Project Airmail Love

"To be able to look back upon one's life in satisfaction, is to live twice."
-- Kahlil Gibran

Mr. July is coming up pretty fast ...and he's bringing me rainful of happier and more grand things on the way. And I'm already waggling like a puppy waiting ..waiting...for things to just fall into their right places.

And one of the things I'm quite delirious about is my upcoming bartday (uhmm, july twenty two) when I turn, uhmmmm ---*deep deep breatheeee* --- BIG 3-Oh! Eeeeek! I feel like I'm not at all acting up my age, am I?..tsk tsk And a couple of weeks ago, I made a shout out in Facebook that went as silly like this...

"...so I have this weirdest grand wish,

 with much technology these days ---

it would be mean the world to me

if anyone sends me your birthday greetings

the old-fashioned-way of "snail mail".

Can't wait for Mr Postman in July!!!!!

i wonder how many would I get

--- husband tells me he will mail me a hundred

if no one does." **bigggg grin**

So yeah, I am reposting it to remind the poor husband..and well, not exactly expecting a hundred hahah (but hey no pressure at all to you reading this now or to my closest friensds okay, it's not like i'm gonna cry all day if you fail to send me one! hehe). I just have a sudden nostalgic craving 'bout letters handwritten and all and sent via post. It's crazy I know, but seriously, if I get even just one mail on my upcoming birthday, I'll be one happy girl. And I even made a promise, I will certainly reply back, with a pretty postcard photo taken by me. *wink wink*

Did I hear you ask what's my mailing address? Hahaha *blush blush*

The photo above is a vintagey find I bought last week out from a lovely quirky store. It's a too perfect pouch for my mini-Diana.

Oh a happy weekend everyone! ♥♥♥

{E-Session} Mark & Jean

♪♫♪♫♪♫

"I've looked for love in stranger places,
but never found someone like you.
Someone whose smile makes me feel I've been holding back,
and now there's nothing I can't do.

'Cause this is real, and this is good.
It warms the inside just like it should,
but most of all it's built to last."

-Melee, Built to Last

♪♫♪♫♪♫

So much drama has been told before this railway shoot pushed through. =)

Truth be told, I almost had myself killed at the middle of a railway in line of duty hahaha -- talk about things you'd do for photography huh? *grin*

But let's put that in the past now, shall we? *=)

Meet Mark and Jean --- both based in Singapore and are having their church wedding very soon by July 2010 in the Philippines. Well, I couldn't be happier and so much grateful to them since they've chosen me to take their prenup --- certainly pumps up the adrenaline rush! Teehee!          

Please be reminded that we were of course at "full alert watch" just in case another train went by....

Oh I hope you are playing the song while scrolling over these images...

I don't know with yah but these all just tickles and warms something inside of me. 

And I always love  it when I'm able to capture the couple's candid laughter and smiles...

just goes much telling you there's more beyond that 'look of love' =)

      

Singapore is a litter-free country by the way, at least that's what is being strictly reinforced.

So below was for the purpose of photography and no law has been violated for the record. :)

Jean bought herself this really lovely vintagey bird cage and the moment I saw her wear it,

I went ga-ga over shooting her at any angle hahaha =)

Awwwww....♥♥♥

Mark enjoys playing chess and so did I! 
So I gladly lend them my chessboard for the photoshoot set =)

So where's the train???

Oh there it is....... run for your lives hahaha.... =)

You know what's sooooooooooo darnnnn good about this location,too?

There's this abandoned garage for a lovely backdrop. Weeeeh! 

You can hear my shutter clickin' here and there at this point in time. =)

We couldn't get enough of our craziness actually.
Our last location was another abandoned railway but this time it's a bridge overlooking a river.
So, yeah, it was a bit steep to walk our way there....
But who's complaining? NO ONE. =)
We didn't even understand the warning sign infront of us. Ahaha.

I must admit that I am a bit acrophobic. I have this slight fear of certain heights.
Jean was also a bit scared but for some brave reason, there was too much adrenaline rush on me, 
I couldn't waste another minute not shooting all over the place. Teehee!

Nothing could have ever stopped our photoshoot that day...EVER, not even those 2 trains that passed us by and the scorchin' heat which we were so thankful for anyway, else it woudn't have turned out to be a so so sun shiny happy day! 

♥♥♥


♪♫♪♫♪♫

'Cause you are the sun in my universe,
considered the best when we've felt the worst
and most of all it's built to last. 

