It’s Been a While : Summer Edition

I totally have neglected this blog! It’s ironic because I have been taking pictures of my happenings, posting them on Fb and Tumblr instead. Wow. Alrighty so, while I have been away, my summer has been like such thus far:

Graduation

Conference

Grad Party = linedancing

NYC exploration with friends

Art (taken at the Met)

Fine dining ala Restaurant Week (Lollipop Tree from Fishtail by David Burke)

Quick Florida trip to Wizarding World of Harry Potter for Carmelle’s Bday

PNYM’s 8th anniversary

more good eats (Shake Shack ‘Shroom burger)

….and keeping it fre$h. (Just kidding).

Summer is almost over, but I’ll still live it up and keep you posted!

The Good News…

…outweighs the bad news. Although I lost my camera lens cover, I took my own pictures! (sounds lame) and saw my cute niece and nephews. On top of that, my dear friend will replace the lost lens…I have great friends.

Well this past weekend, I attended my twin nephews’ birthday party….they weren’t together for the majority of the event, so you’re only going to see one

Thomas, one of the twins, sitting with Claudia. Claudia always says “Cheese” even when you’re not taking her picture, only because she hears it lmao.

I love ice cream cake.

I didn’t grow up with any siblings, so I found it sweet that Gabrielle and Maximus learn to share, even the delicious cookie monster cupcake.

Gabriella! Yes, she’s the one from https://generationcsb.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/kids/

Oh snap! Here’s the other twin, Lucas.

I find this photo hilarious. My cousin, Bradley, is in the back. We listened to “Poor Unfortunate Souls” from the Little Mermaid, requested by Gabriella. And yes, the CD player is shared too.

Behind the Lens…

…has not been me lately, but rather my friend Eric.

He can be a jokester, but is unusually calm when he deals with my camera…I don’t mind when he uses it, though. It’s hard assuming two different responsibilities at any place and time. Eric helped a great deal with documenting my class’s senior prank (which involved toilet papering and a live game of Pac-Man), as well as my friend’s surprise birthday bash in school.

The following pics are shot by him…I think he has “the eye!”

Thanks Eric!

No photography blog is complete…

…without mentioning photographer friends. Here is Francis, whom I met in the eighth grade of my high school tenure. He “adopted” me as his cousin, and that is where it all started. He is quite the character, prone to jumping on others and biting their ears… What I admire about him is that he is always trying new things, which led to his photography hobby, in which he teaches himself. I told him once that I would be successful if I published a manga series about him. I’m thankful that even though we never see each other, he still is there as a friend.

Of course, most friends share many similarities. Here is a visual one.

Similar in pose, yet there are major contrasts to the image overall. The tone, sharpness, the type of camera, etc. Paradoxical, yknow?

I gotta post the shot he took of me that helped a bunch! I used this image, vectored, for my class presidential campaign. Now it’s my default image for any professional means that require my photo.

Be sure to visit his site and check out his 365 Project and collaborations! Thanks for being awesome, Francis!

Don’t judge me.

Had an impulse purchase of Birkenstocks with my mother and Carmelle. I remember seeing the original(?) style on various  faculty members throughout my years in school, thinking how ugly and unstylish the footwear was. But alas, the lethal combination of high heels and dancing has led to disturbing blisters on my big toes, and a yearn for comfort. Frumpy orthopedic shoes made in Germany were clearly the answer, despite its price. I feel a bit ashamed that it’s considered my graduation gift -_- . But at least my feet will be relieved! “A tempurpedic mattress for the feet,” Carmelle and I declare. And hey, it doesn’t look that bad!

It’s pretty sad how…

…I lug around the camera in my bag throughout the whole and not use it. Gotta step my game up.



At last week’s Spring Dance, where the birthdays of two of my favorite people were celebrated.

Kids…

…are hard to photograph with no flash, because they move around so much.

I saw my niece, Gabriella, at my cousin’s graduation party. She doesn’t see me too often, and is two years old, so events generally go by as if she’s met me for the first time. By the end of the party, though, she opened up more. It’s funny how she’s more willing to pose for me than her mother. It sucks that this photo is slightly blurry.

Gotta love the eyes, though.

Welcome.

I’m totally new to this site. Excuse my amateur approach. I have a new DSLR, a Nikon D40, so I figured that I might as well explain some of the photos I take instead of just putting them on display on Facebook. I’m still a rookie though, but I hope to increase my knowledge and skill. For now, enjoy.