KUMAGCOW - The Goodlooking Guy on His Journey : )

I am ADVANCED to become a WINNER by Ms. Olen Juarez-Lim (Career talks by a Professional Image Consultant) at the Medicol Advance The Nation Launch

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:58:00 +0000

The Stage at the Activity Area

Ms. Menchu with the Medicol Girls

Ms. Sam O of ETC and 2nd Avenue

I went this Sunday to the Medicol Advance The Nation Launch at the Activity Area of Market! Market! Mall and it was a blast! Together with my friend Ivan Ronquillo, I wanted to attend my first Nuffnang blogger event because I have not been to any of their gigs since I became a member years ago. I know this is almost the 4th year of my site and the time for growth was inevitable. I needed to learn more that what I could chew. Because of the outstanding lineup of winning professionals they got as speakers, I never hesitated to go.

She is the kind lady who helped me register, she was from Nuffnang Philippines!

Registering was a breeze because believe it or not I was the first one who signed up. Being number one on the list had it perks because I got to talk to people from the event, Medicol people, and Nuffnang too. They were courteous enough to get us ready for their program but it started a little late in the afternoon, I didn’t mind at all because we ate lunch and excused ourselves while waiting for it to commence. To tell you honestly, I was there for one of my photography idols Raymund Isaac. I have been ultra passionate about fashion photography and just to hear a few minutes of his advise would spell a humongous impact on what just started as a hobby for me. I know it sounds weird for a huge guy like me liking the work of another photographer, but believe me if you see his work and how respected he is with people in the industry, he is a demigod.

I admit, I was mistaken to have thought that I will really learn a lot only from him because as soon as the first speaker arrived; she already struck a chord in me. Ms. Olen Juarez-Lim talked about passion and how it would make everything in your life easy. Because of the passion you have for your craft, you will never work a single day anymore because you are enjoying it. She had awesome practical examples that captured the audience’s attention; why you may ask? It was because it was simple and it made sense. It was then that I realized that the people who spoke of their field were all going to be good. I was in for more!

Sam Y G of Magic 89.9 speaks in the event

Mr. Sam Gogna or shall we call “Sam YG” was there too. He’s a professional DJ for Magic 89.9 (also known as Shivaker from Boy’s Night Out and legendary afternoon show Eat Bulaga) and did a great job hosting the event together with the beautiful and articulate Ms. Menchu. He talked about his experiences and hardships working in the radio station and why he still got into it despite of hindrances he met along the way. He emphasized on properly managing your career path and setting goals. Even if he had second thoughts about what he was talking about, he did make a lot of sense too.

Among the clientele of Mr. Jason Magbanua are some popular names like Ms. Cheska Garcia and Doug Kramer, Raymart Santiago and Claudine Baretto, Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo. He talked about pioneering the modern Filipino videography industry, making huge risks and having the importance of creativity in work. They also founded http://www.pinoyvideomaker.com as a forum for enthusiasts and as an avenue for professionals. They already are making huge waves overseas holding seminars for the best of the best videographers in the US, Europe and Asia. If you were there watching his work, you would shed a tear or two because you feel emotion come out of the screen. One that I absolutely admired in his work; I plan to embark on this field sometime soon too.

Ms. Camille Farinas Mathay who owns the popular online shoe store http://poshandpurple.multiply.com shared how her passion turned into a huge business. Since she literally loves shoes and fashion, the former plantar fasciitis (shoe addiction) condition turned to something profitable. Now she has her career and she also gets to take care of her family too. She uttered only 3 words why she succeeded, which is to “Follow your Heart!”

The posh Ms. Charmaine Palermo approached us in the beginning of the program and got the blogger beside me (Ms. Queenie Mae of http://expandingterritories.blogspot.com/) and my friend Ivan Ronquillo so she could do a make over for them and get proper after office hours attire. She showed us all how it was done and how to concentrate getting key pieces rather than wasting money for fashion. She really knows what she was talking about because when some of her collection photos were shown, it was all nostalgic. I even saw some people who dropped their jaws after her portion! She made us understand we have our own personal styles and we just need to discover it. That was just awesome because my friends suddenly became models too LOL!

Lights went out and smoke suddenly spurted on stage for a grand fashion show by the one and only Avel Bacudio. The last time I saw his work was in Hong Kong Fashion Week for the Fall/Winter collection in 1999. He was still a budding designer then but now I was impressed on his Red and Black themed dresses and garments as they strut down the catwalk. These were the things I usually take pictures off but unfortunately I ran out of batteries in the middle of the program. I was really happy he did not just talk about it; he practically showed how it was done. That was his great fashion statement!

Aljur Abrenica gave inspiration to the youth present in the event and of course there was pandemonium which was given by his popularity in local show business. He’s one great actor and people should really watch out for him! He gave his fans autographs and photo opportunities. That was real fun!

After a long wait, my muse and idol Raymund Isaac gave a one on one talk for almost everyone. I had to squeeze in a few times before I got the chance to talk to him because even the house photographers were hounding him on the small area he was in. He was so nice and accommodating, there was not a question he wanted to go to waste. I was at an awe staring at him a couple of times… I was only hearing stories of him from other photographers in the DPP Anniversary I attended a couple of months ago. I did not know he was going to be this good. Thank God I got the chance to talk to him even for a few minutes. It made my stay at the event worth while.

