia were forgotten and I became a Marica.

Star Wars has always been a part of my childhood, growing up I was always surrounded by Star Wars and as a child you can just imagine how many scenes in the trilogy really left an impression on me.  Scenes like Princess Leah and Jabba the Hut scene- seeing Jabba the Hut in that scene has led me to use him as a reference for anything big, ugly and just ugh! And of course the whole ‘Luke I am your father’ scene which of course is probably the most referenced line in all of movie and television history.

With the passing of my father in 1997 the love for Star Wars was put in the back burner as I had to deal with the real galaxy (called 'life') that was not far, far away but was right in front of me.

I think its funny how life or should I say ‘the force’ works as my love and appreciation for this timeless tale has made its way back into my life and it happened through the 501^st legion (pronounced: 5 ‘0’ first) and with the help of our good old family friend Luis Cacho.

Busy Busy Weeks!!!

Lighted Candle from Marcus' Christening 

Ever since we've gotten back from Coron (we've only been able to post until Day 2 of our Coron adventures - we were there for 5 days) our weeks have been so busy with birthdays, baptisms, weddings, dinners and events. I'm not one to complain since this just means more photos and memories to keep and of course more blog posts to write about. 

Yeah I miss the lazy weekends of falling asleep while watching TV but those days will always be just around the corner but for now Mr & Mrs. Cheng have been pretty busy and here are some of our misadventures! 

So here are some photos (in no particular order) of what we've been up to these past couple of weeks. 

October 28, 2012- Marcus' Christening 

Marcus Jacob is another godson of Paul and I, he is the son of my College friend Djerty and if you have been following our blog already you would surely know Djerty and Marcus since we shot Djerty's maternity shoot and Marcus' new born shoot. :) 

So it was just right that we also cover his Christening :) 

Entrance to Cafe Ilang Ilang in Manila Hotel

Marcus' Christening

Proud Parents: Djerty and Dexter and the adorable Marcus 

Hey! We're back! It has been some time since we've posted on our blog and that is because we have been so busy for the past few weeks and even if it means having less time to rest and relax it just means that we have more things to post! 

I noticed that the celebrations Paul and I have been going to have been weddings and christenings of our friends and their children. Honestly, all of these celebrations shows the changes that we have to go through and personally I'm just excited and happy for all our friends who are going through these big milestones in their lives. 

Last October 28 we celebrated Marcus Jacob's Christening and here are the photos! 

View of the church: Our Lady of Light in Cainta. 

Isay's Post Debut Photoshoot

When my sister-Isay turned 18 the whole family had sore eyes. No kidding! It really is a funny situation to be in and of course is a good story to tell but Isay wasn't so happy about it. Celebrating your 18th birdthay is sort of like a big deal for girls in the Philippines since it is the 'debut' of the girl who has now turned into a lady. 

Our Adventures: Coron day 2

Day 2 of our Coron Adventure started out with waking up to a nice sunny morning. The above photo shows the view from  our room. 

Paul, taking advantage of the sun's rays and capturing its glare on the photo. 

A nice and quiet morning at Sunz en Coron. 

Another Busy Weekend

Yummy Red Velvet brownies from my sister's bridal shower.

We had another busy weekend last October 20-21, 2012. Saturday was my sister's bridal shower at Astoria Plaza in Ortigas. Paul took some great photos of the sunset across the Ortigas city view. He really loves those kinds of views. Watch out for those photos! :) 

The photo above is a shot of the red velvet brownies I ordered from my friend Barbie. You can check out more of her amazing baked creations here. 

I have a thing with cupcakes during celebrations and I really love how they are set up in a tier. :) 

Beautiful cake toppers from Val and Chad's wedding. 

Right after checking out of Astoria the next day- I had my nails done and had my hair curled since we were going to attend the wedding of our good friend Vhal to Chad :) 

We shot their zombie prenup which you can check out here. 

Although Paul wasn't able to take much photos since we were enjoying catching up with friends from our College Publication :) 

It really was another busy weekend but it was a weekend of celebrations and another opportunity for great photos! :) 

My 1st Photowalk: Worldwide Photowalk with CCA

Assembling the crowd, CCA's president Tots De Guzman,calls everyones' attention.

Photo Walk, is a social event/gathering of photographers and or individuals that are into photography that would walk around to take some pictures.  These walks aims to improve, sharpen and practice the participants' skills.

Enan Catalan walking through the Streets of Antipolo

Oct 13, 2012 -  I was fortunate enough to join 
a photo walk.  Not just any photo walk but a World Wide Photowalk.  A global event put up by: http://worldwidephotowalk.com.  

Camera Club of Antipolo took part in this global event, representing Antipolo. 

I couldn't remember when I joined Camera Club of Antipolo, but I can still remember that I was looking for a group to learn from about the art of photography.  I was directed by a friend of mine in college that there is group of shutter bugs like me based in Antipolo, and thats when I found out about them in Facebook. 

 I've been aching to join in their activities but due to  conflict of schedule(work schedule), I haven't been able to join their activities. 

Naomi Ashbel's First Birthday

A simple collage of Pretty Mommy Aimee, birthday girl Naomi and all the colorful sweets! 

Our good friend Aimee and her family has been planning the celebration of Naomi's first birthday for a long time now. 

The family decided to have Naomi's Dedication and Birthday Celebration at the same day. 

The venue of the event was at Largos Nature's Garden which is at the heart of Cainta. I personally did not think that there was a venue as nice as that in the middle of bustling Cainta. It was a big venue with a high roof and lots of different plants, fixtures, Christmas lights and varied decorations. 

Kevin's friends with the birthday girl. 

For me, what made the party extra special was the fact that we got to hang out not only with our good old College friends but we also got to spend time with our godchildren. We took turns taking care of 2 month old Marcus and Bradley. It is always funny to think that the once bottles of alcohol present during our gatherings has now changed to bottles of baby milk but what has not changed is the great friendship that has lasted through these years. 

Naomi had an M&M's themed birthday which meant lots of colors and sweets! :) 

Busy Weekend!

Pretty Mommy Aimee and the birthday girl :)

We had a pretty busy weekend-- we covered Naomi Ashbell's first birthday party last Sunday; which pretty much took the whole day. :) It was a great way to catch up with friends and the new additions to our group -baby Marcus and Bradley :) --watch out for more photos soon!  

Baby sis Isay is now a lady!

When Isay turned 18- we all had sore eyes! No kidding!!! So we had to put off the celebration --so now that she's turning 20, we decided to have a post debut shoot for her- to celebrate her turning into a lady. Hey! Better late than never right?  :) 

More photos soon! :)