♪♫♪♫♪♫

Taken May 15, 2010

Singapore

Assistant (dearest husband): Radney Brian Minerva

Thanks to Jean and Mark's friends who also tag along to assist.

You can let go now, Daddy.

"You can let go now daddy
Your little girl is ready to do this on my own
Its gonna be a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I'll be okay now daddy
You can let go..."

- Crystal Shawanda

You must have listened to that song a million times...and maybe, being a daddy's girl like me, you're also weeping hearing it over and over again huh? 

The lil girl on the image above is not me by the way, in case you had a wild guess. Ha-ha. But I was reminded of my own dad carryin' me like that somehow years ago. I took it randomnly out in the street yesterday and forgive me, the traffic light just turned green, so I only made one click at this.

Anyway, unlike my relationship with my mom, I grew up being closer to my dad. Well, you know how moms still dominate but I tagged along with my dad more often and hey! it was more fun watchin' kung fu and martial art films with my dad anyway than helping mom do the chores. Ahahaha So yeah, that's why I hate folding clothes until now. Teehee! 

My dad, which I prefer calling "Papa", had influenced me a lot on playing chess in grade school, picking up the guitar in high, and learning aikido in college. All these are my most favorite things that he and I share and talk about mostly. Funny thing though, except for chess, my Papa doesn't know how to play the guitar himself and doesn't know any martial arts,too -- yet he encouraged me to learn them --- and only when I ponder about those times now that i realized why --- he must had so much FAITH on me, too, more than I had faith in myself. And coz of that, I owe him more than a lifetime of most of what I have become today - and for the most part, I've become his little girl who's learned to grow up how to become a one BIG DREAMER. When he learned that I got myself into photography last year, he gave me that genuine Father's smile of support like he always did --- I hope I made him proud somehow. =) 

Well, he turns 61 next month and it'll be he's first to walk down the aisle with me when I get married in a chapel very soon...I wonder how many buckets of tears i'll weep then... oooh, i barely can imagine that at all....not yet.

So while that's not happening today and since the world celebrates Father's Day,

I salute the most important man in my life, Papa Emer!

And to all Dads out there, Happy Father's Day!

♥ ♥ ♥

{E-Session} F & P

{ P R E V I E W }

♪♫♪♫♪♫

Me and you ...and you and me
No matter how they toss the dice, it has to be
The only one for me is you, and you for me
So happy together...

- the Turtles

♪♫♪♫♪♫

I got this sudden phone call one Wednesday night and the number wasn't too familiar....

"Hellowww..", I sounded a bit surprised. 

As soon as she told me how she wanted to take me as their photographer, and if possible we'll shoot a day after, I was beaming excited while eating my sushi dinner that night. 

Oh talk about spontaneous, I love how we came about agreeing to shoot in an orchid garden that she loved so much and what more? We also did a shoot at their own cozy home --yes pillow fights and all! 

As much as I love to post them already, I can't yet --- until the day of their wedding in October ---

They just love to surprise the rest of the world! 

Spreadin' la la la la ♥♥♥

Taken May 28, 2010
Singapore

If I could...

If I could have lugged around my camera while jogging...

    I could have shown you a lot better than this shot taken from my crappy phone.
    I could have captured the morning mists and the grass dews after the heavy rain yesterday...
    And then, just like that ---my thoughts drifted away .... like they always do.
    It felt all serene feeling the early breezy wind as I pass thru a river on a wooden bridge...

    

If I could have lugged around my camera while jogging...

    I wanted to show you how green the trees were and that I think they're greeting a nice 'Hello' to me..

    Despite of me grasping much for air, I said "Hello", too... *yes, I talk to trees sometimes.haha*

    I could have shared too how I love looking up at the blue blue empty sky and those tiny specks of sunbeams that seemingly find their way to touch me....

    I remembered a lingering thought all these times and felt something so profound that time was fleeting by it's hard for me to  put 'em into words..not enough...really.

    

If I could have lugged around my camera while jogging....

   

    I could have framed the gardener's genuine smile who stopped cutting off the grass to let me pass by ...

    I reached the end of the park and I realized my legs have started to ache a bit...

    But while my heart pumped up more listening to my playlist , I could hear the tweeting of those lil birds...

    As if resonating "You're almost there!" 

    I could have captured them lining up near the shore...I really wish I could.

If I could have lugged around my camera while jogging....

    I wanted to show you how adorable a puppy stared at me while I stuck my tounge out to him..Hehe

    I started hearing voices in my head then...telling me "the wooden bridge...the wooden bridge..."

    That was my starting line...and I'm on my way back which means I'm about to finish my jog....woooooh! 