This young lady was one of my models in the the Nayong Filipino photoshoot a few months ago. She is Ms. Kates Ocampo. Everyone said she was pretty!

Ivan won this huge CUBIC TDK Speaker in the raffle!

The day ended with my friends being made up. Ivan won a huge CUBIC TDK Speaker… and I learned a lot. I specifically remember what Ms. Olen Lim told us in the beginning of the program which is to have passion for everything that we do. Thank you to the people behind Medicol Advance The Nation Launch because I not only learned a lot from the one I anticipated to listen to; they gave us all these nice inspirational people. It was better because I got to share the experience with my new friends and co bloggers. I will remember today very fondly and I hope to share what I learned to others so I could celebrate more milestones with you, the good people at Medicol Advance and Nuffnang Philippines. I am a winner!

Medicol Advance is from the makers of Medicol. It is the advance way of relieving your nakakapamaluktot na headache and pain with its breakthrough Ibufluid in softgel capsule format. Please visit www.medicol.ph for more details on the product.

WORLD OF WARCRAFT Major Changes!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:02:00 +0000

The WORLD OF WARCRAFT is going to have major changes this month because they will be merging accounts on the BATTLE.NET Server. This particular option will be free and each player will get their own "in-game" penguin for a pet which would really be cool. I have been playing MMORPG games for the longest time and this is great news!

Although I have been playing CABAL more which is from a different company, I know there are a lot of my readers from the US who welcome this new development. After all, in its five year existence; it has been number one in the United States. I played this too in private servers, but it was hard to level up and gain experience because I could not get the best items they have on the store. For serious gamers like me, this is a necessity because it makes or breaks your character. Your sole existence in the game would not matter if you could not slay a single decent monster right?

In order to be better in this game and others, we need to buy wow gold. This would allow us to purchase those hard to find items which you cannot just get from drops off monsters in the game. Good on line retail stores that sell gold like MYMMOSHOP.COM are recommended even at your first level. If you start early and get your characters hyped up in the beginning; then it would be better because you can get ahead early than the rest of the pack! AZEROTH would never be the same without purchasing gold from a reputable site like this. It really makes a huge difference compared to waiting and slaying. You know how long that takes and in my honest opinion; game players should always be given these choices. Now who is up for a game of WORLD OF WARCRAFT?!

NOCTURNALS Covers HYPE MANILA @ ASCEND!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:09:00 +0000

It was not much of a problem for us to agree on one thing, which is going out! It was on Saturday evening that we hooked up bigtime with HYPE Manila and got to cover their ASCEND gig in Fort Bonifacio. I would not want to sound creepy but man! There were just lots of hot girls that night! It was awesome!

I had a blast, just imagine we get to enlive our passion to cover events photography and get to see people in a posh place like that. I would really love to come back there soon because the last time I was there it really did not ring to me as much as it did this weekend. The crowd really improved a lot!

I guess that is one perk of having exclusivity... they really did not get the other people in... I guess its but right to do that since some of them really look weird heheh.

Since I had a great time there, I hope we get to cover it again soon!

You Really Gotta See This!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:13:00 +0000

This is your lucky day! Since you are awesome followers of my site, I would like to get you in on something big. Have you ever held $ 5,000 in your hand? You know how that feels good right? Well don't despair if you said NO to both questions; because this is your chance to win in the iLASIK Video Contest!

It is so easy to join! Make a video that has a theme playing on the impact of Improved Vision and upload it on www.GottaSeeThisNow.com. You can view and vote for winners on the same site too. Simply concentrate on one or more of these categories: “My contacts are getting in the way of my good time”, “My favorite sport or activity would be so much cooler with better vision” and “You should see life after the ILASIK ® Procedure”.

What are the prizes you say?! Check this out!

• Grand Prize winner $5,000
• Three First Prize winners of HDTV package (a $2,500 value).
• Three Second Prize winners of a Flip ULTRAHD camcorder (a $199.99 value).

The first and second prize winners will be taken per video category. Make sure your friends and family vote too because this will be one of the factors in judging your entries. This is brought to you by ABBOT MEDICAL OPTICS INC. the leader in vision correction. I am excited to see how people improve their lives as their eyesight gets taken cared by AMO INC. Definitely a good thing!

Hillary Clinton Coming to the Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:32:00 +0000

It looks like the 3rd highest official in the United States is coming over to the Philippines. People are talking about this being another VFA matter in the works but both Malacanang and the US Ambassador Kristy Kenney denied these reports because she is looking forward to visit flood stricken areas and see if the relief efforts have been done. This is a noble act and I hope it stays that way. More of the rightists groups would probably be in the vicinity when she comes and probably preparing for a huge protest. I think that is one thing uncalled for.

I'm still tired by the way because I just went to the Nuffnang event yesterday and covered another event in ASCEND last Saturday. I only had an hour for sleep so I am still trying to recover. I hope I do not get sick doing these things. =)

Glad to meet another blogger and she told me about another small gathering of Philippine bloggers. I will go to that event and probably shoot about it too. I'll post pictures later! I am still in the process of editing them. Visit her site please by clicking here! Thanks Queenie! =)

Hillary, welcome to the Philippines! Thanks for visiting this third world country! LOL

By the way, she plans to visit Marikina soon... stay tuned for that!

