 | Mr. Bean | Jun 27, '08 8:30 PM
for everyone |
 This is my version of Mr.Bean. Shot in ISO 200 Colored Kodak Film, at the Manila Zoo back in 1999, I used a Nikon F60. The eyes are very important for me. They tell the story more than anything else, more than any body part. It communicates if you wait long enough.
This bird of prey is a Cassowary, very dangerous, large flightless bird, related to the Emu, and a descendant of Dinosaurs. It's legs can decapitate and tear you open, just like them raptors.
I shot this in colored film and scanned the negative at 300 dpi. You may use a drum scanner for your negatives, scan even at 3,000 or 30,000 dpi. I am not quite sure of the value but it's alotta zeroes. This image was blown up to 11 by 14 inches, yet it is a testament to how good film is because it didn't pixelate, considering how small a negative is barely bigger than your thumb. Even now at 64 kb jpeg size, click on the image and look at the eyes, the image. That's FILM. Film doesn't always have to be f/5.6 instamatic tourist snap shots. Film is film is film.
I'll take film over digital a million times over. It's like vinyl records over cds. 135mm, 120mm, 4X5 or 8X10...these celluloid sheets kick arse, over any 21.something megapixel by any maker. For me.
I think Mr. Bean agrees.
  Back in the day, writers used to look down on the guys who took the photos, but when World War 1 started, I think the photojournalists told more of the story, even without words.
One of my fave techiniques is frame within a frame. Look at these images of mine and hope you like the story they tell. No more blah-blah b.s., ....hehehe am sleepy...
Good night folks... 
 This was shot during the Ebola outbreak in Africa..... true or false?
false.
This was shot in 1976, during Pol Pot's reign of terror, the dreaded Khmer Rouge of Cambodia... true or false?
false
Shot at my flat, in Greenbelt Makati. It made it to the 2007 Black & White finals of the Photograph of the year of the Camera Club of the Philippines. (I had 4 finalist entries, the most by any participant that year and it was judged by Raymond Red, Gutsy Tuason and Nino Carandang)
How did I do this? The props guy from Bubble Gang, Jason, had a real skull, that was given to him as a form of payment. (Who in his right mind would use a skull as payment...and who would even dare accept it as such? hehehe Bubble Gang people are really cool and funny...)
One of my fave shots....I have many fave-on-the-spot-no-set-up images BUT this is one of my set-up shots that's a fave too, like my Maverick....same entry in the "decay/ruins" theme.
This is "Skullduggery"
Skullduggery- (noun)- underhanded or unscrupulous behaviour; trickery
| Maverick | Jun 26, '08 1:04 AM
for everyone |
 Maverick This is one of my favorite exposures. I shot this mid-2007. It was an entry in one of the monthly competitions I joined in, and the theme for that entry was “decay/ruins”. This image is in the 2008 Calendar of the Camera Club of the Philippines. Knowing very well that other images and entries were gonna be more on ruins, I wanted to be different. I went with the decay theme. I was expecting images from Angkor Watt, Greece, even Batanes, and indeed, I was right. The good thing about joining competitions is the submission day when you get to see how varied and different each eye is from the next guy. You get to learn and appreciate the art of photography, and they come in all styles. There’s gritty, fine art, old-fashioned, contemporary, abstract and the list goes on. I bought this skull in May 2007, knowing where and when I would use it. I wanted to go the different route, sort of like a rebel knowing other entries would go use the “ruins” category. I was right and I was happy because my entries (we are allowed 2 entries) were both skulls, a skull of a man and that of a cow. “Maverick” was a black and white TV show in the late 60’s to mid 70’s. Set in the wild, wild west, I was able to watch this together with other famous western of that time, “Bonanza”. When Tito Sotto saw this image, he blurted out (complete with expletive hehe) “Kiko alam mo ba ano tawag dito?” ( Kiko, do you know what they call this?) I answered “Hindi po.” (No sir?) He said- “Maverick” In my Dashboard Dictionary- Maverick is- (noun)- -An unorthodox, or independent-minded person. -A person who refuses to conform to a particular party or group. -An unbranded calf or yearling This is who I am. A maverick. This is my image. This is my shot. This is me.
Shot in Angeles, Lahar dumpsite, Pampanga....mukhang Arizona no? Tumbleweed nalang ang kulang, at yung music ni Django.....haha
 Hey hey hey, look at what my bro, Maynard "The mentor" San Jose won for me in an E-Bay bid!!!! My first Large Format film camera...it comes with 2 lenses, and 5 negative holders!!!
