I won at the Nike-PDI Shoot Out Contest

I've been a Nike fan all my life.
I've idolized almost every Nike athlete there was.
I used to train for UAAP track and field and play basketball with Nike.
So when my friend ym messaged me about this contest, I know I do not want to let it pass me by.

Had one problem, the age limit was 16-23.
I'm 24.
But I figured, what the heck.
I emailed them that I was 24, and said, "Just Do It.

A week later, they emailed me, saying they will get in touch with me next week.
Had a problem, I was bound for Hong Kong that week.
Good thing the airplane left us.
Our flight was at 3pm.
Nike called at 4pm.

After Hong Kong, we had the shoot for Nike.
Rules were that:
We cant let the athlete pose for us.
We cant use flash.
We can't get inside the court.
It was hard because it was in a low lit gymnasium in Taguig.
It was hard because the gymnasium was owned by a rival company, thus it was hard to place shots.
It was hard because it was low light.
It was hard because there were more than 20 people practicing in the court.
Add the fact that i suck miserably at photoshop.

Anyhow, after a month of waiting for the results,
I won.








Just Do It.
Check out the PDI today, May 21 2008.

Thank you God, thank you Vea Alvaro, Arlo Vicencio, Miles Montecillo, Aaron Vicencio, Francis Cruz. Jimmy Alapag, Pearl Perlada and Josh Reyes!

Late Post for April

Hi guys! I know its May already, and I haven't put up a blog yet for what happened in April. So here goes, I went to Hong Kong with my friends April 3-7, I didnt really had the chance to
shoot artsy fartsy and way cool travel photographs there but, was able to squeeze in a few =) Hong Kong, according some photographers, is one of the cities thats full of lights at night (found about that when I was researching about the city before leaving Manila). It really didnt disappoint, although, I kind wish to go back there soon when its New Year, i just cant help imagine how its cool and flashy the lights there are going to be. =) I posted my Hong Kong tourist photos here, a few blog entries back or on the previous blog, couldnt really remember at this time.









Also, bought a 2nd hand n70 music edition phone, it is equipped with a 2 mp camera phone; here are some of the shots I took recently with it. The good thing with a camera phone is that you can probably take it anywhere without the hassle of a huge and heavy dslr on your shoulder. Took it out in some instances around the streets and took some photos with it. (Unedited of course)





It was a slow month for me after that, good thing I had some things to keep me busy though. Then there's the usual pondering and day dreaming that always starts my day. =) Oh, immediately, when I got back to Manila, I had a shoot for this Nike contest I got myself into. Not sure if I will win though, the wait is killing me and with that, I’m not really expecting shit from it now, but a part of me is keeping my fingers crossed. The agency says that it will take another 2 weeks for the winners to be announced. Basically, I had to shoot Jimmy Alapag, one of my PBA players I look up too, while doing his practice with his teammates. The shoot was this: no flash or strobes, using available lights only, plus I can’t make him pose and stuff. So its more like a documentary kind of stuff. It was hard because of the low lighting and fast action involved. Whew, I’m just glad its over.
Honestly, during the shoot, I was imagining I was Aaron Vicencio shooting a Ateneo UAAP game, dunno why, but AV has always been one of the photogs I look up to.







By Miles Montecillo of Ogilvy

Hehe If I win, I’m going to get 20k pesos worth of Nike GC’s plus bragging rights, so in one of my “alone in the mall” moments, I decided to photograph my “looking forward to buy shoes” if ever I win the contest, however, I’m really not expecting, so I’m posting it anyway just incase some good friend of mine decides to buy me these =).