The Importance of Property Management

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:33:00 +0000

It was a pretty hard time for real estate people this year because of the recent economic crunch. A lot of people were forced away from their homes and debts became a lot bigger since most lost their jobs because of the crisis. I know how it feels because I had some close friends who went through the same problem. We all just need to be there and help them as much as we can.

Real Property Management should be a priority of any family or business. We must always allocate funding for this because we need them to take care of one aspect in the establishment of a family. This is shelter and it is a necessity. There are a lot of organizations that may boast that they are the best. You must know these institutions by heart and check their track record so you would not gamble your family's future. I suggest you give the most awarded property management company in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio called RPM Midwest. People from the industry already know how good they are. They also won a "Franchise of the Year, Honorable Mention" Award to prove it. You should give them a call when you are a property owner in the United States and have them take good care of your needs in times like these.

My Busy Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:31:00 +0000

Yeah I know I am still tired and I have not worked out that much this week. Thrice a week is not much of a work out regimen... it is pathetic and I need to probably go to the other branch tomorrow so I can get something to at least get those pain and aches back in the gym.

I have been doing twitter quite frequently and following a lot of celebrities. i don't know if this is going to be addicting but just to see someone replying to your tweets as famous as Ellen De Generes, Mariah Carey and David Archuleta seems nice. Right?! If you have some to suggest I follow just let me know on my comments section.

Aside from that, I will be going to Ultimate Tasting Event 3.0 on Fort Bonifacio so I could get connections with 300 foodies and 30 suppliers for my blog. This is from OurAwesomePlanet.com and Sir Anton which I would like to meet there too. Aidan and Joshua were cute when I met them (his kids). That would be really great as a base for my food review requirements. Another blogger even from Nuffnang is the one from Medicol and I will be going to the Raymond Isaac forum so I can get tips on my latest passion which is photography. I seem to be getting good at it so I am keeping my fingers crossed and hope I learn something from him. After all he is one professional I would like to meet in my lifetime heheh =)

Check out some pics I got from UTT 2.0 last August. This was in Serendra and the next one will be on Sunday. =)

This was the best wraps I tasted there!

This was the Chicken for the wrap, they cooked it on the spot!

This is my friend eating the wrap! =) Yummy!

This was the nice Native Chicken Adobo!

This was the lechon that had chicken inside of it. A double treat!

The blueberry cake, it was not that special as I remember. Sorry!

The World Hotties Hotdog ran out! It was good though I would have liked their buns to be a little thinner. I like the Japanese one!

That's the reason why I am looking forward to this Sunday's event because it is a foodie's dream just to get to that event!

An Eye Check Up?!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:34:00 +0000

It is November and people in the office are in a stir because it is our annual physical examination. No it is not the paper and pen that you need on this one but the doctors and medical staff that would test if you are going to be fit for work. I was lucky enough to have passed all the previous years I was here but I think I'm going to complain about something today. I think I have eye problems now.

I have not been to an ophthalmologist or optometrist yet to have corrective procedures done but I'm sure this is going to be pretty simple. I think I am kind of tired too and I need a lot of rest since I have been going out quite a lot under the sun these past few weeks. Things may have damaged my eyes but I am not sure. I do not want to make things worse so I need corrective action. Is it time for me to wear glasses? Do you think I lost that 20/20 vision I had because of looking too much at computers? Oh I wonder!

The next thing in my mind though is that eyeglasses cost a lot in this side of the world. Even those commercial ones in the metro that promise to get you bifocals in an hour charge thousands of pesos just for a single frame. I could not spend money for that anymore; it just would not stand in line of the utility bills I have to pay. In the quest to find affordable ones, I remember one brand who made huge news in CNN before. It was ZENNI Optical. Yes ladies and gentlemen, it is the same on line store that had those $8 Prescription Zenni Glasses. I talked about them too a couple of months back.

They also have new Holiday Fun Eyeglasses on their store that seems perfect for the season. I may have to choose the one above though since it is simple enough for my needs. New Arrivals would probably come out next month and I will surely check them out too. I would not want to look old in the frames obviously. I will have to decide soon and I hope my eyes are not that badly damaged. I know everything would be alright.

Roanna Torralba: Registers Best in the Camera!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:06:00 +0000

I just want to show you guys some of my best shots of this young model we got for our ECOPARK shoot a few Sundays ago. She is Roanna Torralba and she was kind of shy at first. She did not talk that much but I guess she did loosen up a bit while shooting. She was pretty confident in front of the cam and as you can see she registers quite good. I wanted to shoot with her from the time they posted the initial photos of them since she was totally different, I find her so expressive in the eyes even if she was a little too Asian. It was so nice because we did not actually have that much of a problem directing her what to do as far as poses were concerned and she did a pretty good job of showing the clothes. The framing and the avant garde theme I wanted to show on cam was all there, I think most of us thought she was tall and looked like Joyce Jimenez on test photos but I guess that is what you get when the model indeed has the X Factor. A great shoot comes after because she knew how to do it and projection was a cinch for her. Roanna Torralba is awesome and I hope that I get the chance to shoot with her again sometime soon!

