Ryan Macalandag. Get yours at bighugelabs.com/flickr

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Photobin: Macro Fever

Macro Photography by Ryan Macalandag
Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines

Nikkor 60mm 2.8 micro-9

I got bit by the "macro bug". Thanks to Ryan Li, I now own a Nikon 60mm f/2.8D micro which is really a nifty lens for those micro sized subjects I have around the house.

It also has a 1:1 magnification which means that I can approach and shoot any object (moving or not moving) and frame it 100% on the image as I saw on screen. Or "...meaning the image on the film is the same size as the object being photographed" from wikipedia. Got it? Yep, me too.

Anyways, so I can go near and shoot really small objects. Objects such as these:

Nikkor 60mm 2.8 micro-8

Nikkor 60mm 2.8 micro-6

Nikkor 60mm 2.8 micro-3

Nikkor 60mm 2.8 micro

Nikkor 60mm 2.8 micro-3

Nikkor 60mm 2.8 micro-13

So cool, right? Right. Anyways, these are half-decent samples as of yet. I will be learning and shooting more macro in the next few weeks. There'll be a lot to learn. I have all the eagerness to do so.

(For more of this set, click here.)

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Sunday, June 22, 2008

FOR SALE: Nikon lenses! (SOLD ALREADY)

UPDATE: Both items sold already! Thanks to the buyers. :)

For Sale Nikon Lens

1. Nikkor 28mm f/2.8D @ P6,800.00 only

- good performance prime lens, sharp, nice colors
- excellent condition, no scratches whatsoever
- used only a few times (my hobby/walkaround lens, not work lens)
- bought from a fellow PiPho (last april?)
- with front and rear caps
- no box/manual/warranty already

2. Nikkor 50mm F/1.8D @ P4,800 only

- best perfomance lens, tack sharp
- good condition, no scratches
- my favorite portrait lens
- used 70% of the time during wedding coverage work
- bought from Mayer last December 15, 2007
- complete with box/manuals/receipt
- warranty until December 15, 2008

RFS: Need funds to purchase a Nikkor 60mm micro..actually I got this lens already! Smiley But, I need to pay next week! Sad

I've loved both lenses really. If I had money to pay for the new lens, I would keep both lenses sana. Pero wala eh. Smiley

BTW, my location is in Bohol but I can ship to anywhere in the Philippines. I will handle the shipping charges. Freight will be through Air21.

Payment is strictly "deposit first" before shipment.

For faster transactions, please text/call 09215706574. Serious buyers are appreciated.

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Friday, June 13, 2008

Portraits: Baby Michaela

Baby/Infant/Child Photography by Ryan Macalandag
Tagbilaran City, Bohol

Babies and infants may be the cutest things in the world but they are the hardest to photograph. I'd shoot an erupting volcano anytime but would second-thought on doing a shoot with babies. Not.

Baby Michaela-7

Well, it true that kids are difficult to shoot, but I always have fun! It takes time, patience and the right amount of luck to get nice unforgettable "moment" photos.

Baby Michaela-5

Baby Michaela-8

I've always thought that I will never lose the child in me. I've always been comfortable with children. I feel that I understand them. At some point in my life when I was a kid, I didn't want to grow up.

Thus, when photographing kids, I somehow use my childish instincts to just lose myself in the moment, play around and wait for that lucky shot to come by. They're hard to come by but they sure will.

Baby Michaela-9

Just be patient and wait. :)

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Travel: Balicasag Getaway

Travel Photography by Ryan Macalandag
Balicasag Island in Panglao, Bohol, Philippines

panglao_bohol-7

One of the benefits of my work as a photographer is that I get to go to places once in a while.

Work has been really tough for the past few weeks, thus, the photo shoot I did in Balicasag Island in Panglao was a welcome treat. I am currently shooting photos for the town to be included in their official website.

The island, though small, was a pretty site as we eased closer. The blue sea indicates that the water here is pretty deep as big ships pass by this channel regularly.

The surrounding reef water was crystal clear though. Known to be one of the world's more famous dive sites, Balicasag has a lot to offer beneath. That's why I brought my "snorkel buddies" along - Reg, Liza, and Francis. We rented some gear, hired a boat and had fun for about an hour underwater. Liza's 15-shot el cheapo plastic underwater film camera should show us all happy and grinning as we fed the fish with some crackers.

panglao_bohol-8

panglao_bohol-14

The island also has a lone resort complete with well-appointed rooms to satisfy the weary traveler. The pool wasn't that bad either.

panglao_bohol-19

After four hours or so of frolicking around, we had to head off back to the main island. But we passed by the crescent-shaped white sandbar Puntod Island.

panglao_bohol-29

Francis (who is also my photographer's assistant at times) likes my kind of work, too. He especially loves it when I do test shots of him jumping around some uninhabited paradise island somewhere in the seas of Panglao.

panglao_bohol-22

panglao_bohol-25

What a life!

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Thursday, June 05, 2008

Photobin: Another Tagbilaran Sunset

Sunset Photos by Ryan Macalandag
Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines

We do this often. After a day's work, Reg (my wifey) and I, we stroll around the city on my motorbike. It's really refreshing to just catch the wind and relax. Sometimes a dip into the nearest beach is pleasant. Or sometimes just catching the sunset from the city pier can be amazing.

When we went to catch the sunset last June 3, it was especially magnificent. I got to watch the sky change colors a million times - from blue to indigo, orange to red and dying out into a breathtaking purplish hue. Pretty amazing.

Tagbilaran City Sunset Walk

In this photo, we just arrived at the pier. It's okay, we're not late. The sun is up a bit. The colors will get better after the sun has fully set.

While waiting, we saw a bunch of people looking out to the see, apparently waiting for somebody. Turned out they were workers for the fishing vessel, waiting for their ship to arrive. They were about fifty-ish of them. They will be back in the morning with lot of fish - hopefully.

Tagbilaran City Sunset Walk-3

The sailboats below are definitely not for fishing. I wonder who owns these million-peso toys. I have never seen them ever setting sail though.

Tagbilaran City Sunset Walk-5

The sun has just fully set and the sky is a bit bluish in hue. It is getting ready to reveal more colors.

Tagbilaran City Sunset Walk-4

We decided to go to the other smaller pier (K of C) which sets the city pier beautifully in the distance. The whole perspective is amazing. So were the colors. Orangey-red. Fiery.

Tagbilaran City Sunset Walk-11

It's usually that when about 10 minutes after setting, it hit the overlying clouds in the horizon. The light bounces off as oranges and reds and purples too.

Tagbilaran City Sunset Walk-8

It was definitely a tension relieving experience. A lot of people do this every afternoon. Only a few bring out their cameras though.

After that, we went straight to the Cogon market to buy some fish. There is something with the smell of the ocean that made me crave fish and seafood. Yum.

Tagbilaran City Sunset Walk-12

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