1999 Graphic Design

Fresh from university, I badly wanted to enter the adveritising industry. With no graphics experience, I tried to create something bold and eye-catching. 

I was able to land my first professional job using this flyer printed on mimeo paper. I was only 20 years old when I printed this for the first time. I want to find that fire in my belly again.

Levitating portrait, levitating camera and a re-edit

With the harsh sun bearing down, it has been difficult taking photos. Light and shadows are way too harsh to create balanced photos. It has also been too hot to ride my bike and find things to capture.

So I went back to levitation and experiment on future projects. I am not sure what the final photos will be but at least, I am trying a new technique. Here is one that I took outside of our apartment building.

I was inspired by the camera work of a current movie, Chronicle and here I am with a flying camera. I do not possess supernatural powers but I can position my body to give a different perspective.

I also found an old RAW photo of Steven so I decided to re-edit and print it. This one is now on our wall.

I hope inspiration and a milder sun find me soon.

Black berry picking and sadomasochism

The blackberry bush has needle-sharp thorns that curves inwards. It is designed so that if animals (like a Filipino gay guy and his Australian partner) get caught, they would not be able to get out. They would be dragged towards the bush and die so that in a few weeks, their bodies will serve as fertilizers.

I am not exxagerating about that. Blackberry picking is painful!

I dragged Steven to the Adelaide hills to pick blackberries growing wild by the side of the road. One can see the gnarly vines reaching the cars, the skies and other bushes. These vines are tipped with glistening black globules that are very sweet. People eat them fresh or frozen and some even make jams and pies with them.

But is it worth the trouble?

Steven and I had to stop when we had enough of the thorns embedded in our feet, legs, arms and fingers. It is even hard to distinguish if the juice in our hands is coming from the fruit or from our bodies (blood!).

But then I think all the pain will disappear as I stain my teeth with these delightful gems.

Balut-eating baby now with English subtitles

I shot this video of my niece Danica a few years ago. It now has almost 25,000 views and dozens of comments. I also received a few hate mails but then everyone online receives hate mails anyway.

I had some extra time this morning so I decided to put English subtitles for my non-Tagalog speaking viewers. Make Danice popular, share it!

Advantages of denouncing religion

I was raised Catholic and studied in a Catholic school. I grew up believing that the only true faith was the one I had and everybody else will go to hell. Obviously, I did not have friends then from other religions. Well, it was hard to have non-Catholic friends because I was in Manila (the most powerful territory of the Catholic Church) and because of what I thought was the truth.

Long before I graduated from high school, I accepted myself as a gay man. I was tortured for not denying what I was so I completely detested this church.

Then I started going to the University of the Philippines in Quezon City and all of a sudden, I was surrounded by people from different faiths--Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Wiccans, Muslims, atheists and agnostics! Some people thought that nothing of this religous brouhaha existed...I actually loved it and developed friendships with other non-Catholic Christians but I still kept my guard up for Muslims and Wiccans.

Being the adventurous me, I moved to Bangkok and made meaningful relationships with Buddhists and a lot of non-believers (they don't call it "Sin City" for nothing!).

Being the adventurous me AGAIN, I moved to Adelaide and was able to get to know the faces of multi-culturalism and pluralism. I began liking people for what they are and I am not really mindful anymore if they believe in Jesus, if they are Muslims, if they are former Muslims, if they are humanists, etc. I do not even mind it if they think that me subscribing to no organized religion is crazy.

I have neither been a Catholic nor a Christian for more than a decade and the longer I am this way, the more I accepting I become of other people despite their faith or religion. And I am happier.

Steven's trains

My partner Steven has an expensive collection of Thomas & Friends trains. They occupy one room of our apartment and will probably occupy a bigger one for a proper layout when we get a proper house.

I am into photography and our faces are plastered all over our walls. I have photographed Steven so many times that I think he has already figured out his flattering poses and sides.

One aspect of this media I have explored lately is "toy photography". It is simply placing toys as if they are interacting with the environment. Steven would kill me if I called his collection toys so I am going to label this entry as "model train photography" instead.

So we took our bikes to an abandoned train station in Angaston. This place is neither operational nor maintained properly so I am afraid it will get torn down in the future.

With this entry, I am hoping that the Angaston train station can be one of the highlights of Barossa Valley tourism. 

I will probably take similar photos in the next few weeks because I think I can make better shots. This was my first time anyway.

Toad and Oliver

Scruffey, Toad and Oliver

Oliver