In Profile: The Women of USC Chem

Sharajen

There is something surreal about meeting Jing Jing (as a number of friends call her). She is both smart and beautiful (and the latter doesn’t even begin to give her looks any justice). Yet, how can someone so lovely be so humble? Self-effacing at times, even.

There has to be a catch, right?

In this case, there isn’t one. Jing is one of the few women that I know who is very much aware that she is attractive, but decides not to obsess about it with her every waking moment (or worse, make us mere mortals seem ugly plain by comparison).

I know. Surreal, right?

(more after the jump)

In Profile: The Women of USC Chem

Queenie

Looking at my Pareng (just a term of endearment, not a hint on sexual preference) Queenie, I often wonder if she’s a les why she’s still a card (albeit scuffed and scratched) -carrying member of the NBSB (No Boyfriend Since Birth) club. She is beautiful, sexy (see above picture for proof), intelligent and insightful.

Who wouldn’t want a woman like that in their life?

And then I think about how most men display a veneer of charm and confidence as a cover for all their insecurities (gaining weight, earning less, losing hair, ‘performance’ issues, etc.) and a refusal to leave Never Never Land. And I suddenly get why she’s still single --

She is beautiful, sexy, intelligent and insightful.

Men will sacrifice their lives to climb perilous mountains, but only a few will ever accompany the women in their life go shoe shopping.

Don’t despair, P’re. There’s hope… (more after the jump)

In Profile: The Women of USC Chem

Maricel

There’s nothing usual about how I met my paparts Ising (as most people call her, without the ‘paparts’ part) and more so for the friendship that has grown throughout the years. And we’ve learned much from each other and continue to do so as each day passes.

She taught me

1. how to load the clunky dot-matrix printer in the department.
2. which jeepneys to ride during my commute from one campus to another.
3. where to buy delicious and inexpensive food.

I taught her (and hopefully she agrees)

1. how to tidy up her locker.
2. how to choose and buy clothes that flatter her shape.
3. which boys are too young for her to crush on.

And before you even ask, I’m not… (more after the jump)

In Profile: The Women of USC Chem

Jinky

Jinky is pretty upbeat for someone who’s been dealt by life with a bad hand. I admire Jinx (as I like to call her) for her perseverance and sheer will to play the hand that’s been dealt to her. She’s blessed to be surrounded by loving family members and real friends (who are honest enough to tell her the truth if need be, like when her zipper is open). As a testament to her will to fight the illness that’s plaguing her we’ve conveniently changed the customary greetings ‘Happy Birthday’ and ‘Merry Christmas’ to ‘Jinky Derla’ (depending on the season).

Jiiinkyyy Derrrlaaa to… (more after the jump)

In Profile: The Women of USC Chem

Charita

Charita, or Chai as we call her, can tell you where a chemical, material, apparatus or whatever it is you need from the stock room within centimeters of its actual location (No kidding!). Here’s an account of Cha’s highly developed spatial intelligence.

Me: Chai, can I borrow the set of small screwdrivers?

Chai: Take a left when you enter the door, walk 6 paces, open the cabinet on your left, the screwdrivers are in a blue plastic case on the shelf that’s at eye level.

Me: Your eye level or mine?

Chai: [Wry smile]

As you can see, she’s also quite used to handling knuckleheads like me.

But, Chai is by no means a one-trick pony as you’ll find out after the jump.

In Profile: The Women of USC Chem

Ailenn

Ailenn is a co-worker and a friend. She is one of the unfortunate people I blind under the pretense of practicing my photography on a regular basis. She deals with the chaos and the volatility that is the organic laboratory. One can often hear her lovely voice rise above the din of exhaust fans and glassware (also, the wailing of undergrads working on their unknowns) when you pass by the lab.

More facets of the gem that is Ai after the jump --

*Lighting details are added as a footnote at the end of each post (for those who are interested).

Five Tips for Making Better Pictures with the Camera You Already Have

Tip # 5 – Seeing the Big Picture: Shooting the Details

You could have gone on a vacation or attended an event (wedding, birthday, school exhibit, etc.), and you just got home with your memory cards bursting at the… err, seams (for the lack of a better word) with photos. You transfer the images from your card (or camera) to the computer in excited anticipation. You plop down on a comfy chair and start browsing through them only to notice that your images are a little too… banal generic. You could’ve very well gone to the corner sari-sari (the Filipino analog of sorts to a convenience store), snapped a few photos of you and the shopkeeper, and told your office mates you went to an obscure and ‘exotic’ Southeast Asian country.

Sometimes, we get caught up in getting the big picture that we neglect to notice the small details that make the whole.

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono

The demands of work and my ongoing recuperation from the flu have made me decide to discontinue my daily portrait project for now. It doesn't mean I won't be doing anymore shooting, preferably just on a less rigorous schedule.

Thanks to all those have supported me in this endeavor.

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 20)

Day 20 – Parallels

*lighting details can be found in the comments section (via the link below)

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 19)

Day 19 – Devil’s Advocate

*lighting details can be found in the comments section (via the link below)

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 18)

Day 18 – Windows

*lighting details are available in the comments section (via the link below)

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 17)

Day 17 – Firestarter

*lighting details can be found in the comments section (via the link below)

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 16)

Day 16 – Playing with Density

*lighting details can be found in the comments section (via the link below)

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 15)

Day 15 – The Light and Shade

*lighting details can be found in the comments section (via the link below)

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 14)

Day 14 – Painting a Picture

*This picture was made purely from ambient light (sunlight streaming through a hallway) as I didn’t have any other light source with me. The irony is if I had brought lighting gear with me, I would’ve ended up not using it at all.

