My Canon Story

In June 2010 I created a blog for my lover who went to Saudi Arabia to work. The blog was named Elmer Loves Oreo and my lover’s name is Oreo. When I got my SSS loan that year, I purchased a new digital camera – the Canon PowerShot A495. I’m hoping to improve the quality of the pictures on my blog by using a digital camera by Canon.

The latest historical place I’ve visited – the Aguinaldo Shrine

I love the color of my first digital camera – red! I began using it on my blog and I noticed that my pageviews increase from a mere 100-200 pageviews to 1,000-10,000 pageviews. I got so excited with my new digital camera that I ended up taking pictures of just about everything from churches to buildings and foods.

When I got my 13^th month pay last year, I decided to invest it on a DSLR – the Canon EOS 1100D. It brought a lot of changes to my first blog and I even created this second blog, el toro bumingo.

I purchased the red 1100D DSLR since it resembles my A495, making the transition from digital camera (point and shoot) to DSLR a lot easier. It has the same red color and familiar icons that the A495 has – night shots, macro, landscape and portrait modes.

My first blog, Elmer Loves Oreo, eventually reached 100,000 pageviews and I became more active with Nuffnang Philippines. I’ve attended more events and movie screenings including a close encounter with John Lloyd Cruz and John Spainhour. I also met and became friends with a lot of bloggers through my love of photography and my Canon EOS 1100D.

The very successful Lloydie

This year, I was able to attend the basic photography workshop of Winston Baltazar and almost all the Canon PhotoSkwela workshops. I’ve also met a lot of the Canon Brand Ambassadors including one of my favorite bloggers, David Guison.

On top of all these events, I was able to attend the Luzon and Metro Manila Leg of the annual Canon PhotoMarathon held in Villa Escudero and Intramuros respectively. I also took pictures of the Panagbenga Festival in Baguio, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Nueva Vizcaya, and almost all the major National Parks here in Metro Manila.

My favorite building in Subic Bay Freeport Zone

SM City Baguio

My pictures taken using the Canon EOS 1100D were also featured on Wikipedia when I participated in the Wiki Loves Monument event. I consider it as my greatest photography achievement so far.

Right now, I’ve made money using my DSLR through online ads by Nuffnang Philippines. I’m also a regular member of one of the country’s oldest photography club. Elmer Loves Oreo has a pageviews of 143,061 while this blog, el toro bumingo, has 134,381 pageviews as of today. Most of these pageviews are achieved through beautiful pictures taken using my Canon cameras. This is how Canon made an impact to my life.

How about you, what’s your Canon story?

This is the picture of SM Mall of Asia that was included in the Wikipedia article about this famous mall.

Technorati Tags: My Canon Story,SM Mall of Asia,Aguinaldo Shrine

Paco Park, Manila

It’s almost the end of the year and I have tons of pictures waiting to be uploaded and share. I got so busy with the entire Christmas celebration that I ended up exhausted and tired at the end of the day.

Among these unpublished pictures on my hard drive are the pictures of Paco Park in the City of Manila. It’s where the remains of our National Hero, Jose Rizal, was first laid to rest before being transferred to his monument in Rizal Park.

It was known as Paco Cemetery before and the marker on the entrance reads:

Paco Cemetery

Completed shortly previous to the cholera epidemic of 1820. Nine of the niches were donated by the City of Manila in grateful acknowledgment of the services of the Dominicans to the victims of cholera. The mausoleum of Governor General Ramon Solano y Lladeral is inside the mortuary chapel. The remains of the Filipino leader, Dr. Jose Rizal y Mercado were interred here from December 30, 1896 to December 29, 1912.

1938

Behind the chapel, lies the site where Dr. Jose Rizal was first buried. The marker reads:

Jose Rizal

Executed 30 December 1896. Interred secretly in this spot by the authorities on the same day. Guarded for fifteen days by the Guardia Civil Veterana. Remains exhumed 17 August 1898. Placed in an urn made by Teodoro Romualdo de Jesus. Deposited in the house of his mother in Estraude Street, Binondo and on 30 December 1912 laid beneath his monument at the Luneta.

I’ve always wanted to visit this famous landmark and that feeling was rekindled when this site was featured on The Amazing Race Philippines. It became the starting line of the race.

I was able to visit this famous site during the Metro Manila Leg of the Canon PhotoMarathon held December 8, 2012. It was a very nice experience. Today, the Paco Park is a famous venue for weddings and pre-nuptial shoots. I sure hope that my next visit to this site is for a client that would believe in my photography skills and is willing to pay.

Wish me luck!

The mausoleum which also serves as the wedding venue. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take pictures of the interior

Paco Park is definitely an ideal place for wedding because of it’s history and the serene atmosphere of the place

Technorati Tags: Paco Park,Manila,Wedding,The Amazing Race Philippines

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year! Let’s all enjoy the Holidays and let’s not forget the birthday celebrant on this wonderful day!

Cheers!

The Belen. The Star of the Christmas Day Celebration.

The Holy Family Chapel in Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City is a jewel amidst the high-rise buildings in this area.

Technorati Tags: Christmas Day 2012,Merry Christmas,Happy New Year

Ragnarok’s Episode 27: Bifrost Now On Sakray

The latest patch of Philippine Ragnarok Online (pRO) named Bifrost (Episode 27) is now up and running in the test server Sakray. A few weeks from now, it would be available in the commercial servers – New Chaos, Valhalla, Valkyrie, New Loki and New Iris.

Two of the most prominent feature of this new patch for Ragnarok Online is the New World Expansion (version 1.1) and the Byalan Dungeon Expansion. It’s been ages since I last visited Byalan Dungeon which is famous for monsters like Marc, Merman, Phen, Marse, etc.

After Episode 27: Bifrost comes another exciting patch: Episode 28: Samurai’s Era. Ragnarok Online continues to be a popular online game in the country because of its continued expansion and new contents, which are essential in keeping a game as old as Ragnarok Online alive.

Technorati Tags: Ragnarok Online,Episode 27 Bifrost,Episode 28 Samurai's Era,Valhalla

Club Manila East, Taytay, Rizal

Our company celebrated its annual Christmas Party at Club Manila East (CME) in Taytay, Rizal. It’s the biggest resort that I’ve been to so far and I was fascinated by their zip line (the longest so far that I’ve seen).

The main entrance to Club Manila East, Taytay, Rizal.

There were a lot of cottages and I was surprised that CME can handle a company with a lot of employees like a call center for example. Well I figured that it’s really designed to handle events for companies that have a huge workforce.

I was also fascinated by the magnificent sunset that can be seen from this resort. It was worthy of being photographed numerous times. Unfortunately, I have other appointed during our company’s Christmas Party at CME so I have to leave early. I was only there for over an hour and I just took the following pictures.

Waffle anyone?

Some of the features / amenities of Club Manila East.

Beach front (simulated).

The very high zip line.

Dormitories.

Beautiful sunset as viewed from Club Manila East (CME).

Gorgeous ladies walking leisurely in Club Manila East’s pathways.

Employees lined up for henna tattoo.

It looks like a housing project.

Wow! You could go kayaking on Club Manila East.

Cottages are like single detach houses of an exclusive subdivision.

Seems like a dormitory.

Club Manila East (CME) successfully simulated a beach front.

The main stage. Yup, you guess it right. That is the name of my current company.

Technorati Tags: Corporate Events,Club Manila East,Taytay,Rizal