by Yugel Losorata–

Time’s principle is to move forward without ever stopping. But photography has challenged that in a revolutionary way, with its capacity to freeze moments and make people kind of go back in time through the memories they evoke. It has all the time to remember the past and stop forever particular scenes in the name of visual art.

Young photographer Jon Erick Dizon puts in priceless category the value of freezing time through photographs. Each time he produces a picture, he takes pride at the accomplishment.

“I believe that everything is unique and it should be treasured because one can never take back time. That is the magic of photography, it captures priceless moments,” he says. “When people see the photos I took, they recall the moments that were captured.”

At 22, Jon has found his niche, covering weddings which he believes is the kind of occasion where a photographer gets to mix every photography type. His well-rounded personality has proven to be a perfect fit for the challenges a wedding photographer faces. Thus, his competence is reflected through the astounding shots he delivers on a regular basis.

Of course, he puts to heart the power of photography to capture time. He actually describes looking at a picture as the simplest, easiest way to time traveling, apart of course from daydreaming which is quite difficult to the unimaginative.

He takes note of his age and care for work which both deal with time. “With my age I know I can do so much more, which is why I am also taking advantage of it. I want to compete with myself everyday – that my photo tomorrow will beat my photo today.”

Age doesn’t matter but time does so he’s maximizing his youth to help the Olongapo Camerabugs Photography Club, Inc. where he is currently the group’s president. Separately, he is also the photography director of Soul Atelier which artistically provides with wedding needs. He thinks that the industry is “already saturated by uninspired artists” so his group is trying to offer a refreshing artistry to stakeholders.

Three years back he told his parents of his desire to pursue a career in photography. He was given the blessing, plus the advice to seek a heavy load of knowledge on the craft. He did, enrolling himself to formally study basic and advanced lessons, as well as cruise ship photography at the Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation (FPPF).

Winnings in contests followed. He won first place in the Subic Clicks competition, scoring three of the top ten entries out of 500 hopefuls. He likewise placed 3rd at Canon’s “Smile” contest in line with Photoworld Asia.

Then, this year he won the Flores De Mayo Photo Contest at SM Mall of Asia, taking home the grand prize in spite of having more than 900 photographers who joined the competition.

“I knew that joining these types of contests,” he points out, “will serve as my skill’s exam, test my technique and ability to adapt to various situations and develop that grace under pressure. The technical skills that I have acquired in the seminar, plus the coaching from my parents and mentors, my perseverance and enthusiasm, all led me to winning.”

This achiever from Olongapo began with a Kodak film camera and acted as a self-proclaimed official lensman back in high school, with all his classmates and friends posing as his subjects. His dentist, Dr. Johann Ong who is also a photographer, encouraged him to join the club where he is now heading.

He recalled being a probationary member for six months and finding his way in. It largely helped that Dr. Ong and the president at the time, Dr. Dodi Dominado, were willing to teach him, share tips and techniques.

“The best thing about being a photographer is the opportunity to get closer to the beauty of God’s creation,” shares the lensman who’s also into landscape and portraiture. “My principle in photography is to understand the basics first, then observe and understand different rules in photography.  You have to put a heart and tell a story in every picture.”

Time to shoot and say freeze.

John F. Kennedy, Jr. was born on November 25, 1960 – 16 days after his father, John F. Kennedy, was elected president of the United States of America. Having spent his toddler years in the White House, the little boy that the public referred to as “John-John” had the White House as his playground.  Even the Oval Office had him as its unofficial dweller.  One such incident was caught on cam and became an iconic photograph.   The image showed JFK, Jr. peering through what he imagined as a “secret door” while his father was at work.   This endearing photograph put into context the myth and memory of Camelot – a young president running a powerful country while raising a young family just like other ordinary family men.

The photo was taken in October 1963.  JFK called on photographer Alan Stanley Tretick to take photos of the little boy while his mother was out of the country. Jacqueline’s antipathy against her children being photographed and used for publicity is a known fact.  A few weeks after the photo was taken, the Kennedys carried an advance copy of the Look magazine where the photos appeared as they traveled to Dallas where JFK was later on assassinated.   Copies of the Look magazine issue hit the newsstands a few days after the assassination.

The desk in the photo is in itself an icon. The “Resolute Desk,” was gift from Queen Victoria to President Rutherford B. Hayes. It was built from a salvaged Arctic discovery vessel and it has been used by most U.S. presidents, including Pres. Obama.   The “secret door” was an add-on to conceal the leg braces of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Ironically, he did not live to see its installation.