I hope I won't have problems with models the next time we shoot, because frankly art direction is a different thing for photographers. Posing wise, it would be ridiculous for us to teach models right? Hahahah!

The Rising Case of Unemployment

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:06:00 +0000

I was watching CNN this evening when I came across a report about the rise of unemployment in the United States. I am a little hesitant about getting my hands into this huge issue because I was working in the Business Process Outsourcing industry; but we are definitely involved in this mess. You might find a job search quite amusing at this time but it could greatly affect our economy. If I went against either country it would really be unhealthy; but there is a common denominator here, everyone needs a job!

There are about 9.5% of the Americans that are currently unemployed. It is almost the same as in the Philippines which is pegged at 7.4%. That particular amount though is still contestable because if you somehow see the real situation from inside the country, it is definitely worst. This statistic may have been only garnered from the metropolis and not the whole Philippines. In my opinion, this may be around 30% more or less but we always could have more that what is really written. Thousands of jobs were lost in the United States because of the financial crisis and the Federal government has tried numerous ways of aiding these citizens via a stimulus package. The problem is, the economy is only slowly recovering and the money is already 3/4 of its way running out. I do not even know if some of the industries would survive without it. Some were saved I know because of the loans that were given to the others but on Automotive and Industrial companies, I think it would depend on the stability after this quarter because some of the banks have not began asking their clients for a restructured form of payment. They are probably not informed too of the opportunity to do so. Families have already gone out of their homes and only grabbed whatever they can of their belongings. Some of them only did bring the clothes on their back and got everything else to be auctioned off or sold as is. It is a pretty rough time for them I know, but the rest of the world also felt this too.

Coming from a middle class family in this country I am also inadvertently involved in the workforce that may have also affected a small part of the United States job loss. But if you think about it too, there may have been more companies closing if they did not resort to have those jobs outsourced instead. That is the point of most them since they only would probably afford to get the job done with half the price rather than keep it within the circulation on a dwindling environment in the US. If you want to talk about India, they can pay 10 people to do a single job in the US. Where else should these companies go to keep themselves afloat? Why should they compromise continuing to do business in the US if the only tax cuts they will receive are going to come from the Federal government who only does this on a temporary basis? In this day and age there should always be quality in the kind of work people are into for the rest of the country. That is the only way they will survive. If you get the right people for the right job appropriate for their skills and experience, then there would be no losses that will be reported annually for these large corporations.

I know it is quite hard now to find a job but I found this article from A HARRISON BARNES about "future prospects that are determined by the company we keep" that talks about people who you need to hire or work with in the first place. If you fall into these categories, no matter what changes you make in your policies; you will still continue to have your other leg in the grave. Making the right choice in the people you hire will make or break you in times like these. This is very important considering each cent you earn or spend needs to be accounted for because it is crucial to the success of your company. This is really a good point executives must take a look so they do not even get people who claim stupendous bonuses in times that they only survived because of federal help. That would really affect the greater picture (the economy) and the individual family. You might want to take a look at the career advice articles that they have on their site. Those were really very fun to start to read since it covers the basics. The street smart point of view was also truly helpful. I understood the most technical terminologies since they gave time to explain each subject further. There are also parts of it that lets you decide your career goal; it is worth to spend your time on while browsing for the other useful items they have for you.

If you want to find a job and be successful at it, you must make the right choice now. Who you are going to spend years with anyway? You must be 100% sure of what path you are going to take since the success or failure of your company will be reflected in your resume. If they make a huge name in their industry then that would be another feather in your hat. Make sure you drop by A HARRISON BARNES too for expert career advice and easy job search that directly gets it from corporate pages. Good luck!

See What A Rainy Afternoon Did To Me!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:50:00 +0000

I've been so alone all my life... couldn't give my heart to anyone... mantra to self today? NO EMO! NO EMO! NO EMO!

That was the line I was listening to in my head all morning. I was not in the mood to do anything than lounge in my bed and stay put. After all I had a very tiring photo shoot last weekend and that got me to only spend around a few hours of sleep this week. That also jeopardized my chances of going back to the gym since I can't work out while I'm dizzy because of the lack of sleep. Anyway I was able to do so last Friday so that was nice.

See what I mean? Haha! This is nice!

I need to work out more... I am getting thinner I guess because I am fitting in better in my old clothes but I have to work out more. The money I spent for gym is no joke either LOL. I'm spending the weekend in the office now because I got my schedules swapped last week, it was fun though because I had the lotsa great shots on my last photoshoot. Now I am figuring out why I have this camera with me in the office, I don't even have a shoot tomorrow. Maybe I'm itching to go somewhere but I know time would not permit it since I am going to have work tomorrow night. It is hard to be a nocturnal, to work at night when people are supposed to sleep... but in some ways I do enjoy it a lot. More so if you kinda see the fruits of your labor... I'm not that rich but I get by... I am fulfilled in work although I could have more heheh. Not that I'm pushing it LOL. I am in the verge of being promoted but not quite heheh... weird huh?! But don't worry I am going to make some small changes to improve managing work. That is somewhat the path I am taking anyway!

