Sinulog Saturday 2009 is family time

If Sinulog Sunday were meant for the biggest streetdancing of Cebu (and arguably in the Philippines as well), Sinulog Saturday is for family. It is the day devoted for the solemn procession, set apart from the commercialization and revelry of the Sinulog fiesta. Traditions tend to ground us in a world of changes and our family keeps religious observances close to heart.

We skipped the daybreak fluvial parade this year as the early morning schedule was too disruptive for our daughter Cacing. Instead, we headed to the city only during lunch for a mini-reunion with relatives on my mom’s side.


the 2-way MJ Cuenco St was filled with procession-goers along the 5 km circular route
Canon EOS 5D, 1/200s, f/1.8, 50mm, ISO 50


The route this year was quite long. At about 5 kilometers, this was more than double last year’s. Instead of our usual camp-out at the Metropolitan Cebu Cathedral parking area, my aunts found an old house of a relative at the juncture of T. Padilla St and MJ Cuenco. We considered ourselves lucky to have a convenient place to stay as we opted out of the procession this year. Cacing doesn’t really enjoy the stroller and we could not carry her all throughout the procession. Indeed, while the procession started at around 1 PM, it took about 2 hours for the head of procession to pass by us. Some 30 minutes later, at past 3:30, the Sto Niño carroza arrived. The church obviously made it a mission to usher the Sto Niño back to the Basilica early. About a million people was estimated to have joined the procession and it wasn’t until about 5PM when we saw the tailend of the procession.


people waving to the Sto Niño
Canon EOS 5D, 1/200s, f/1.8, 50mm, ISO 50


As reunions go, ties were renewed and tales were swapped. I had idle time with my camera. My nieces and nephews became willing models and I enjoyed photographing them. I am sharing here few of the shots.


Jasmine
Canon EOS 5D, 1/200s, f/2.8, 100mm, ISO 100




IK
Canon EOS 5D, 1/1250s, f/2.8, 100 mm, ISO 1600




IC
Canon EOS 5D, 1/50s, f/2.8, 100mm, ISO 640


To cap the day, we proceeded to the SM Mall and had dinner with old flickr friends Maning and Tet. At 8PM, we went up to the SM roof deck to watch the 1st Sinulog Pyrotechnics Competition.


my aunt’s Sto Niño which she brought for the procession
Canon EOS 5D, 1/400s, f/2.8, 100mm, ISO 3200

As pyrotechnics go, I’ve seen more impressive fireworks but then, I really wasn’t expecting anything grand, what with the current economic crunch. Too bad, I was ready with my tripod as I’ve never photographed fireworks before.


a captive audience before a fireworks-lit night sky
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 2.0s, f/3.5, 18mm, ISO 800


After the presentation of the third contestant, I decided to go home. It was getting late and Cacing already was asleep. We left SM just before traffic turned horrendous and made it home at 9:30 PM.


part of the pyrotechnic display at SM
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 3.2s, f/4, 18mm, ISO 800

My colds were also getting terrible so sleep was much welcomed. The street parade the next day would be big and I wasn’t about to miss that.

the Sinulog 2009 series includes
the Sinulog Saturday procession and fireworks
Sinulog 2009 grand street parade part 1 (winners),
part 2 (the Sinulog-based contingents)
part 3 (the Free Interpretation contingents), and
the Sinulog beauties

Hong Kong’s Symphony of Lights- part 2

I can imagine the electric bills just to maintain Hong Kong’s Symphony of Light. The 44 or so buildings from both side of the Victoria Harbor illuminating the skies with lasers, foglights and blinking lights must have deep budgets to sustain a nightly fourteen minute performance.

It certainly places Hong Kong in the map. The Guinness World Records lists the Symphony of Lights as the world's largest permanent light and sound show. I’m trying to think who Hong Kong’s competition is. Disney theme parks must have nightly shows. Maybe the casinos in Las Vegas, even Macau’s. Regardless, one cannot leave Hong Kong unimpressed.

So nightly, weather permitting, at various points in Kowloon or Hong Kong, tourists and locals would eagerly wait for 8 PM to strike. When the orchestra music begins, one can only learn to settle in and enjoy the razzle-dazzle of the lights. Or in my case, shoot photographs.



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/2s, f/5.6, 55mm, ISO 800, +1.0EV
phototip: A higher ISO allows you to use a relatively faster shutter speed to relatively freeze a moving boat. There would be a some noise though.



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 2.5s, f/8.0, 37mm, ISO 100, +1EV



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 2.5s, f/4.5, 34mm, ISO 100
Cacing is most photogenic when she flashes her wide smile.



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 6.0s, f/9.0, 35mm, ISO 100, +1/3EV

Hong Kong’s Symphony of Lights

June 18 and I found myself in Kowloon once more. I missed my family and wanted to go home straight from Indonesia but I could not get a same-day connection from Surabaya to Cebu. I had to stay overnight in Hong Kong.

Arriving at the hotel close to 4PM, I could have gone outside and shoot some street markets. However, the spirit was willing but the body was not. It was not until it was 5:30 PM that I decided to venture outside.

The lighting condition was not only dark but the weather was damp. Rain was beginning to fetter. I decided that my best opportunity left for any photoshoot would be the famous Symphony of Lights of Victoria Harbour. I have read in the highly informative discoverhongkong.com website that Kowloon’s best vantage point would be the viewing deck at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. I have never been there so I ventured southward, following Nathan Road. Just like a dress rehearsal, I timed the distance that I need to walk (I am so OC, I know). From the hotel, I found out that the waterfront is about 30 minutes by brisk walking, passing by 2 MRT (subway) stations of Jordan and Tsim Sha Tsui. Although I can competitively sprint-walk as fast as the next Hong Kong guy, I figured that later– the show would start only at 8PM – I could always save time by using the train.

