Merry Christmas

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone!!!!

 

As you all know by now, Christmas came early to me in the form of my first Feature Film "Dagsin." Please forgive me if I have not been updating this blog as often as I should these past few months, but I have been really busy...

 

Me with my new toy.

 

It has been a wild roller-coaster ride so far, but Anne (Producer) and I have somehow managed to keep our ship afloat. "Dagsin" has been plagued with all kinds of problems from the onset of Preproduction and each shooting day has been challenging-- Two of our actors have been ill and hospitalized, another decided to drop out in the middle of filming, the local government threatened to shut our production down more than once, we had to iron out a land ownership dispute situation for another location, and on top of all that, we had to fire someone from our team for gross misconduct and anomalies regarding the budget-- these are just the major ones! Talk about Murphy's Law... We are taking this all in stride because it has always been our goal to deliver the best work we can, once we set out to execute a project!

 

I am very grateful that I have finally been given the opportunity to finally make my movie and I thank God everyday for this blessing. I love making movies and I plan to keep doing it for as long as I can! 

 

I have not forgotten that this is also a photography blog, despite my other interests. So I am posting some of my still-photo work in the movie. I just realized recently that it is hard to be a director, cinematographer and photographer all at the same time, so I have recruited a second DP as well as a BTS photographer in "Dagsin" to complement my work.

 

Here are two promotional photographs I shot for "Dagsin," which I am giving to the actors as Christmas gifts:

 

Tommy Abuel, Lotlot De Leon and Sue Prado for Dagsin

 

Alex Diaz, Janine Gutierrez and Benjamin Alves for Dagsin

9th Generation - IPhone 6s & 6s Plus

The new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus

 

It's that time of year again when we, hardcore IPhone fans, welcome the newest incarnation of our favorite gadget. A few hours ago, Apple's CEO Tim Cook unveiled the 9th generation of its popular smart phone in California-- the IPhone 6s and its larger sibling the 6s Plus. Tim referred to the new models as "the most advanced smartphones in the world."

 

Among its newest features are the upgraded 12 megapixel camera and a more advanced touch-screen capability called 3D-touch. Although a lot of people have already scrapped buying traditional cameras in favor of their cell phone cameras for years now, with the 6s' 12 megapixels sensor, the IPhone has finally crossed and complied with the technical specs. of a good consumer grade point and shoot camera. The larger sensor is now 4K video capable and offers optical image stabilization (on the 6s Plus). It also has superior low-light performance (temporal and special noise reduction) compared to past models as well as better color accuracy and tonal performance. The front facing camera is now capable of taking 1080p video and 5 megapixel stills with support for slow-motion video, "selfie panoramas" and a "True Tone Flash" on the display that matches the ambient light for true to life color and natural-looking skin tones (the Retina Flash allows the display to flash 3 times brighter than usual). To enhance the 6s' photo taking capabilities, Apple has also added "Live Photos," 12 megapixel photos with motion (short video clip) and sound snippet that result in more dynamic photos.

 

The 6s and 6s Plus comes in 4 metallic colors

 

The next generation multi-touch technology called "3D Touch," offers enhanced pressure sensitivity as well as feedback. Aside from the more familiar touch-screen gestures like tap, swipe and pinch, Apple has added peek and pop. According to the literature, 3D Touch "lets you do the things you do often faster and with fewer steps. Many of the actions can even be done with a single press, right from the Home screen. The improved multi-touch capability will also deepen the experience of your favorite apps and games."

 

The new A9 chip is not only faster, it is also a capable gaming console with robust graphic performance. A third-generation chip with a 64-bit architecture, it has a 70% improved CPU performance and a 90% boosted graphic performance from the previous model. The M9 motion coprocessor is integrated directly into the A9 chip which results in better battery life, despite the improvement in power. The 6s supports 23 LTE bands with LTE Advance* and improved Wi-Fi, doubling its previous band speed.

 

Made from 7000 series aluminum used in the aerospace industry and the most durable cover glass (dual ion-exchange process) on any smartphone now available on the market, Apple has reinforced the new models to eliminate the fragility issues seen on the IPhone 6 Plus. Aside from the gold, silver and space grey, the 6s also comes in rose gold. Both models will be available in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB configurations.

