Mondo; The World through the eyes of 5 artists

Hey,

If you guys can read this, it’s because I’m personally inviting you to our first photography exhibition at Shotlist Gallery, 67-B Kalayaan Ave., Q.C. at 7pm till late. Artists who will be displaying their works are Michael Custoya, Anne Gerona, Tati Abellanosa, Ivan Basit and myself. The title of our exhibit is Mondo; The World through the eyes of 5 Artists.

It’ll be a chilled event, finger-foods and wine will be served as well. Also as part of our opening night, we will also have Spoken Word and an Open Mic session for those poetry enthusiasts! So if you’re a poet, struggling or not or if you have a piece of writing that you want read out, the mic is yours. Thanks to Nityalila Saulo and Miko Pepito of Bitaw! Collective, they will also be at the event, where Miko will perform improvised Spoken Word and Nityalila with her wondering wonderful singing will hopefully play for us! Also the floor is open for jammers, like I said, it’s a chilled event…no formalities, whatever goes, goes!

Also as part of this opening night will also be my farewell party/despedida! This will be my first exhibit and hopefully not the last, here in the Philippines and I wanted to share it in style with you guys!

So hope to see you there! There is a map of the place…if you have any questions or inquiries, text or call me at 0916-756-3829 or email me at aubrey.rodriguez@gmail.com.

Thanks and hope to see you all there!

bicol.

I’m leaving for Bicol tonight. It was a rough decision and I wasn’t prepared to leave tonight. I expected to leave tomorrow or Monday or something, tonight is just too early for me. Spending more than a week there…yeah it’s something I would love to do. If I had my siblings with me or my cousins there. But I’m heading to Bicol to a bunch of old fogeys. Oh and I do want to go…just not tonight. I’ve got too much to do. And the fact that there’s no DSL there, I have to rent a computer somewhere and do things offline! I’m really not looking forward to this trip. I haven’t even packed. I’m procrastinating. Yes, I’d rather sit in front of my laptop and work on this damn website even though it’s eating up my time. Argh.

.coms & web design

someone honestly needs to teach me the perks of actually handling a website. you know, the whole .com thing? the whole, paying for your own site…paying for web hosting. i need someone to teach me about php’s, MySQL’s and all those other perks that makes websites great! basically, i need a form. i made a crap looking website for my dad’s company. i have to admit, it did take me ages to finally get round to finishing it. but they were willing to give me money for the website to have its own hosting and it’s own .com. so the link is http://rodriguez-accountants.com. yeah yeah, it sucks. i nearly forgot that there’s an “Under Construction” thing on it. oh well. i just gotta figure out in the next two days how to create an image gallery and forms for the comments and suggestions field.

my dad keeps on changing his mind about whether i’m getting paid for it. at this moment, i don’t really care. i just wanna get along with it.

damn inspirations

Instead of sleeping early tonight to wake up early tomorrow, here I am browsing endless multiply pages of photographers. One link leads to another photographer’s page, Flickr, Multiply…It all started with John Javellana’s Multiply account. I started craving for a wide angle lens. I wanted to experience having one…to be able to shoot with one…creating different depth of fields, shooting different landscape images using ultra slow exposures. Experience photojournalism at its best…I want a Nikon camera and some damn-good lenses, and have all sorts of filters. And I want to be able to carry around my camera on my backpack that holds my Macbook Pro, my monopod and my different cameras with different lenses and just shoot. I want to stop worrying about whether someone’s going to snatch my camera.

So tomorrow, that’s exactly what I’m doing. Making the most of this Canon EOS Kiss Digital X of mine. Because it shouldn’t matter what camera you’ve got, if you’ve got a crap one but images turn out great…well then, it’s not as crap as you think right? In time, I’ll have myself a D300, or at least a D200 and some Tokina lenses…wide angle lenses.

Dammit. I wish too much.

Mondo. The world through the eyes of 5 artists.

We’re finally doing it. Something that I had always hoped and dreamed of doing since I stepped into the world of photography, since I realized that, “hey, my pictures aren’t that bad!”, since I got inspired by the many local artists here in the Philippines. Since getting acquainted with photographers who have made a name for themselves.

Mondo. The world through the eyes of 5 artists. 5 artists that I stepped into MadHouse Project with…it’s oh-so-very dramatic.