The photographer, Alan Stanley Tretick, is credited for many intimate photographs of President Kennedy and his children.  Kennedy carefully controlled the release of his photographs to make sure it supported the image he wanted the public to see.  Tretick skillfully captured the images for him. (Compiled by Tess Puzon-Rivera)

Sources:http://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/http://www.artvisionexhibitions.com/JohnFKennedy PhotographyExhibit.htn/  Kennedy Iconic Posters / James M. McPherson,To the Best of My Ability, The AmericanPresidents, Dorling Kindersley, London New York, London 2000.

If you have a good photograph that you would like to share and you think is good enough to be published, send it to us (including some technical information about the image).  We are looking for images of any subject that will catch the readers’ attention and paint a thousand words.  After choosing from among those photos submitted, we will publish one as our “Photo of the Week.”  For details, please call us at 5278121 local 384, or email your photos to: pictureperfect.mb@gmail.com / picture05perfect@yahoo.com.

Photo by Arnold C. Jumpay

Xerox recently announced a tool they are developing called Aesthetic Image Search which can be accessed at Open Xerox (open.xerox.com). While many methods of image classification are based on parts, this software attempts to classify images according to quality. Can a computer be taught to distinguish between normal and high quality photos? See and judge for yourself on their website. The project is currently still at the alpha stage. It chooses images only from a prepared set and does not allow uploads yet.

Raffy Paredes

A rather surprising article on PetaPixel a week ago claimed that virtually all photographic films and papers are made with animal parts. “Most of the thickness in film comes from gelatin, which is used to hold the silver halide crystals in an emulsion. Gelatin is made from animal hides and bones — mainly cows and pigs. People have tried to come up with substitutes, but they haven’t been able to find anything suitable that’s as stable or cheap as gelatin,” according to the article. Knowing this, vegans may consider avoiding film altogether.

A ball-shaped foam-padded enclosure containing 36 fixed focus 2-megapixel mobile camera modules for panoramic photography is being developed in Berlin, Germany. To take a spherical panoramic photo, the device is thrown in the air just like a ball. As the ball reaches its highest point, when it stops moving for a split second, all the cameras take photos simultaneously. The pictures are then downloaded via USB and viewed in a spherical panoramic viewer. Read more and see the amazing panoramas it can take at http://jonaspfeil.de/ballcamera.

Readers who believe in supporting the group the Bawal Mag-Shoot Dito (BMSD) which was featured in this column last week can do so through the group’s Facebook page.

And now to our featured readers.

From Iriga City, Camarines Sur, 16-year-old Renzo Ayubo writes: “I just saw the Picture Perfect page in Manila Bulletin and I thought if I can send you my shots.” He sent in the photo “Porta Mariae, Metropolitan Cathedral, Naga City.”

Richard Jason Salvador of Abucay, Bataan took photos in Ghana, West Africa where he is now based. “I started photography last 2008 just for a hobby and I enjoy shooting people with a lot of expressions,” he shares. His photo “Mother and Child” shows how a Ghanian mother carries her child while at work.

Anh Allada of Laguna writes: “I started to love taking pictures of places and faces at a very young age. Maybe eight or nine. I didn’t have a good camera then, I cannot afford it. The first camera that I can call my own was a gift from my sister when I graduated high school. It was even an old one, but I have loved it so much for it still allowed me to take pictures of the places I have visited, to capture happy and sad faces. I was young and I didn’t care if the camera was old, because I strongly believe that a good picture doesn’t depend on the camera, it depends on the heart of the person holding it.” She adds, however, that as she matured, she also realized how a good lens “is equally important to get that perfect shot.” Anh’s photo of multicolored candies is titled “Sweet.”

Sisters Kyla, 10 and Ryza, eight, daughters of regular contributor Koni Gutierrez-Cruz have also began to love photography, reports their mom. “Whenever we pass by a scenic spot, they always ask me to stop and they will share our camera to shoot.” Today, they share their versions of a sunset which the three of them photographed one after the other with the same camera. Koni is an sssistant professor II at the Bataan Peninsula State University in Balanga, Bataan. She recently engaged her students in a friendly competition to shoot creative photographs that depict mathematical concepts.

Also sharing their photos for the first time are Daena Erin who took a photo of a boy on his donkey at the Eid festival along the Cox Bazar beach in Bangladesh two years ago; Kenth Nilsson with the photo, “Caterpillar Beauty,” taken in his garden in Phuket, Thailand; and pharmacist Joana Marie E. Verdeflor with “Become,” a scenic photo of a green field and light clouds on a blue sky, reminding one of the iconic Windows XP wallpaper “Bliss.”

Last week’s issue mentioned Glenn Guardian of the Subic Shutter Club but inadvertently omitted his photo contribution “Man And His Friends” - a photo of a man walking his dogs as the sun begins to set. That picture is published on this page today.

