#184 Blurred in Blue

Why not try something new today?

During the blue hour it's almost bright enough to see the horizon, yet it's still too dark to take sharp pictures. Metering off the water, I will need a 16-second exposure... but steady lapping waves will keep this boat in constant motion... and that's a problem... or is it? Wait... Why not build that swaying motion right into my composition? A tack sharp horizon with the foreground blurred in blue? Will it work? Fiddle... fiddle.. done. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: During the blue hour, a steady tripod is a must. Meter for your mid-tones even if it means part of your composition may be too dark. That's how a scene looks like during the blue hour, and that's how you want your final photograph to turn out.)

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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.)

#183 Wooden Fishing Boats

Did I say the armada landed in the dark of the night?

Last week, I mentioned fishing boats arrived in droves at the Estancia fish port in Iloilo. It was too dark to photograph them while they unloaded their catch, but shortly after sunrise the glory of the entire armada was revealed. The wooden boats looked ancient and creaky, almost un-seaworthy. Yet when set within a quaint island harbor at dawn, it was much like a romantic storybook scene from a time long past. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: Shooting into the light, most of the foreground was lost in the shadows. Shadow recovery software to the rescue!)

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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.)

#182 The Fish Market

Do you know where your fish filet comes from?

If you live on the island of Panay, they're likely from the Estancia fish port, the largest fish market in Iloilo. We arrived at an unGodly hour only to find the fish market already a beehive of activity. Boats that had been out trawling the night before arrive in droves, unloading their catch among a throng of eager buyers. Bidding is then conducted entirely in whispers, augmented every so often by hand-signals and nods. For a tourist like me, they said a pail of fish would be P6,500.00.  But whatever each buyer actually paid, that would have to remain a secret. Enjoy. 

(Pixel-peepers: The sky outside was pitch black and the marketplace was lit by ghastly green fluorescent lights. It's never fun to have to color-balance a few hundred shots so I thought I'd do the entire shoot in black & white. I love it.)

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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.)

#181 Lights@Dawn

If you wake up early enough, you might just catch the light before dawn.  Hey wait a minute... there is light before dawn?

It had rained for days and I really didn't expect any fireworks at dawn. Perched on the Tagaytay ridge, I pointed my camera in the direction of the majestic Mt. Makiling with the city of Tanauan Batangas in the foreground. And that's when an old friend named Serendipity dropped by... Excess moisture on the ground eventually had to find its way back up to the sky. And on the way up, first as a light mist and then as a rising fog, they became a large reflecting surface that all but revealed the bright city lights below. Instant dawn light even when dawn didn't show. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: Twilight photography is about stalking dawn and dusk. At dawn, even when conditions aren't just right, it's still worth your while if only to witness the night turn into day. The hill in the foreground is the Tagaytay Highlands, and the dark ominous-looking silhouette of a mountain in the background is Mt. Makiling.) 

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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.)

#180 Front Row Seats.

On a really muggy day, a restless mind can drift back to better times...

I was shooting alone, without the usual suspects, on this deserted stretch of sand where the weather was warm, the sky was blue, and the sea was green.  There I found a row of empty chairs under a cool shade, all looking out to an emerald sea. And what a scene it was. You see, that's the thing about photography.  When you stumble onto a scene you don't want to forget, you can freeze the moment, and save it for the future. Forever. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: You can wait until your composition is just right, but think about the other moments you'll miss while waiting. I usually try several shots from different vantage points, but find that I often return to the very first one I took. Does that prove a photographer can only see what he wants to see?)

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.)