About Me

I am Farl, born, raised and still living in Cebu. A chemist by trade, I travel frequently on business so photography became an easy fit. Like most people, I started with a point and shoot and until 2005, I preferred the ultracompact Canon Powershot S40 that is small enough to fit inside my pocket.

In May 2005, I joined flickr and got hooked in photography quickly and irrevocably. I learned the basics of photography on my own. Voraciously, I studied pictures in flickr (especially those which have EXIF data), browsed to-do threads in flick pools like Technique and asked tips from hobbyist friends in meetups in our Cebu-Sugbo flickr group.

I was not planning to make the jump to dSLR until my p&s unexpectedly quit on me a week before a trip to Africa in November 2005. So I relented and bought a Canon Rebel XT 350D which I still use up to now. I never looked back. Today, I have 3 lenses: the kit lens 18-55mm, a telephoto 75-300mm 1:4-5.6 II USM and a prime 50mm f/1.8.

Visual arts, particularly classical painting, influence me heavily in my photographic compositions. I don’t have any book in photography nor do I consciously follow someone else’s style. Sometimes, I felt that I get afflicted by the postcard photography syndrome so I try to push myself and veer out of the stock photo style. Easier said than done.

I am keenly interested in landscapes, photojournalistic portraiture, culture and traditions. I’m still trying to learn how to use my Speedlite flash properly and wish that someday I can study artificial studio lighting. Onwards, I also hope that I find the time to study photoshop as I believe that post-processing is an entirely different monster necessary to advance oneself photographically. (Meantime, I use free software like picasa2.)

Occasionally I get stumped and endure weeks wherein I don’t touch my camera. This definitely means I may never be a professional photographer. However, photography will never get old for me as there is always something to learn. My best photos are still yet to come.


Here are some pics of me in flickr


me and my Mom at the WTC, September 10, 2001, a day before 911, taken by my sister Lall



me at Capepoint, South Africa, 2001, taken by a fellow tourist



me at Arc d’Triomphe, Paris, 2004, taken by my former boss



me and my wife, April 23, 2007, taken by my good friend Salvador


... and some unposted pics from the archives.


Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/3200s, f/5.6, 300mm, ISO 100, +2/3 EV, (uncropped)
This shot that I took at Tibubeneng, Bali, Indonesia makes me wistful. Too bad that it is almost impossible to make a self portrait like this for me, my wife and my daughter.



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/60s, f/5.6, 55mm, ISO 400, +1/3 EV
The profile and upswept hair reminds me of Nefertiti. I had a hard time angling the shot to get a complete sideview profile but I know that I have to try. The lighting conditions were perfect especially that her sweat, as if choreographed, were gracefully cascading down her face.



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 6.0s, f/22, 18mm, ISO 100
I admit that I am a sunrise and sunset hound. Photographically, the light is perfect in exposing the colors and nuances of the landscape.