I am a little weird I know, but it takes one to know one right? Hehe Nice meeting you here amused dear reader LOL

I better get ready for tomorrow. I think I'll go back to my University and get some of those old things I ate when I was still there. Maybe that will bring back memories, I want to see old friends too. I wonder how I'll start this, but let me give them a call now and set this up so we could have breakfast there tomorrow =) Let me see if I could get pictures of that too =)

Great Food, Great Recipes!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:43:00 +0000

I have been reviewing awesome food discoveries since day 1 of this web site. I also have been contemplating on continuing my studies and get a culinary course to sharpen my skills in cooking. I have been following recipes and books for quite a long time. I have been successful enough to get better pats on the back from my Mom and Dad when it comes to these but I have not exceeded the skills of my brother. After all, he is a famous professional Chef.

In this day and age, everyone needs to research about the latest in the art of cooking. This is where the Internet has been useful in getting information on every kitchen in the world. Not only does my brother whip up his own ones, he also learns from other people so he could perfect his craft. It is quite difficult to maintain a pretty high standard like he does. Believe me I have tried to at least keep a decent gourmet meal on the dinner table when Mom is not around, but he still manages to impress me and other people when he takes over. I have some weird passion for baking but since he has been a pastry chef for a few years, he has got better control of the piping bag and measuring spoons. He can also do that for a lot of people unlike when I tried that for the first time. The quality really was affected but I would like to get better if destiny permits. It's a good thing FoodConnect came along.

The site not only gets the best recipes from people all over the world. They also have options of having it customized to the volume you prefer. Many have attested to the goodness and great flavor of the food found there. Go ahead and take a bite now! I know you will like it!

Thanks to INNOVATRONIX Inc.!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:20:00 +0000

Our photoshoot set last Sunday =)

It was a hot day when we started shooting last Sunday October 25, 2009. Five models and about 20+ Photographers converged at the La Mesa Ecopark in Quezon City for a simple model shoot. Or so we thought. Initially, we were thinking it was just going to be a small gathering, but we were wrong… it was HUGE!

Thinking of a better way to present photos has been a priority to NOCTURNALS, (a photography group comprised of Call Center/BPO professionals) and the challenges that we had setting up this event was how to find proper lighting using strobes, equipments for effects and it’s portability. We are so glad that Ms. Sheryll Ann Francisco from INNOVATRONIX Inc. suddenly came into the picture.

Ms. Sheryll Ann Francisco and the INNOVATRONIX Inc Crew!

Their strobes and soft boxes were awesome!

The company owned by Ramon Castillo (a former Senior Engineer at Intel) engaged in so called Innovative Electronics equipment from sports scoreboards, electronic ballasts, AVR’s, photo imaging and printing machines, and a lot more. They have been able to garner a few government contracts, projects and harness local commercial electronic consumer needs since 1987. Ms. Sheryll from TRONIX was kind enough to arrange with us 2 huge strobes and a couple of soft boxes. Lighting was indeed a necessity even on the outdoor shoot; and we needed to have that certain exposure controlled. With the number of photographers shooting on the 5 models that we had that afternoon, none of the equipments had problems whatsoever in catching up with our external flash since it automatically goes off with it. It was nice to see world class equipment being manufactured locally.

The Tronix Vulcan: A battery-operated smoke machine

The Tronix Portable Air Blower

Not only that, we had people from their office also take care of the effects. They had portable versions of smoke machines that we used on the models; and the look was phenomenal. They also had ice to have the smoke stand on lower ground so it would feel more authentic on forest grounds. They had portable blowers that were also used on one of our models who had long Hispanic looking hair. That look was just so nice on her and we had it routinely running because it was great to see someone bearing SHAKIRA a run for her money. We would never had done this successful shoot without INNOVATRONIX Inc. You should try and visit their website at http://www.innovatronix.com and order now so you can set up your own professional grade studios.

Thank you TRONIX IMAGING CENTER and Ms. Sheryll Ann Francisco for all the help! You are instrumental and a big part of the success of The NOCTURNALS Photoshoot!

Here’s to our next one!

Business Address:
#10 Rose Street, Lourdes Subdivision
Mambugan, Antipolo City
Rizal, Philippines

Tel No:
+63 (2) 645-1592
+63 (2) 645-6124

Fax No:
+63 (2) 645-1598
+63 (2) 645-1903

Email Address:
info@innovatronix.com
marketing@innovatronix.com

Going Up!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:15:00 +0000

How I wish I could go back to ANAWANGIN again so I could enjoy the breath taking view of the mountains and the cove again. I am probably going to ask some of my photography buddies to plan out this location so we can take landscape shots like the professionals. There is no way I could ever forget the trip we had a few years ago. It is a good thing we enjoy outdoor adventure gear, tent poles, replacement tent poles, char cloth, fire piston, trekking poles, camping tarp, camping, backpacking, hiking to name a few. I guess it is because some mountaineers who are part of the team influenced us in enjoying this fun climb that turned out to be horrific in some parts. Everyone still enjoyed the conversations in between, the food and the camaraderie we developed along the way. It was really fun even if we were often grimacing in pain. It was more than everyone had ever dreamed of when we got there. I'm sure with the new people I'm with now, they will also enjoy the things we did on the cove. Not to mention the white sand and the pristine beach we swam in when we stayed there.

I want to go back there!