For comment, suggestions or just to share an image or idea, email rfyparedes@yahoo.com

Of podcasts and signature looks–

Listening to podcasts can be a lot of things. It can be inspiring; it can be irritating; it can be numbing. Hopefully, when you run across some photography podcasts you will be more inspired than anything.

We started last week discussing Lightsource. It will take you a while before you can finish all the discussions there but they are truly worth it.

Erick Lirios

Sooner or later, you will want to move to more in-depth discussions. You see, podcasts, like radio programs or even TV series, come in varieties. There are those that stick with one topic for one or a few episodes while others just go on and on. Lightsource is a bit like both. It’s about photography but it sticks with one photographer for at most two episodes. The caveat here is that it deals with lighting mostly and that means, for  the most part, using artificial light.

There is one photographer they interviewed who deals mostly with bounced light and she (yes, it’s a woman and she’s a great photographer) deals mostly with food. She doesn’t like light from artificial sources and the whole interview goes around that whole point of how she deals with now having strobes or other artificial light. She needs tools, right? So, what tools does she employ for her lighting setups? There’s tissue paper, cloth, mirrors, etc. Some things for you to look out for the next time you’re in a grocery store. That photographer, Kelly Cline, is a good foil to all the photography enthusiasts who seem bogged down by equipment lust. She has her cameras and lenses but stays minimal after that. She likes the look of shallow depth of field and uses it to create her signature look.

That’s perhaps the point we want to get into today. Too often, we’ve talked about dealing with what the client wants and that’s a very important thing. Those of us who are professionals do get paid to deliver what the client needs.

What about the Steve Jobs counter argument to this? You know, that one which goes something like, “Consumers don’t know what they want until you show it to them.” The guy argued and seems to have been proven right in many ways and many times over that unless you come out with something that will knock the socks off people, they simply will trudge along their lives not knowing any better. Look at what the iPad did for everybody including those who use tablets that aren’t Apple-made but were inspired by it.

This is the province of innovators, inventors and artists. Often, we get dealt this usual hogwash that art is supposed to elevate you. What the hell does that mean anyway? At the least, it should open you up to new worlds or make you think or realize some new stuff. Writer Bertolt Brecht argued that his type of theater was supposed to get people to think rather than just accept things as they are. Perhaps that’s one way of looking at it. Too many of us spend too much time trying to do things the way some other bloke (or dope?) does it. Let’s get one thing straight though: That’s a good way to start and it’s where most of us do. However, after that, it’s now your turn to shine.

If you think about it, a student is really supposed to outshine a teacher — eventually. What about that teacher? All teachers, even the non-photography kind, if they are to be true to their calling, should not just smile timidly at one side and applaud the student’s success silently. After acknowledging the student’s success, it’s time to venture into one’s success as well and trying out new ways to do things. When should you stop trying things out? When they’re about to lower you into your grave. Once they finish with that, then maybe you can try to figure out how to get out.

Here’s an idea: Why don’t you try to find some type of photography — let it be travel, food, portraiture, products, etc. — look at what people have been doing so far, and then wrack your brain for the next hour or so in an attempt to figure out what you haven’t seen so far. Remember all these IQ tests that ask you what happens next in a series? You know — circle, square, triangle, rectangle, circle, square, triangle, _______ ? You get the idea.

Perhaps the public does have this collective sense of what can come next in many things and they’re just looking for it to make an appearance. It is the artist’s job to show them. That’s what we’re supposed to be here for. At least, that’s one of the things we’re supposed to be here for.

So, going back to Kelly Cline, maybe you can take a look at what she’s done, compare it what other stuff you’ve seen before and give it a good in between treatment or just completely go crazy with it. That’s one reason why a lot of people like looking at the work amateurs do. There are hordes of lousy amateurs who do nothing but copy. There are, however, some who are brave enough to try something different. You don’t have anything to lose so why not try?

Just pose this question to yourself when you try to set up a shot: “I did this already. What can I do differently today?”

Granted, you won’t always come up with something new but, honestly, that’s not really the point here. Once you do have something that you’re quite happy with, the next thing to do is to make it into something else that you’re even happier with so that this may just become your signature shot or your signature look.

At least until that time that you get tired of it (or no one asks for it) or you figure out something else to do.

See you next week!

Unleashing and Taming the Raw Light of Studio Flash (Part 79)–

Mini Beauty Dish

For some time, the exemplary images of portraitphotographed with beauty dish become a byword in the circles of portrait photographers. It became a fitting alternative to what was perceive by certain group of portrait artist as the “boring softness” of umbrella effect to human face. At one time (during the peak of what was popularly known as the “glamour portrait of the Hollywood years”), beauty dish was a primary light modifier required in photo studios specializing portrait.

