Jade - Maternity Portraits

Jade, the lovely woman in the pictures that follow, is a very good friend of my wife, Susan. We conceptualized and planned a maternity portrait session as a gift to her last March, as she was expecting her first child then. She has since given birth to a healthy and beautiful baby boy. However, please allow me to share a few hand-picked pictures that I especially liked from that session here.

The pictures in the collage above can be viewed individually (and larger) after the jump.

Come as You Are

I have written a piece on how I perceive a portrait to be and the process behind its creation. Most of my insights on portraiture are more of the old school than of the new. This doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the new styles and techniques that have emerged, but let's just say that I am more of a get-it-right-in-camera kind of photographer. If I can achieve the look that I need with the right clothes (or the lack thereof), a little makeup and flattering light, then I am more than happy to call it a day.

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.

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!

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…

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…

The Day of the Matriarch

A Hundred Clicks. Or it would seem like it. I could never make a halfway decent portrait of my ma because she would get self-conscious the minute I sat her down for one. She would unintentionally… well, make faces. Hence, I resorted to capturing this candid moment of her overlooking the carroza preparation during this year’s Holy Week. No raised eyebrow, no smirk, and one thing off my list of pictures to make before I die. And not to end on a morbid note, happy Mother's Day, ma!

Fire and Ice

In a world where the borders between disciplines are rapidly blurring, a collaboration between the arts and the sciences doesn’t sound like too much of a stretch as let’s say… bioengineering a unicorn. Seriously though, in the not too distant past the ‘odd’ pairing would be compared to the mingling of fire and ice. But, what not too many people then would have probably realized, is that the combination of the two would yield steam. And steam is not only able to open up the pores on your face turn colossal turbines to generate electricity, but it also implies an element of attraction, an all-consuming passion even. But, I digress (especially about the all-consuming passion part).

When I heard that these two became a couple, I had to say that I couldn’t be any happier for the both of them. I won’t make predictions as to what will happen in the years to come because the universe has a penchant for writing tragic endings to even the most promising of love stories. What I do hope for is that they both find happiness in the time that they have together.

As in chemistry and in literature, opposites do attract.

There are more pictures after the jump.

Thesis Formal

Denniell

*There’s a short feature and more pictures of Denniell on my Flickr page. Just click on the image above to open it in a new tab or window.

Of Likenesses and Portrayals

A portrait, as I see it, is a combination of two perspectives. It is first a likeness of the person in the picture. A graphical symbol of an individual as she existed in that particular moment in time. Unless gifted with an eidetic memory, it is the closest and dare I say the most accurate image one can have of a person. On one hand, a portrait is also a representation of how a person is portrayed by the person making it. There are mechanical and personal limitations to consider, but the final product usually speaks volumes about how the subject is perceived by the photographer than about the subject herself.

This segment of my blog is a collection of such portraits that I have made of family, friends and strangers through the years.

Rosemay

*Additional pictures of the individual featured can be viewed on my Flickr page, which will open in a separate tab or window when you click on the image above.