It’s an exhibit. A show of talent. “Pakitang gilas” in Tagalog. And the fact that I’m exhibiting with 4 of the most talented people I know. And the fact that I had reserved this date with the gallery owner to also have my farewell party. But honestly, this exhibit isn’t only just about me, but also about the many people I have taken photos of, who have become part of my photojournalism world.

And I want to leave this place with people knowing about what I can do for them. It might be just another photo exhibit…but the difference is I’m taking a huge leap by showing the world my not-so-perfect images. This is MY photojournalism at its best. It may not be the best there is. But it is definitely something.

So if you’re in the Philippines and you get to read this, I’m inviting you to our photo exhibit at Shotlist Cafe, located at 67-B Kalayaan Ave., Quezon City on the 5th of JULY. Coming from Elliptical Rd (Circle), right into Kalayaan Rd (which has an old PNB building on the corner) and Shotlist should be on your right, next to Pan De Manila. Opening time should be at around 8pm. I’m also thinking of having a bit of Spoken Word to go along with the artsy-fartsy theme…so if you have any poems you’d like to read out loud…bring ‘em along! And also if you know anyone that’s interested in photography and the likes…bring them along as well. So…see you then.

p.s. there’s wifi there as well. So more than likely, I’ll have this laptop running and the webcam as well…

ew story

I honestly don’t know what’s happening with me. Out of curiosity, I had bought this slimming cafe latte drink while I was in Indonesia. Even after arriving in Manila, it took me a week and a half to finally grab a taste of the drink. My big brother had already treated himself to more than half of the box, leaving only 4 sachets for me to have. So I decided to have some during breakfast before leaving for Batangas. And since I’m not really fond of hot drinks, it took me forever to finish that one drink (which I must say tasted great!) so I put it in a Starbucks bottle that I had lying around. Nothing happened to me. From drinking a slimming drink, of course I expected frequent trips to the toilet. But that didn’t happen.

Until the next day. My stomach didn’t ache, and life went on as it usually does. Until I decided to go pee. When I pee’d, it wasn’t just pee. You can imagine. There was no sign that this was going to happen but it did.

It’s now been two days. And there’s one more packet left.

I want to lose weight, but not in this scary way. Ew.

Trademe

Some of you guys know that I’ve been looking for an apartment or “flat” to live in once I get to Auckland. I’ve basically found myself a neat place but it’s up to the owner if she’ll take me as her flatmate. Basically, this is what the flat looks like:

My sister went over to have a look at the place and she really liked the place, and the owner that lived there. The owner is an artist herself and is from Trinidad and Tobego and the place is really close to uni. So it’s just a matter of having Alexis (the owner) email me back.

I found this place at a website called Trademe. It’s like Ebay except it’s New Zealand-based and you don’t have to have a credit card to bid or buy an item on the website. I’ve bought a 250 gig external HDD for $120 (P4000+), an MP4 player, a PDA and a blouse, and through this site, I got to save some of the flats that I’ve looked at and I was able to get in touch with the listers. Some of the photos listed by some of the listers are pretty cool, some of them…why bother uploading pictures of their dirty or messy wardrobes? I mean, aren’t they supposed to be looking for flatmates? So why advertise your home when it looks like a complete turn-off? It’s a really bad advertising technique, as what my friend Nikhil says. And some even upload pictures of themselves having fun and having parties, more pictures of them than of the place itself. Is it a kiwi thing?

But back to the website, it’s awesome. If only the Philippines had a website like Trademe, then the public would be spending so much time going to malls and wasting time standing in check out lines. Family day would be spent at home instead of going to mall where perhaps 70% of the population of Manila is usually at.

Mum wants to try that sort of business here. But the difference between here and New Zealand, is the fact that Filipinos can’t be trusted. I can just imagine if they had a website like Trademe here, you’ll have all sorts of people signing up, making bids but have no plans on actually paying for the item. Which in turn is a sad deal for the listers trying to sell their stuff, and for other bidders who are actually serious at buying these items. If only there was a way to actually verify these listers…then perhaps a site like Trademe could be made feasible in a place like this.