 

Although I am really excited about the camera improvements, I will personally be passing on this version, only because I have found that skipping a generation is the best way to upgrade our IPhones within the family. I upgraded to the 6 Plus last year (and so did my daughter), so it is my wife (and my son's) turn to get the 6s this year. It just goes to show that this gadget/tool has become such an essential part of our lives, that it has become a permanent item on our yearly  family budget. 

 

--Photos from www.apple.com 

Weekly Street Photos #39

This week's theme: CHILDHOOD FANTASIES

These are not posed. I had to wait a year to complete this set of three, since the elements in the photographs all happened by chance. I did not go around stalking children with this theme in mind, it was all luck. The photos are testaments to the wonderful magic that can happen when you become totally present and aware of everything that is happening around you. Serendipitous moments like these are what keeps me shooting "Street."    

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Cupid"

 

"The Princess and the Frog" Singapore

 

"Mirror Mirror..."

 

This will be my last installment of "Weekly Street Photos" for awhile, since my first full-length feature movie "Dagsin" (Gravity) was just green-lighted for production, and I will be super busy. Although there would be less photography entries maybe until the end of this year, it will be replaced by updates on our production for "Dagsin." Thank you for your support, and salamat sa Maykapal! 

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #38

This week's theme: RANDOM GROUP SHOTS

Group shots,  particularly in street photography, are some of the hardest photos to shoot. Even in the studio, taking photographs of people in groups must be timed precisely so that each person will be in their proper position within the frame, and their individual expressions captured with everyone's eyes (ideally) open. Imagine doing all that in a split second out on the "street"... It is short of miraculous!  Here are a few examples of random group shots I came up with :)    

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Faces"

"Talking Heads"

 

"Levels Of Vision"

 

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #37

This week's theme: ADVERTISING GRAPHICS

Large graphic Ads are the easiest elements to juxtapose in "Street" photography, specially in urban spaces. In fact, a lot of photographers would actually wait in front of a particular image (or location) until something or someone walks into their shot. Although this strategy is quite effective and has been used by a lot of "Street Photography" Masters including Henri Cartier-Bresson; I prefer to run into my images synchronously, never spending more than a minute to compose and take my shot before walking on to the next subject, since I do "Street Photography" mainly as a form of Zen meditation.  Here are three  photos I captured serendipitously, incorporating graphic Ads.   

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"I Feel You Bro"

 

"The Watcher Watching" Singapore

 

"Instant Family"

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #36

This week's theme: SILHOUETTE

Photographing silhouette is an imaging technique commonly used by most photographers, because it is fairly easy to do. But it is also one of the most stunningly graphic ways we can create photos, particularly in Black & White. Here are three examples: two high-contrast (1 dark, 1 light) and one low-contrast, I shot recently.   

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Into The Light" Singapore

 

"Bars And Wires"

"The Edge Of Darkness" Los Angeles, USA

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #35

This week's theme: SINGAPORE PHOTOGRAPHERS

I thought it would be appropriate to restart my weekly street posts with photos from my recent trip to Singapore. My children were still on Summer Vacation, so my wife and I decided to take the family to the Lion City for a week.

 

Despite my desperate need for R&R, I took my cameras with me (to my wife's chagrin)-- fearing that I will regret not having them around when the urge to shoot arises. I'm glad I did, because I came back with tons of pictures. It's a good thing my Fujis are so compact that I was able to carry my travel kit (2 bodies, 4 lenses) around in a photo-vest or in my small  camera bag.

 

Among the many things that fascinated me when I was walking around Singapore were the photographers I met on the streets. I guess the city is situated in such a compact area that you are bound to run into a fellow camera bug wherever you go. Here are some of the Pros I bumped into...

 

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Cosplay Shooter"

"Catalogue Shoot"

"Memories By The Bay"

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #34

This week's theme: ASKALS

Before I go on my 3 week vacation (with my kids), I want to leave you with one last set of photos...

 

When you walk on the streets of Metro-Manila you will surely come across an Askal (short for Asong Kalye: street dog or native mongrel). Often maligned and maltreated (sometimes even butchered as a delicacy), our native 'Dingos' are none the less considered to be the quintessential local symbol for the 'bad-ass' outsider or rebel. Our National Football Team proudly carries their name. So next time you meet one, throw him a bone, because you just came across a proud 'Pinoy!'  