I am so excited to play with it, and I'm gonna be getting it when I go the US, next month, which is just a couple of days away.
So now I have a 35 mm camera, a 120 mm medium format camera, and now a 4 X 5 Field camera....next toy? A pinhole camera, that am gonna make myself one day.
So now it's time for alternative photography.... 
Am use this for a future exhibit in the works....
   I have entries in the English publication, Digital Camera Magazine. They have a Photographer of the Year 2008 Contest. Help me get my votes, I really am passionate about my images and I hope you like them too. Visit http://dcmag.co.uk/ and go the POTY2008 section at http://poty2008.dcmag.co.uk/
I have entries in B/W, Animals, Documentary, People & Portrait, Landscape, & Creative Vision and I need your help.
Register as a member, look for my portfolio under my DCmag username- Superproxy and you may start voting. Submission ends on Sept. 30,2008.
O, vote na mga kapatid, pero VOTE IF YOU REALLY LIKE IT ok? Ang tagumpay ng isang Filipino ay tagumpay ng buong bayan. Sali na rin kayo....good luck sa ating lahat.
PS: sa B/W my shots are the two skulls, one kalabaw and the other one a man's skull shown on the picture that I posted here.
Walang Iwanan mga kapatid.
   We did "Betamax" at EB yesterday. We didn't even rehearse, but it felt good. Me and Raimund, we go a long way. Back in '96, we did a song called " Sapot" and it was a collabo by " FrancisM & Planet Garapata". Planet Garapata in my mind, was the predecessor of Sandwich.
It felt good to be with Diego, who was with the OPM-A&R dept. of BMG Pilipinas circa 1995-96-98? Diego duing this era was with a band together with Myrene called "The Aga Muhlach Experience"
Raimund, on the other hand is a good, good friend, like a brother to me. At one point I gave him my super rare black & red Adidas Rapstar, which they made especially for me. There were only 2 Rapstars made, the shoe I gave him and mine which was a tri-color red,blue & yellow take on the flag.
See? Even before FMCC, even before the Nike Airforce 1-Inside Out Priority Jose Rizals, even before 59-50 New Era flag caps, we were the ORIGINAL URBAN PATRIOTS.
Raimund is a musician's musician, who like Dave Grohl, plays all (and ANY) instrument, plus he can rhyme, sing and mosh with the best of 'em.
He has collabod (or did filler tracks) with me on these albums- Happy Battle (1996), Oddventures of Mr. Cool (1998), the E.P. Interscholastic (1999) and Freeman 2 (2000)
Coming soon collabos? Watch out for my singles closely, for inside these MP3 Data cds, will be a Squid 9 remix of my new tracks. We will be managing a "band" in the next month for a Battle of the Bands contest on Eat Bulaga.
To Raims, Diego, Myrene and the Sandwich family...mabuhay kayo. Ipagpatuloy ang rebolusyon! PADAYON.
Here's a shot of us 3, shot by Michael V. using my new W890i celly, and a shot I took from my TV  of course, rockin what tees? FMCC.
"Cuz, we're pushers, the pushers of buttons, on-off, off-on these are my weapons..."- FrancisM 1996
"We don't need to sleep no more, we are electric to the core inside a cyber haze daze..." Raimund Marasigan 1996
  Nagkita na pala si Manny Pacquiao at David Diaz, sa presscon nila. Based on the last fight that I saw, hindi napatumba ni Diaz si Montano sa laban nila. Montano is a sparring partner of Pacman, so I guess Pacman can take on Diaz, now knowing that he is actually taller than his opponent.
According to Manny, mabait at tahimik daw si Diaz and he is wary of silent guys as opposed to the flash and pomp of the media-hungry pugilists.
Well, good luck to Pacman, hindi daw siya mag kumpiyansa, yan ang tamang strategy. Padayon Manny.
PS: Kung nagdadalawang isip ka Pacman, aba, ako nasa SARREAL GYM lang sa Banawe, QC, baka gusto mo magpapawis... hehehe...
ops, JOKE lang ha. Ang Joke Joke, Ang Joke Joke....
