Leap of Faith

Kiyah!!!

It's verification day! Stress is in the air. Argh! Pass or fail? One question plagues the minds of all Mapuans. Alas, the die has been cast. There are only two things we could do, hope... and pray. Or you could follow my example and jump off walls kicking phantom air creatures. Piff! X_X

Wallpaper Moments

After a long week of exams and projects, I finally had some time to breath. The streets were moist from the sporadic showers that marked the start of the rainy season. Ahhh yes, the perfect time to take out the camera and take some night shots of the walled city, Intramuros.

Midnight Green

Dismissal

Dichroma Aqua

Diamond Rain

Connecting People

Solitude

Time Gap

I'll provide the text later. For now... let the pictures talk for themselves.

Doodles

Yunisee

This image was exclusively done using Yahoo Messenger’s ‘Doodles’ IMvironment. Hehe. I think they look alike. Hopefully. ^_^ I'm usually creative during the wee hours of the morning, just before sunrise. Yes, the clock is right - it's already 3:41am. I only posted this now because I was already seeing double this morning. I just woke up. Final exams later this afternoon. Wish me luck! I hope yunisee woke up (or stayed up) early enought to not miss her first class.

Up Close

Macro Focus Mode

Macro shots are one of my favorite types of pictures. You don't need a lot of skill to come up with a good one too. All you need to do is select the macro focus mode of your camera (see icon above). Select a fine looking specimen. Move your camera really close (2-5 inches, or so). Half-press the shot button so that your camera could automatically set the focus. And click! you have your macro shot. Here are a few exaples of my favorite shots. No photoshop edits for these ones.

Lamp Number 5

This is a shot of the trainer that we use in our automation class. I intentionally left only one lamp on to attract more attention to that specific area. This also adds accent to the picture. Macro shots have a very narrow depth of focus (Im not sure if I used the right technical terms, but you know what I mean). Most of the shot is out of focus and only a very small area remains clear. Again this is to shift more attention to a specific area in a picture.

The Last Slice

When taking a macro shot, you must pay close attention to the lighting. Using the flash when your camera is really close to the subject can oversaturate the image and you could end up with a picture that looks like a clean sheet of paper. You may have to take a few shots to get it right. Try to experiment which shots looks best. If your image looks good without the flash, then that's a good shot. In some cases where the flash is absolutely necessary, try to move away from the subject a bit and compensate by zooming in a little. This is a shot cake leftover from some party. With macro shots, even leftovers could look mouth watering.

Sizzler

Here is one example where I did use the flash. Take note that black is one of the dominant colors in this image. Black absorbs light and will make anything in the foreground look darker. See how the flash reflects off the corn kernels? This is why we seldom use the flash when taking macro shots. Another important factor that you have to consider when taking a macro shot is how you would frame the image. This is not a meal served from some hotel. It's just a 60-peso sizzling pork barbeque meal from one of the stores at Gateway's food court. Because we eliminated the cheap looking table and the greasy sizzling plate in order to focus more on the food, the image looks more mouthwatering that it should be. ^_^

Hate Those Wires

Before

After
Ahhh yes, sunset from atop the old Intramuros wall - what a wonderful experience to share. Also, another photo op for would-be photographers. Sometimes, however, such a perfect scene could be punctuated by pesky power lines that should have never been there in the first place. If I were a better photographer, I could have found another angle or I could have searched for a better subject. But no, I was just some guy with a digital camera, on his way home, who happens to pass by this place at this moment. No time. I stopped for a few seconds, took out my camera, and click... not even the eagle-eyed snatchers noticed that I had a P23,000 piece of equipment stored in my tiny clutch bag.

I took a few simple steps to remove those wires using Adobe Photoshop. I used the 'Spot Healing Brush' (see pic below, hotkey is 'J') tool to let photoshop automatically predict the colors that I should 'brush' on to that area with the wires in order to erase tham. The Spot Healing tool will not work perfectly. Sometimes you need to manually do the task. To do this, select the eyedropper tool (Hotkey is I) and select a pixel near the object to be erased. You just selected a color. With that color, use the brush tool (hotkey B) to paint over the unwanted objects (eg, pimples, power lines). Be sure to use low opacity and/or flow so that your corrections will simply blend on to the background.

