I’ll be travelling to the U.S. this coming October to shoot a wedding and some engagement and family portrait sessions. I still have open slots available, send me an email for my remaining shoot scheds.
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Posts Tagged ‘destination wedding’
Shooting in the U.S. this October
August 24, 2010 Tristan and Gen’s 30-Minute Engagement Shoot
March 9, 2010After our Single’s for Christ Conference in Davao last Feb., some of us stayed to go sight seeing in Davao. One of the places we went to was Samal Island. Our newly engaged friends’ Tristan and Gen was with us so I took the opportunity of taking a quick engagement shoot. I had limited time to shoot since we dedicated the day to recreation (or more of sleeping I must say since most were really tired from the conference). What can you do in 30 minutes and with a 50mm lens? A lot if you already have a vision of what you want to shoot. As a photographer there are so many external factors that sometimes you cannot control and you need to do your best with the time and resources you are provided with at a certain situation. Here’s how you can make the most out of shooting in 3o minutes at the beach with one lens. Congratulations Tristan and Gen!
Sam and Meileen’s Iloilo Wedding
January 11, 2010Sam and Meileen’s wedding had a number of first for me. It was my first wedding last December and my first to shoot one in Iloilo. Also, it was my first time to also work with Marvi of Cinemaworks , who by the way did a great job with their onsite video. Things became more fun and exciting since I shot this with Tiqui del Rosario and Gracielle Hernandez. It was actually Tiqui who got an inquiry from Meileen over the internet and after a few exchanges, she decided to get us for her wedding. We shot Sam and Meileen’s prenup last July, and it was the first time we had a chance to meet them. I believe this wedding would be one of my most memorable for 2009. The atmosphere was fun and relaxed that made shooting a whole lot of fun and the setting was in the lovely city of Iloilo. We also got meet up with Sheena and Cecil of Mayad Studios , they took us out a day before the wedding, thanks guys!
Fast forward things and it was already December. All of us we’re excited to finally shoot this couple and experience Iloilo. We were really overwhelmed with the hospitality of Sam and Meileen’s families. Even before we arrived in Iloilo, Meileen really was hands-on in communicating to us all our travel arrangements and when we got there, we felt as if we were also like family. From our accomodations to the yummy food(every meal felt like a fiesta), we got a taste of the famous Iloilo hospitality. Here’s how their day went…Thank you Sam and Meileen and God bless!
Merry Weddings!!!
January 5, 2010Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Before anything else. I know it’s such a delayed greeting. I know things have been very quite in my blog for the past few weeks since we’re still in the middle of “Mad” season. December and January are the busiest times of the year for us wedding photogs and this last December was no exception. Anything goes and things happen unexpectedly… the good , the bad (like getting sick due to lack of sleep because consecutive -days shooting) and the memorable. As a wedding photographer you have to embrace and love all of these experiences and surrender and depend on God to carry your couples and our team through wedding day. Here’s a preview of my December shoots, Finally! My new year’s resolution is to blog more and consistently. Enjoy the images and to my couples, I pray that God pour his blessing and favor upon your marriage 
Dec 6 : Sam and Meileen @ Iloilo
Dec. 11 – GP and Tanya @ Sofitel Hotel Garden
Dec. 18 – Andrew and Crissy @ Shrine of Jesus (SM Mall of Asia)
Dec. 19 – Neil and Rhoze @ Fernbrook
Dec. 26 – Din and Sharon @ Don Bosco
Dec. 27 – Philip and Marlette @ Alabang
Dec. 28 – Jay and Helen @ Malate Church
Dec. 29 – Melvin and Aileen @ Sofitel Hotel Garden
Dec. 30 – JR and Anne @ Christ the King Church
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The Day After : Dan and Colleen
November 12, 2009Day After sessions have become popular especially for destination weddings since couples want to make the most of their location. Also, sometimes with the time constraints during wedding day, we cannot fit shooting at all the locations. This was the case for Dan and Collen and so the next day we set out to shoot more at Pagudpud. We rose up early and set out to explore the resort’s coast line and we had an amazing time. To my future couple’s that I’ll be shooting, I do encourage you to consider having a Day After session. It doesn’t have to be strictly the next day after the wedding, we can even do it weeks or months after.
We started at the resort and I saw lovely grees all around. I decided to start here in order to create different sceneries for the two and not just be limited to the colors of the beach.
Then off to the beach! When we got there, no sun was in sight and it was cloudy. But as I placed them along the beach, the sun for a brief moment broke out of the clouds and provide me an oppurtunity to capture it sidelighting the couple which created more warmth and drama for this shot.