FASHION WEEK 2010 NEWS: CRISSA FLUNKED!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:39:00 +0000

Crissa Jeans... and Me at Fashion Week

It was a fabulous night of cute girlie clothes that were RTW and lots of awesome Brazilian models when I went to Fashion Week last Friday. Judging from the clothes they wore on this set, it looks very promising for Crissa to concentrate on shirts, blouses and pants this season but they did not veer away from the usual earth tone palate that they think is still in the trend. If you ask me, this was not really a good thing, they should have pushed the edge with regards to design and not line up with RTW fashion. They will be coined to the same genre they had last year and would not be in the lines of Plains and Prints or F&H. They will still remain in the masses taste which I hate. I mean why launch a fashion show when all you are going to show is non edgy clothes, they should have at least given designers freedom to do avant garde and make their simple clothes look more fashionable. It looks like they will still lag behind, its too Chinese to put it simply. It's cheap looking even if they had foreign models. I guess their market is still going to be the INDAYS and DODONGS this year. Pardon my language, no pun intended ladies and gentlemen! The concept of the show was also cheesy... it was not enough to entice people in the fashion industry. Just let me know if they get rave reviews someday!

As with the photos, I was lucky enough to be able to get a good spot because I did not stay astray when the program started. Good thing I was in front center so I had my telephoto lens Ziggy do his work. =)

We Could Have Solved It!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:26:00 +0000

Garbage has been a perennial problem in the metro and obviously after the typhoon we had in the country, one asks; "how would you solve disaster relief when the problem is disaster relief itself?"

I was moved by the numerous heroic stories by ordinary Filipino citizens and how they were able to help others in this time of crisis. There are a lot of places in the Metro where flooding was up to neck deep but you would not see anyone lose hope and they are still eager to survive no matter where it takes them. I tried to help as much as I can but this has got to stop. If no one resolves the root cause of the problem, then the thousands who perished may haunt us for the injustice. Let us start by just mentioning how many creeks, rivers and lakes are full of garbage. Oh wait, I'm sorry but that would take a while to even think about. I guess those who forced our ears to listen about global warming a few decades ago are laughing at us now.

Where do we put our garbage with so little dump sites and no environmentally friendly incinerators? Experts say we have a lot of land available, but it is just not properly managed. We already have a lot of resources wasted on people with fat pay checks since the fall of dictatorship. Where did we go as far as resolving that? Nowhere! There are standardized and tested systems elsewhere in the world and why should we not employ the same in our land? Software packages are available at Waste Edge and it could have been simply resolved by following a simple system that can be monitored even on line. The Waste Management Software could have saved us millions if someone already thought about this in the first place. Technologies for garbage trucks and personnel that use RFID tags, Mapping, Mapping GIS, GPS Truck tracking should have been used on these savings. I hope they do something soon to resolve this and discipline the citizenry too since urban dwellers often mistake themselves for people who do not learn from their past. I am still optimistic that we can handle change and soon be better.

North Cemetery Photo Walk 10172009

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:44:00 +0000

It has been a week since I went out with the D60 KREW which I think specializes in Photo walks and street photography. It was a nice thing to do because since Halloween is coming it was but proper to do photography in a cemetery. Yes ladies and gentlemen, we did it in North Cemetery.

I was thinking how creepy it was to do it but when I saw some of the famous people who were laid to rest in that place, I think it became more of a historical point of view than a horror flick waiting to happen. Let me share some of the images I captured during that day.

Our Late President Ramon Magsaysay's Grave

How about President Manuel Roxas?

Claro M. Recto too...

Do you remember PIPOY of Okay ka Fairy ko?!

The Great Boxer before Manny Pacquiao, Pancho Villa

See why I said it was a history lesson?! =)

Awesome Wireless SD Memory Card!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:44:00 +0000

I am currently in dire need of storage space because this is practically my 27th Photo shoot. I have amassed almost 120 GB worth of photos in less than 5 months of acquiring TRISH my D60 DSLR Camera and I have a lot more in the 4 GB memory card. I have heard of this awesome gadget that would directly transfer my files and automatically arrange them according to date on my laptop but I was at first; a skeptic. I searched and checked out this video above and boy my jaw just dropped! Using this and the WRT54GR LINKSYS Router that I have at home, I knew this is going to be something big!

It was awesome! I know photographers like me would go rushing to the stores just to get our hands on this new gadget. Now it would be easy to hold studio shoots because it goes straight to the computer. Learn how to make your camera wireless and you will definitely save time and arduous hours of upload time. You can literally do it while shooting models too because it has the capability of getting those images uploaded on most popular social networking sites such as FACEBOOK or MYSPACE. There is no hassle too about getting them organized since it tracks them via the date and EXIF data on the pictures. The possibilities are just endless!

This has tremendously helped a lot of photographers that I know and I was contemplating since yesterday on getting this tool. Together with this wireless SD Card, a couple of umbrellas, soft boxes and lights on my hand... I know it would be a cinch to get that studio project that we have on the roll so I could get photos like this!

I will buy this awesome wireless SD Memory Card by hook or by crook!