There are other photographic features at Nathan Road and in the Waterfront but overcast light made the landscape and scenery dull and colorless. I walked back to the hotel with only a few photos and prayed that the light rain would ease down for the laser spectacle.

Unfortunately, a little after 7PM, the heavens opened up. Rain poured down heavily. I tried a couple of blocks and gave up. Frustrated, I backtracked. Across the hotel was a small hole-in-the-wall Chinese eatery and if I were to miss the light show, then I might as well eat local Cantonese food. Dinner was divine.


Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/80s, f/2.8, 100mm, ISO 1600, +1/3EV


When I got out at 7:40, rain was intermittent between light and heavy so I risked it. I raced to the waterfront. I took the Jordan to Tsim Sha Tsui line and used the underground walkways to keep myself dry. I was praying that I would not get lost and luckily, I found myself in the promenade in front of the Hong Kong Theatre. Racing to the covered viewing deck, I found myself panting but exactly just in time for the 8PM show. Thevoice-over already started when I searched for a space I can squeeze in my tripod. I later found out that I got fine timing as I visited on a Wednesday when English would be used, just as in every Mon and Fri, but not on Tue-Thur-Sat (Mandarin) or Sun (Cantonese).

As explained by the taped narration boomed over the waterfront, the Symphony of Lights is a synchronised laser display by at least 44 buildings, both at the Hong Kong and Kowloon side of Victoria Harbour. Accompanied by symphonic music, the 14-minute show is listed by the Guinness World Records as the world's largest permanent light and sound show. Obviously, that night was still considered as “good weather” for the show was not canceled. Again, fortune was on my side as the disastrous Fengshen storm would only strike Southeast Asia several days later.

When the show began, rain already was light but the dark clouds were too thick to allow us the full spectacle of multi-colored laser and searchlights. Not much laser beams, yes, but the hovering cloud of wet haze and foreboding darkness provided the drama and difference that meant a lot photographically.



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 6.0s, f/5.6, 18mm, ISO 100
phototip: Use fill-in flash to get a more detailed exposure.



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 5.0s, f/5.6, 18mm, ISO 100, +2/3EV



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 2.5s, f/5.6, 55mm, ISO 100

Winning the Canon Smile 7107 Photo Contest- Nightscapes Category (Philippines, 2007)

I have to admit it. It is this week’s win in the 2007 Canon Smile 7107 Photo Contest which prompted me to start my blog after years of deliberate procrastination.

The stars simply aligned when the judges chose my picture as the 1st prize winner in the Nightscapes category. I would have thought that a picture of well-lit urban skylines will grab the plum award but lo and behold, my photo of a traditional candlelight procession in old and rustic Bantayan Island got the nod.

The dream: conceptualizing the photo
I have always enjoyed my experiments with slow shutter speed even before I bought my dSLR. I think my best attempt of producing the quintessential colored traffic lines using my old yet trusty pocket camera (Canon Powershot S40) is this photo that I took in Jalan Malioboro, Jogjakarta, Indonesia.


An exposure of 8 seconds, f/8

Suddenly it struck me, why not capture a moving religious candlelight procession? I knew exactly where I should be. I have be above street level so as to overlook the moving processional. The place must be in a street corner so that light lines would come out as curves. To top it all, I wanted the locale in view to be rustic and a step out of time to impress the universality of the religious rite.

The chance: making it happen
Then came the opportunity. On April 2006, we decided to join the famed Holy Week celebration of Bantayan Island, north of Cebu. As I have a friend who worked as an assistant bank manager in Bantayan, I knew he must be acquainted with somebody who had a house that can afford me the view that I wanted. The house he led me to was perfect! Shamelessly and sheepishly, we squeezed ourselves in the balcony already crammed with the homeowner’s relatives and friends (including nuns I should add). Bantayanons, like most Filipinos, are hospitable and accommodating folks.

The challenges: initial attempts
The early shots of the procession presented to me issues that I did not anticipate. When I tried to include the carroza or processional cart in the frame, I cannot extend the exposure beyond the planned 20 seconds as the carroza just became an indistinct smudge of light. Even when I chanced on a moment that the carroza stopped, the people did not really move along and just hovered around.


Exposure of 0.8s, when the carroza of San Pedro (St. Peter) came to a halt

I then tried to shoot scenes of the moving candle-bearing crowd in-between carrozas, after all there was probably more than 15 on Good Friday. Unfortunately, most carrozas moved too slow and there was not enough movement to capture in the long exposure. Also, the carrozas are either bunched too close together, creating a mess of lights or there were interruptions when the stream of people would just disappear.


An exposure of 3.2 seconds, taken when the processional crowd was still thin

The moment of capture
There appeared to be only one last chance for me. As a procession follower all my life – without fail I always join at least one religious procession once a year – I know that the climax of the Good Friday procession would be the Santo Entierro. Majority of people would always join the Holy Body of Christ, being the most important tableau in any Holy Week procession. With this knowledge, I know that immediately after the Santo Entierro would be a multitude of candle-bearing people. I readied my camera settings and focused the lens on the house across us. My first 20 second shot of the throng following the Santo Entierro was passable but something was off with the composition. I quickly took another shot, this time showing more foreground of the river of light.

This proved to be my winning shot.




There were still a few more carrozas after the Santo Entierro but the crowd was beginning to become sparse and the subsequent photos were just denouement.

To date, this picture is still the most favorited and most commented picture in my flickr photostream. It still is the photo which defined my photographic conviction, until of course the next one that may still be waiting around the corner.