As everybody was busy taking photos of fancy cars and trucks at the recent Rev UP motorshow. I’ve found this vintage army jeep outside the event and wasted no time shooting it. I’ve choose to shoot in on 3 bracketed shots (-1, 0 , +1) to be converted later for some HDR treatment. The result is the photo above.

Had a hard time focusing the head of this kid. He got this cute jollibee character shaved or drawn on his head and he’s always walking around. Good thing he sat down for a while, and that’s the moment I was waiting, a nice clear shot haha.

The selective focusing is technique is one photography style that impresses me when I started the photography hobby. As you can see on my example, an ordinary camera user would having a hard time unless he or she knows about aperture priority or depth of field. On this two shots the aperture is fix at f/4, I just recompose the focus at 10mm and use Spot on the metering mode.

And so with expensive elizabeth arden perfume, controversies and bad manners, the baretto family has managed to touch down on other non-showbiz related issues.

Maybe there is a bright side between the recent run in between Tulfo and “Raymart Baretto”, as some articles call him. This may not be that important to all of us, but for travelers and foreign investors, the airport is the place for first impressions. It is the first place that welcomes them into the country, and for it to be known that there is something amiss might not be in line with what our officials have in mind for this little country of ours. So better patch things up now. This advice is not just directed to the parties involved in the Tulfo-Baretto-Santiago brawl but also to our airport and local government officials.

Dubbed the OneA Run for Road Safety, initiated by MacGraphics Carranz’s top honcho Alvin Carranza and a joint activity with DOTC’s (Department of Transportation and Communication) Decade of Action for Road Safety is set to take place on May 13, 2012, at 5:00 a.m.

Starting point will be at OneA Place in Antipolo City, where there’s going to be an onsite registration.

The fee is only 300 pesos, which comes with a singlet (see image below). I just hope they also got customized t-shirts for this event bcoz I like the design and the color black hehe.

To register for the 3K, 5K, 10K, or 12K event, contact Vicky 0917 9841063 or text these numbers 09224194879 and 09175599019. Other activities, such as relay run, walkathon, bike-athon, and motorcade, will happen at the Quezon City Memorial Circle.

3K – Caltex after SM Masinag
5K – In front of Robinsons Metro East
10K – Ateneo Post Bridge
12K – Purok Aguinaldo
Final Venue – Quezon Memorial Circle

According to Mr. Roland Simbulan (the husband of the U.P. professor/journalist who was killed in a bus-taxi collision last May 13, 2011)

Itong mga nangyayaring road crashes, they could really alter someone’s life. It’s been almost a year since the untimely death of my wife, Lourdes“Chit” Estella Simbulan.

Speed limit has been implemented on major highways, including Commonwealth Avenue—where Chit died instantly.

But the numbers on road injuries keep on rising.

In an interview held at the Café Lupe inAntipolo City, Roland told the bloggers, “I wouldn’t call it an accident. Road crash is more accurate.

Also present at the bloggers’ night were Alvin Carranza (MacGraphics Carranza and Pilipinas teen Azkals), Chito Manuel (Philippine Football Federation), and Atoy Sta. Cruz (Motorcycle Philippines Federation).

Assembly will be at the OneA Events Place at 5:00 a.m.

Several government agencies joined forces to organize this run: Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Land Transportation Office (LTO); Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Automobile Association of the Philippines, and Motorcycle Philippines Federation.

Alvin Carranza, the founder of MacGraphics Carranz and team manager of Pilipinas Teen Azkals.

Aside from owning OneA Events Place, the run’s starting point, road safety—he says— has been one of his advocacies.

He tells the bloggers on May 10 at the Café Lupe, “If we’re aware of what the government agencies, including U.N., has been doing, we’ll remember that each time we drive, we have to be more careful.”

The recent statistics released by the World Bank last month states, “Currently, 1.3 million people are killed on the world’s roads each year and 90 percent of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, with an economic cost that can exceed total overseas aid flowing in.”

Carranza adds, “Sa Pilipinas, hindi pa kasama yung sa probinsiya, nasa top 5 tayo sa may pinakamaraming road injuries.Gayang sinabi ni Professor Roland Simbulan, the husband of Ms. Chit, ang road safety should be everyone’s concern.”

The run, which will be held this Sunday, at 5:00 a.m., also commemorates the declaration of U.N.’s Decade of Action for Road Safety last year.

By the way, do check out for this energy drink that will soon to be launched here in the Philippines. Its cool and its black. It’s the Acai 28 Black energy drink which is one of the sponsors for the OneA Run For Road Safety.

Calling all pinoy adrenaline junkies and extreme sports enthusiasts! Baka magustuhan nyo ito, mga downhill mountain bikers and specially bmx’ers and ex-bmx’ers like me. Asan na kayo mga riders ng Bicrosser, Jammin Jay, PM Berries, Schwinn, Night Riders, Black Riders, Fox Riders, atbp pang mga nakasabayan ko sa pagka extreme nung mga nakalipas na dekada. Nasa inyo pa ba mga bmx bikes nyo hehe. Pede natin itong i-convert into a drift trikes! Alam ko na kahit me edad na tayo, the radness and madness still remain with us di ba? Kaya let’s bring back those gnarly days!

So basically what is “drift trikes” – the design actually come from it’s predecessor – the Big Wheel, a very popular toy in the 1970s in the United States, partly because of its low cost and partly because consumer groups said it was a safer alternative to the traditional tricycle or bicycle. Source: Wikipedia

I’m promoting “drift trikes” in the Philippines. Its been quite a hit already on many parts of the world like USA, Spain, Brazil, Thailand, New Zealand, Portugal and Italy to name a few. So far hindi pa patok sa atin ang ganitong uri ng extreme sports. Just imagine its less expensive  to build one drift trike. Would be riders only needs even just an old bike to start this hobby. Konting lagare at welding lang, lagay ng step nut sa front tire, customized a PVC rear tire, place a seat, and that’s it! You got yourself a drift bike!