Oh, I made this in the Nike ID  =) NICE

Also, there was this instance when I was able to get close to a really big harp during a shoot haha was quite amazed by it actually. =)





Stile De Vita, an up and coming lifestyle magazine in their test run, launched their magazine where I was part of the contributing photographers there, do check it out =) Don’t know where to find one though hehe Hmmm what else, uhhh… I think this was also the month where I did some work for PDI again, not much though but I’m really happy with the one whole page of exposure given to me on one assignment =)









And yes, I fucked up a shoot for a regular client. What an eye opener. Anyway, I’m posting it here still

Being a Tourist in Hong Kong

This blog entry consists of a not so much detailed account of my Hong Kong trip with friends last April 4-7 2008. Here I try to be more of a tourist than an actual photographer. =)

April 4:
We left QC at 12 pm, because our flight was at 3pm, but of course, I dont know why, but we did not anticipate the heavy traffic. So from Qave cor EDSA to the NAIA, it took us 3 hours. Traffic was so horrible.

Metro Gwapo (dedicated to Andrew de Castro) by Anna Cruz

We ran from the car to the check in counters and So in short we were late. Around 5 minutes or so! They wouldnt let us get in because they said they've already had the check ins inside the plane, so we had to take the chance passenger seats on th next flights.
Bummed, we lounged around the airport terminal floor and waited another 3 hours or so for the next flight.

Yamot.


On the next flight, we got separated. Francis and I were separated from Ate Anna and Ate Mariel because only 2 seats were available for chance. (Eventually, they were able to get a flight the next morning! yey! )

We arrived around 930pm, so the usual airport routine minus the luggage carousel because all we had were carry ons hehe It took us a long time to figure out how to get to Kowloon from the Airport express train because, although some of the texts were in English, it was hard to pin point exactly where we were on the map. So eventually we asked around.

When we got down the Airport express train, we brought out our maps and decided to walk all the way to where we were going to stay, the Marco Polo Hotel Gateway, the walk should have been fast but we got lost along the way haha! We arrived at around 1030pm or 11pm, rested for a bit, had our dinner (Noodles!) at this restaurant , then walked around a bit, then went to bed. ZZZz...

Hefty Chinese servings here!!!
April 5:
We went to Ocean Park! Man! This was the shitnitz! Haha! Ocean park has cool animals and fishes. (Actually, I am a big fish fan, I used to have four 50 gallon tanks filled with Knife Fishes, Bichirs, Pacus and Gars.) The first thing I noticed about the park was
that they had this really big ballon that goes up and down for the visitors to get a bird's eye view of the
first park segment. Then I noticed the Gondola Lifts, that bring you to the other side of the island. Actually, when I rode it, it was something that I looked forward to again because it was soooo cool! Literally on top of a mountain! Giving you a really cool view of the surrounding area! It was lunch time when we got to the other side , and to tell you honestly, it wasnt as hot at EK but it was hot! haha! But I really had a good time there!
Long walks actually, so if ever you are planning to go there this summer, good shoes and shorts and a shirt would be the practical fashion =) Also, Ocean Park is so much cheaper than Disneyland, but Disneyland is still Disneyland!!!



At the entrance

Gondola Lifts, COOOOL!

Anyway, here are the pictures! you gotta love the aquariums and the jellyfish show!!!

A Baby Lion Fish

Whiskers and her mate!

Being a Tourist! haha!

Cool! A Scho0ol!

Didnt find Nemo, but met his relatives



One Big Fucking aquarium! 3 Floors!!!



Pretty Jellies!!!

Yes, they have fresh water fish at ocean park!

I wonder if someone will make a movie cartoon based on sea lions, is there any?



The amazing Bioman and dolphin show!!!


At night, we went around the Avenue of Stars overlooking Hong Kong Island. It was hazy probably the weather or the pollution haha! What’s funny is, almost everyone we saw carried a dslr around their neck, complete with tripod! Haha! I’ll reserve those thoughts on another entry if possible.


Francis and Me at he Avenue of Stars over looking the blurry image of Hong Kong Island haha

The chicks dig me =)

Francis, Manny and Ate Mariel at Canton Street

Wow! too bad wasnt able to get one, but their hot choco is creamier than ours!!! Swear!!!