Benjamin Rivera

As beauty dish is making a strong “come back” in todays’ era of digital medium, it now comes with brand new accessories never before heard by the grandfathers of newbie photographers today(early users of beauty dish)—among them the honeycomb diffuser and shock cloth diffuser. Butwhat is more interesting to note is the diverse variation of its sizes. It used to be that the bigger the diameter, the more effective is the “wrap-around-effect” of the light from beauty dish.

But one size that this author was really intrigued is this miniature one that we are going to try and explore in this issue.We found this (actually it was my 14-year-old photographer son Mark Benson who spotted it in one of the photo shops in Hidalgo while we were shopping for a light diffuser for his portable flash).We ended-up buying it for two reasons: He was fascinated with it and wanted to use it in his wedding assignment; while I became interested to it to find out if it will really work.

The Mini Beauty Dish made in China.

The unit itself has simple and straight-forward design. This could be the reason why the manufacturer did not bother to include any sort of literature or hint on how to use it.The diameter of the dish is 7 inches—just perfect for its being portable in size and seemed ideal for mobile and instant portrait shot of a bride—at a time where everyone is in a hurry for the wedding rites. It also fit perfectly into a Metz 58AF flash. But WAIT! Let us see the result of the test shots …

Here is our TEST RESULT :

Parameters used on Photos A and B :

• Beauty Dish is pitted against a white dome diffuser in the picture.

• All photos are un-retouched.

• Subject is about 1 ft. away from background to test the intensity of shadow.

• Flash-to-subject distance is 6 ft. for Photo A and B and 14 inches for Photo C

It turn out that this portable mini beauty dish noticeably exceed the already tested White Dome Diffuser in terms of image softness (practically no shadow), but this is not all that we expected from a well-praised light modifier. I myself expected something that is clearly a defined advantage over its competing gadget. Also, I can’t believe that the superb finish and fine engineering of this unit will not deliver a glaring and distinguished result. Somehow there is one purpose that justify for the mass production of this flash accessory. Since the manufacturer did not include any sort of hint for its purpose, we will have to find for it.

Let us go back to basics. We learned from previous article (Photography 101 Nov. 15, 2011 issue) that the best result with beauty dish is when your subject is within the sweet spot distance from the flash. We also learned that the ideal flash-to-subject distance is about twice the diameter size of the dish. The size of this beauty dish is 7 inches. Therefore the best flash-to-subject distance is only 14 inches! That’s quite close. If that is the case, then this beauty dish was designed—not primarily for shooting with human faces but for miniature subjects!

Indeed it is! And to prove it, I had to look around for a Barbie doll as subject. But Barbie is just too expensive. Luckily my assistant found this cute Barbie look alike and here is the result. See for yourself and be the judge.

I would like to thank GellyPalces, our model who also assisted me in the testing process. Gelly works as Graphic Artist and Video Editor at Benjie’s.For comments and suggestions and contributions, please call at 5278121 local 384 or 5253085 or email at rivera.benjie@gmail.com

As part of its second anniversary celebration, the Subic Bay Photography Society (SBPS) recently organized a group tour to Negros Occidental to visit tourist spots in the area and to take part of the Masskara Festival in Bacolod City.

With all the revelry and fun on all sides of the sugarlandia’s capital, members of SBPS had a colorful experience for the first time.  Armed with their cameras and creativity, they participated in various festivities like street party and dance competition at the plaza.

After the festival they visited famous landmarks around Negros Occidental and the first stop was the famous “Balay Negrense” in Silay City. This ancestral home of Victor F. Gaston is now a museum managed by the Negros Cultural Foundation.

The group also visited “Casa Grande,” an ancestral home of Aniceto L. Lacson and is managed by Anna and Carlos Balcells (Lacson’s grandchildren).  There are plans to make this old house as a museum and a bed-and-breakfast type of lodge for visitors and tourists who would dare to stay.

Another not-to-be-missed attraction that the group went to see was “The Ruins” in Talisay City. The mansion dates back to the 1900s when it was built by the sugar baron Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson for his wife Maria Braga, a Portuguese from Macau.  They also had a short visit at the Pope John Paul II’s memorial building near SM City Bacolod. Images of the Pope during his visits in the Philippines and other memorabilia can be found here. It is also in the same spot where the beloved Pope celebrated a mass in 1981.

The group tour was organized by SBPS co-founder Cleo Roda Nodado and SBPS All Women’s team leader Thelma Delos Reyes.

SBPS is the first and only photography group recognized by the Department of Tourism (DOT) – through the office of Ronnie Tiotuico, director DOT Region III – as a private principal partner in the promotion of the Northern Luzon through photography.

For other activities of the group, check its Facebook group account at www.facebook/Subic Bay Photography Society.