PhotoWorld Asia 2010

For those who still don't know, you guys have a chance to visit the booths at Glorietta. Like those from the previous years, most if not all the major photography distributors have gathered under one roof, plus extras like seminars, model shoots, and product demos. So if your itching to get that new Benro tripod, or dreaming of that new Lowepro backpack, then this is the right place.

Oh, and if you do visit PhotoWorld, do check out Art Space at the third floor of Glorietta 4. There's an exhibit featuring vintage cameras and old photos of the Philippines. Perfect for vintage junkies like me.

President Cory's Funeral

I'm lost for words. I had all these words in my mind prior to writing this, I guess all I can say is that I was in the right place, at the right time, to witness history in the making.

I have never seen so much people gather around the streets, just to say farewell to President Cory. It was a sea of people wearing yellow and flashing "L" for Laban, some even came with funny signs (see first picture). But the spirit was there, the spirit that for a brief period united us as Filipinos.

The pictures above were taken during her long funeral procession along South Super Highway in Makati. I managed to get a few decent shots with limited gear (just an ultra wide lens) and fatigue from standing for more two and a half hours. You can see the rest of the shots here.

Again, thank you and farewell President Cory.

Maleldo 2009

Jayson along with the spectators.

Penitents.

Live crucifixion (partly covered).

Maleldo, the Kapampangan word for "Holy Week".

In San Pedro Cutud, a village in San Fernando, Pampanga, people (especially foreigners) flock here during Good Friday to witness Lenten sacrifice at its extreme. Some are whipped, while others are crucified.

Jayson and George convinced us (me and Roaxnne) to join them in witnessing this event last Friday, only to realize that we were not prepared. No, it's not the blood nor the gore, but the suffering that entails the trip. Walking under the scorching sun for more than a mile, being duped by the pedicab driver, and all the dust and people were some of the factors that caught us by surprise. It was dubbed as our "penitenshoot", taking pictures and at the same time, making a sacrifice.

I guess a return trip next year to San Pedro Cutud is improbable, but in case I (or we) do return, here are some things that I learned from this trip:

- Brings lots of hankies or small towels, Good Friday always falls on a summer, so expect lots of sweat. It's also helpful against dust in the air.

- It is dusty, really dusty. Make sure your gear (e.g. camera) is protected, and always take caution if you have nasal allergies.

- Parking is expensive, so always bring extra cash.

- In case you have to ride a pedicab, be wary of where they will drop you off. Always tell them to bring you to the crucifixion site, no excuses.

- Drinks are available at the site, but if you must bring your own, it's best to have it frozen. Believe me, it gets really hot, and a warm bottle of Gatorade is not fun to drink.

- The show usually starts past noon, so don't hurry, unless you're a photographer and you want a good vantage point.

- There are lots of people, so on the way back, be prepared to walk (around 1.5 kilometers).

I guess that's about it. Oh, and more pictures at the following links:

Mine
George's
Jayson's
Myra's

Earth Hour 2009

Image from Live Earth.

Our Earth Hour experience wasn't as dark as I expected. Roxanne and I headed to nearby SM San Lazaro for dinner, and by half past eight the countdown started, but it took a while before all the stores turned off some, if not all, of their lights. Some closed early, while some resumed until the mall closed.

So far, it seems like my friend Gelsen had the best Earth Hour experience (link here).

PhotoWorld Asia 2009: My First Model Shoot

Sorry, I don't know her name.

This wouldn't be Jani Balani's blog if there's no post about PhotoWorld Asia. Although I'm two weeks behind schedule, it's still nice to say something about it.

Probably my most memorable experience about this year's PhotoWorld is that Canon provided a professional model for everyone to shoot. I think they do this every year, but this is the first time I went there with my full gear. I had fun even though I had to compete with so many photographers for a good spot (and a good angle).

Overall, I think this year's event is not as big as the previous ones, maybe it's because of the looming financial crisis, or maybe it's because part of Glorietta is undergoing renovation. But I definitely had fun.

Please check the rest of the photos here.

Eraserheads: The Final Set

Image from TicketWorld. Click here for more information regarding the concert.

Yes!!! It's still in March, but I'm already excited. So excited that we already have tickets, seven silver ones. The first one was awesome (even though it ended abruptly), and I sure bet this one would be just as great.

Oh my, the Eraserheads fever is on again!

E-Banking Christmas Party

Lonely me enjoying the view.

Our host Gina.

Carlo enjoying his new Starbucks tumbler.

PSP addicts.

Last Friday we celebrated our Christmas party at Gina's place in Antipolo. It was different from the previous years because this time our celebration was exclusive to our department, Electronic Banking (also known as E-Banking). We did have some guests, like Mikey, Carlo's girlfriend, and of course, Gina's kids.