 At last, it's been 8 years since my last album, (Freeman 2/2000), and here is my first of 8 installments for 2008. "Sino Magsasabi" is my version of the tale The Emperor's New Clothes. It is NOT for sale, yet you get it for free for every purchase of 2 FMCC roundneck tees, or 1 FMCC collared polo tee. It is a LIMITED issue and is serially numbered 1 to 2500, worldwide. It is NOT playable in your car stereos (unless they play MP3's) because, each single is a DATA CD that contains Documents, Pictures and Music. (YUP just like a MAC) Each of the 8 singles is unique in content for the collector. Collect all 8 singles and SEE THE BIG PICTURE. And by the end of the year, or early next year, I drop the FULL CD AUDIO Album "The F-Word" This 1st single is the "clean" radio edit. The word on the street is the "dirty" version will be released as a bonus track when the 2nd single drops next month. Get your FMCC tees and your LIMITED singles before they run out. Where? At 3 STARS & A SUN, NEO-CHINATOWN, 2ND FLR., BRADCO AVE, COR. MACAPAGAL BLVD. Hope y'all like the music, it's LIVE featuring the HARDWARE SYNDROME. IT FEELS GOOD TO BE BACK. BASAGAN NA NG BUNGO.
  As of this writing am packing my Nike Overnight Cabin Bag, all set to fly to HK at 2:50 pm. Sony-BMG and MTV Philippines are sending me to interview and cover Wyclef Jean's Asian Tour, by way of Hong Kong.
To be exact, I'm flying today, but the event is gonna be tomorrow, with my interview set at exactly 3:45-4:00 pm, and his show is at 8:40-9:30 pm ay MO Bar @ Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel for a 8 song gig. Then we kick it at 9:30-10:00 for a Meet & Greet Backstage for his fans and radio winners.
Am cramming to pack the appropriate stuff ( I know a SIGNAL # 3 typhoon will hit HK in 2-4 hours) and deciding on what camera to bring, if am gonna go career EOS 5D w 24-70 2.8 and a 70-200 2.8 IS, or just go light and cute with a Leica D-lux 3.
The plot thickens...hmmmm...updates to come.
 FILIPINO PICTURES INC. SUMMER FILMMAKING WORKSHOP
Informatics, the countries premier IT training institute, FMCC (The Francis M. Clothing Co.) and First Call Grip supports Filipino Pictures, Inc. as it stage its first Summer Filmmaking Workshop this year. Starting April 8, 2008 Filipino Pictures, Inc. will be conducting a basic filmmaking workshop that would open a venue for passionate individual to start their cruise into an exciting world of filmmaking.
The workshop offers to teach Film Analysis, Directing and Film Language, Scriptwriting and Story Pitching, Cinematography, Line Producing and Production Management, Production Design and Sound Design.
Learn from the best. Facilitated by acclaimed and award winning personalities both in the movie and television industry.
Designed for students to enjoy their summer vacation and professionals engaged in regular working hours, classes start at 5:00pm to 10pm. The schedules are as follows:
I. April 8, 2008
FILM ANALYSIS AND BACKGROUND ON INDIE FILMMAKING
Facilitator: JON RED
II. April 9, 2008
SCRIPTWRITING PART 1
Facilitator: OGI SUGATAN, JR.
III. April 11, 2007
LINE PRODUCING
Facilitator: PAOLO VILLALUNA
IV. April 12, 2008
DIRECTING AND FILM LANGUAGE
Facilitator: PAOLO VILLALUNA
V. April 14, 2008
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Facilitator: ARNOLD LIMJOCO
VI. April 16, 2008
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Facilitator: RAYMOND RED
VII. April 18, 2008
SOUND DESIGN
Facilitator: RUDY GONZALES
VIII. April 19, 2008
SCRIPTWRITING PART 2
Facilitator: OGI SUGATAN, JR.
IX. April 21, 2008
EDITING
Facilitator: JON RED
X. April 23, 2008
FINAL DEFENSE, SCRIPT REVIEW AND EXERCISES
XI. April 26 & 27, 2008
SHOOTING DAYS
Fee is at P10,000 ONLY! All equipments will be provided.
So, if you want to spend summer in a fun and productive way… if you are dreaming of becoming a filmmaker and want to start by learning from the best… join Filipino Pictures, Inc. first Summer Filmmaking Workshop. With the support from Informatics, FMCC and First Call Grip, this is a start of something big.
Visit us at Filipino Pictures, Rm. 305-306 Salomon Building, # 1427 E. Rodriguez Ave., Cubao Q.C.
