Of Cats and Kittens

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I just discovered how cats can be very good test subjects. Not for science experiments, but as subjects in your photos. They're naturally photogenic. They know how to deal with the camera which is great. I think, I need to learn from cats when posing for the camera. 

As you can tell, I love cats. I love animals, in general. As kids, my brother and I were keen in adopting stray cats into our home. It started with just one cat, Orange. Cats can multiply really fast, I tell you. In a matter of two or three years, we already had 20 of them. 

In Negros, my folks have a cat. They just call her Mingay for the lack of a better name. Here in Cebu, we don't have cats of our own anymore. We've just "adopted" some cats who like to stay on our porch. Although they're not ours, we just feed them. I've also named two of them.

No animals were harmed in this shoot. Rather, they captivated me with their cuteness and their playfulness.

Jerro, again. Fuji Superia 200 (expired) x CDR King 35mm camera

Stranger's cat. Fuji Superia 200 (expired) x CDR King 35mm camera

I call her Tambok. :) Fuji Superia 200 (expired) x CDR King 35mm camera

Voodoo, my favorite flirty kitty. Lucky Super 200 (fresh) x Minolta Maxxum 3

Meow! I don't know her name. Centuria DNP 400 (expired) x Minolta Maxxum 3

Tingko, Alcoy

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You ever experienced that itching feeling that makes you want to take a dip and bask in the sun? To scratch that itch, we decided to head down south to Alcoy. Tingko in Alcoy is one of the best free beaches that Cebu can offer both to locals and tourists as well. The trip to Alcoy takes around two hours or less, during less-busy days. You will only pay for your fare to Alcoy from the South Bust Terminal, which is around P109.

I'd like to think that Tingko in Alcoy is a good substitute for packed beach resorts. It's like getting away from the bustle of the city.

We got our own table and a bench for P200. It was even too big for us. This is just an option, however. There are a number of visitors who bring tents with them or just lie in the sand. There are also huge white tents, with chairs, that you can rent. I'm not sure how much it costs, though. A local said that it's quite pricey, around P1,000++. You can also choose to get a cottage or a beach house, especially if you are staying overnight. There are also boats that you can rent, if you want to go out in the sea.

If you're thinking of heading down to Alcoy, I'd advise you to ride a bus to Santander to get there. The Alcoy bus will only get you to Alcoy proper. You will have to ride a tricycle and pay P25 to get to Tingko from there. This can be a hassle. Don't forget to bring your lunch and food. It's a bit difficult to look for food in Alcoy, even in their market. So, make sure that you come prepared.

I really like the ambiance in Alcoy. Although there were lots of people, being a holiday, I was comfortable knowing that I wouldn't really bump to someone I know. I love the feel of the powdery sand beneath my feet and the sight of the kids running around. It's just comfortable.

*photos taken with Lucky Super 200 (fresh) x Minolta Maxxum 3*

CDR-King 35mm Film Camera: A Review

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I bought this CDR-King 35mm film camera for P50 (about US$1.20). This was my first choice for a "trial" camera when I decided to start with analog photography. I was still unsure of pursuing this hobby so I wanted to get a test camera. This is probably the best camera to start with since it's really cheap. However, if you have a film SLR then it's much better.

For that price above, you're already getting a free film (Fujifilm Superia 200) and an AA battery along with your camera. Unfortunately, the one I bought didn't have a battery in the package, for some strange reason. I also failed to check with the sales lady before I paid for the pack. Thank goodness I've got tons of spare batteries at home that still worked so I didn't have to buy a new battery. You can see the package that I got here.

It was really easy to operate the camera since the camera also came along with a manual. It's definitely user-friendly and lightweight. The thing with this camera is that I find it fragile. I think like a wrong move might break the camera or something. 

I personally think that it was really a bargain to get a camera and a film (expired) for only P50. The camera took decent shots, which I mostly love. This can also be a great experimental camera, if you wish it to be. You can create filters or burn the lens at the sides for a fun effect on your photos without feeling sad for the camera. You can tweak it a bit just for fun.

The photos that I got with the camera weren't bad at all. I just found some weird empty photos after having the first roll developed. I didn't tweak it or anything. I'm still not sure what happened to it. I think it's because the place is too dark, or I don't know. I got a few of these photos:

Below are some of the decent shots that I got with my first roll. It's not really that nice but I think it's a good start. Most of them are a bit dark but then I like them that way. My second roll is coming up so I'll be posting some more. Check out my entire roll here.