It was a night of food, booze (none for me, though), basketball, PSP, and gifts (thanks to Raphy for the laptop cooler). I guess in some instances an intimate party is better than one with a large crowd (and some sort of production). But that's just me.

Only a few days to go until Christmas. Happy holidays!

Oh, and before I forget, you can see that rest of the pictures here. Again, happy holidays!

Thank You Eraserheads

Even though the reunion concert was cut short, I still can't thank these guys enough for giving us a really wonderful show last night. All our prayers go out to the speedy recovery of their frontman, Ely Buendia.

Before everything else, I just have to say this. The Eraserheads is probably the most influential band of my generation. Their songs were like the soundtrack of my highschool life. It's like I can attach a certain feeling or recall a certain event with their songs. They're the reason why I tried to learn the guitar and aspired to become a rockstar. Yesterday's reunion concert, in my opinion, was far better than any Ateneo - La Salle game or any international act coming to Manila.

With that said, we really had a fun yesterday. Mac and Tim met with me here at the house, and before leaving we took pictures of the tickets and I had a hard time deciding if I should bring my camera (which I did anyway). We fetched Burn at Ayala Center, then proceeded to The Fort. We arrived at around five in the afternoon, and fans were starting to occupy the field.

After a really heavy dinner, we bought bottles of mineral water, got our cameras, and proceeded to the venue. Unfortunately, big cameras (like my SLR) and water bottles were not allowed inside. Belts were also prohibited, which was a big problem for Mac and Burn. So after complying to the said rules, we were able to enter the venue, waited for another hour, and the countdown to the concert started. That was probably the longest ten minutes of my life.

And then the concert started. They sang fifteen of their hits for the first set, and it was said that more songs were to be played in the next set, including some of their all time favorites. But thirty minutes after the first set ended, it was announced that everything had to be cut short, that lead singer Ely Buendia was rushed to the hospital due to fatigue. No jeers were shouted, instead everyone cheered for the band. And a silent prayer ended the event.

We were also exhausted after the concert. I almost lost my voice singing my favorite tunes. And with the multitude of fans that came, it was hard to leave The Fort early.

We hope that another reunion gig is in the works. Again, thank you Eraserheads.

More info on the Eraserheads

With A Smile video from yesterday's concert found on Youtube

Pictures courtesy of Burn

Too Hot To Handle

This is a really busy weekend for me. Last night, me and the rest of JETS were able to attend the anniversary party of Monster Radio RX 93.1 held at my brother's bar, White Avenue located along Tomas Morato. I'm not really into clubbing, but I had a lot of fun, and so were the rest of the gang. Sadly we had to leave early, in preparation for tonight's long awaited concert.

Thanks to my brother Caloy and his associates for all the accommodation, even though the place was packed. Please check out the gallery here, most are snapshots taken as we were about to leave the venue.

Next stop, the Eraserheads reunion concert.

World Press Photo Exhibition

Winning photos from the 2007 World Press Photo Competition are currently on display at The Podium until August 7, and will tour other malls in the Metro until August 22. These are some of the best photos from photojournalists worldwide in the past year. Mind you, some of the pictures are quite disturbing, a good eye-opener for some of us who are naive of what is happening on other parts of the globe.

For more information, click here.

Unionbank's Branding Event

Unionbank celebrated the launch of its new brand last March 28, 2008 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). The event unveiled the bank's new corporate colors and vision statement.

It was hosted by Patricia Bermudez-Hizon and Rovilson Fernandez, and Side A performed to the delight of the attendees. Via Mare was in charge of catering, and prizes were given away, including trips to Beijing and Athens.

More photos here.

PhotoWorld 2008 Experience

For some reason, I didn't enjoy this year's event as compared to the previous ones. Maybe it's because I bought so much gear last year. Or maybe I missed some of the fun events (like the cosplay held over the weekend).

It's also weird that Sony didn't have a booth. Even though I use Canon, I always look forward to seeing what Sony has in store for us. Last year, I got to try out their Alpha 100 DSLR. Sweet.

Anyway, there were still some bright spots during the weeklong event. I got to see the latest bags from Kata, Lowepro and Tamrac (man, I love the CompuRover AW, too bad it's expensive). I also got to try out the EOS 5D from Canon, as well as the new EOS 40D.

My friend Gelsen was able to buy a Stofen for his pop-up flash during the event. It's really handy, but right now I'd rather save for a real speedlight. To each his own, I guess. Photo below shows the Stofen attached to his Nikon D40.

PhotoWorld Asia 2008

I'm excited. PhotoWorld is one of those events that I look forward to every year (asides from the UAAP). Cameras, cameras, cameras. What more can I ask for?