Another Story From Typhoon Ondoy

This weekend's calamity has turned me into a proactive blogger. Wait, did I use the term proactive correctly? Anyway, I realized that this blog is a powerful tool, I can share not only my stories, but those of others as well.

I've been watching the news since yesterday, seeing how grave the situation is for some parts of Metro Manila. Even celebrities are not spared from distress. But until you hear it from someone you know, that's when you realize how close to home the situation is.

My office mate Raphy lives in Marikina, in one of the subdivisions affected by intense floodwater. Water rose to the second level of their home, leaving mud and debris all over, and ruining most of their furniture. He hasn't slept since yesterday, he told me that at night he kept hearing some of their neighbors scream, crying for help. They don't have electricity, and their car was also submerged (not sure how much) in floodwater. He was also bitten by their dog and awaiting treatment. I guess the fact that he was able to talk to me on the phone is proof that he and his family are alright.

But the bright side of the story is that Raphy and his family tried their best to help their neighbors. They tried to rescue some of their neighbors trapped in their own home. He even applied first aid to one of his cousins who accidentally stepped on a fence (water was that high).

These stories give us hope, that after such a tragedy life must go on. Actually, I admire people who went to work today, to help with the continuity of life. To the people at gas stations and garages helping people like me; to taxi drivers and other PUV drivers who help us get home safely; to people in the malls, even though they're shorthanded, they still try their best to serve us; and to all those doing their part in helping: I admire these people. I myself still don't know how to do my part. I just hope in a way sharing this stories can make a difference.

Lessons Learned From Typhoon Ondoy

Our car at the service center. It will stay there for a while. From the outside, everything seems to be fine.

Dirt from floodwater accumulated in some parts of the interior.

That red thing in the middle is the airbag indicator. It shouldn't light up when the engine is on.

I can't scoop all the water out. Thanks to Jollibee for the bucket, comes free when you order six pieces of fried chicken.

When it rains, it pours. That's probably yesterday's biggest lesson from Typhoon Ondoy. To be honest, everything would have been fine for me yesterday, if not for the "bright" idea of parking the car outside our building. It was already raining when I brought our car there, I didn't expect it would end up in catastrophe. I wish life is like a computer, where you can hit Ctrl+Z (or ⌘+Z for Mac guys) whenever you make mistakes.

Is it really my fault? Lots of car owners were as shocked as I was yesterday, some long time residents even said it's the first time that it flooded there. But I guess what ticks me off is that I could have done something sooner.

Now our car is with Honda Makati, prior to going there I passed by a gas station to check how much it usually costs to have my interiors detailed. I wasn't too happy with the price they quoted me, so I guess I should prepare for some expenses to come.

Yesterday I had an earful from my mom, and it really brought my day down. But at least today I got a little appreciation for doing the right thing, which is to have the car checked as soon as possible. I guess having an old car means being worried while driving, while having a new one entails worries while it is parked.

I hope I didn't sound self-centered with this blog post. I just want to share my experiences, and why it's such a pain when your car is flooded. I know a lot of my fellowmen are in distress right now, my prayers are with them and the speedy recovery of our nation. I'm thankful that I'm still fortunate that what I experienced this weekend is just the tip of the iceberg compared to what others are going through.

Caught By Surprise (Typhoon Ondoy)

Okay, a little primer: I'm staying in Makati right now (across the Skyway actually, but that's another story), and I have my mom's new Honda City parked right outside. It usually doesn't flood in this area, well, until just now.

The flood was knee high, and much worse is that flood water entered my mom's new car. It took me a while to get the car to higher grounds. Actually, I had to brave the rain and floodwater to get to the car, and had to hire a few of the local guys to push my car to safety.

To say the least, this has been one bad Saturday. I had bad experiences with floods in the past, one of which I posted here. But this one takes the cake. I didn't have peace of mind the whole morning, worrying about my mom's car, and having quite an earful from my mom and dad. I know they love me, and I love them as well, I just feel guilty that I sort of let them down.

But after watching the news, I guess I'm not the only one suffering from bad luck today. Typhoon Ondoy caught everyone by surprise, even our own NDCC admitted they were not prepared for this. Many motorists are stranded all over Metro Manila, most of them advised to leave their vehicles and seek shelter. And some residents are forced out of their houses due to floodwater entering their homes. So I guess I'm still thankful that my experience is not as bad compared to some of my kababayan.

So my mom's car is now safely parked on an elevated area, and I have scooped most of the water inside. Hopefully if the rain clears tomorrow, I can have the innards of the car assessed and cleaned.

Oh, and to give you an idea on how high floodwater was (it already subsided), here are some videos I took using my phone.

My 400D Is Fixed (Again)

Another silly test shot.

Hopefully this is the last time my camera sees a technician.

I just got my 400D from Canon this afternoon, after its third visit. This time, the shutter mechanism was replaced, but the labor costs were waived.

It took them some time, but I'm happy with the service, I just hope I don't have to return there anytime soon. I guess Canon's after sales support is the reason why a lot of Filipinos are loyal to this brand.

Now its time for me to continue my search for my first flash unit. Most likely it would be the 430EX II, but I'm still weighing my options.

The Joys Of Lighting (Impromptu Shoot)

Once in a while, you have to be in front of the camera, not always behind it.


Yesterday's lunch gathering turned into an impromptu photo shoot, this time with me and Roxanne as the subject. I didn't have my camera, but it didn't seem to matter anyway. We all had fun.

George called this one "free-nup", because it was a sort of pro bono prenup shoot. Actually, it's a practice shoot for all of us. For me and Roxanne, it was a way of seeing how a prenup shoot is done, since Jayson and George had been in one already. For the rest of the guys, it's a practice on lighting techniques.

In the years I've spent in photography, it seems that I'm missing an integral part of it: good lighting techniques. Seeing how yesterday went, proper (or should I say dramatic) lighting isn't an easy thing, but the results can really inspire you. I have always tried natural lighting, seeing this as the way to go, buying fast lenses and not caring about flash units. But natural light doesn't always behave the way you want it to. Of course, flash units are not as useful when shooting landscapes, wildlife, and long exposures. With people though, you can really unleash its power. Same goes for product shots.

This morning, I received an SMS from Canon, my 400D is ready for pickup. Now it's time I consider getting a flash unit, maybe a 430EX II, and some wireless triggers. I have been contemplating on this for a long time now, but seeing how fun it is to shoot with creative lighting, I now want to unleash the strobist in me.

And with all my friends using Nikon, I'm also contemplating on shifting systems. But that's another story.

The guys at work.

Credits to George for the pictures above (more from his gallery here), with lighting help from Jayson and Gelsen.

Today Is My Birthday...

...and I only have a year left to enjoy my twenties. It's about time I review my plans for the future, and reflect on the lessons of the past. On this day, I'm thankful for:

- Roxanne;
- peace of mind;
- friends and family;
- a stable job;
- new gadgets;
- and better things to come.

God bless us always.

This Is Not Our Season

It's so sad that I haven't blogged for a while, and that my first post isn't a happy one, for me at least.

It's old news by now I guess, that the De La Salle Green Archers, a team that always made it somewhere in the top for the past two decades, ended its season in a low note. I still remember subscribing to Twitter for score updates last Thursday since I was in the office. The rest of my afternoon was somewhat gloomy after the final score was announced, and our fate for this year was sealed.

Again, I'm no basketball expert, so I'll keep my insight to myself. But on a positive note, there's no other way to go but up! There's talent and heart waiting to be unleashed. And our other teams are doing well thankfully.

Thank you Green Archer, this is not our season. But next year might be our year of redemption. Animo La Salle!