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Monday, December 26, 2011

Another Year Passes in a Flash


The last week of the year is special, and one to be taken advantage of. I spend it balancing time between family/friends and looking back at the past year while preparing for the next one.

There are some cool things lined up for 2012 already, but today's post is about looking back. Herewith, the favorite posts of 2011 -- mine, and yours... Read more »

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Metro Manila Film Festival 2011 happening this Christmas!

Metro Manila Film Festival is happening once again this Christmas (Dec. 25, 2011). A time to showcase Filipino talents and artistic creativity in film making.


There are 7 entries in this year's MMFF 2011:





Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Shake Rattle and Roll 13

Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story

Read more about these films and watch trailers at My Movie Blog.

How many are you going to watch?

Coca-Cola Where Will Happiness Strike Next: The OFW Project

This made me Cry. 

Real Stories. Real Emotions.


Amazing!


"Star Ng Pasko"

It's Christmas time again! I had a hard time choosing the best song to post. I want a song that truly reflects what I feel and what I want to say. There were several but this one for me is the best!

This is the Christmas Station ID of my favorite station, ABS-CBN last year. This was during the height of the popularity of the teleserye "May Bukas Pa" where the Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as "Bro" or Big Brother by the protagonist  child actor. 

My only wish as you listen to this song is for you to look to Jesus and to give HIM His due recognition and glory for without Him choosing to lay down His life, we'll have no Christmas to celebrate. Siya talaga ang Star Ng Pasko!





STAR NG PASKO

Kung kailan pinakamadilim 
Ang mga tala ay mas nagniningning 
Gaano man kakapal ang ulap 
Sa likod nito ay may liwanag 
 Ang liwanag na ito 
Nasa 'ting lahat 
May sinag ang bawat pusong bukas 
Sa init ng mga yakap 
Maghihilom ang lahat ng sugat 

Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw 
Walang iba kundi ikaw 
Salamat sa liwanag mo 
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko 
Salamat sa liwanag mo 
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko 

 Tayo ang ilaw sa madilim na daan 
Pagkakapit bisig lalong higpitan 
Dumaan man sa malakas na alon 
Lahat tayo'y makakaahon 
 Ang liwanag na ito 
Nasa 'ting lahat 
May sinag ang bawat pusong bukas 
Sa init ng mga yakap 
Maghihilom ang lahat ng sugat 

 Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw 
Walang iba kundi ikaw 
Salamat sa liwanag mo 
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko 
Salamat sa liwanag mo 
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko 
 Kikislap ang pag-asa 
Kahit kanino man 

 Dahil ikaw Bro, dahil ikaw Bro 
Dahil ikaw Bro 
Ang star ng pasko 

 Salamat sa liwanag mo 
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko 
Salamat sa liwanag mo 
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko 
 Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw 
Walang iba kundi ikaw 
Salamat sa liwanag mo 
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko 

Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw 
Walang iba kundi ikaw 
Salamat sa liwanag mo 
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko 
 Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw 
Walang iba kundi ikaw 
Salamat sa liwanag mo 
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko 

 Dahil ikaw Bro, dahil ikaw BroDahil ikaw BroAng star ng pasko!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Shooting Holiday Lights, Redux


A lot of you have been tweeting or otherwise sharing the 2006 post on How to Photograph Christmas Lights (thanks!) so I thought it merited a refresh. Included are updated photos, tips on dealing with LEDs and a video that should totally make sense to your your point-and-shoot friends.

We are hunkered down and in full-bore holiday mode -- including, as seen above, a trip to cut down our tree the other evening. Strobist will be back the day after Christmas with the traditional end-of-year B.O.S. post.

Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays to all.

-30-

Monday, December 19, 2011

Making a Case for the Beauty Dish


When posting on my four favorite soft light mods, I included a beauty dish but lamented the necessity of a dedicated case to keep it from getting scuffed up. Dishes aren't cheap to begin with, and neither are decent cases.

Problem solved... Read more »

Friday, December 16, 2011

Five-Digit Studio Flash Catfight: Broncolor vs. Profoto


As Profoto and Broncolor battle for supremacy in the high-end studio flash world, things are getting all like, "Rawrrr, nice sweater. Does it come in your size?"

And just like Lexus and Infinity luxury car ads, they each want to point out their being better in some measurable way. Witness this Broncolor-produced "real-world shootout"… Read more »

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Brad Trent's In-Camera Digital Man

I didn't see this on Damn Ugly Photography (sorry Brad) until it was picked up by the Profoto blog, in itself a Damn Good Blog. (Especially when you consider it is run by a buncha tie-wearin' corporate weenies…)

Brad Trent's "Digital Man" was created in-camera with a mix of surprisingly simple lighting, some crucial on-axis fill … and a $10,000 light mod. Definitely worth a few minutes of lost cubicle productivity on a Wednesday.

:: Brad Trent's $10K Digital Man ::
and...
:: How To Do This for Less Than $10k ::

-30-

Monday, December 12, 2011

Rewind The Flash Bus: Now on Video

Above: Flash Bus Busted, Phoenix, AZ

This spring, for reasons still largely unknown to the logical side of my brain, I signed on to a 42-day, 12,531 mile road trip.

It was not a decision taken lightly. On the one hand, we'd be getting up at oh-dark-thirty every morning after sleeping in a coffin-sized bunk on a moving bus. On the other hand, I'd get to hang out up-close-and-personal with one of the true legends of the photographic community. I am speaking of course of McNally's first assistant, Drew Gurian.

On April 6th, we pulled into the Pennsylvania Convention center in Philadelphia. By then we pretty much had our stuff together, and the bad jokes weren't getting any better. So we figured we should film it. Read more »

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Q&A: Controlling the Sun When Using Flash - A Comparative Guide

After Monday's post lighting a soccer player into the sun at a wide aperture, several questions came up via comments and Twitter about the relative benefits of doing this in different ways.

Yes, there are different ways to do it -- namely ND, high-speed sync and special-chip cameras. Each method has advantages and disadvantages. The full how-to and scorecard, inside. Read more »

Read Strobist on Google Currents

With a dozen SB's and a shoe box full of AA's, Strobist is all about being mobile. Google has just launched their answer to Flipboard, and for those of you mobile readers who choose to download the app, the site is available on that platform.

The app is free for iOS or Android users, and you can download it here.

Once installed, hit the magnifying glass search icon at the bottom right of the app and search "strobist". It is only US on launch, but that should change soon enough.

-30-

Monday, December 5, 2011

Soccer Through Sunset


Any time I am shooting an outside portrait and the start time is up to me, I am for an hour before sunset. The reason is simple: You know the light is gonna just get better and better until it is time to wrap it up.

That's exactly how it was with a shoot last week of local soccer standout Zach Johnson. But this time we veered away from the normal afternoon/sunset game plan a little. Read more »