Sunday, August 31, 2008

practicing outdoor shots

Some of the practice shots my hubby and I took from his last vacation. He's already a bit used with the cam setting and he was still teaching me. As usual, the set was modeled by our little Sam...hehe! Outdoor shots are really great since the light comes out naturally, no need to use the flash. As what each photograper's say...in Photography, make the Sun your best friend, not your enemy.But there are still a lot more things and rules to consider when photographing outdoors. Remember that in art and photography, rules are really just guidelines, and the best way to get better is to experiment. Knowledge is power! So keep shooting!



Some tips that may help us to produce better outdoor photos:

  • On a clear day, the sun can be your enemy. With the sun directly over head with no cloud cover you will get harsh shadows. This will occur just about everywhere but most significantly they will appear around the eyes of your subject creating what I call “raccoon eyes”. This happens because the brow bone above your eyes protrudes out to block the sun like a visor. Try taking your outdoor photographs closer to sunrise or sunset. Not only will it help you to eliminate “raccoon eyes” you will also get better color for your images.
  • Keep the sun behind you, preferably at a slight angle. By doing this you will be using the sun to light your subject and the slight angle will help shape the face in a more flattering fashion. If the sun is behind your subject you will be creating a silhouette, which is of course fine if that’s what your going for. Keeping the sun behind you will also help to eliminate “lens flare” which can ruin an otherwise great image, and it will help prevent squinting.
  • Clouds are your friends. Those white fluffy things floating above you act as a “diffuser”. This helps to spread the light around and create what’s called “soft lighting”. It’s much more flattering than “hard light” any day. Think of it as a giant soft box for the sun.
  • Don’t forget your flash! You can use your flash outdoors with great effect to help eliminate shadows and better light your subject. You will want to set your flash at 1/4 or 1/2 power. Consult your manual on how to do this for your specific flash. This makes your flash a “fill” flash instead of the main light. You should still have the sun behind you at an angle for the flattering light.

By implementing these easy tips you’ll soon be on your way to getting better photographs in no time. Credits from Your Photo Tips.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Kumon Workbooks for my Sam


I already got some Kumon workbooks for Sam. Thanks to Mommy Tin of Vien for posting a blog about these workbooks. I'm really interested about the Kumon programs ever since I heard about it. I'm just not aware that workbooks are available for the home school tutorials at our leading bookstores already. I've planned to use the EGC that I won from the Mom & I portrait at Trinoma photo competition to purchase these books. Unfortunately, the NBS in Trinoma is not yet accepting this electronic gift check. I also inquired about the Powerbooks store, and yes...they are already accepting this card! But unfortunately again...huhu..when I called the store, the workbooks were already sold out. Still don't know when would be their next delivery, the stock kasi is based on the availability of the books abroad and they really can't assure me of when they can have the books again...arrgh!


The very eager mom has no choice but to purchase the books in cash...ouch!..haha! Well, anything for Sam that is educational and will surely benefit her will not become an issue for me, as long of course that I have the budget. Telling it to her dad will just follow...hehe :p


Now, Sam is really enjoying her new set of workbooks! She can't get her eyes away from these books!...She's really enjoying each activities. Well maybe because of the colorful pages of the books compare from her b&w pages school workbooks. She loves to trace the letters, color the blank spot of the animals, connect the dots and the challenging mazes. We'll just do the Cutting workbook as her last activity. This skill needs a lot of supervision because scissors is already involved in each activities.:p

my little learner

For more info about the Kumon Workbooks, visit their site. :p

Friday, August 29, 2008

Friendly Tag for my Fellow Bloggers

Thanks to Pepper for this Tag... It's really so nice of you!



To all me online friend bloggers around here, feel free to grab this!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Trinoma Incident (a reposted blog from a friend)

Another malling experience that almost resulted in tragedy, let's be informed and keep our children safe:

Dear All,

Most often our urgent prayers regarding our children are for their protection. It is hard to think about other aspects of their lives if we are worried sick over their personal safety. Having to raise my children on my own I had every reason to fear for their safety. So I pray for the Lord's protection on a daily basis. I pray for their protection from violence, molestation, kidnapping and accidents. "Hide them under the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who oppress them and from the deadly enemies who surround them."

Though my children have had their share of minor injuries including a couple that required an emergency room and stitches. Nothing ever happened to them that came close to being kidnapped, held against their will or even victims of a hold-up until my son Renzo was involved in one.

Monday afternoon, August 18 Renzo and 3 of his classmates were going to practice at our home. Their meeting place was Trinoma Mall at 1pm . Renzo was accompanied by his elder brother till the time that Renzo was with his classmates.

Renzo already with 2 classmates, Ram and Aaron waited for Richard 3rd classmate at Olympic Village 4th floor. While waiting they went thru soccer balls and boxing gloves. Soon after they received a text message from 3rd classmate Richard who was now waiting for them at Seattle's Best, 1st floor. They proceeding to meet Richard and as soon as they were complete they headed for our home but then a man approached them and identified himself as an employee of Olympic Village and even flashed an ID to the boys. The man informed them that they damaged an item and that they should follow him back to the store. The man narrated every move the boys made and true enough one of them accidentally dropped a soccer ball. Before leaving Seattle 's Best, Richard the last classmate to arrive was told to stay behind and wait for their return.