Here's another Mapua scene, off topic. This one was not edited in any way. It's a bit grainy though. I find it hard to hold the camera steady for long exposure times. I need a monopad? Hehe.

Ingat ka!

I wish I could compose an image like this using an SLR camera. This was heavily altered using photoshop CS3. I dont know how photographers adjust all those settings to capture one fleeting moment. Aperture size, focal length, ISO… there are just too many factors to consider for the inexperienced. Thank God for Photoshop. Now, amateurs like me could make an otherwise normal looking image into something worth looking at. Here's the original image. Its a bad pic, I know. Hehe.

I just wanted to show how much one still image could tell. You decide what's the story behind this. Time is 12:55, she seems like she's rushing, ticket at hand, big baclaran sign at the back, a uniform. Hehe... Ooops, I gave away too much there. Im a sucker for spoilers. Hit me. :D

It's coming! It's getting close!

It's near. I can already see myself buying a new videocard. Aaack. Help! Must buy a new videocard. Wanna know why? See for yourself. Here's a short clip... ahh yes, the good old days. ↑_↑

Just a note to the none-gamers: 'GG' means good game. It's the universal gesture of sportsmanship in multiplayer games. The loser could say it when he admits defeat or the winner could use it either to give the loser a chance to surrender or to admit that he had a good fight. (Sometimes gg is sometimes used to mock the losing players.)

I can't wait for starcraft 2 to hit our shores. I could only wish it would be as popular as DOTA. I dont think the net cafes here would be that willing to upgrade their systems to make way for a new game though. This might die the same way counterstrike condition zero did. But who knows? No one thought Ragnarok, with its pathetic but cute graphics, would be as popular back in its Beta Testing days. I did not get hooked though, only for a couple of weeks. I already got my hands full with my own life, no time to live an alternate one.

Bakit May Green na McDo?

ano ba yan? bat kasama siya? hmmmm... hindi ko tuloy masyadong na enjoy ang stay ko sa green na mcdo dahil nahihiya ako. waaa. anyways... sge yun lang. masaya naman ako nung bumalik na kami sa school nila. haay. hindi ako sociable? hmmm... maybe minsan hindi ko lang feel maging madaldal. argh. worthless na naman ang entry na to. wala lang. nandito kasi ako sa office at wala na naman ako magawa. nag magic ako ng konte at hindi nila nahuhuli ang tricks ko ngayon. ang galing. sayang hindi ko napakita kanina sa green na mcdo. nahihiya kasi ako. waaa. well. sge hindi naman perfect lagi. ano nga ba ang saying na yun? all's well that ends well? hmmm... basta. pansin niyo na hindi ako gumagamit ng shift? hehe, excpet lang sa mga '?' kasi kailangan eh. wala lang, tinatamad ako. pinapahaba ko lang ang entry na to na dapat 2 sentences lang. hmmmm... low bat ang dalawang editor. yung isa naman kasi SS class A super editor yun eh. may unlimited na lakas sa loob. naka recharge mode kami kanina from 9 to 11. tapos na hyper ako 11 onwards. mag gising ko marami na pala tao sa office. sa desks pa naman ako natulog dahil naunahan ako ni ninong sa 'sofa' ng builder. ang tahimik. i therefore conclude na considerate ang mga tao sa builder, minsan. hehe. well at least ang mga tao lang that time. tahimik sila eh. ang sarap matulog. pero since kagabi hindi pa kami nagkita ng bed ko. sa sofa kasi ako natulog para may kasama si ninong sa sala. ehehe. comfortable naman ang sofa eh. wala nga akong naramdaman since natulog ako. pag gising ko 6am na pala at ginising na ko ni ninong. hmmmm... sana makikinig na ko mamaya. down to the last exams na kasi. at OK level lang ang grades ko. hindi ngayon EAN level kasi ubos na ang mga SLHS na subject at saka super major na ngayon. ang hirap na ng mga tinuturo at ang ibang prof baguhan pa sa mapua kaya hindi sanay sa quarter system. bad thing yata na terminated na ang prof na yun next term. kasi baka magalit sa mga mapuans at ibagsak kami lahat. noooo. wala pa akong first blood. hindi pwede to. pero kaya pa yan. habang may buhay may pag-asa? sabi ni sir jerome yan, ang unang prof na nagbigay sakin ng 2.75 noong 2nd year. nawala tuloy ang GSIS scholarship ko. 2nd scholarship ko pala yun this college. hmmm, DOST - d ko tinaggap para sa GSIS. GSIS, nawala dahil sa grade. tapos may half acadic scholarship. 1 term lang yun tapos fluer daniels, international company yun. nawala ri dahil sa grade. Buti nalang may builder. haay. builder... buti nalang. laki rin ng tulong ng builder kahit walang scholarship. saan kaya ako ngayon kung hindi ako builder? hmmmm... kanina mga artist kasama ko. na OP ako dahil mga color wheel ang pinaguusapan nila. eh ano hanggang dun lang ang alam ko. ano ba ang analogous colors ulit? ang alam ko lang kasi analagous transmission. hmmm, wait lang, hindi pa nga pala ako sigurado kung ano yun. basta type ng signal. hmmm... malapit na finals... waaa... scared? waaa... hmmmm... sana next time wala na siya... pero ang selfish naman yun. at least happy siya na nagkita sila. ok, happy na rin ako? oo happy naman ako in the end.