First Roll is the Deepest

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Yes, I know. It's supposedly the "first cut is the deepest" from Sheryl Crow but it fits my mood perfectly. I just got my first roll today and I was quite excited. However, I was disappointed that eight other photos were blank. I don't understand what really happened there. Despite all that drama, I'm really happy that some photos were fine. I got the effect that I wanted from my P50 camera. I hope I get a better camera really soon. I'm trying to save for another toy camera, but this one works fine.

They say that the first roll will always be a good experience. You'll have a lot of bad photos that will look out of focus, cropped or whatever. I surely did got all of those. Most importantly, I had fun shooting. I'm usually a control freak and using film is an irony. However, I'm learning to let go with film. You just don't know how things will turn out. It's not just with film. It's also the same with other things.

Fujifilm Superia 200 x CDR-King 35mm film camera:

My New Plastic Toy

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For the past few months, I've been meaning to get myself a toy camera. I wanted to rekindle my old flame with photography, and this time with film. I also want to try out lomography.

Yesterday, I finally got myself this cheap 35mm film camera from CDR-King. I know what you're thinking. I know that quality cannot be expected from the brand, but I think it's a good bargain. For P50 I already got myself a plastic camera and a free film. It was also supposedly to come with an AA battery, but for some reason there wasn't any. I forgot to check the package since I was in a hurry. It was entirely my fault. 

I bought the camera from J Centre Mall, in AS Fortuna. They only had two of these babies left and I noticed that they gave me one with a broken package. Part of me hoped that the camera isn't broken as well. It didn't have a warranty so it would suck if it didn't work. But thankfully, it did work to my astonishment. 

What got me really psyched about this camera is that it had expired films! I don't know if they intentionally placed expired films or the camera was never sold so the film expired. Anyway, I got hyper when I noticed the film. I was initially planning to get a roll or two of expired films for this new baby, but I had to postpone it because of Sinulog. Now, I don't really need to get one til I finish off this roll.

I'm definitely excited to take some photos with this baby. I know it's not that great of a camera, but it certainly is worth a try. I'll only lose P50 anyway. I'm still trying to shoot off all of the 36 shots of the free film. This is the first time I'll be taking photos in film in years. I'll try to post some of the shots from this roll. I hope everything goes out well. :-)

An Adventure (that Started it All)

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Who would think I would be so at ease outdoors? I was someone who wasn't willing to trade anything with comfort and familiarity. I was just too much of a city girl.

I am really thankful for letting my friend, Karl, convince me to join river trekking last April 2010 with a group of mountaineers, EWIT. He tried to reassure me that I would be do okay with the trip even without him. He told me this would be a good break for me, being in a depressed state, at that time.

At our jump off and I look so noob. Somewhere in Busay.

This is how we started.

The trail was mostly rocky, which is the dried up river.

This was how rocky it got.

It was supposedly a river trekking event downstream to Budlaan that ended up as a river-less trekking, as our group called it. It was during the heat of El Niño and you could really see that the rivers in Cebu have dried up. It was definitely a sad scene that led some of us to talk about the deaths in Africa, which is ironic. I think I started that one. Anyho, during that trek, I experience being stranded on a side of a cliff holding on to branches for an hour. I have acrophobia and I was really trying my best not to look down or else I would die. That was probably the most difficult thing I've encountered, especially as a first-timer. We were the tail of the group so we spent more time up there than anyone else. 

Lunch break.

Lunch break also meant nap break. :)

During the event, I met new people and made new friends. I realized how fun being outdoors was. It was different and new. There was something comforting about being somewhere that seemed in the middle of nowhere. There was someone or something unconsciously telling you that life is indeed beautiful and you cannot afford to waste a single moment crying yourself to death. I conquered the trek and I though I could conquer my sadness. It should be a piece of cake for me. Or maybe I just made that up because the scenery made me mellow dramatic.

What made me give in to this new idea was certainly the people you are with. EWIT really tried to make the newbies feel comfortable and part of the group which helped a lot in making me feel comfortable. The group ate together after the trek and it was really fun meeting them. Now, we climb mountains together and I'm really happy I met them. They changed my life and my outlook. They helped me go through a tough situation in my life, unconsciously.

Me and three of the tail groupies.

Consoling myself with ice drop, after the long trek. Ate Ai, on my left, looked exhausted.

The entire group.

I never regret making a last minute decision to join the trek. Even if I wasn't received graciously at home after coming from an adventure, I was really happy. It's probably one of the most life-changing decisions that I've made. This taught me that I'll never learn anything new (or experience anything new) if I just kept myself within my comfort zones.

On a side note, I also met the boyfriend, Paw, during the trek. I never really made friends with him at that time since he was with other people. 

* Some photos are mine. Others were taken from Paw Paw Surban, Shimero Jainga, and Ronnie Retuerto*