Yesterday, I met up with a good college buddy. He happened to be in the vicinity and had requested for some company. Having not seen him in what seemed like ages, I met up him and had some drinks in the Powerbooks coffee section of Greenbelt. He was in Glorietta covering a Honda event for one of his part-time jobs. Being an avid car lover and photography enthusiast, he has combined the two hobbies into a profitable sideline. In the course of the conversation, he had mentioned how competitive the photography profession is especially with the current surge of demand for professional cameras.
Admittedly, back in college, while I was taking up my Communication Arts course, I used to go crazy over photography, putting it up on the pedestal as one of the professions I hope to pursue. Beknownst to me, the world was gradually seeing the photography in the same light and those who can afford it have invested at the very least, a semi-professional cameras, which they proudly and quite boastfully bring to major events.
I had no problems with this until one of my uncles brought his semi-professional camera to my great grandmother's funeral last year. For some reason, I felt offended at how he kept taking pictures as the people wept around the casket and walked behind the black funeral car with the dirge playing old Chinese favorites. He felt so impersonal that I realized how detached he appeared to be - like he wasn't present to mourn the loss of his grandmother, but seems to be either showing off his expensive camera and making keepsakes of his outstanding angles. I doubt a funeral is something you'd like to plaster all over your family album.
With the digitalization of photography, people can take pictures for granted - no longer worried about wasting good film or a blurred shot. Pictures can quickly be seen, assessed, erased, and plugged into a computer for editing. It's because of this hassle-free technology that people are drawn to it - to an irritating point that you hear everyone boasting about angles and blurs and apertures - that it makes you wonder if they have any idea what they are really talking about.
I am not sure if this is a form of sourgraping, but I know I don't like trends very much - they just ruin the fun when you know everyone's doing it. But... honestly, seeing flighty kids my age and sometimes even older use these semi-professional cameras to show off or just to camwhore is really irritating.
Now, having sufficient money to buy myself one - I am sitting in the middle feeling extremely hesitant it would be a worthwhile investment.
08 January 2009
Starting a Personal Customized Shoe Collection
During the Christmas break, my dad had us all wake up early in the morning to do some jogging/ walking. Our grandfather also joins us in these dawn treks around our neighborhood in order to improve his blood circulation. Due to this, it has come to our attention that I don't have any more functional rubber shoes. They are either of the wrong color, or at the verge of being put to the grave. By the wrong color, I mean that it has bright vibrant colors, which I or my siblings are not allowed to wear.
Following Chinese tradition, once a family member moves on to their next life, we would have to go through a period of mourning. During these times, bright colors, reds and yellows are forbidden in the next two years. I had to pack away almost all of my good clothes in a big suitcase, not to be touched until the mourning period has elapsed.
Going to back to my story, since I don't have any rubber shoes, I decided to buy a pair of cheap Advan canvas shoes and customize it to my own liking. A pair costs around 200 pesos. This is what I finished.
For bigger images, check them out in my multiply site. I entitled it "Butterfly", in loving memory of my late grandmother. It is believed that the spirit of departed beloved returns to us in the form of a butterfly.
After seeing what I finished, my mom and a couple more friends felt that it would be wasteful for me to wear it and have it all dirtied up. My boyfriend suggested that I start a collection - buy another pair of Advan and continue producing these customized shoes, keep the nice ones and wear the not-so-interesting pairs. Sounds like a pretty outrageous thing, but it's pretty cool, thinking you have your own collection of customized shoes. I can also probably consider this for my next Christmas give-away. :)
Following Chinese tradition, once a family member moves on to their next life, we would have to go through a period of mourning. During these times, bright colors, reds and yellows are forbidden in the next two years. I had to pack away almost all of my good clothes in a big suitcase, not to be touched until the mourning period has elapsed.
Going to back to my story, since I don't have any rubber shoes, I decided to buy a pair of cheap Advan canvas shoes and customize it to my own liking. A pair costs around 200 pesos. This is what I finished.
For bigger images, check them out in my multiply site. I entitled it "Butterfly", in loving memory of my late grandmother. It is believed that the spirit of departed beloved returns to us in the form of a butterfly.
After seeing what I finished, my mom and a couple more friends felt that it would be wasteful for me to wear it and have it all dirtied up. My boyfriend suggested that I start a collection - buy another pair of Advan and continue producing these customized shoes, keep the nice ones and wear the not-so-interesting pairs. Sounds like a pretty outrageous thing, but it's pretty cool, thinking you have your own collection of customized shoes. I can also probably consider this for my next Christmas give-away. :)
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