Bad Days Come and Go

Copy paste lang to... tamad na ko mag rewrite....

yunis: how bad is a bad day?
ismalakas: ok lets see
ismalakas: had to wake up at 6
ismalakas: kasi friday
ismalakas: maaga na un para sakin
ismalakas: samakit ang tiyan ko nung umaga
ismalakas: hingi ako gamot sa clinic
ismalakas: pero tiniis ko muna kasi nihihiya ako
ismalakas: may lab pa
yunis: di ka kumain?
ismalakas: tapos gumagawa pa ako ng lab
ismalakas: oo d ako kumain, kasi busy nga
ismalakas: tapos kelangan ko mag aral para sa quiz sa hapon
yunis: wag mo namang kawawain ang katawan mo
ismalakas: so d rin ako nag lunch
ismalakas: tpos nag cut ako ng isang class
ismalakas: para mag aral
yunis: ang sipag naman
ismalakas: may seatwork pala sa class na yun
ismalakas: sayang
yunis: i'd rather eat than study
ismalakas: tapos naiinis pa ako kasi wala akong notes
ismalakas: d nagrereply ang mga nagtago ng group notes namin
ismalakas: (lesson, copy your own notes)
ismalakas: tapos yun, medyo ok ang exam
ismalakas: tapos after the exam
ismalakas: another subject
ismalakas: binalik ang isang exam
ismalakas: tapos mababa ako
ismalakas: waaa
ismalakas: tapos yun, tapos na ang araw
ismalakas: pero kelangan pa mag pa xerox ng notes
ismalakas: kasi may exam next week
ismalakas: ang layo ng nilakad namin kasi sarado na mga xerox
ismalakas: tapos hiniram pala ni dothz ang susi ko
ismalakas: wala akong susi sa bahay
ismalakas: bumalik ako sa builder
ismalakas: sarado
ismalakas: naghanap ako ng guard
ismalakas: walang guard
ismalakas: at last naka hanap ako
yunis: @__@
ismalakas: nanonood ng TV sa chem labs
ismalakas: hiniram ko susi
ismalakas: wala pa rin, hindi pala niya iniwan
ismalakas: tapos dinala ko nalang ang books ko
ismalakas: gutom na talaga ako
ismalakas: d pa kumakain
ismalakas: sabi ko tatambay muna ako sa isang friend ko na SA
ismalakas: pero andaming tao
ismalakas: buti nalang lumabas siya dun sa lab
ismalakas: medyo nag usap2x kami sa hallway
ismalakas: still gutom
ismalakas: tapos umuwi na ko at las
ismalakas: tapos umuwi na ko at last
ismalakas: sa labas nakita ko ang isa kong friend na hiniraman ko kanina ng cell para tawagan si dothz
ismalakas: d pala sumasagot
ismalakas: kanina
ismalakas: yun nag reply daw si dothz
ismalakas: nilagay niya sa bag ko
ismalakas: wa, nasa bag ko lang pala the whole time
ismalakas: d naman niya sanabi
ismalakas: pero anwyays yun naka uwi na ko at last
yunis: what a long day @__@
ismalakas: tapos kakain na sana ako
ismalakas: tumawag pa si mama
ismalakas: waaa... bitin food
ismalakas: pero after mga 15 minutes
ismalakas: yun... kakain na rin ako
ismalakas: medyo masungit pa ang iba diyan kanina... ok lang... gumagawa pala ng blog
yunis:
ismalakas: nag PSP nalang ako kasi naunahan na ako sa dalawang PC
yunis: hindi naman ako nagsusungint nu
ismalakas: yun medyo naka relax na ko
ismalakas: tapos ayan... nandito na ko ngayon
ismalakas: nagkwekwento ng buong araw ko
ismalakas: (copy paste... lagay ko to sa blog)

