High Dynamic Range

High Dynamic Range or HDR utilizes the unseen potential withing each DSLR. There is a greater range of detail that the normal eye could not register. Normally this is done with a bracketed exposure, meaning 3 or more images taken at different exposures and merged into one son of a beast. Although the images look mega exaggerated, this breakthrough style of photography can instantly transform the shooter into a painter. Most of the shots here are from RAW files which were tone mapped accordingly. I like to alternate between shooting jpeg or RAW. I specifically only use RAW when I want to make a print of an image. Although they are composite photos, it is only recommended to use certain HDR shots when certain items such as the end of a dark tunnel is unable to be revealed in plain sight. It is also entertaining to shoot for fun and learn new stuff. etc etc. They make awesome desktop background pics too. Other better than mine samples here.

The Cousins @ Two Lakes

Chestnut

Lionsault

J. Calacz

Queen Mary

The Lito Sy Experience

Lito Sy, International Wedding Photographer and photographer  of the year for 2005-2006 and 2007 and 2008 runner-up. Did I also mention he is my favorite photographer? He is coming to LA for a 2day workshop! Unfortunately I am stuck on a budget at the moment and am low on funds. It is $395 for 2 days of intense training. Plus, there is a lunch buffet. Yea you heard me, lunch buffet. I love his work and his post production skills. So for my b-day gift this is all I want. A chance to work with a master. It is April 24-25. I can hold off on other stuff I want, but this is an oppurtunity I cannot miss. So please. Donate. Help me achieve one of my life long dreams. I always looked up to Mr. Sy ever since I started rocking my Dad's film camera. View his glorious work here: www.LitoSy.com

Workshop Details:

Promo

Limited seating, so if anyone can help me out as soon as possible I will be in debt to you.

The Adventures of Tito Sherwin and Efren. Ep. 5: City of No Tomorrow! The Long Road to Victory

Tito Sherwin and Efren have one woman they ultimately desire: Maki Horikita

Rubix Team Work

Tito Sherwin loves that Vick's

All of Efren's money is Erotica Bucks. It does not quality for a Double Cheeseburger

Tito Sherwin is a Chick Magnet

Saturday Nights on Campus

DJM had to attended a benefit concert @ CSULB with other youtube sensations. We ended up wandering around as a wolf pack until we had to leave. We got bored  and lounged half the time. I wanna do an official shoot here sometime with somebody. There's plenty of points of interests. Maybe next month.

Journey

Bearcat

Snail

The Lockers AKA Movie Set Ending

The place was well illuminated, but I decided to snoot my flash again so it can look more intense and dramatic. It's as if we really snook in afterhours when the power shuts off

Anniversary of a Champion

Simeon Calacsan Sr.'s annual throwdown. To celebrate the Calacsan Family Champion's death anniversary, we engage in karaoke, food, and family bonding, which in turn all help strengthen our ties as a unit. Good food. Good people. Classic.

Aunties

Nanay

El Pollo

Sk8terPhil

PMA 2010

It's that time of year again when the great photographers of California gather in one place to learn of new technology, emulation of techniques, networking, and appreciation. Luckily, I didn't have to pay $60, and was listed as an attendee for "business" reasons. I had a great time and got some useful free stuff like a gorilla pod and some frames. I really loved the workshops. I attended the lighting seminar and de-noising images. Photography was prohibited in some parts of the convention hall, but the leaks are embedded in my memory. There's so many workshops going on after the show. I am still debating whether to take a $300-500 program which adds me to a network in LA as well as an internship with a big studio. It's tempting...but photography is only a hobby for me. I'll have until April to decide.

Photomosiac of all the PMA registered members

I got a cool Nikon lanyard too

Topaz Labs. I recommend them

De-pod. Dangerous Pod

The Legendary Camera Doctor

Another M1W friday

Bandana? Check. Camera? Check. The smell of 100 people stuffed in a room? Accomplished. Last friday decided to stop by the American Sports center after meeting up with a friend. Happy Birthday to Andrameda from the Goodtime Gang. It's PMA and So-Cal photo expo tomorrow. I gotta wake up mad early.