Or you may contact us at 0919-5579601 (Bernice) or 0917-9725745 (Ianne). E-mail us at filipinopictures@gmail.com
 Hey you know Mongkok the famed Night Market area of Hong Kong? Well a couple of people want to develop Neo-Chinatown Center into a YEAR LONG NIGHT MARKET, so do drop by. Vast parking space and nice people too.
No thieves, nice places and restos, and great lighting too. It's still a baby as you might see, many stalls still waiting to open, but you may check it out.
YEAR LONG. Neo-Chinatown is at Bradco Ave., corner Macapagal Blvd., Paranaque City (near McDonald's Macapagal)
Ps.
The 3 Stars & a Sun store is now open unofficially and opens from 11 am- 8 pm. Grab your FMCC tees NOW!
It is an honor to receive this award, to be selected as an honoree LEGEND in MUSIC, by Ramil Gonzales of NuVision Worldwide Media and to actually be flown, all expenses paid, First Class accommodations, Limousine service, be billeted at room 1268 of Hilton Hotel- Universal City...what else? To step on the red carpet, be shot by paparazzi of the Kodak Theatre, where Hollywood stars have stepped on, step on the same stage they stood on, to be with Tito Dolphy, Tito, Vic & Joey, shake hands with Surf god Sonny Garcia, rub elbows with Battista & Brian McKnight, hear Martin Nievera sing acapella after a tech malfunction and pull it off to standing ovation, to be in a limo w/ Jasmine Trias & Pia Guanio, Joey de Leon and Family, to be acknowledged by APL de AP in his acceptance speech...to take pics of Rudy Fernandez, Nia Peeples, to slap hi-5's with Billy Crawford...to eat and drink soda at Wolfgang Puck's bar, to take a picture of The George Eastman Room....to go the john where Tom Hanks, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro have stepped in to...to be with my photography mentor Maynard, kick it with his fam, to kick it with Kiwi, and to get skateboards from Rad Yo!...visit and take photos of The Grove...take photos of Venice Canals, visit The Block at Orange and see the Van's store and skatepark...to watch Vantage Point at AMC at the Universal City Walk..to go to In & Out in a limo w/ Vic Sotto and Pia Guanio, have a double-double with cheese..to take a cab, go to Fatburger and order a super thick chocolate shake..to do all of this in 4 days...and come back to the Motherland so we can blog about it and say- all in a days work.
God is good indeed.
Dreams are tangible realities waiting to happen- FrancisM 2008 The F-Word
Bravo Filipino, a celebration of Filipino Music and Culture was recently staged at Greenbelt 5. It featured among others, The Maestro, Ryan Cayabyab, Pilita Coralles (Two of my co-judges in the ORIGINAL Philippine Idol), icon diva Celeste Legaspi,icon balladeer Basil Valdez,composer Louie Ocampo, legendary axeman Jun Lopito, Skarlet, Rachel Alejandro, Gian Magdangal, Jan Nieto & Maureen of Phil. Idol fame, and a host of other musicians like original Hardware Syndrome guitar god Noel Mendez, iconic bassist Bobby Taylo just to name a few.
I did a "duet" with Pancho Magalona, my dad who passed away back in '98 but for that night was present with me in the affair. It gave me goosebumps hearing Juno and Local E play my track with Daddy. I made sure Direk Rowell Santiago was happy with our number. My intro spiel was extemporaneously spontaneous (haha double double) and came from my heart.
Don Jaime Zobel de Ayala (who persuaded me to accept the booking, thru Camera Club of the Philippines and the proddings of 3 time Master Photographer, Quincy Castillo) applauded us all as we were onstage for the curtain call, and gave us our bouquets. He personally told me onstage "We owe you"....
Senyor, no you don't owe me, Chairman Emeritus, I OWE YOU for allowing me to be with Daddy to represent The Magalonas, and Filipinos in general. I hope you may give me some of your photographs one day, with signature of course...
All in all my rating of the event? 10 out of 10! Bravo Filipino!
PS: here are my images of Celeste Legaspi and Mamita Pilita, Jun Lopito & Skarlet, and of course, yours truly.
   
I got my limited Air Jordan 23 yesterday. Many, many thanks and much love to Melissa, Mae, Tony & Noel. I gave my word I ain't showing it, 'cuz, the launch is at 12 Noon Feb 15, 2008 at the NIKE store in Bonifacio High Street.
