From Man-child to Man, Child

Happy birthday, bai.

My brother, Jonas, and I strayed from the well-beaten path (What path?!) early in our lives. Thankfully, we were able to forge on and make our way to our current 'ground states'.

It seems to me that a lot of people expect a certain level of ‘maturity’ to suddenly develop when one reaches a certain age. It is as if one is metamorphosed from a slacker to a go-getter overnight. A lot of people may disagree with me, but I've always believed that growing up didn't mean changing our flawed parts for good ones, but rather choosing to hear the almost inaudible voice of good over the deafening din of the bad.

You've come a long way, Jon. I'm proud of you.

In Profile: The Women of USC Chem

Rachel

Beauty and intelligence in the same person is a rare compound. Rarer still is to find it existing in a solution of confidence and humility. And yet these are qualities that you will readily find in Rachel. She is in her third year of the B.S. Chemistry program and is currently trying to make it through the gauntlet of unknowns and derivations that comes with it.

Rachel further disproves the notion that all chemists (or in this case, chemists-to-be) are frumpy wear white coats.

More pictures of Rachel after the jump …

Distilled Moments: Life in Wax

At first spark, we all are
Tiny, wavering creatures —
Needing hands cupped over
Our beginning fragile glow.

In our youth we blaze on
Carefree, shining in unison
With companions and loves;
Defying the winds that blow.

As the tallow shortens,
We bear the load of purpose
To brighten the path,
The dark, the cold — what lies yon.

As the wick is consumed,
We gleam brightly one last time;
Rekindling not the fire,
But, instead passing it on.

__________

My mother turned 67 another year older yesterday. This poem is meant to remind her of the many lives she has touched with her light. Happy birthday, Ma.

The Women of USC Chem — The Amara Update

Ailenn

 

Click me! — Ailenn’s Profile, The Amara Update on Flickr

More to come…

Watching the World Go By

Shades of Blue. There is an obscure gradation that separates the recluse from the lonely. The lonely yearn for arms to embrace them. The recluse fans the embers of anticipation, waiting for the day when he is back in the arms of those whom he loves.

The Women of USC Chem — The Amara Update

Sharajen

Click me! — Sharajen’s Profile, The Amara Update on Flickr 

More to come...

Lessons in Pop Culture

A sampling of life lessons I learned from Jesus, my father (and not one of the divine persons of the Trinity):

1. It takes a lot of growing up to be able to play again.
2. Character is not defined by one’s successes, but by one’s flaws and the conviction by which we overcome them every day.
3. Don’t poke the bear by cutting in front of him on the road.

Happy Father’s Day, Pops!

The Women of USC Chem — The Amara Update

This series of picture sets are an update to the original ‘In Profile’ articles written for select women in the USC Chemistry Department.

Maricel

Click me! — Maricel’s Profile, The Amara Update on Flickr

Thanks yous:

Location: Amara Clubhouse (Thanks to Cathy for the access)
MUA: Queenie, Face Painter
Voice-activated Light stand/Boom: Queenie, Wielder of the Light

More to come…

Park Life

The rains have slaked the dry and parched earth. And flora, in celebration, have shown up in their verdant garb. Although the wet season is not as sensual as summer, it is equally alluring. Its brooding skies and fickle rains cover the world in an invigorating sheen of rebirth.

On a day when the sun played hide and seek behind the clouds, I had the privilege of making these pictures of Marlyn. To me, her fresh-faced innocence ensconced in the bosom of nature was in many ways metaphoric — to be old (and here I am referring more to the number of years on this earth) and yet appear ageless.

As always, I am grateful to Marlyn for being a graceful and gracious subject. And, of course, to my good friend Queenie for not only being the arm that wields the light, but for offering her valued insights and ideas as well.

More pictures and a link to the set after the jump…

Watching the World Go By

Finding Picturesque. On the most ordinary of days, I stumbled upon a scene that looked too arranged to be found. It brought me back to my days in kindergarten when arts and crafts consisted mainly of drawing and eating paste coloring. When asked to draw a rural scene, more often than not, nearly everyone would have some version of a bahay kubo on their sketch pad, complete with the requisite sunrise in the background. Well, maybe except for the kid who insisted on drawing a blue duck.

In Summery

And as fast as that last sliver of golden light disappears over the horizon, the languid and sultry days of summer have come to an end. Although I do welcome the pitter-patter of rain on the roof, I can’t help but pine for the bright, blue skies of the sweltering season past. Admittedly, there’s a certain ethereal quality to the diffused sunlight of an overcast day; but if one wants a pop of color, nothing beats the brilliance of a clear, summer morning.

So, until the cloud curtains part allow me to pay tribute to summertime with the help of a couple of friends: Queenie, for being such a wonderful subject; JHB, for assisting me; and Maricel, for the moral support (and for making sure our stuff didn’t get washed away by the rising tide).

More pictures after the jump…

A Hole

I’ve decided to extend my series of articles entitled ‘Five Tips for Making Better Pictures with the Camera You Already Have’ onto what will hopefully be regular posts on road-tested photography tips. These tips like the ones before them will feature information that I believe will improve the quality of pictures that you make by maximizing the best piece of gear you already have — your brain. :-)#

No, I’m not trying to be a smart-ass about the title. Well, okay maybe just a little bit. This isn’t going to be a treatise on holes, but rather the shape these usually come in. And before your mind wanders, allow me to make the argument for including circles in your pictures.

Yes, circles. What were you thinking of anyway?

• Circles are strong compositional elements, whether they are found (such as the hole in the floor in the picture above) or implied (as shown in the cluster of flowers in the picture below). Their strength lies in the fact that they tend to enclose the objects found within them, which leads the viewer’s eye inward and effectively establishes the focal point of your image.
• The round shape of a circle creates tension with the straight edges of the frame. And also has the potential for creating a picture within a picture, which makes for a layered and far more interesting composition.

Well, whaddya know? There are earthly rewards to being holey after all.

More to come…

Distilled Moments: Network Busy

Network Busy

Words travel through the air

Finding themselves lost.

A mire of broken

Promises and lost souls,

Awaiting oblivion.

Lies told at the speed of light —

Breaking hearts in a wink,

Fetching tears from her eyes.

No beep, no buzz, no cheer;

Just whispers to limbo.

The Light of the Household

A considerable number of people tell me (often without provocation) that I take after my mother. As far as I can tell, that would be a fair observation to make as I haven’t been told that I was adopted (well, not yet anyway) or I fell from the sky during a meteor shower. Seriously though, I must admit that I do share more than a few similarities with the old gray dame far beyond the semi-permanent scowl on our faces — We both despise dislike having to sit for a photograph, especially if we are its only subject.

So, how did I manage to make this unconventional portrait of my mother?
 
Well, I simply waited for her to tire out from her Holy Week duties to the point that she could no longer protest my sticking a flash or two in her direction. I also took the opportunity to experiment with a lighting technique where I would create my own fill light instead of relying on the existing ambient conditions.

Another picture and a poorly-drawn diagram after the jump…

Watching the World Go By

Sea change. The waves rush and break themselves upon the shore with an expected regularity. Because that is simply what waves do. I, on the other hand, have been going against the current like a madman. And what makes it even more lamentable is that I have more than enough sense to choose not to. The winds are shifting and I must chart my direction correspondingly. Eleven years are enough, there’s no point waiting for the next sixteen.