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Scraps Of Light"

 

"Prowling"

 

"Hungry Like A Wolf"

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #33

This week's theme: OVERHEAD SHOT 2 (Color)

Part 2 of last week's theme. I find the "Bird's Eye-View" of the world refreshing. It gives us a detached 'godlike' view of humanity from above, where we can observe ourselves more objectively. Here are a few some colored examples... 

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Follow The Leader"

 

"Triage"

 

"Wi-Fi Central"

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #32

This week's theme: OVERHEAD SHOT

I love taking pictures from above to punctuate my shooting routine. Viewing my subject overhead automatically refreshes my point of view and affords me a momentary pause to reassess my perspective on most photo projects I do. Here are a few examples in Black & White...   

 

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Equilibrium"

"Human Ant Farm"

 

"Convergence"

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #31

This week's theme: EASTER SUNDAY

Easter Sunday is a big day of celebration for Filipino families. Most traditional (elderly) Filipino Catholics literally believe that Jesus gets "reborn in spirit" each year on Easter, a spiritual regeneration parallel to the physical cycle of death and rebirth we find in nature.

 

I remember my grandfather being a member of a select group of initiates performing sentry duty in the church at midnight on Holy Saturdays to guard the corpse of Jesus (a life sized statue wrapped in a shroud) against theft, then proclaiming its disappearance before its eventual magical reappearance on the altar on Easter morning--testifying to the whole community on the miracle that just occurred!

Easter party time!

 

Easter Sunday in the Philippines is not all Catholic ritual. For more than a hundred years, after being colonized by the Americans, Easter Sunday has also been about bunnies and Easter Eggs-- the celebration of 'Spring,' ironically in a land that only has two seasons. After going to Easter Sunday mass, we traditionally party with our families.

After a period of sacrifice, fasting and abstaining, it's time to celebrate 'Life' once more... to the fullest... with the people we love!      

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"The Risen Christ"

 

"Easter Eggs and Cellphones"

 

"Egg-xtreme"

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #30

This week's theme: HOLY WEEK

Aside from Christmas, Holy Week is the most important period in this country's yearly Religious Calendar.  Being the third largest Catholic country in the world (after Brazil and Mexico), with more than 80% of the population baptized within the Faith, the whole country comes into a stand-still from Holy Wednesday until Easter Sunday. Everyone is on holiday-- most malls and restaurants are closed and everyone is expected to be in church.

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Veneration of the Cross"

"Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam"

"Stations of the Cross"

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #29

This week's theme: STORE MANNEQUINS

I find mannequins to be wonderful objects to juxtapose in photographs. They give a surrealistic touch to what would otherwise be everyday scenes. Here are some examples. 

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Wrong Way"

"Live Mannequin"

 

"Closed"

 

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #28

This week's theme: COMMUTER BLUES

Commuting by public transportation in Metro-Manila has its own distinct flavor. Aside from the locally customized vehicles you will only find in this country, like the Jeepney and the Tricycle, we also have the normal ones like taxis, buses and trains. But no matter what type of vehicle you prefer, we do not necessarily follow strict passenger capacity or safety guidelines in this country... Speed and load limit are dictated only by the imagination:)) 

 

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Standing Room Only"

"One Too Many"

"The EDSA Drag Race"

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Canon's New High Resolution 5DS & 5DS R

My long wait is finally over! Canon just came out with cameras I actually want... and need.

The new Canon EOS 5DS R and its twin 5DS

As a commercial studio and fine-art photographer, image resolution is critical to my work. The last time I was this excited about a camera was 13 years ago when the Canon EOS-1Ds first came out; arguably the 1st successful full-frame DSLR, after the pioneering Contax N Digital failed. Its successor, the 1Ds Mark II, has been giving me wonderful high quality images for my magazine and newspaper assignments ever since.  But I still have to rent digital backs for my Mamiya RZ67 Pro IID and my Sinar P2 whenever I have high-resolution (Billboard Advertising, Wall Mural) projects. Not any more... 

 

The Canon 5Ds and 5DS R are 50.6 Megapixel, full-frame DSLRs!