Awww, I wish I could show the shoe (which I shot with my Leica D-Lux 3 last night) so what am do is show you a sneak peak, together with an original cast of MJ's bust by my best friend Beethoven Bunagan a.k.a. Michael V., b.k.a. BITOY
For now these pics will do, but the shoe has got all the bells and whistles, and my hair rose. I stopped buying Jordans after the last shot against UTAH, but now I wanna complete my collection.
See you tomorrow at Nike in the Fort. 12:00 pm Feb 15, witness History as they unveil the Air Jordan 23 from the man who wore # 23. It's fitting as he turns 45 on Feb. 18 (and he wore the number 45 too....)
Happy Valentine's Day to y'all. and TO ME TOO. Love ya, Melissa, Mae, Tony , Noel and the rest. Don't worry FMCC and the 3 Stars & a Sun will take care of you guys....   
 Eto shops-
1. X-Print, Trinoma
2. X- Print, V-mall Greenhills 3rd Floor
3. X- Print, Market-Market
4. Fresh, Sgt. Esguerra Ave., cor. Timog QC
5. Sarreal Boxing Intl., Banawe, QC (in front of Sogo Hotel)
6. Unlimited 282, Neo- China Town, Aseana Business Park, Bradco Avenue, cor. Macapagal Blvd.
Coming soon:
-Festival Mall
-and the 1st 3 STARS & a SUN depot store at Neo-Chinatown
Para di maubusan, pre-order na 0917-8485964- Willy Velasquez, 0917-9179795- Carlo Maniquiz, 0917-8888050- Itoy
For US orders-
(707) 3640611 and (707) 3860558- Myla and Winston Bautista
Email them too at mylage@mac.com and stone88@mac.com
Here's a shot of Filipino-American MC - Kiwi from Native Guns who rocks FMCC and this brother is a TRUE FILIPINO.
 Here's a sneak peak of the pictorial I did for FHM, photography by Charles Buenconsejo. By the time the issue is out, the 1st "3 Stars & a Sun" depot store should be up and running.
"Bless the man if his heart and his land are ONE, the 3 Stars & a Sun..."- FrancisM (Freeman 1995 BMG Pilipinas)
I am in Mabuhay magazine! I am in the February issue of Mabuhay mag, the Philippine Airlines' OFFICIAL in-flight magazine.
My words and pictures can be found on page 24-25 and my "torotot" image is on page 2. I would like to thank Mr. Bien Bautista for referring me to Ms. Len Hogan, and to creative director, Manuel Roma, for giving me leeway and freedom to write the article in my style and point of view. Thanks too, to Mr. Simeon Ventura, the Editor-in-Chief, for giving me this chance to fulfill my dream of being a photojournalist. I wrote an article about Baguio's Flower festival. Last Year I was a "probee" member of the Camera Club of the Philippines, and I joined the OTS in Baguio for the Panagbenga, and the account is my take on the event itself thru some of my images.
Yes, my photos have been featured in Philippine Daily Inquirer,Digital Photographer Philippines, YES Magazine, People's Journal and other tabloids, you can also see my band photos in the new PUPIL album of Ely Buendia. BUT it's ANOTHER thing when YOU MAKE IT to MABUHAY MAGAZINE. It's been a lifelong dream to be in this prestigious publication. I REACHED FOR THE STARS and touched it.
Careerin na 'to. Up next? Got some food shots coming in the next Mabuhay Issues in the future.
  
Wanna know where the NEW store is? It's got lots of stocks and will be with items always. RIGHT NOW it's got Pride, Mikropono Flag, Black Super Proxy, Filipino Since Birth Platinum, Black Mikropono Bling Gold. This is the store of my good friend and partner, Itoy Villajin. (of the Spindicate Posse circa 1990's)
I was there yesterday to inaugurate the center- Neo Chinatown (along Macapagal Road, just a brisk walk from McDonald's) and just across Itoy's multi merchandise store, will rise THE FIRST- 3 STARS & a SUN Store.
I was there yesterday with Carlo, Willy V., Itoy, his partner Reynan, Thea and her hubby, my good friend and "anak" Gloc 9.
The address is ULTIMATE 282, Bay Pacific, Neo-Chinatown, Bradco. Ave, Diosdado Macapagal Blvd., Aseana Business Park, Paranaque City.
Congrats Toy. More power to you and yours.
PS: O lahat ng NAUBUSAN ng STOCK PUNTA na. NOW NA!   
| |
