Let’s Be Kind to the Victims of Typhoon Yolanda

One of the best quotes I’ve read from a novel was in Anne Rice’s novel Servant of the Bones:

"Thirdly, be kind. Always, if you have a choice, be kind. Remember the poor, the hungry, and the miserable. Always remember the suffering, and those who need. The greatest creative power you have on earth, whether you are an angel, a spirit, or a man or a woman or a child is to help others . . . the poor, the hungry, the oppressed. To ease pain and give joy are your finest powers. Kindness is a human miracle, so to speak. It's unique to us humans, and our more developed angels or spirits, to be kind.” (The words of Zurvan to Azriel, Servant of the Bones. Part 2, Chapter 10)

Now is the best time to be kind. Let’s help the victims of Typhoon Yolanda.

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“Hardys: It Gets Better with Time”

Taking pictures with a DSLR camera is something that gets better with time. Photography, like other hobbies out there, requires time to master. You don't buy a camera as complex as a DSLR and expect to master it in a week. It requires constant practice, several photo-walks, seminars and a lot of print-outs before coming up with an award winning photo. Eventually, it gets better with time.

BEFORE taking some time to play with my camera.

These are some of my first few shots of my digicam. Before, I take pictures of food on a top view and I take picture of kids regardless whether they’re looking at the camera or at the center of the screen.

I brought my DSLR way back in December 2011. Prior to that, I've practiced taking picture using a digital camera (digicam). The first thing I did after acquiring my DSLR is to read the manual and get familiar with its controls and capabilities. Next, I've attended all the free photography workshops provided by my camera brand. I've been to several places just to avail of the free workshops -- Manila Zoo, SM North EDSA, Magallanes, and even SM Pampanga. All these workshops taught me the basics of photography -- Composition,  ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed.

I also attended a Speedlight Seminar with a fashion photographer and learned the basics of using the flash and concepts of portraiture. This seminar also gave me a lot of opportunity to practice taking pictures and be criticized by the mentor to improve my composition. I also took a lot of pictures to get acquainted with the different settings of my camera. I took pictures of things and people around me -- flowers, pets, foods, relatives, children, buildings, toys, and gadgets, among others.

My quest to improve my photography skills resulted in joining a photography club and attending more workshops and lectures. It also paved the way for more photo-walks and out-of-town trips to take pictures of festivities, tourist spots and natural wonders. Through my photography club, I've been to places outside of my hometown of Pasig -- Pila (Laguna), Villa Escudero, Nasugbu, San Pablo, Sta. Fe, Binondo, Bacolod, and Iloilo.

These are some of the pictures I’ve took of the recent MassKara 2013 Festival in Bacolod City.

To improve my photography skills, I joined our club's monthly photo contest as well as the Canon PhotoMarathon and the Wiki Loves Monument contests. I didn't win immediately upon joining these contests -- it took time and several print-outs before my entries were even included in our club's monthly Top 10. It inspired me to take more pictures and to devout more time in photography. I'm a firm believer in the saying that "practice makes perfect" and photography gets better in time.

After almost 2 years, I've gained some achievements in the field of photography like landing in the Top 30 of the On-The-Spot contest conducted by the FPPF. I also began landing in our club's Top 10 monthly contest. My photos that didn't won the grand prize in the Wiki Loves Monument contests were eventually used in their articles. I've also become the unofficial photographer of our biking club due to the quality of pictures I've posted. I still have a lot to learn in the art of photography and a lot of print-outs to make before winning the grand prize but eventually I'll get there, with constant practice.

AFTER some time playing with my camera.

Now these is how I take pictures of foods and kids. I no longer take pictures of foods on Top View. When it’s taking pictures of kids, I make sure that they are looking at the camera and somehow not on dead center. These are some of the numerous things that got better with time.

Just like taking pictures, wines are definitely products that get better with time. Hardys is one of the best brands of wine available in the market today. It was established in 1853 -- 160 years of wine making experience. They have 5 generations of winemakers up to present day Bill Hardy with over 3,000 awards in the last decade alone. So the next time that you celebrate the occasion with a wine, grab a bottle of Hardys.

Please visit the Facebook page of Hardys to know more about this fabulous brand of wine.

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