I’ve done some research on youtube videos for the benefit of introducing this awesome sports to the pinoy extremist crowd. Please watch it.

Cguro ito munang video na ito, kase me pagka-documentary ito on how the drift trike starts.

Drift Trikes – Student Documentary Film

Sa mga advance stunts, they even made a small ramp to get some air haha

at sa mega super insanity trick, siempre hindi pedeng mawala sa kahit anong extreme motor sports, the backflip

Normal sa drift trikes ang rear tires made out of PVC, but in this video, the drift trike owner uses just bearings

here are more videos you can watch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf4fI9Jh2Pg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1yyij0_LVg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx6TB3hvdpk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apm1cFVo1QI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BesBEdNN0M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qNnG6UCD40

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCtQdLwZAYU

http://youtu.be/R911VMNZ_kc

The fun and brotherhood is there, the riders were all happy with what they’re doing! There’s danger too no doubt about it, so always be prepared before drifting! Tara na! Drift na!

Like Pinoy Drift Trikes on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/PinoyDriftTrikes

Mike chan recently launched his self-titled album at Tiendesitas. He had a mini concert supported by some of his collegues in the music industry like Jason fernandez with Sta. Maria, Gary Ignacio, Tricia Garcia and other Heroes Project artist. The event is also sponsored also by MyPhone and Mossimo.

Mike Chan said that he put his heart and soul and making and producing this album. By the way, songs in this album are his own compositions and personal touch .

Although he’s tough looking, he possesses a soft but powerful voice. He sang “Ipagpatawad Mo” at the event to the delight of the audience, specially the female and not-so female crowd.

The following are the cuts in his album:

Don’t Go
Unforgettable featuring Marcus Davis
She’s The One
Moon In A Day
Heroes
Ngayon Ang Panahon featuring Gary Ignacio, James Stroup, Jek Manuel
Leave Me Alone
Moon In A Day (I Date Remix)
Unforgettable (I Date Remix)
Don’t Go (I Date Remix)

You could see and hear Mike Chan performs at Tiendesitas every Tuesday until June. He will also visit various SM Supermalls for his album promo tour starting May 7, 2012.

The second photo is a remarkable pinoy made customized motorcycle that I’ve done some HDR processing. Its actually on top of a mini-cooper with a tag on its side “Old Is Cool” another option to the much more famous “old school” tagline. It has multiple trophies in front of the car, just proving that its really a work of art.

This portrait of a monkey was taken at an outdoor restaurant somewhere in Iba, Zambales. He look so sad, and it seems like he’s praying for his freedom.

Last Monday I’ve set foot again at the world renowned PICC (Philippine International Convention center)  for the graduation ceremonies of my kiddo Kevin at Access Computer College. There seems a lot of improvements and renovations since the last time I was here which I can’t recall the dates anymore hehe. I’m impressed with the fixtures and elegant design of their lobby that looks like t’was design by the famous Ethan Allen (a furniture company in the U.S.).

Ok let’s go back to the graduation scenario. There are thousands of girls and boys wearing toga’s that day. The place was fully booked with graduation rites from different schools, that they’ve set two schedules for it. One in the morning and another in the afternoon, we got the afternoon schedule.

Maybe because of the scorching heat and the long lines for the toga rental, one student falls down face first and instantly got a big lump on his face.  Good samaritans nearby helped him immediately and bring him to the clinic. I just hope he still was able to attend the ceremony after what happened to him.

Together with my partner, we were able to grab seats at the upper section, where one needs a telescope just to view the faces of those at the stage haha. Nevertheless, I still zoomed-in my camera to take some snapshots. As you can see from the photo above, its blurry.

Kudos to the school as they provided a photographer to capture that precious moment of every graduates while receiving their diplomas.

The most surprising thing that happened that day was when Kevin’s name was called to come up the stage, not to receive his diploma but an award. He was one of the more than 20 students that received an academic excellence award out of the thousands of graduates that day. He particularly received the Leadership Award. We were really agog on our seats and were clapping vigorously to the amazement of fellow parents around our seats haha! It was truly rewarding for me as a father to see his kiddo graduated, his award only came as a bonus. (You could see his medal at the photo below)

Kevin and Me

Kevin and his classmates

I also graduated that day. Graduate na sa pagbabayad ng tuition ni Kevin hehe

Kevin on two graduation rites

Thank you Kevin for all your effort and patience, for being serious in your studies, you haven’t fail us and you make us proud! We wish you success in whatever road you will take to uplift your future. Love you, Dad

Funny news flash…Former President Joseph Estrada offering to be President Ninoy Aquino’s “Love Guru”. Now ain’t that just dandy? A president having trouble on his love affairs and a certified playboy slash former president offering to teach him the secrets to loving women, minus the ibanez guitars courtship style.

This happened at President Estrada’s 75th Birthday bash and was spoken as part of a jest to the “Philippines Most Eligible Bachelor”. Although we see no harm in the particular offer, let’s just hope Ninoy doesn’t really take it too seriously or else we’re bound to see plenty of little aquinos to come.

With the recent excitement going on around American Idol – Season 11 these past few weeks, with Pinoy bet Jessica Sanchez almost being kicked out of the competition, and Colton Dixon was eliminated who’s  a crowd favorite from last season, pinoys worldwide rant and rave as well as my housemates can’t help but be excited and frustrated at the same time to the point of stressing the flat panel stand of the TV from moving it left to right.

With the Filipino culture of always rooting for anyone with the tiniest drop of Filipino blood, we sure hope that Jessica Sanchez can do us proud and bag that elusive American Idol spot.