Thanks Organizers of NOCS Photoshoot! 10252009

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:23:00 +0000

It was a very tiring day! My fellow Nocturnals and I had a photoshoot this weekend in La Mesa Ecopark and I am still post processing my shots for this event. It was awesome and huge! The estimated attendees were about 40 so imagine that size that was shooting 5 models for that day. Not to mention the tiring walks in between because of what the location called for. I was so lucky to have known these guys, and this particular post was to thank a couple of people first for organizing the event.

I know it was kind of out of the question being the thread starter and all but I must say Ismael Alipuddin did a lot than dating the models on this shoot. Aside from the usual denials he did on the coffee dates, he did one heck of a job planning this whole thing and delegate the duties. Jasper Cayabyab on the other hand was busy doing his work on the online profiles; and this one, was able to work out deals with the communication on the members. We also ran a couple of kilometers in the mall to buy food and stuff so that was quite an experience eh?! =P Saui Masanque the main man was able to work out his angels and get the awesome models for us. He sounded weird according to them but it was a darn good job he did confirming them for this shoot. In the next few posts we will be able to discuss some other elements of how this event became a success. Since I am in a hurry, I think these three guys will do... you should visit them (via click) and check out their online portfolios too. =) They are pretty good photographers too like me LOL!

Ismael Alipuddin fixing his camera... no its not broken!

Jasper Cayabyab in action!

Saui Masanque sits and rests after a tiring photo walk =)

Thanks guys! I know I speak for the same deed you accomplished for the rest of the Nocturnals! Great job! and I hope to shoot more with you!

I'll be doing credits for the other sponsors of this shoot soon! You just wait!

Think Before You Decide On Your Web Host!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:05:00 +0000

The importance of web hosting is like the life and blood of your site. It dictates who, when, where and how fast they would be able to view your content since this would be hosted on their own servers. I am admittedly not hosting my own site because of constraints but I have a quite dependable web host and never did I experience any downtime as far as my sites are concerned. If you want to get the best web hosting company, then you must simply choose according to the feedback they get from their current clients. I wish it was like this for every single one of us; but I guess I was wrong.

I also am administrating on line communities for my Alma Mater that caters to students, faculty, alumni and supporters of the senior's Basketball Team. I am a diehard fan of the warriors and I adore the sport that much; but at the time that we had so much activity and posts on the site, it suddenly had some major downtime that we could not control. All the content recently uploaded were not backed up; so we were in some way was only able to recover only a measly amount of data off of what we had a couple of months ago. Imagine the amount of photos and conversations on games that were all lost because of that. It was a really hard lesson we learned and we were trying to pick up the pieces too. If we did not have that problem and if data was managed by the web host company we would not be worried about down times like that in the first place. If they only had the company I was using to host my site, then the forums would have been up the whole time when the game was going on. The difference is that I had information on top web hosting reviews. This is where most people attest to the quality of service these companies provide. At the web hosting top is my provider; they should have given my web host a chance to get the services by next year when their lease expires. It would really be a different story IMHO. That is also factual statement provided at B4UDECIDE so make sure you look it up!

The Red Tribe On line Community.

The UE Red Tribe Celebrates!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:58:00 +0000

It was a night when we forgot about the ill feelings we had towards the other team LOL. It was a night where we share what we have and enjoy each others company. It was a night where food and drinks were served in the premise that we would be able to bond and be more tight if it came to supporting our Alma Mater. It was a great night to reminisce what we have been doing this past season. Thanks also to the kindness of Conrad and his wifey we were able to hold the occasion on their love nest in Filinvest II Quezon City. It was really nice to see friends in a relaxed mood binging on food we brought potluck style together with the tons of chips and alcoholic drinks, there was no stopping the fun we're gonna have on this event. This was the time to celebrate camaraderie and the unexpected 1st Runner Up Finish of the University of the East Red Warriors.

Here are the highlights, check them out!

We did not care if they did not win the championship, we are still proud of their performance because nobody expected them to reach that far. With the heart that they put into every game, it was all worth it! I just wish they could have gone to celebrate good times with us but I think they were just too shy to do so. Anyway, until the next games Red Tribe! Until we meet again!

Awesome RPG for Free!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:44:00 +0000

I have long been addicted to Role Playing Games since I was a kid. I do not know where it came from but when I got hold of the old NINTENDO console I used to play when I was in grade school I know it was not going to be the last one. Obviously other people from different parts of the globe would plead there must be something more than just playing 8 bit games... I was right because aside from the continued advancements in technology, there were other RPG stories that proved worthy of my hours in game time.

I have reviewed a lot of RPG Games already in my site and this one is really new. A word of warning though because just like other ones I have featured, this one is addicting. The setting is still medieval; where you will do quests, slay huge monsters; battle other players and much more. You level up each time you perform these tasks as experience points would be given when get more killed and accomplished with what is available in your arsenal. You can even enhance game play by purchasing weapons, armors, potions and spells just to make your character faster, higher and stronger. This is a web based on line game where you can ask your friends and followers to join so they would be able to do something on their spare time. But as I say, this is really addicting so I am sure everyone will get hooked even on their BETA release at http://www.algadon.com! Where else can you get free online RPG games in this day and age? I am sure you will easily get the hang of it!