Making pacute at this chinese girl eating alone. By Francis Cruz

April 6:
We got up late, ate late and dressed up late. We tagged along with the adults who wanted to look around and shop, funny thing was, Francis and I got really really tired, probably the tons of food we ate, and the plenty of walking we did since we arrived. We went to Hong Kong Island for this day and ate a really yummy resto, of course Chinese food! (insert picture here) We rode on the MTR and on the ferry. I was pretty much able to ride every common transport service there is here except the double-decker bus. It was also today when I felt the liberation of not having a dslr. I really appreciated a point and shoot for this trip, coz for me, having a point and shoot means that you are really being a tourist, not having to think of exposure, settings, lens, DOF, angles etc, but just having fun and documenting the trip for yourself and the people at home. My own memories. Not having to impress other people, pretty much shooting for myself. =) You get me? As a photog, every shot you take, you try to get a visual of what you want, I was thinking of having it in a photo album or in my blog or in a picture frame on top of a piano. That’s pretty much shooting for yourself and being a tourist for me, well partly. But I guarantee you, that this is not an entry with the title: “My Hong Kong Trip”, with a short narrative and the rest pictures of the author with her face occupying the 90% of the picture, plus the hong kong tag, god, I hate that. It’s a not a really helpful album or entry for those wanting to see what a place is like. (Hope I don’t offend, but I’ m just stating my own experience and discreetly and merely suggesting an improvement)

At a busy intersection, heading towards the ferry

Down Town?

Usual scene when you are riding the ferry (Hong Kong Island)


Chinese!

Gundams!!! At the Toys r Us

Jet Li

Me, inside the MTR train Chinese and Pinoys in the background

I really dont know where, artsy fartsy shot

The whole party!

Me again

Thai Food Menu

I just had to take this shot! The second shot, I accidentally turned on the flash, hehe sorry


Raw shrimp and other yummy foods

Jamfong ata to eh haha or the other one

April 7:
We got up late again, or did we? Haha I really can’t remember! Anyhow, after a hearty breakfast, we checked our bags in the airport (meron bang ganun sa Pinas?) and went malling for an hour, then we proceeded to Disneyland!!! Yahoo! I’m pretty sure most Filipinos, like me, have dreamed of going here. Hehe Being a Disney baby and all, I was really excited! Picture here, picture there, picture everywhere! Haha! I was pretty much smiling 85% of the time haha! Of course, then later on you’ll realize that hey, that was 3 hours already, then it sinks, wow, Disneyland is small here, I wonder how big it is in the US. But Disneyland is still Disneyland, and I love it! Woohoo! Not much shows though, but definitely no lines!!! It was a Monday! Haha! But lots of Filipinos! I just didn’t get much the High School Musical part, coz all of them were Asian!!! Haha! And some of the guys there were so burly and old looking hahaha! But we had fun!!!


Me being a tourist again!


At the Sunny Bay interchange!

Ate Anna and Flounder



Check out the details on the train!!!

the Disneyland group!

My new friends =)


Malamang ipapapicture frame to ng nanay ko when she sees this haha!


Brother and Sister


Me, at the fountain


The Mickey Mouse Logo! Sayang hindi singkit...



Disney Parade!


Buzz Light Year Astro Blasters! We helped save the world!!!



With Buzz!



With Catv and her siblings =)


Check them out! hahaha! Space Mountain


Haha!!!

at the souvenir shop! didnt buy this though, mahal!!!


HSM Asian!!!

Zach Effron =)

Hahaha! I didnt know I was being photographed! By Anna Cruz


At the PhilharMagic!!!=) 3D Rocks!!!


In front of Sleeping Beauty's castle


Finale of the Golden Mickeys!


Outside the soon to be open Its A Small World After All!

Epalogue:
Our flight was at 945pm, which means we had to be at the airport at 9pm. So we immediately ran again towards the MTR after the magical fireworks because we didn’t want to get stuck in the people traffic heading out and definitely we cannot miss our flight again! Hahaha!
I didnt want to leave actually, but i had shoots to shoots the next day haha! Thanks to the Cruz's again =)


Haha! Clueless? On our way to the interchange

Emo!


Whew, glad we made it =)