Confused Wondering Learner

A bit of shameless plugging here. Not too long ago I've been more active in my other blog. For all non-travel related stuff please do check out Confused Wondering Learner.

Monday Memories: Rolling With The Crew

It was that Sunday in July last 2012. Sundays are usually ho-hum for me. But this particular Sunday was special. I got to spend the day with my cousin, a bona fide car enthusiast. He met up with his fellow enthusiasts for a Sunday drive. When they gather, the parking lot becomes a car show ground. And I mean a real car show for car enthusiasts - one that's all about the cars and without the ridiculous amount of women distracting you trying to look all cute and pretty getting in the way. Not that it's a bad thing, it's just distracting.

The ride getting there. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to ride shotgun in this thoroughbred.

Monday Memories: San Diego Airport

There's one thing I like about the airport in San Diego, CA. They serve booze. They have a mini museum. I was waiting for my Auntie to pick me up when it was my second time to visit. I got to stroll around and take some pictures.

Mastering the art of airports... Whatever that is.

Monday Memories: Strolls Around Saratoga

Exactly two years ago today, that was when I was spending my final days in San Mateo before I was going to fly back to Manila. Needless to say, I miss the place.

Artificial stream. This is the view I remember most in the Saratoga area.

Harbor Square Afternoon

Empty Chairs on a Cloudy Afternoon

I hardly go to Harbor Square these days. These were taken from a few months ago when I was with my dad and bro. Harbor Square will always have its charm for me though. It's where I learned a lot when I was practicing the very basics in Photography. I practically learned how to do night photography in Harbor Square.

The Contrast Behind The Contrast

It's amazing what one simple contrast in an image can convey. Humor me as I try to be an art fart for this post. I took a picture of a friend while she was puffing on a cigarette. This may be the most contrasting image I've ever taken.

Contrasts. I see the contrast in more than one level. What do your portraits convey?

To begin with she was wearing a flamboyantly loud and colorful blouse. To me it was very eye catching and I really liked it. She's a nice and funny girl but the expression on her face and the hardcore way she puffs on that cigarette gives me a "Try your luck messing with me and I will tear you apart and feed you to my pet Arowanas". That night she looked like the most fabulous gangster I've ever seen. One can only imagine the contrast in that. To bring out the contrast I envisioned when I saw her dress I dulled out the rest of the image, which emphasized how that dress stood out. The overall image and dress I think conveys the complex and contrasting person in the image. How about you? What's the story in your picture?

Until then, Let's get lost and wander! :)

San Mateo In Monochrome

When somebody hears the word "San Mateo", folks where I live would instantly think "San Mateo, Rizal". I however, remember "San Mateo" differently...

This is a man-made stream that runs along Park Place in the Archstone Apartments area in front of Whole Foods.
It has decorative fountains on both ends and bridges in between. It's a romantic place. Even if you're alone.

Wedding Portrait

This is just a one off shot. It's from a sepia shot and added some more built in filter from Photobucket. This is a portrait of my friends on their wedding day taken after the ceremony. I particularly like this shot as to how they're arranged. The bride and groom are wearing their gown and suit respectively but they're positioned like it's a casual prom in a setting that looks real classy.

I guess I'm a bit of a romantic with this image for imagining several rowdy kids in a room with their parents generations from now and their mom would be saying, "Kids, come here, gather 'round. Do you know who these people are in the picture? Let me tell you a story about your lola and lolo..." 

After The Event, March 8, 2014

... After a generation or two, how will your pictures look like?

A Shot Of The Water, Filtered

I got this shot of a fountain when I was attending a wedding last March. And by filtered, I don't mean the water. I meant the shot. I was playing with Filter Bracketing (One shot, all the filters!) and applied all the filters I liked on the shot.

In grainy black & white. Sorry, no fine misty white water.
This was hand held when I took it. Long exposure wasn't an option.

Lost At The Mind Museum

Okay, so not really lost. Around a few weeks ago in August I was wandering at the Mind Museum with a friend. Here's what happened on that fun day...

The way they make their signs is a nice touch.

Last Friday Night At Burgos Circle

It was one of the rare Friday nights I experienced this year- Friday with no work currently nor in the morning. I got to meet up and have a couple of bottles with some buddies at the office. At the end of the night, a bit of wanderlust struck me...

Wide and Bent. Courtesy of a fisheye lens.

"This is too early to go home and sleep," I mused to myself.

"... It's not everyday that you're out here with a camera on a Friday night. Let's walk a bit."

And so I did...

Sunday At Ayala Triangle

I've never been to Ayala Triangle. For starters, I thought the place wasn't open to the public to  begin with. I thought it's part of the property of Makati Stock Exchange and Philippine Stock Exchange... And, well, not open to the public. Good thing I'm wrong. Basically, I got kinda lost again and had a good time. :)

Whoa. I didn't know there was a park here.

Some Of My Early Work

We all started somewhere. Here's a collection of some of my very early work. How early? Around 2009 more or less...

Bleeding in saturation. Because that's how I like my images. Unfortunately, I tend to oversaturate it. Note the hideous watermark too.

The rest of my stuff can be found after hitting the jump.