The man then brought the 3 boys to the 4th floor Cinema Area. Ram and Aaron were told to give Renzo all their belongings (3 cell phones including Renzo's, an IPOD, a PSP and 2 wallets) and were ordered by the man to go to the restroom to wash their hands before the investigation. The boys followed as ordered. When they returned Renzo and the man was no longer there. Fearing for Renzo's safety and their other friend they headed back to Seattle 's Best. Richard was still there but Renzo was no where to be found. All three went back to Olympic Village and informed them of the man who introduced himself as an employee and that Renzo was missing. They were brought to the Trinoma Security Office also at the 4th floor and reported the incident.

2:45pm at home, I received a phone call that every parent feared, "M'am, this is Ram, Renzo's classmate, M'am si Renzo po is missing. . . ." I couldn't believe what I was hearing I asked them where they were, what happened and who was this man they were talking about. I quickly headed to Trinoma to meet with them. I was scared, thoughts ran through my mind, all the what ifs and all I could think of was Renzo's safety. I called on the Lord, my dad and my mother-in-law to please keep my son safe. When I arrived at the Security office, my prayers were answered, there was Renzo, scared, pale, shaken-up and in-tears but most importantly safe and unharmed.

Having been convinced that they indeed damaged an item at Olympic Village, Renzo was told by this man that he is bringing him to the main office of Olympic Village. So they both walked all the way to West Avenue until they reached the building beside Caltex. The man told Renzo to stay outside the building and wait for his return. An hour had passed no sign of this man, Renzo approached the building security guard and asked if he had seen the man he was with enter their building and the guard said that no one entered their building at that time. Upon realizing what had just happened, Renzo hurriedly returned to Trinoma scared of thinking that the man might have returned for his friends and that something might have happened to them.

Little did Renzo know that from the time the Trinoma Security office was informed of the incident Renzo was already being paged constantly. The in-house detective of Trinoma decided to wait for Renzo at Seattle 's Best thinking that he would return there. True enough Renzo did return and upon seeing this scared boy the detective approached Renzo introduced himself and brought him safely to the Security Office.

Renzo and his classmate Ram was able to identify the man who was with them through the Security Camera of Olympic Village.. This man was following them from the time they entered Olympic Village up to the time they went to Seattle's Best. He watched every move they made and made sure that the boys had no accompanying adults with them.

As soon as Olympic Village releases the picture of this man to us I will post it and make known to everyone the identity of this man who momentarily created fear in our lives.

Angry? Yes I am angry; I want to knock-off this man should I see him. I am angry at myself for trusting my son will be safe on his own. I am disappointed that after all the serious talks I've had with my son on not talking to strangers still he did not obey. As a parent no matter how much you want to protect your children, no matter how tight we pull the strings on them, our children will still continue to experience pain and still be careless at times.

The good news though was that my son, our sons, were spared and for that I am grateful to the Lord. I know I will have this constant fear over their personal safety; we can't be everywhere, we can't see everything, we can't know everything but the Lord can and sure enough my prayers were answered.

Please pass this on to everyone you know who has teenage children daring to explore on their own. Never mind if they get angry for not being allowed to be on their own but at least you are sparing them from this trauma. Also please do not allow your children to bring gadgets outside of their home as these serve as baits for hold-up.

Tina

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Join me at Meez!

I'm mommyvanj

mommyvanj

This is the 3D me.
Make your own,
and we both get Coinz!


Want to express yourself online and have fun at the same time? Meez.com's mission is to make digital interactions more expressive and fun. How does it work? Just select a skin tone, a body type, hairstyle, and dress up your avatar with different outfits and accessories, you can also choose from items of artists. They provide you with plenty of different combinations in order to create and show your own style. Once your Meez is ready, you can use it as your personal ID, and show it to the world. You can also play free games with it, create YouTube videos, and use it on any site or program in which digital images are accepted. You can create, save and export your Meez for free; there are only a few marked premium items that you have to pay if you want them. You'll also have the chance to chat with other Meez. You can only have one Meez, but you can save up to 5 different versions. You will also be able to add music to your profile. Explore the virtual neighborhoods of Meez Nation. Chat. Dance. Discover surprises.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel

Having problems with your US immigration and visa applications? Visit The Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel online and seek legal advice and consultations from a respectable law firm attorney. You can also check the Immigration Updates for those who are under petition waiting for their priority dates to be process. Me and my bro's long wait from our parent's petition is still on the process... I think the 9/11 terrorist attack made it more longer... arrgh! I'm hoping to see some progress in the processing after the US presidential election. :)

Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel has been alternately called by the media as the "Attorney of Last Hope," "Miracle Worker," and "Attorney to the Stars."

The popular attorney is known for these monickers because of his tradition of success in helping thousands of clients obtain immigration benefits, such as green cards and non-immigrant visas, in extremely difficult and emergency situations. In many of these cases, the clients had been turned down by other attorneys, who deemed the cases "impossible" or "hopeless."

"The Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel is one of the most popular and successful immigration law firms within the immigrant community in America and around the world. We take special pride that many of our cases were "emergency" in nature, or were considered "too difficult" or "impossible" by other attorneys."

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Cheerleader wannabe!

my little chubby cheerleader!..lol


Got a little photoshoot again at home with my little brat while the rain continuously pour outside because of typhoon "igme". She really like this cheer leading costume that my parents sent from the states last year. She just asked me to buy her a pair of pompoms to complete the outfit. I think she was inspired by the movie "bring it on" that we watched last time. She was so amazed while the cheerleaders dances and produces amazing stunts....gusto pa nga sanang tumambling tumbling....haha! She's really in the mood to pose in front of the cam with matching dancing pa...haha! Super hyper na naman ang ate ko! :p

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