Project Samara Fae

아파 It hurts

2012-02-05T15:22:00.003+08:00

I have always loved soulful music. And when I heard the song "It Hurts" playing while I was randomly browsing youtube videos, I fell in love instantly. The gothic theme, and the soulful voices of the Korean artists took me in. My soul was taken.

Hearing the song made me hurt too. Even though I couldn't understand the lyrics, I know it was a very gloomy song. Not until I have read the lyrics -- it broke my heart.

Since then, I have always wanted to have a shoot inspired by 2ne1's music video, "It Hurts". My favorite member was Park Bom and luckily, I chanced myself to meet Danix Noona who shares the same passion and love.

Even after several postponements and the cloudy weather, the sun still managed to shine itself upon us during the day of our shoot. I am greatly thankful. So here it is, our own remake of Park Bom's character in "It Hurts".

Danix Noona portraying Park Bom of 2ne1 MV "It Hurts". Photos by Me.

"You look at my tears as if it were nothing

You continue to talk calmly again

You told me cruely that you couldn't deny

That you had absolutely no attachments or regrets

Are we already too late? Is our love over?

Even if it's a lie, please tell me it isn't so

I can do better now, though we can't meet again."

Disclaimer: We obviously do not own Park Bom and any of her music videos. No copyright infringement intended =.3

Femme Fatale

2012-02-03T00:07:00.000+08:00

This has been one hectic and fulfilling week. My appointments last weekend has been cancelled: my scheduled shoot, and my excitement to attend the K-pop Mini-con has left my broken heart crying, just like a disappointed kid who wasn't able to come on a field trip because of fever -- only this time, I was left to stay at home to finish my working papers. Yes. I already work and I still get to bring home assignments! No hard feelings, I just love both worlds.

So here is a late entry and I'm just happy to know that my FB page Project Samara Fae has gotten 64 likes, so far. Without massive campaigns, and I'm quite satisfied. Thanks for the love, everyone!

On photo: Yang Castolo on yet another lying-down pose. Somehow I get the feeling I'd like to do more shoots with models lying down. If only I can also bring a step ladder with me on location!

Top: some vintage guns she's got there
Left: a recycled photo from 2010, katana girl.

Both guns and katana are just decorative stuffs, great props for some conceptual shoot I have in mind. <3

Lookbook with Kym

2012-01-21T18:48:00.000+08:00

I have always admired the Korean Fashion, and every time I find myself browsing on several online shops that sell Korean apparels and Tumblr blogs which feature the fashion, I find myself inspired to do my own version of their street-style and studio photos.

Only recently have I discovered the right term to say the photography style: lookbook.

Lookbook as defined, is a collection of photographs compiled to show off a model, a photographer, or a style of clothing line.

Taking advantage of our third installment of our Saturday shoot project with Johara, I decided to make it into a lookbook shoot. Also, this was our first collaboration with my ever gorgeous, talented and beautiful waifu, Diane Oh, a freelance model, and a make-up artist too. She also helped Johara in perfecting the make-up for our model.

We had a wonderful opportunity to be graced by Kym Sara Cañizares for our Saturday shoot. I was told that Kym has just won a place in the pageant Miss Teen Davao. What an honor to have her with us!

On Kym: Blue and white striped blouse by Bayo, Black skinny jeans by BNY Jeans, White belt by Your Rules Your Style, and 6-inch silver pumps by Aldo.

Accessories on Kym: Blue dangling earrings by FORJOY, White gold 16-karat diamond ring, Hong Kong setting from by Allison, and Black & silver bracelets (gifted).

Model: Kym Sara Cañizares

Photo by: Samara Fae

MUA: Johara Osmeña & Diane Oh

Special thanks to Green Coffee for allowing us to shoot in their coffee shop.

Green Coffee is located at F.Torres St., Davao City. Brewing 24/7.

See individual Hi-res photos in my DeviantArt here.

A Rainy Afternoon

2012-01-14T11:54:00.000+08:00

I and my dear waifu Johara Osmeña have made a 2012 resolution to organize a photoshoot at least once a week. So far, we have schedule a few people to shoot on now our most favorite day of the week, our Saturdays. I am very lucky to have Johara by my side, for volunteering to be my Make-up Artist on my shoots. I love her, and we love doing this activity together and since we share the same interest: pretty girls.

On our second week of our "Unnamed Project" we had Trixi Villalon again at our disposal, our very willing sacrificial lamb, our guinea pig. Lot's of love there, Trixi. <3

With my usual (un)biased fervor, Johara's make-up with Trixi was again worthy of praise. I had my eyes on her make-up set and she used her tools like a genius. I was really drooling on them and how I wish I would be able to do make-ups as good as hers! In time, in time.

I was quite happy with my shots that day as I reviewed them on my camera screen, however, I was disappointed when I uploaded them on my laptop. They weren't really as sharp as I thought them to be. We were lacking natural light during our shoot, after-all, hence the noise and I admitted my mistake since I was not able to compensate it with my camera settings. Lessons learned, lessons learned.

Click on image for more Hi-res photos on my DevArt

Highlights and Contours

2012-01-07T13:28:00.000+08:00

While I and Ira were having our shoot at the Peak, Johara and Trixi decided to stay at Wings and Dips, at the Peak to play with Johara's make-up kit and Trixi as her guinea pig.

I was amazed at the transformation of Trixi, from a simple girl to a handsome young man. I'm impressed at the ability of make-up to change woman to man, and the secret to such power is like painting. Make-up, after all is also an art.

Here as some photos to drool on, let's just pretend that this handsome young man isn't a "she".

Make-up on Trixi:

Dollface Highlights and Contours Palette and NYC Stick Eyebrow liner.

A Casual Shoot with Ira

2012-01-07T00:50:00.000+08:00

Gotta love her eyes ~
Gotta love her lips ~
Gotta love her dolly face ~ ♥

She's Ira Francheska Vergara. Her doll face is a natural. My shoot with Ira was my first collaboration with my dear waifu Johara Osmeña. She did the make-up on Ira and it was flawless! Her make-up skills are like that of a professional and I totally envy her make-up kit! Waifu, in time I will also be able to buy that much make-up. So accommodate my request when that time comes! X3

So here goes our first photoshoot for 2012. I am very happy with my new lens, the photos came out sharp and the depth-of-field very well defined. Ira's eyes and expression are just too lovely and her pouty lips so luscious! I am quite happy taking close-up photos with her. <3

We did the shoot at The Peak, that's at the rooftop at Gaisano Mall, I love the architecture most especially the clear fountain as its centerpiece. I would love to take a dip on it someday, when no guards are watching. The place was crowded however, so we had difficulty looking good angles with no photobombers in the photo.

On Ira are Kospurei Sugar Shop's wig extensions. Doesn't seem obvious, right? Her princess curls just look so natural. My waifu Johara is such a genius in blending 2 colors of the extensions on Ira's shoulder-length hair, she did it like a boss.

Come 2012

2011-12-31T19:05:00.000+08:00

This is my call. Once a blogger, always a blogger. I have gone hiatus for a very long time, 1 or 3 years from serious of blogging, of putting my thoughts into words and letting my emotions out through writing. I graduated, passed the board, got employed, and in the circus of my life I got lost track of all the things I've always wanted to save -- and put into words.

And yet, here I am again. Writing. Blogging. I have grown up and my thoughts may now be matured, but I'll still be the same me: a wanna-be artist who would want to show the world of who and what I can be. Full of dreams, of potentials, and when my means permit me so, I will be able to materialize all of these. I am now reminded, I am a dreamer by the day. My ambitions will not remain in the recesses of my mind and at sleep, but instead I shall be awake, putting all these dreams into reality.

So to me, welcome back to blogging. Welcome back to Project Samara Fae. And may all your plans become real.

Awaken Me

2011-12-30T22:27:00.000+08:00

As the end of year 2011 came, it made me realize that all the emptiness that I have been feeling were partly due to my thirst of photography. I have long abandoned my passion due to various reasons - some of them out of my control, others a part of my choice, and most of them, my lack of inspiration and very low self-esteem.

However, I am extremely grateful that I was able to retrieve my drive to do photography; armed with my new lens, I felt that I am more ready to face the visual artistry I have always been fond of. To organize and meet friends, to socialize, and to share our common interests for beauty and people. I love portraits and I love doing it more to new people.

