Football, Brushstrokes, et al..

The Amphitheater of Dreams

• Posted by Rene on May 29th, 2009 filed in Friends, On The Road, Photography
• 5 Comments »

The famous amphitheater of Batad that is.

Fourteen intrepid explorers and one Master Guide.

No mommy-won’t-let-me-go excuses, bum knees and whatnot rhetorics.

Low sugar symptoms, quadruple bypass and gout-stricken bloated feet were the order of the day.

But what the hell. All climbed and trekked anyway. Aches and pains were set aside all for the common goal of reaching the famed amphitheater and basking amidst its monstrosity and splendor.

After all has been said and done, new friends were made and old bonds were strengthened over bottles of Tapuey.

Most importantly, the most amazing images of the Ifugao’s pride were recorded on our cameras — mounted on our CDR-King tripods.

-Rene Enriquez
Batad, Ifugao
May 25, 2009

Sa bus pa lang, magulo na!

Sleeping Beauties, errr… Beasts

Ang haba ng hair ko!

Mixed Emotions

Wedding Guests

Textures and Holes

Welcome Party

Shop At The Top of The Saddle

First Glimpse

Thirst Quencher

Saddle Rest Area

Sticks For Rent

Keeping It Real

Baby Fern

Lone and Wild

Delicate Violets

Shaded View

We Came From Up There!

Majestic Splendor

Resplendent In Nature

Tapuey Still Life

Bebet’s Choices

Layered Greens

Hang To Dry

Genuine Smiles

Leader of the Band

Apo Bebet

Titser Vi

Checking Shots

Single File

Young Guide

Sizing Up

First Rays

Leading The Trail

Golden Glow

Sniping Dangerously

Dream Backyard

Apo Nonito and his 100-year old hut.

Wandering Feet

Passing Time

Walking On The Edge

Close-Up Smiles

Our Respite

Climbing Down

Quatros Amigos

Batad Boy

Complimentary

Mel, The Shooters and The Guide Dog

Photography Break

Sweeping View

Red Umbrella

The Other Side

Valley Of Greens

Kingdom Come

All Smiles

Jules Phone Home

Pit Stop

Umbrella Stories

The Complete Group Hug

-oOo-

Taking That South Road Again

• Posted by Rene on April 28th, 2009 filed in Family, On The Road, Photography
• 2 Comments »

It’s been awhile since we took Andi for a long roadtrip down south. Not since she was just six months old. We had good memories of her taking her first sip of a very cold ripe mango shake at Kusina Salud. Her expression was priceless! Hahaha!

Needless to say, the destruction, err… the reconstruction of the South Luzon Expressway made us forgo alot of those spur-of-the-moment drives. Once, I got caught in a very slow-paced procession of vehicles while the rain heavily poured like there was no tomorrow. And even with PNCC telling everyone that they’ve done all they can to make their roadworks hazard free, well, that’s just a lot of bull.

But a little over a week ago, I thought it was a good opportunity to take the south road again as Gerry set up a swim meet for the Komikeros in San Pablo City while we were also craving for Kusina Salud’s sumptuous lunch buffet. That’s right. The proverbial hitting two birds with one stone.

Traffic wasn’t as bad on a Sunday except for a funeral procession which we luckily passed just when vehicles started piling up. We arrived around 1 pm and as I was wolfing down on my adobo teriyaki, the ambiance was all I imagined it to be — the rhythmic rustling of leaves, birds chirping euphoniously and chorus of kids’ laughter playing by the river beside it.

It was a good day indeed.

Photos from the roadtrip with a dash of Kubota X-processed action.

After lunch we detoured to San Pablo City to meet with Gerry and the rest of the Komikeros.

Andi though, just wanted to see the big fish.

Pocoyo Break at a coffee shop along SLEX

-oOo-

Andi’s Three In One Song Collection

• Posted by Rene on April 16th, 2009 filed in Andi, Video
• 1 Comment »

Andi’s Three In One Song Collection from Rene Enriquez on Vimeo.

Without any prodding, Andi suddenly jumped into her toy piano corner and played the keys as if she’s singing and playing the piano at the same time.

Signs of a musical career in the future perhaps? Hahaha!

-oOo-

Andi’s First Tricycle Ride

• Posted by Rene on April 3rd, 2009 filed in Andi, Video
• 2 Comments »

Andi’s First Trike Ride from Rene Enriquez on Vimeo.

-oOo-

The Saturday That Was In Pagsanjan

• Posted by Rene on March 18th, 2009 filed in Whatnots
• Comment now »

Last Saturday, March 14, was AACC’s first On-The-Spot photography contest in Pagsanjan. Bryan and Girlie’s family graciously hosted us in their Tito Louie Ignacio’s riverside resthouse. Op kors, nakiki-tito na rin ako. Hehe.

The day started out very gloomy but with the kind of group we have, you know there was never a problem whether the sun comes out or not. Somehow, the camaraderie of good company overwhelms these not-so-suitable shooting conditions. I always thought I’d get a locked jaw from laughing whenever I’m with the group.

Anyways, we got to shoot whatever there was available to shoot - good and bad lighting aside. Some of us were witnesses to a horrific crime where a soft-shelled turtle was speared on its back. I couldn’t bear taking photos and I quickly walked past the proud spear-yielding bastard. I wonder if he likes to be speared on his back as well. Probably not.

Enough of the bad vibes. On to some behind-the-scenes pektyurs!

Starting Downhill

Excited Ms. President

First Out Of The Dock

Ayyyyyy! Mababasa Ako, Day!

Senator Bong Revilla Sighting in Pagsanjan

Weary Pilgrims

Nikon Versus Canon

Silent Witnesses Of The Carnage

Huhuhu! Uwi-an Na!

Shooting The President

Wow Macho!

Shooting Up Close

Muni-muni sa Hardin ng mga Hapon

Shoot And Run

-oOo-

All About Coffee

• Posted by Rene on March 18th, 2009 filed in Whatnots
• 1 Comment »

I took a tip from a friend living in Silang that there was a coffee mill in the area. I was surprised that the owner was very accommodating and graciously toured me in and around his mill.

This photo was taken of the owner’s hands with two handfuls of coffee beans which he gave me as samples.

Natural lighting from a big window on our left.

-oOo-

I was talking to the coffee mill’s owner about me not having seen a coffee tree yet. I was pleasantly surprised that he led me at the back of the mill where there were a couple of Robustas and Barakos strewn around.

Although I was disappointed missing the harvest season when the trees are abundant with coffee berries. However, this small clump caught my eye as I looked above me. The leaves were backlighted by the 11am sun and the berries were slightly dark from my vantage point. Good thing I brought my SB-800 with me as I fired a fill flash off-camera just to slightly show the red fruits.

These are two of my photos on exhibit at SM North Edsa’s The Block activity center. I’m privileged to be one of the 5 photographers invited to put up their photos along with the artists of the ISMS Art Group.

Painting & Photo Exhibit, (All About Coffee) at THE BLOCK, SM North Edsa from March 14-27 by the ISMS Art Group & the Ayala Alabang Camera Club

-oOo-