Yatta!!! (I did It)

Finally! I finished 'Heroes!' Just wanted to spoil it for those who have not finished it yet! Haha... Dont play if you dont want to be spoiled! Hehe... tempting isnt it?

Saan na ako?

Ok, so balik tayo sa malungkot na background music... At tagalog na naman muna tayo ulit... Kasi wala na naman ako sa tamang pag-iisip ngayon... kaya walang magrereclamo sa mga maling spelling o grammar ha!? getch( ); ?Haay nako, medyo hindi ko nga pala pwede isulat dito ang mga gusto kong sabihin, dahil napadami na naman yata ang pinayagan kong mga tao para magbasa ng blog ko. parang nagiging public na ulit siya kahit may password. Tangalin ko nalang kaya ang password no? Sge, balang araw... kong totopakin ako.

Ano nga ba ang sasabihin ko? Hmmm... hindi ko na alam. Ang gulo ko na naman ngayon. Hindi ko pa nasimulan ang layout kasi andaming schoolwork, at out of school work. Siguro nagsimula na naman ako na mag expect, kaya tuloy hindi ako 100% masaya lagi. Matagal ko na siyang hindi nakikita. Hindi ko pa ngayon nakakausap ng maayos. Nakakausap ko naman siya, sa text, phone, at sa chat. Pero hindi ko nasasabi ang mga gusto ko... at hindi ko naririnig ang mga gusto kong marining. (Paano ba naman, eh chat yan... siyampre buzz lang ang naririnig ko... pero hindi naman siya nag-bubuzz eh... ayan tuloy wala.) Hindi na siya makulit katulad ng dati. Ganyan pa talaga? Paulit-ulit lang ba talaga ang takbo ng kapalaran? Hmmm...

Maybe its time to take a different course and deviate from where I feel secure. Lagi naman may risk factor sa lahat na ginagawa diba? Kaya pag-iisipan ko muna. Bigyan ko ang sarili ko ng time na mag isip. (siguro mga 5 minutes) Hehe. Ah, hindi... matutulog nalang ako. Sana sagutin ako ng panaginip ko.

Sana wag ako mag expect. Kaya lang ano naman ang mapapala ko kung wala akong expectations? Take it slow? Eh... oo nga.... sge... Ask her? "Talk" to her?Hmmm... pwede rin. Sge... this is another one of those bahala na moments.

Another problem... dapat hindi ko na laging kasama yun... yung lagi kong kasama... hmmm... holding on to false hopes na hindi ko tapat pinapangarap na hindi ko nga dapat iniisip na hindi talaga dapat na ayaw ko mangyari an ayaw ko talaga. Argh! May kilala ba kayong Psychologist? Hehehe...

Must focus... isa lang goal ko. Yun. Mahal ko ang goal ko. ^_^
Sge, rundown lang:1. dont expect too much2. stop all that nonesense (included lahat na nonesense diyan)3. gawin na ang layout