The end. =)

Plans to exhibit

It’s been a few weeks now that I’ve had thoughts about showing my pictures. I’ve got more than enough pictures to showcase, and it’s not enough that I’ve got them displayed on my DeviantArt page or my Multiply page. And since I won’t be showing my face around here for a long time, I wanted to leave with a bang. Well not a very loud bang, but I want to leave a reminder of myself to other people around me.

So I’m planning on exhibiting my photos, along with other of my MadHouse friends and colleagues. I wanted it to be a MadHouse Project thing, where the exhibit would be a start in letting the public now of our services and what we can offer. But we decided to make it an individual thing and so we (or rather I) are gathering our photographs and having them printed and if it suits, framed; and then I’m off to Cubao X to search for a gallery to host this exhibition.

At the same time, I’m planning on having my going-away party wherever the exhibit is going to be. In that way, those who are attending the party will also be exposed to our photos and vice versa. 2007-2008 has been sort of a big “realization” year for me. And I’ve also rekindled with so many people…and my attitude has changed. And I wanted those people that I’ve rekindled with to be there, as well as those people that I’ve gotten to know over the past year.

~*~
I just got back from Laiya, Batangas this evening. My dad and his company had their summer outing and we went to the beach. It was nice. Took some pictures so will upload them tomorrow. But for now, it’s back to looking for a gallery!

IAFT

If it wasn’t for Niccolo Cosme’s post on Multiply about IAFT or International Academy of Film and Television, I would never have envisioned myself as a student going to this school. I remember my friend Tati mentioning IAFT and how she wanted to go there…the fact that it was in Cebu and it’s just all about art. But tuition fees are in US dollar, which makes it more expensive, but seems worthwhile because the tuition fee comes with a MacBook Pro! But the fact that Macs are being used at the school, on campus, you got everything you need as a film-maker or a photographer, and everyday, you’re just inspired by many mentors and artists (students) who are there for the same purpose.

But since I’m already enrolled at an art school where my major is Photography, Film and Video, if I do end up getting my degree for that, there wouldn’t be any point in me going to IAFT in the future. The school that I’m attending now focuses on Photography as though Film and Video were just subjects throughout the whole course. Whereas I know IAFT will focus on Film and Television and Photography will just be subject. Basically, I’m just looking for a reason to enroll into IAFT in the future.

My target…5-6 years. I’m giving myself that time to save up money so that I can enroll myself into IAFT instead of relying on my parents’ money. So we’ll see.

Every time I go through the IAFT site…it makes me wanna cringe with envy of the people who go there.

End of Summer

At the back of my head, I was pretty much in denial of the fact that it was indeed the end of summer, and that the rain has graced us with its presence. Why would it be such a big deal to me? Perhaps it was cause the past couple of summers (except for last year when I flew off to New Zealand and missed out on summer), I’d find myself lying on 3 or 4 different beaches…relaxing…not worrying about a thing. I miss it. And I’m going to keep missing it.

Last Friday, I took part in the Headshot Clinic with digital photographer Niccolo Cosme. After receiving an email from them stating that I had been screened and hand-picked by the committee, I had made my way to Club Government where the photoshoot was to take place. There, 50 registrants and 50 VIPs anxiously waited their turn to have these wonderful portrait shots taken. I was lucky enough to have two friends there, Ganter and Rap, who also worked as part of the committee. I waited for my turn with Barosh and Ver, Ganter and Rap’s friend, and I also bumped into Gaby Dela Merced, who took me to the VIP section of the bar where she introduced me to more than a handful of people (that I honestly cannot remember their names). There at the VIP section, I swear, 95% of the guys there were gay. There was more room to breathe up in the VIP section as there were less people up there. It took 4 hours of waiting for me to get my headshot taken in which after, I ended up catching up with Gaby, and sitting outside with Ganter before deciding to head off to Sta. Mesa to the MadHouse Headquarters.

The next day, Ice ended up booking us a hotel apartment near Robinson’s Pioneer. We ate, swam in the pool, played in the sauna, played in between until 5am and slept in and missed out on free buffet breakfast. Pictures can be found here.

Like my last entry, I now have to concentrate on more important things. Until now I haven’t sent my confirmation letter to my school, which I will tomorrow. My sister is having a look at this apartment tomorrow that I’m hoping to move into when I get back to New Zealand, and I still have to get my visa. And I think we’re going to Bicol two weeks from now.

I have to snap out of this holiday-mode.