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 13)

Day 13 - Brainstorming

*lighting details can be found in the comments section (via the link below)

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 12)

Day 12 – Breaking Free

*lighting details can be found in the comments section (via the link below)

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 11)

Day 11 – Hug Therapy for Post-Midterm Stress

*lighting details can be found in the comments section (via the link below)

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 10)

Day 10 – A Rey of Light

*lighting details can be found in the comments section (via the link below)

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 9)

Day 9 – Sandwich-sitting

*lighting details can be found in the comments section (via the link below)

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 8)

Day 8 – Into the Ether

*This post came a day later as midterm examinations are ‘interfering’ with my photography. Lighting details can be found in the comments section (kindly just click on the link below).

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 7)

Day 7 – Presidentially Pondering

*I’m afraid that I must renege on the promise that I made at the onset of this project to stick to existing light. I’m no lighting wizard, but I feel that the images I’ve shot in  ambient light lack a certain ‘pop’. If it’s as if I’m tying my good hand behind my back, knowing full well that I’m about to wrestle a 600-pound gorilla.

So, I’ll have to compromise with one (non-ambient) light source for each picture after this one.

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 6)

Day 6 – Leading with a Smile

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 5)

Day 5 – Ha, ‘rold?

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 4)

Day 4 - Ergonomics

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 3)

Day 3 - The Hall Monitor

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 2)

Day 2 - The Organic Oracle

Daily Portrait Project: A Month in Mono (Day 1)

I’ve received a number of positive comments, encouragement and constructive critique for the pictures I made with my last ‘Daily Portrait Project’ that I’ve decided to continue with another round of portraits for the next 31 days. This time around I’ll be shooting using only existing light and a reflector (or two) to bounce light off of or to create fill. Also, the photos will be processed to produce a black and white image, which will help me practice my post-processing skills. Lastly, I’ll be loose with the term ‘daily’ as I’ll be posting a new photo each day, but I may have shot them at an earlier time during the week (as my schedule may not always permit me to shoot a new portrait each day). And with that lengthy prelude out of the way, on to the photos.

Day 1 – Dressed for Success

Musings of an Unquiet Mind: Why a Brownout is a Blessing

The title of this particular category came from the title of my first blog ‘Musings of an Unquiet Mind’. The content of this particular section can range from my theories on why it’s harder to get a ride when it’s raining to the consequences of suppressing ‘the shiver’ after peeing just because there are other men on either side of you. I may use photos to illustrate my point and inject a little poetry here and there, but the whole point of the exercise is to regurgitate ideas and thoughts that have overstayed their welcome in my head; so take everything with a grain of salt. You’ve been warned.

The Martians are coming!

Last Thursday, August 5, power went out at our place. This localized phenomenon is what is referred to as a brownout. If you look it up, it’s defined as an incomplete blackout. Does this mean it aspired to be, but didn’t quite reach the standard needed for a full-blown blackout? All I can say is that it didn’t seem like it failed to reach such a standard for those of us who were left in the dark.

Five Tips for Making Better Pictures with the Camera You Already Have

Tip # 4 – Holding It Steady: Using a Tripod

Artsy or blurry?

It doesn’t take a professional photographer to spot if a photo is out of focus. Most people scanning through a bunch of photos can easily tell if one is blurry (or not sharp). It can be attributed to many things, but ultimately it can be a product of the any of these three possible scenarios: the subject moved, the photographer (specifically, his hands) moved, or both of them moved (like during an earthquake).

Daily Portrait Project: Day 31 — Jesus

Five-letter Word for Profound Loss

*shot with ambient light from a number of different sources (both natural and artificial); image processed with a bleach bypass filter to desaturate colors

Daily Portrait Project: Day 30 – Francis

A Rare Moment of Quietude

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 29 – Denniell

A Smile for Thursday’s Troubles

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 28 – Alden/Casimiro

The Serious Mr. Bukayo

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 27 – Diana

An Enduring Allure

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 26 – Charm

Age Is Just a Number

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 25 – Angelica

Frolicking in the Garden

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 24 – Jill

Verdant Vision

*As with all other DPP posts, a larger version of the photo can be viewed by clicking on the image above. Lighting details can be found after the jump.

Daily Portrait Project: Day 23 – Wenchee

The Glow of Anticipation

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 22 – Ailenn

A Serene Escape from the Unknown(s)

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 21 – Ann Marie

After Hours

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 20 – Hess

The Juxtaposed Jabberwocky

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 19 – Elsie

The Dignity of Age

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 18 – Jonas

Rainy Night Revelations

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 17 – Jonathan Aldric

The Lonely Troubadour

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 16 – Restituto

Looking to the Future

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 15 – Paul James

Shining Through

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 14 – Ana Rhea

Pensive at the Pigeonholes

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 13 – Noemae

Respite from Contemplation

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 12 – Gianna Loise

The Beginnings of a Smile

*lighting details after the jump

Daily Portrait Project: Day 11 – Irish Joy

Simply Pinay

*lighting details after the jump