As Jayjay can attest, I tried Jerry Ghionis’ “Pinch” technique. See for yourself what Dan “pinched”, very effective and fun!
There was also a rocky area that offered different textures which evoked a different mood.
I always set out to capture couples when they are not looking at the camera or when they think that I’m not shooting them. Most of the times I get a rich variety of natural emotions from them when I just step back and let them do their thing.
It was really a blessing that the weather was perfect during and aftert Dan and Colleen’s wedding. A contrast the night before when they told me it was raining so hard the night before their wedding. We finished the day with scenes from a perfect sky. God’s hand was truly at work that day!
Dan and Colleen’s Pagudpud Wedding
November 10, 2009Dan works full-time for Gawad Kalinga (GK) and Junie and I had a chance to serve with him during the 2007 GK Bayani Challenge. So when Dan asked me to shoot his wedding, I did not hesitate to blessed this wonderful couple and thankfully my schedule was still open.
Dan and Colleen’s love story is one of the most unique I’ve encountered. Although they both belong to our community, Single’s for Christ, they only knew each other from a distance. Eventually, Dan found the courage to reach out and talk to Colleen through Facebook and they started talking a lot online. Eventually their friendship blossomed and within a month’s time of getting to know each other, they became engaged. Talk about fast! but I guess when you meet “the one” that God has prepared for you, time does not really matter. As of today, they’re my couple with the quickest engagement.
What got me also excited was the fact that Dan told me that their wedding will be at Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, as it was their dream to have a destination wedding. If you knew Dan’s situation, it would be sort of a challenge. Being a full-time worker for Gawad Kalinga is not the most financially rewarding career and it takes a special breed of people, who believe in such a worthy cause and at the same time passionate about serving God. But I am a witness of how God blesses his faithful servants like Dan and the fact that I am able to capture their wedding day is a testimony of how God provides for his children as Dan and Colleen received so much help from everyone in order for their dream wedding to push through.
Ilocos Norte is one of the most scenic places to go to in the Philippines. Particularly, the town of Pagudpud has been recognized by many as one of the best beaches in the country. After the reception, we headed to the Bangui windmills area, another town close by Pagudpud and we decided that this would be the perfect place to shoot their portraits. Here are some of my favorite takes from that day….
Collen looking very lovely here…
Dan all smiles, you can just see how happy he is here.
The windmills are simply just awesome to look and provides a great backdrop for the couple.
Its all about the drama
I believe this shot created a feeling of “I’m lost in a deserted island”
Earth, Water and Sky.
Surreal and Dreamy.
I’ll say it again great lighting + location = awesomeness
I’ll leave you with a silhouette to end a romantic day of shooting. Congratulations Dan and Collen!
Coming to America
April 8, 2009This morning, I received an unexpected surprise and blessing, I got booked for my first U.S. Wedding! Thank you Lord!
After I just woke, I read a text message from our mentor, Sir Jong, to check our online booking calendar. I didn’t check it at once since I usually gravitate towards checking my email first after I wake up in the morning. I saw on my email an inquiry for a wedding shoot for October 10, 2010 from a girl named Frances. She only mentioned her wedding date but no place and time. It then occurred to me that this may be related to Sir Jong’s text message and hurried to check our booking calendar and to my surprise I saw – Enrique and Frances, October 10, 2010, Grand Newport Plaza, California.
Ok, I was a bit confused and I only have an inquiry email but how come I was already booked on that date. I texted Sir Jong to double check if it they were the same girl and he said it was and she already paid for the reservation date. It turns out, they were already talking and Frances decided to book me. WOW! Thanks Sir Jong!
Early this year, I really prayed to God and asked him to let me experience shooting U.S. destination weddings. Months went by and it seemed like it would not come anytime soon but I remained hopeful someday it will come and it eventually did!
In times like these, God has reminded and affirmed me how faithful he is and hears our prayers. That we just need to hold on to him and joyfully wait for him. For there may be times that the things we pray for don’t readily get answered by God because he may be teaching us something or he feels that it is not yet the right time. But at the end of the day, God will always deliver, but in his time and not ours.
Here’s the Grand Newport Plaza in Costa Mesa, California where I’ll be shooting Enrique and Frances’ Wedding.
I’d like to leave you with this wonderful verse that Sir Jong shared to us last Monday.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
This verse really sums up my experience leading up to this day. When we anchor our faith in Christ, all things are possible. May God be praised!
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