 

The two new high-resolution models are exactly alike, except for the absence of the Low-pass filter on the 5DS R model. Both are equipped with a newly designed 50.6 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor with dual Digic-6 processors; a 61 point High Density Reticular Auto Focus; full HD (1920 x 1080) 30p video with time-lapse function; continuous shooting up to 5 fps; dual card slots (1 CF + 1 SD); an intelligent viewfinder with 100% coverage; a 3.2 inch Clear View II LCD monitor (170 degree viewing angle, 1,040,000 dot VGA); and a magnesium-alloy body. Additional features include an EOS Scene Detection System with a 150,000 pixel RGB+IR Metering Sensor for more accurate exposures; an advanced mirror control mechanism and selectable shutter release time lag that helps suppress camera vibration for added image clarity; an Anti-flicker function to compensate for flickering light sources and assist in acquiring consistent exposure and color; and user selectable 1.3x and 1.6x crop capabilities for added flexibility. The normal ISO range for both cameras is 100-6400, with expanded speeds up to 12800-- pretty decent for studio applications.

 

The absence of the Low-pass filter on the 5DS R is an option reserved for specialized applications that need extra-crisp focus, like high-resolution advertising, landscape and fine art photos. There have been a lot of Canon users in the past couple of years who have experimented with removing the LPF from their stock 5D and have claimed an improvement on their camera's sharpness and overall resolution. Canon is now offering that option in the 5DS R.

 

To everyone familiar with my blog, you all know that I just recently acquired my fourth complete digital camera system (Fuji X) for my everyday "Street" and travel work so I do not have the budget this year for this camera. But I am dusting my Canon Lenses in anticipation... 

 

I am also anxiously awaiting the launch of the 5D Mark IV, the successors to the 1Dx and 1Dc models, as well as the "mystery Canon camera" that has been rumoured (3D?). But for my current needs, these two models are already sufficient. Thank you Canon!!!!

Here is a video by the Canon Digital Learning Center on the 5DS and the 5DS R:

 

--Images and video taken from Canon, USA    

Weekly Street Photos #27

This week's theme: MANILA'S HOMELESS - 2

Photographs of the "homeless" (Manila's Homeless, Manila's Urban Aetas), can be offensive to some people. But ever since I started shooting on the actual streets of Metro-Manila, my camera refuses to turn away from a reality that readily greets me anywhere I look.

 

In the Philippines, a third-world country, you would have to be blind not to notice the reality of poverty everywhere you go-- particularly in the urban areas. There are a lot of people in this country who look negatively at photographers and filmmakers who highlight these scenes of desperation, citing that we propagate the negative image our country is getting internationally. But try as I might, I can never turn my eye away from this problem,  which constantly assaults not only my conscience but also my very humanity.

 

When the Pope visited the Philippines two weeks ago, I was appalled to learn that the government's Department of Social Welfare and Development deliberately evacuated homeless families from the city streets, in an effort to rid Manila of its unsightly vagrants. The DSWD spent P4.3 million to accommodate 490 homeless families in an expensive beach resort for 6 days (until the Pope left)-- using valuable funds to sweep the problem under the rug, instead of using it to actively help these people get more decent dwellings. It's scandalous!

So I am now posting more photos to make it clear to everyone out there, that thousands of these homeless souls live in our city streets. It is seldom shown or acknowledged, but no real "Manila-based Street Photographer" should ever deny this.   

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Central Living And Customized Lifestyle"

"Dumura Dito (Spit Here)"

 

"Light And Shadow In Yellow"

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #26

This week's theme: MANILA'S URBAN AETAS

I ended 2014 with street photos of "Manila's Homeless," so I thought to continue that theme at the start of this year to include a special group of vagabonds that sporadically populate Metro-Manila streets, Aetas (aboriginal Filipinos).

 

The Aetas (Negritos to Spaniards, Itas to Filipinos) are the original indigenous people of Luzon, the northern part of the Philippines. As a group, they have culturally resisted modernity by living in isolation in the mountainous regions of the island. But when Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991, they were forced to move to resettlement areas. A large group of them have slowly migrated into Metro-Manila ending up in the streets, with nowhere to live and with no means of sustaining themselves-- except through alms. It is a tragic situation that I want people to notice.    

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Living On A Crossroad"

 

"Simple Joys"

"In Our Father's Footsteps"

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia