Shooting the town red

(L-R) Charles Borja, Dennis Oppus, Ryan Macalandag,
Ariel Angalot, Justin Paolo, Lourd Pocon

Not just the town nor the city, but, some parts of the province as well.

September 3, 2011. We just came back from MetroCentre Hotel in downtown Tagbilaran for the Visayas leg of the 2011 Canon Photo Marathon. The Canon Invasion as some Nikonistas were calling it (you know who you are, guys) prompted all photographers from all walks of life in the region - and from all camera brands, too – to line up and get red-tagged.

Now, most of you know that I am a Nikonian (I use a Nikon D7000 for my professional work). But, I also own a couple Canon film cameras which make me, at least, eligible I suppose. (Paste smiley icon here.)

Red is the color of Canon and together with a few hundred others, we wore red Canon shirts and scoured the whole island to capture three photos to best represent three complexly-worded themes. The whole-day photo contest was a literal battle of wits, creativity, muscle (for those who walked and jogged) and gas for those who – like us – were driving around with cars, motorbikes and huge beer bellies. We went to as far at Loboc to shoot. Well, a few of us anyways.

The day ended with an awarding program with winning photos that left a number of people asking if it was really a battle of wits and creativity. But, a win is a win no matter how the losers make of it – me included. Let us just all shut it and congratulate the winners for jobs well done and prepare for next  year.

Thank God It’s Fiesta

TGIF in Lindaville and new Side Room Photography Club member Hernan Estavilla – vet by profession – invited us club members over. With food and drinks a-plenty, Charles Borja and I took charge of recording the merrymaking for posterity.

Hon. Doni Piquero, city councilor, also a new member of the Side Room Photo Club posted an invite but we were busy at the Canon event. In hindsight, we should have swung by Doni’s place and took pictures of the lechon to assure us of the winning photo in the contest. We should have known better.

All in all, it’s been a great week for photography and the local photography scene in general. Let’s hope this next one will be the same. Props to other local photography clubs: Shutter Happy, Bohol Society of Photographers and Bohol Clickers (FB). Happy shooting!

(For questions and comments regarding this column, please email me at ryanmacalandag@yahoo.com or look me up on Facebook. We are conducting regular basic and advanced photography workshops through Sideroom Workshops. Please visit www.facebook.com/sideroom to inquire.)