#236 Old Boats

Meanwhile back on shore, old boats strewn in a random pattern got my camera all excited. The light drizzle made the boats glisten in the early morn light. Set that against a breaking dawn, and nothing could be more important at that point than to find a composition that worked. After all, a moment that is frozen in time... becomes a moment that can live forever. Enjoy.

(Pixel-Peepers: Random patterns make confusing fodder, but if you move around them a bit, adjust your point-of-view to find that one angle when they all magically line-up and flow together, success can be sweet.)

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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.)

#235 Eye of the Beholder

Imagine a wooden boat... No... an old wooden boat: worn, unloved, and left to the elements along a lake's edge. Now imagine further a photographer-of-sorts, who knelt and stared at this forsaken boat, first from one angle, and then from another, before eventually nodding as he lifted his camera to his eyes, and then squeezed the trigger. Replay multiple times.

Now I don't know what he saw in that old wreck, nor why it could be worth more than a cursory look and stare, but he obviously saw something I didn't, beauty after all is in the eye of the beholder. Enjoy.

(Pixel-Peepers: Try adding another dimension to your landscapes by anchoring them with a foreground of interest. Remember to keep your foreground and horizon in equal in focus. Hyper-focal focusing. Google it.)

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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.)

#234 Glow at Dawn

Along the water's edge in Laguna de bay, a pale orange glow greeted us at dawn. The clouds were too thick for the usual fireworks, but the real action was along the shore. As fishermen returned with their catch, a crowd began to gather, if only to look at what they've brought back. After much haggling, soon everything is sold. A failed dawn notwithstanding, there remained much to see. Enjoy.

(Pixel-Peepers: Although some dawns manage only a pipsqueak-of-a-glow, capturing it together with its reflection can multiply its impact in your composition.)

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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.)

#233 Coconut Traders

Hauling coconuts to market is decidedly unglamourous, but on Boracay island, it can be anything but.

We were on Puka beach, enjoying the sun and surf, when this boatman made his grand entrance. I had been admiring the deep blue sky, the wispy clouds, and the emerald green sea, struggling to find a composition worthy of a postcard. It had many good elements... but I thought the entire scene was missing a central story... until this boatman suddenly showed up, and with a commodore's pose at that! Click. Hauling coconuts notwithstanding, this is Boracay after all. Enjoy.

(Pixel-Peepers: Don't position the horizon smack in the middle of your photographs, they said. But sometimes it just works.)

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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.)

#232 Golden Lining

A silver lining holds a promise of hope. But what about a golden one?

We were on Apulit Island in eastern Palawan, and on our first attempt at dusk, we got lucky. I expected more color and light beneath the clouds, but an unmistakeable golden lining appeared instead. Now I don't really know what that means relative to a silver one, but one thing I do know is that no two dusks look the same. Each one is different. And until you see it, you never know what you'll get. Maybe that's why it's so addicting to stalk them all. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: Why doesn't your dusk pictures look like this? Well I had a little help from a special filter called a graduated neutral density filter. It's like sunglasses but it only covers the brighter part of your picture, which is almost always the sky. It darkens the sky to match the darker elements in the foreground. It's a godsend at twilight. Do you need one? Not really... but you want one!)

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.)