    Oh I must have closed my eyes twice.... first kept me in a trance state. 

    Second was when I perhaps almost fainted. Haha

If I could have lugged around my camera while jogging....

  

   I could have shown you a tiny pink flower so pretty and fragile.

   And perhaps made a story out of that. 

   Then I finally reached that wooden bridge....and forgive me, I screamed 'Oh Shit!'

   And then, I praised loudly "Oh God"! 

   I didn't make it to my 45min-goal....I made it to 53! Hallelujah!

   

Be determined.

"Whatever your dream may be, don't let the fear of failure stand in your way. 

And I'm saying this to myself more than anyone else."

- Jasmine Star

I am so much empowered right now. More than ever. =)

Last night I cried heaps of joy watching Jasmine Star's Free to Succeed tour preview thru Rock n Roll Bride's site link. 

For quite sometime now, I have been following so many overwhelming and inspirational links of photographer's site that made a great deal on my road to photography. And one of them is Jasmine Star who keeps me running out of words everytime I read her blog and see her amazing works --- she's been such a SUPER HERO to me (like BIG TIME!). Watchin' the Free to Succeed video was just mind-blowing enough --- every nerve in my body felt all jolted out with some powerful positive energy and I just so much believe that ---- greater things will come when YOU ARE DETERMINED. (i hear you say AMEN loudly, yeah?!!!) 

And I just had to write to Jasmine to THANK her personally for being such an utter blessing of sharing her encouragements and thoughts....did I expect a reply? I'd be tooo lucky. Haha. But guess what? She just did!!!!!!!!!! 

I would understand if she replied like maybe few more days after or something but she replied within 24 hrs.... did I just say I'd be too lucky??? No! I am way over the moooooooon! *teary happy me doin' my best chicken dance steps everrrrr haha*

So yeah, I'm wearin' an ocean-wide grin now. =)

---

Photo above was taken during a 2km doggie-thon the husband and I joined in last Sunday. 

My heart's been all squeezed that day,too --- as this adorable puppy resembled my own pup Lil Sasuke when he was around the same age or younger but sadly gone too early. So imagine me not wanting to leave him anymore. *sniff sniff*


Well, I have yet to share more pawtraits of love soon! 

♥♥♥ 

Age.

Happy happy birthday to my bff Yvonne Kristy!

I couldn't wait to give her the birthday present I've long prepared to give her. =)

You'd think the image above is one big book. 

Well, yeah it is a sort of a book but it's really not.

It's THIS AMAZING THING ever created that I want one for myself too one day. 

And it goes perfectly for Yvon's macbook..
and I luv her more than just because she bought us Lisa Ono concert tickets last April hehe...
need I mention she's one of those friends you can always tag as BESTEST! Yeyyy!!!
♥♥♥

I know, you're droooooling now,too. 

Should I just keep this for myself now? *eyes rolling* 

Hahahahahahahah

{E-Session} Andrew & Rochel

They just flew in from Manila to Singapore a day before our off-the-island-shoot.

And we never met till that day,too.

But of course, we've exchanged countless FB msgs, emails, and chats then.

To reach our location, we had to ride on a 12-seater boat 

just less than an hour away from the pier station.

So much things to talk about, now that we've finally met personally that day,too.

We played in the nearby shore and totally had so much fun!

Working with these two came too natural as they were utterly as sweet as you can tell....

Did you know the bride's mom made her dress???

Seriously, I want a mom like her,too! Ahahahah

Andrew is a keyboard player by the way...to marry a musician must really ROCK!!!

Well, can you blame why the bride-to-be got the killer rockstar smile,too? Teehee! 

We sure got all the sunburns that day, yet no matter how weary it was, including biking uphill the terrains, there's no more rewarding feeling than knowing how clients naturally turn out to be your good friends along the way.

That's why, you know what? I might not ever find a reason to stop photography...
was that even a thought? NOT. EVER. *wink*

And oooooooh I can't wait for September to come coz that's when 

they'll fly us out from Singapore to Tagaytay, Philippines so I can shoot their very own lovely wedding. 

Ohhhhhhhhhh i'm holding on to my chair --- 

but my teeny toenails are wiggling as much as they can! Ahahaha

♥♥♥
Taken last May 2, 2010
Pulau Ubin Island, Singapore
Assistant (dearest husband): Radney Brian Minerva
Thanks also to lovely friends (Anne and Jas) of the bride who helped along our shoot.
And super thanks to friend Fred Oplado for lending me his Nikon D90 camera body at this shoot. *hugs*