The Bellagio Dancing Fountains

This was taken last October of 2012 on my first visit to Las Vegas. Needless to say, this was awesome and spectacular for a fountain show, or any other outdoor show I've witnessed for that matter. This was the last show for the night too, hence the national anthem accompaniment. I've never gotten excited over fountains until I witnessed this first hand.

That Valentine's Day

It was the Valentine's day of 2011. I was feeling tired, hurt and weary. I was dealing with the worst of my wounds at the time. Funny how sometimes the one you're willing to take a bullet for can sometimes be the one pulling the trigger. I think Linkin' Park was able to put the words to describe how I was that time...

A cloud streak above. Apparently somebody fired SAMs at Cupid that night. I hope they got him. Stupid Cupid was picking on me.
Nikon D40, f/4.5, 1/4 sec, ISO 800

Hangouts From Several Places

Well, it may seem like I'm just going from point A to point B watching time past by (read: Wasting Time) but no, not really. Quality time is hardly wasted.

Playing With (Japanese) Dolls

Okay, so this is a bit of a throwback. Sometime ago, I think this was early January, during a family get together at a certain restaurant, I got a chance to look up and found something adorable...

San Diego Beach Day Out

I don't usually go to the beach, but when I do, it's in California...

I've Seen Mexico

Yep. Yes I did. And without a Visa too. It looked nice but I don't think that it's my cup of tea. 

Beyond this sign is the border. The horizon is already Mexico.

Ok, so this is the closest I physically gotten to Mexico. The mall where I took this picture from already felt like Mexico,
filled with lots of latinos and latinas and almost everyone was speaking Spanish.

See? Told you so... I saw it. I didn't necessarily say that I visited it.

Throwback Thursday- San Mateo

A couple of years ago I was given the good fortune of being assigned to the USA. I was working in San Mateo, it's a not-so-often-heard place that I haven't heard from any Hollywood movie. It's located around 20 miles south of San Francisco. Unlike the crowded 'Frisco though, it's actually very peaceful and quiet. It is by far among the best surprises I ever had. The town is very upscale and folks are friendly. This is one of the few places that I'll definitely remember.

I got a good chance to take evening walks and a nice camera at the time. Here are some of the pictures I've taken around town. A lot of these are experiment shots, since I was new to the handling of the E-PL2 at the time. So it's not surprising if you see several shots of the same view with slightly different settings.

Other than my long exposure shots, I also got a good chance to shoot the moon while testing my then-new lens, the Samyang 500mm f/8. It's a decent lens, to say the least.

This is one place that I long to return to someday.

Reality To Surreality Via Taoyuan

It is yet again that I partake in a journey to escape a bleak daily reality. It is again that I leave my old bland self, albeit temporarily. And on my way to a world that's surreal I take a stop at somewhere that is both surreal and quite strange. I've seen wonders in Taiwan. And I didn't even have to leave the airport for it. It truly is beautiful!

Here are some of the sights of that wonderful place...

Kiss Me Goodbye

I discovered this little gem not too long ago. I guess this one really touched me. So I'm sharing the english translation of the lyrics here:

Even if you're lost
The door is open

Our world--is that alone
Not enough for you?

I'll give you wings, so believe and take flight

Kiss me good-bye, love's memory

Even if I should lose you
My beloved memories will be my strength

In search of something certain
Everybody loves, but
Steadfast love lies within yourself

Kiss me goodbye, farewell
I'll transform into a new me

Kiss me good-bye
Kiss me good-bye

Kiss me good-bye, love's memory
We'll transform into a new us

Kiss me goodbye--I won't cry
Because I could love you
Because I could love you


http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Kiss_Me_Good-Bye_(Song)

Otaku With Filters

Maybe I'm really down with my luck. It was the 14th of February. But my activities were vastly different from practically everyone else. It was unlike the usual romanticism that everyone adheres to and want to get into.

The Best Lover I Never Had

It's unbelievable it's been that long. To give some context to this, I was going through the worst day of worst days for someone like me. After a long battle I just lost my better half. Four years into the relationship she cheated and this left me distraught. Despite that we carried on. Sadly, it was all for naught. In the wake of that devastation I ended up bothering people I shouldn't have bothered, and bothered some friends way more than I should have. 

This particular friend of mine was there when the wounds were at their worst or when the memories and demons of what I lost haunted me. She made the most painful of days bearable. Sadly I have eventually worn out my welcome, especially when I found myself inadvertently attracted to her. Needless to say, that's faux pas on my part.

The feeling was not mutual, however and due to that, and that made for awkward conversations. Gradually, we kind of drifted apart. She's now with someone and I wish her the best. She deserves that much. We're still friends, but not like before. Nonetheless, I owe her. I hope that it won't come to it, but in the unlikely event she ends up in my shoes, I promised myself that I'd come running to her aid. Always, I'll remember her.

I'm amazed at what words overflowing emotions can come up with. During the lenten season she abstained from using the phone or getting online on social networks. That's when I conjured up the stanzas below. At the time I didn't know what fate awaited me. Sad, but no, not really. Hit the jump to read it all.

It's Like In The Movies... Almost.

It's not everyday that I get to step into some place that looks like something that I see the movies... But when I got into a place like that, the experience is surreal.

I can almost imagine some country singer or rockstar performing here.