I believe that I am a very simple person with simple tastes. I have that odd habit of viewing other pretty girl's profiles and appreciate their beauty. Sometimes, I would be tempted to ambush them and ask them for a shoot. But of course I don't do that - often. Only for a few occasions when I find that such person is very desirable in front of lens. Among them is Xiao (and my experience with her on my first cosplay shoot) and Alaykka (on my first casual shoot). I can still count them on my right fingers, actually so I'm not really that creepy of a person. Or am I?

But before I make this post any longer, I would just like to feature a good friend, Trixi. She's such a lovely person. We went out on a sunny Saturday at Suncity for a location review for our planned shoot. Inspired, I also brought my camera with me to do a casual shoot for her, and also since I admitted surrender to myself -- I was indeed photoshoot hungry and the only way to answer for that hunger is to feed my camera (I now name her Nikki).

And like a child proud of her work, I was happy and satisfied. I had to end my year very fulfilled and motivated to do more for 2012.

Haruhi Cosplay Shoot

2010-05-21T21:22:00.002+08:00

I am very much blessed to be surrounded by people who are really willing to help me in achieving my dream: that is, to do a cosplay shoot. I have always admired Alodia Gosienfao and the Tuxedo Team way back in DeviantArt. I knew someday I could do an awesome cosplay shoot myself, and that someday finally came.

Rik-san referred me to one darling of the crowd cosplayers from the MINTHACC (Mindanao Toys, Hobbies and Collectibles Convention) last May 8 and 9. She's the super cute to the nth level, Xiao. I knew her cosplaying as my childhood anime superstar, Sailormoon in the MINTHACC.

She's really adorable, just as lovable (even though sly) as Haruhi Suzumiya. Cosplaying as Haruhi in our Cosplay Shoot was like having a photoshoot with the real anime celebrity. Xiao was great in projecting the cute character in front my camera.

We did the shoot in People's Park here in our city. It was quite crowded, but tolerable. Xiao was really cool with the onlookers, even when the eyes of the people were on her, she only had her attention at my camera and looked really comfortable. I like her confidence, it actually made me more confident with doing the shots and guiding her pose and also comfortable in moving around with my camera and capturing her best angles, and in composing my shots.

As a beginner in photography, I always have my firsts. I had beautiful shots of Xiao as Haruhi. Although there were still lots of aspects that I found out in my experience and discovered a lot of things that I can still improve. In doing the cosplay shoot, I had learned a lot. Although there were still important things I have missed out and although my shots still looked 'general', and nothing so much astounding that would make them stand out from the rest of Haruhi Cosplay Shots, I know that the next time I do my shoot, I would be able to note my errs and apply the things I have learned in my experience.

I would like to thank Xiao for cosplaying for me, my ever so supportive brother and assistant, Yael, and Errol, my fellow photography enthusiast who's been helping me in my queries about photography and giving me reference photos to help me gain inspiration for my shots.

My First Photoshoot

2010-05-09T05:32:00.004+08:00

Today I have attended my first Photography Workshop, of course, to learn basic photography. It's about time that I help myself by learning from mentors. Thanks to Joppet Tan and James Michael Montano's Basic Photography Workshop, I get also to experience , have fun, and learn from my very first formal photoshoot.

I do not know anything personal about Shekhainna Faith Morales, but photographing her made me feel like I was getting to know her more and more with every close of my shutter. She has a very strong facial expression, and I love it. She's cunning and her eyes were very dramatic. I thought I would be having a hard time in getting good shots of her but she made it very easy for me by giving that fierce yet sexy expression to me and all my other workshop-mates' cameras.

I also appreciate her attentiveness in the shoot without looking very conscious about herself. She'd look at my camera in the eye whenever she hears the beep prior to when my shutter closes. She's just so stunning! I got too obsessed with her serious expression I unconsciously took more of her photos close up. Yes. I missed to take even just one whole body shot. Booo. But I didn't regret it. I have many of her close ups anyway, I'm happy with capturing her different facial expressions. But at least I now I know that I should always mentally check and remind myself to have at least one shot for close-up, portrait, and whole body.

Shekhainna looks really mesmerizing when she looks at my camera in the eye. But I love it more when she looks away or looks down. It's more dramatic that way, I believe. Even so, there's no other more lovely expression that is more beautiful than her smile, and I feel really lucky to have captured one of her best smiles.

PS. I know I can still do better. I really would appreciate constructive criticisms. Thank you.