#179 Reflecting Dawn

The sky has begun to light-up as I waited for the dawn to break.  My phone beeped... then a familiar voice on the other end.. "Is it there yet?" I looked up to see a sky that has just caught fire. Dawn has arrived. I quickly whispered back... "Yes. It is. And how was yours?" "Exquisite." he replied.

That was a fictional conversation of course, inspired from an ad I saw way back.  But the reality is that when the sun rises for you, it sets for someone else. Much like many things in life. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: As dawn rises over the sea, there is a moment when the gathering intensity of orange above is fleetingly reflected on the calm water's surface. Exquisite.)

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For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)

#178 A Reluctant Dusk

Sometimes, even a horizon obscured by thick clouds can spring a surprise.

When dusk arrived the usual colors on the horizon were nowhere to be seen, just as I had predicted. What I didn't expect were to see low-flying clouds lit up by the departing sun. And because I had written off the dusk, I was nowhere near a good vantage point. Rats. But necessity is the mother of invention. How about a hand-held silhouette? Any distinctive-looking trees nearby? Exposure by trial and error? Beggars can't be choosy! Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: At dusk, the sky is usually bright enough to shoot handheld.)

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Past postcards at www.PostcardsFromManila.com

Say hello: Bobbyw59@yahoo.com

But wait, there's more...

For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)

#177 The Cycle of Life

What's so interesting about a patch of sand on a deserted beach? At sunrise... intense warm light exaggerates the texture of the landscape... and reveal compositions you would otherwise miss... like this scene that suggests an ongoing cycle of life.

The fine sand were once the skeletons of live reef corals. The flotsam seagrasses and a dried leaf were once living plants. And a myriad of abandoned sea shells were once critters that combed this shore. It's mostly a scene of what used to be, but if you can spot a handful of freshly burrowed holes, possibly by tiny critter crabs, it's clear life goes on. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: Minutes after sunrise, when the golden hours reign, is a good time to be combing a shore for still-life subjects. A small aperture will keep everything sharp, and a macro lens would be just super.)

Sign-up to receive new postcards weekly by email 

Past postcards at www.PostcardsFromManila.com

Say hello: Bobbyw59@yahoo.com

But wait, there's more...

For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)

#176 A Flash at Dawn

Few accept the gift of an awakening dawn. Most think it's enough to flip through a photograph or two, and know what they're missing. Yet they would be wrong.

From a photograph, you can't feel the chilly air that envelopes you, nor smell the distinct aroma of dew-laden grass. You can't hear the insects chirping, the frogs croaking, the birds calling from the distance, and certainly not feel the hair behind your neck tingle when the light first breaks. And you will miss the excitement of seeing the blue sky slowly turn orange as night becomes day. To experience the magic of the twilight, you really need to be there. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: The blue hour precedes the rising sun and can cast a gloomy pall over your landscape photographs. But you can wait for the moment just after the sun breaks the horizon, when its golden light wrestles to overcome the gloom, before you press your shutter. Click.)

Sign-up to receive new postcards weekly by email 

Past postcards at www.PostcardsFromManila.com

Say hello: Bobbyw59@yahoo.com

But wait, there's more...

For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)