Happy Halloween!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:03:00 +0000

It seems that the season of trick or treat is fast approaching and I have been seeing kids wearing their creepy masks this early. I guess it is the hype that most American brands influenced in the Philippines that made this another reason to celebrate come All Saints and All Souls eve. I don't know if that accounts for more reason to do so but hey we have so many holidays already and businesses are not that well off because of the economic crunch. Anyway, before I drift off my original topic... I would like you to check out some shots I made for you this Halloween Season... Where and what did I take pictures of? Here, check it out LOL

So the next time you go to the cemetery, you will have a reason to see that even in death there is real beauty. Nice huh?! (^_^)

Thank God for Torrent!

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:20:00 +0000

This is one great week. Let me tell you something about what helped me go through the weekend. I just had a photo shoot with the DIGITAL KATIPUNEROS and we had 2 models. This was a studio shoot so I had to use house strobes in order to get that perfect shot. I was able to get really good angles considering the place was packed with photographers. I had lots of fun because I have not been with them for quite a while. Almost 2 months to be exact. They were really good in setting up their Canon cameras and I on the other hand was carrying a Nikon. It was slightly different I guess but maybe it was just me.

I needed to download a couple of action files for photo shop. I also needed some instructional videos that will teach me to further enhance my shots. I was painstakingly doing it by downloading huge files that I could not finish downloading because it was taking me days on wireless. I had to resort getting video torrents instead which was more applicable. I went to Queen Torrent immediately to check these files out and it was really easy because of the simple interface and powerful search engine that they have. Now I also have a place to get games, films and shareware that would inspire and improve my work. It was getting more feeds and seeds every day because their robots apparently crawl the World Wide Web to get new releases. It was nice because there were no fake ones when I checked it. I'm glad I did run into them when I needed it most. Check out how the enhancements improved my photos. This is a great week indeed!

KUMAGCOW FOOD REVIEWS: Supreme Brazo Bars by Ces Lopez

noreply@blogger.com (kumagcow) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:15:00 +0000

I could not quite contain my self when I saw Brazo De Mercedez served in the Ultimate Taste Test Event 2.0. I was invited in this awesome foodie event at the FORT Serendra II by the people behind Our Awesome Planet. I frequently buy cakes like these for my Mom since it is her favorite so I am used to the same old custard filling and rolled up log form that it usually has. But it was not just your ordinary Brazo De Mercedez, the shape, the serving and the taste was quite different; and after a few bites... it seemed quite addicting.

It's a neo Filipino take on the classic Brazo De Mercedez and they called it "Supreme Brazo Bars". It all started February this year when Ms. Ces Lopez helped his son's class raise funds for charity by selling baked treats in Ateneo HS. The goodies were wiped out not too long and people were still asking for more even after the successful event. The rest was history. They came out with different flavors but one stood out as my favorite which is the "Walnut Wander". The lemony custard filling was thick and not too sweet and the walnut was just right to contrast the bite. The foamy outer flaps were soft and when you start to take a chomp it melts like hot knife on butter. It was easy and delicious. I like the packaging too! This would be a sure best seller for Christmas giveaways and presents. I will definitely order since I am a stones throw away from their New Manila office. Their store cum cafe is located in the 2nd floor Food Choices in Alabang Town Center which is located in the South of the Metro. It is a little far from my place but if you are near, the trip would definitely be worth it!

They have lots of other things you should try too:

Brazo Bars (Per Piece - Box of 3's - Half Dozen - One Dozen)

Classic (P35 - P105 - P210 - P420)
Copaco-Mango (P45 - P135 - P 270 - P540)
Strawberry Sunrise (P45 - P135 - P 270 - P540)
Toasted Coconut Kiss (P45 - P135 - P 270 - P540)
Aloha Banana (P45 - P135 - P 270 - P540)
Tropical Cashew Crunch (P45 - P135 - P 270 - P540)
Macapuno Summer Breeze (P50 - P150 - P300 - P600)
Walnut Wander (P55 - P165 - P330 - P660)
Almond Shindig (P55 - P165 - P330 - P660)
Pistachio Festival (P60 - P180 - P360 - P720)
Pecan Beach Party (P60 - P180 - P360 - P720)
Heavenly Hazelnut (P65 - P195 - P390 - P780)
Hula Macadamia! (P70 - P210 - P420 - P840)

Shortcake Bars

Strawberry Shortcake (P60 - P180 - P360 - P720)
Mango Shortcake (P60 - P180 - P360 - P720)

Other Baked Products

Roti Bars (P40)
Ces' Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie (P60)
Valrhona Molten Chocolate Cake (P80)

Japanese Cheesecake Bars

Lemon (P60)
Praline (P60)
Orange (P60)
Pistachio (P70)

Supreme Brazo Bars by Ces Lopez
Brazos - Coffee - Shortcakes

Business Address: 62-B 9th Street, Rolling Hills Village, New Manila, Quezon City
Store Location: Ces Lopez Cafe @ Food Choices at the Town,
2nd floor Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City

Place an Order and Call them Now!
Telephone: +632 722-5638 or 359-3001
Email: supremebrazobars@yahoo.com, ceslopez2000@yahoo.com
Mobile: +63917-8271518
Website: www.SupremeBrazoBars.com

They deliver anywhere around Metro Manila, Quezon City, Alabang or Makati.

Take a bite! It's alright! =)