I say never let a raining day stop you from making images, in fact, I look forward to the opportunities they bring. This was just a 5 minute walk from the house, Ayala Triangle Garden photographed in the late afternoon.
Geisha
I've always been fascinated by tattoos and the people who decide to get tattooed. This was shot in my studio after a fashion shoot. I noticed this girl's tattoo who was part of the crew and asked if she would mind if I did a quick shot.
MTR-HK Portraits
The MTR has to be one of the most efficient & easiest ways to get around Hong Kong. It also provides great photo op's to catch candid people shots. Most of these images were shot from the hip, to keep a low profile and to be as inconspicuous as one can be.
City map + fanny pack = TOURIST!!!!!!
Always on Time
Wife: Why do you like to photograph buildings? Is it because you're a frustrated architect?
Me: No, yes, mmmmm, maybe.
Wife: Then why? What is it about buildings that you like so much?
Me: I could give you numerous reasons: buildings are like people; they all have their very own personalities-- they change during the course of the day and depending on the weather, they can evoke different emotions. They challenge you to think, to pause and to contemplate. I can go back to the same building many times and see something new each time. They can either make you feel sad, happy, strong, weak, or even downright silly.
Wife: Yeah, right!
Me: The real reason I like to photograph buildings basically boils down to the following:
° They are always on time and never use traffic as an excuse.
° They never complain that it's too hot, it's raining, or omg, my windows need cleaning.
° They never question lens choice.
° There is never a clash of personalities.
° Take direction extremely well.
° It's just me and the building
Dior 2014
I came across these two girls while on a recent trip to Hong Kong and was taken by the intense look in their eyes. They had no problem maintaining their pose while I worked. Even though the lighting was a bit of a challenge, we were able to work through the night and get the image we all agreed on. The toughest part of the shoot was their lack of communication skills. Maybe it was the 1-inch thick glass between them and myself. They reminded me of Zoolander; they only had one look.
Pacman
I had no idea who Manny Pacquiao was when I made this image early in his career, he was not even a household name yet. I had been informed that he was an up and coming boxer with a bright future. This was shot at the Elorde Gym when he was at 108 lbs. I arrived about an hour before the shoot to search for a location and to set up. Manny arrived about an 1 1/2 hours late and informed me that he needed to work out first before I could take his shot. 4 hours later and if not for Manny's infectious smile, I would have been fuming from all orifices. This was the beginning of a long-working relationship between the two of us for Nike. I shot one roll of Kodak TMX film on my Mamiya RB 67 with a 90mm lens. I kept the lighting very simple. One light bounced off the wall to the left.
This image below was the first time we worked together on a commercial shoot for Nike. Everything you see here was shot separately, Manny, the blood splatters and all, then composed in PS.
"Give Us This Day" is one of my all-time favorite Ad's that I photographed for Nike and most likely the most controversial. I believe the billboard of the is Ad ran for less than a week as the church demanded it be taken down due to its religious content. Here is another article regarding the image, "King of the Ring". It won the following awards: 2009 Araw Awards - Bronze (Local) and the 2010 Asian Interactive Awards - Bronze.
I've been a big fan of Manny Pacquiao since the day I started watching him fight. It was always such a pleasure working with him on the Nike campaigns too. I hope he gets to fight Floyd Mayweather before both of their careers end. Now that would be a great fight to watch live.
The Barbershop
Ahhh, the smell of freshly cut hair with a dose of carabao sweat lingering in the background. All this place needed was a bottle of Old Spice or Aqua Velva and all would be sweet. There's nothing like having ones hair cut or a shave in the boondocks. Where manly men go and men who are not afraid to be in the company of other men. A place where 50 pesos goes a long, long way. I love old school barbershops and the men who work there. I remember once getting a shave. The guy must have thought I was one tough hombre. No water, no shaving cream, just a straight razor and a smile. I winced, a bead of sweat rolled down my face that acted as my beard lubricant. The killer though, at the end, was he brought out his trusted jar of Vick's Vapor Rub and massaged my face into a frenzy, I cried like a baby. Film: Kodachrome 64 Olympus OM-1.