Mr. Biggz

Pretty Peter Avalon

RockNess Monsters

21st birthday girl

The Zo

Takoyaki, the Engraved Memory.

My favorite Japanese street foods are okonomiyaki and takoyaki. 10 years ago I first tried takoyaki, or octopus balls from a corner stand in Little Tokyo. It was the most awesome party in my mouth (think about those reese's puffs cereal commercials. It was kinda like that). I then set on a quest to make this recipe that changed my perspective on Japanese food culture. Sure, there's plenty of youtube videos or online guides I can reference to, but that destroys the fun of making this meal. Everything was pure experimentation with a twist. I used a pancake puff because the takoyaki grills are too expensive.
This makes 14 balls or 2 servings:

Batter:
2/3 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup dashi soup mix
2/3 cup panko flakes

Filling:
1/2 lb. chopped cooked octopus
1/4 cup pickled ginger
1/3 cup chopped green onions.

Decoration:
Dried Bonito Shavings
Mayonaise
Okonomikayi Sauce
Aonori
Chopped green onions

Awesome

The inner workings

Batter

Always use the Pam. Put this on medium heat

Fire That We Make in the Dark

This year's Heat @ UCR was splendid. For the first time in years rain wasn't associated with the event. Plus, the 3-stage setup drew in much larger crowds as well as a feeling of accomplishment. The Highland Stage (main stage), The Southland Stage (underground stage), and the Vantage Dance Stage (dance floor). Throughout the weeks I've been contacting with Media/Press registration. It appears that the Press for the event will only be supplied with wristbands and it is not guaranteed that I will be able to pass the barricades. On another note, SLR registration is $300! Paying for press for an event is not worth it. Contacted the boys of FM if they have any ways of letting me in, but their request was denied as well. Ultimately, I settled on being a regular fan equipped with Panasonic's Leica. I would have preferred the Canon S90 with the larger aperture of f/2.0, but on such short notice that was all I can get.

Having Highlander Blood in my veins, I picked up Julie from work to rendezvous with her friend. We attended a Pre-Party before the event. I met some pretty awesome people, including an Irish dude. Good Times. After the event I hit up another party, but that's a story for another day.

Info

Fire @ Danny's residence

Highland Stage (main stage)

The women of the evening: Larissa, Julie, Lauren. LJL accompanied me on my quest for musical experience

We danced for like an hour or so. Hit up some underground stuff and danced again. Then went to see TBS, slowly inching our way closer to the stage. I feel naked without an SLR, so camera shots are limited.

Cheating.

Hey Miss! Nice TETz

Yesterday was the start of Little Saigon's annual Tet Festival. Tet is the most popular and important holiday in the Vietnamese culture. It shares the same date vicinity with the Chinese New Year, which everyone is familiar. 2010 is the year of the Tiger. Usually the thing to do is go with your family and honor the dead while doing a variety of different things. The event was great and I met plenty of swell new people. "An khang thịnh vượng"


 Once again I signed up for press. It was weird. I never saw so much segregation between Canonites and Nikonians. The trash talking begun at the opening ceremony. I also found DSLR hypebeasts (newbies to photography that buy the greatest and most expensive gear to show off) trying to start shit with the pros that been shooting for many years. Pretty sad. Anyways I met a cool old guy that talked all about vietnamese porn and emphasized on Tia Tanaka and Teanna Kai. Funny times.


Before I left I finally got up to 12.5K in monopoly

Tet Offensive finds this offensive

Pots and nice things

Various modelling agencies scattered throughout the festival grounds

Dahomie

Old Wounds REsalted

This is a delayed entry. I've been researching a lot this past week. Here's a couple of shots from last week. I have a busy weekend ahead of me: Tet, M1W, Heat, shoot, etc. The overcast weather after the rain is amazing.

Instead of moving heavy pots we laces the edges with marbles.

Handmade water basin using knives n shit

Bark

There was a strand of hair in this water droplet. This organism is going through puberty

I'm shooting everything with off-camera flash