Polarrhoids

It took me awhile, but I finally got the polaroid look down. At first I tried online sources, but they look too weak. All I did was shoot at a low contrast and saturation (This made it easier for editing). Then the grain and blur was added in post production. The photo border is actually a text overlay using sequences of "Xs" It looks pretty cool. I'm just playing around with it. I need to get the Cheki Instax look down soon. It would be helpful for my new project. Here are some examples from easter:

 

 

 

 

 

Click images for larger view

The Lito SY-ries

Over the weekend I had an opportunity to work with my favorite photographer, Lito Sy. This is Lito Sy's first international workshop, so I am honored to be a part of this. Thank you everybody who donated and made this the best bday gift ever! I started following Mr. Sy after I saw his first infared print; I was amazed, so I then converted my Nikon D60 into an infrared also. I've only shot a handful of weddings as an assistant, but never as a main shooter. I tried imitating Lito's work, but failed miserably because of my lack of technique. There are only a few photographers whose work I follow:
Lito Sy - The Master
CM Leung - The wedding Guy
David Hobby- The Strobist
Todd Owyoung - Music Guy
Dustin Diaz - Strobist
Trey Ratcliff - HDR Mastery
Chase Jarvis- What makes Seattle tight
Roger Lim - Bokeh Master
Art Wolfe - A wolf who shoots stuff
Zack Arias - The DIY guy
Scott Kelby - Photoshop Master
Tony Yang - Best models and lurk shots

I know I'm not that great of a shooter and only consider myself as a hobbyist, but I really wanna step my game and shoot better. Mr. Sy really knows what's down when creating a moment and using various types of lighting to achieve perfection. It was intimidating seeing so many pros with high end cameras mixed with a rookie (Me) thrown into a group of people who been shooting before I was born. This is only the first of the series, the next would be better. Plus, I am the youngest of the group and I still have lots to work on; I am learning something new everyday. My shooting and post processing needs plenty of work. It was great meeting new people and a foreshadowing of  a future opportunity to work with Master Sy on an international basis. I wish I can form an ultimate photo team using all my favorite shooters, but that's too intense. The workshop was a great experience and I learned so much. At other meetups or workshops most of the hosts and participants are really cocky and bias. This hands on learning experience was really humble and more active than other workshops I've attended. Anyways here are some various shots. I large watermarked them, because I rarely post portfolio style images on my blog:

Yakulting

I really had a hankering for yakult one day and I bought a pack from a family seafood mart. The price is ridiculous at $3, but they also sell an alternative version for about a buck. The generic brands lack the quality probiotic skimmed milk drenched in bacterium used to make this masterpiece, instead they rely heavily on the fermentation of the skimmed milk, which sounds very unappealing to me. If you watch the Korean movie "Sad Movie" one of the characters downs an entire goblet of Yakult. It was the most awesome thing ever. Which leads me to the American Yakult commercial. Instead of showing dancing kawaii creatures enjoying a drink, they go into health details and all that crazy nonsense, Japanese commercials always win. Always.  The Japanese people take forever to drink this tiny gulp, some even have the audacity to poke a small hole through the top. I have no idea how that will satisfy them.

Just Dance

This entry goes out to my sister Mariel. She's a professional dancer and stuff. I really need a VR lens, it's really useful when shooting stage/action stuff at far distances. Plus, the 80-200 f/2.8 is pretty heavy.

You break her heart, I'll break your neck.

They did many themed numbers.

PauL Gasol

That's not his real name. I just call him that.

He's Corona's best basketball player from the McKinley Region. 

He lives his life like this:

Here We Are Juggernaut

I decided to end my pursuit on becoming a dreadlocked dreamboat prematurely. This is because my sister's debut is approaching and I am required to look "civil" in front of various family members. I still have all summer to go on my hair journey. I decided with a low fade because it naturally adjusts to my egg shaped face. I wanted an uptown fade while listening to "uptown girl" on repeat, but Jesse did not have a track in his possession. Overall it was swell. Props to Jesse and his cool dad.

Before.

After

I feel like this:

The Adventures of Tito Sherwin and Efren. Ep. 9: One More Conclusion!! I'll Protect the Future

On the day of the Final Battle Efren attends a Star Wars concert and enjoys it

This is their favorite baseball player. We believe he is from the future

This is Tito Sherwin's Posse

This is Efren's Posse

Efren will pursue a career in dancing

Tito Sherwin will learn how to work with today's technology

End.

Feeling Curious

"For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again. "

-Benjamin Button 

The Best Ice Cube Movie of all time

Ghost of Mars! "It's the Promised Land" Greatest soundtrack ever. Flows triumphantly with John Carpenter's work.

10 Reasons why I think this movie is awesome:

• Sweet Quotes. You can quote the whole movie with nobody understanding the reference
• John Carpenter's best
• Ice Cube : "Ey open that door"
• It's on Mars. There's ghosts involved
• I wanna make a sequel to this and call it The Nutty Professor 3
• The whole soundtrack can be layered ontop of any movie and make it 3x awesome including Smoke Signals and The Land Before Time 3
• This movie helps me sleep
• Most accurate depiction of possession. All up to date
• Ice Cube deserves an award for this roll
• The can of beans is used a lot in this movie.

Lots of Prix.

Sister's debut practice is going on right now. I can't concentrate on uploading the pics from yesterday (Anaheim Comicon and Trash the Dress post wedding shoot). The LBGP is a grand event that occurs yearly in that Long Beach area. That place is loud. The celebrities are funny. I also don't like to pronounce prix as "pree" like a normal person. "Pricks" sounds better and more powerful. I do not care if it's wrong. You are not stopping me.

Just because I carry around a camera does not mean I'm a photographer. I'm a hobbyist that shoots for fun, get your shit right. Saying "it's not a competition" is what losers say.

Convention

Blue Scholars, Attika, and Bambu @ Viper Room

Great show! Security was really tight and didn't allow me to bring in a DSLR. I didn't feel like shooting it anyway. I came to enjoy the show. My favorite Seattle hip-hop duo brought more fire to the 100 degree room. Sold out show, I was lucky to get in. Some cool guy recorded a performance of "Joe Metro" props to you man!

Edit: New Vid added:

Hydrotherapy 2: The Promise of Redemption

Another shoot to describe how water works.  I used a black cloth and a one light setup. Shot at a really deep DoF for sharpness. This was an impromptu shoot within 30 mins. I need to get some distance from backdrop to cloth so it can eliminate reflection. Also softening my light will help limit the flare.

Apple

Grain

Grapes

Potato

Remember When Janel Forgot Her Shoes?

Last weekend I took Mars and Janel to Guppys.

Brick Toast

Janel forgot her shoes