The painted ladies of San Francisco

Elegant. Regal. Stoic. And it looks like they are wearing make-up. Actually, they are somewhat overly made up, if you ask me. They are a bit formal. Well, that's because this row of houses, which is quite famous, has been historically preserved by the city. And it was even given a fitting nickname: the painted ladies. No wonder they look like they are wearing make-up! Or their nails, polished. Imagine real old ladies, going to town, and they are all dolled up. That's how these houses seem to look like.

[Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered by The Playground Professional Photography Studios, please call landlines + 63 2 812 21 79 and + 63 2 828 28 11 ext. 873 (Rane), mobile + 63 917 373 80 37 (DJ) or + 63 917 934 55 82 (Renzo). You can also send email to fun@theplaygroundstudios.com for your questions. For more information, visit The Playground Professional Photography Studios official website. We are proud that The Playground is sponsored and supported by Nikon, Epson, Apple, Eneloop, Xacti, Sanyo, Globis, Airborne Access, Global Destiny and MyDestiny. The Playground Professional Photography Studio is a photographic imaging partner of ESC Creative and MediaCircus. It is also associated with The Philippine Center for Creative Imaging (PCCI), John Robert Powers (JRP), CalCarrie International Models, Ford Models International Philippines, and Runway Productions. Likewise, it is the premiere digital imaging consultant to and affiliate of the Solid Group, Inc. Professional photographer Dominique James of The Playground Professional Photography Studios proudly shoots via WIFI with the Nikon D2Xs digital camera and all original Nikkor lenses. All fine art images created by Dominique James are exclusively printed on Epson’s Stylus Pro printers using genuine Epson papers and inks. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James, The Dominique James Professional Photography Studios and The Playground Professional Photography Studios. All rights reserved.]

Holding San Francisco in my hands

I went up to a really interesting vantage point (Twin Peaks, if you must know), framed the city, and clicked my camera. Really, that's all there is to it. The whole thing seems to be dreadfully uninteresting. Unless, of course, you carefully look at each and every portion of the captured image (particularly the unprocessed, original RAW image file). It is fascinating when you try to figure out specific details from out of the motley of too much details. You are bound to see something there. Anyway, I love this image because it presents an indeterminate mosaic of a cityscape. It's like holding the entire city of San Francisco in my two hands, and never really letting it go. This photograph was exclusively post-processed using Apple's Aperture 2.0. I love the new Aperture 2.0! I know, you will too.

[Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered by The Playground Professional Photography Studios, please call landlines + 63 2 812 21 79 and + 63 2 828 28 11 ext. 873 (Rane), mobile + 63 917 373 80 37 (DJ) or + 63 917 934 55 82 (Renzo). You can also send email to fun@theplaygroundstudios.com for your questions. For more information, visit The Playground Professional Photography Studios official website. We are proud that The Playground is sponsored and supported by Nikon, Epson, Apple, Eneloop, Xacti, Sanyo, Globis, Airborne Access, Global Destiny and MyDestiny. The Playground Professional Photography Studio is a photographic imaging partner of ESC Creative and MediaCircus. It is also associated with The Philippine Center for Creative Imaging (PCCI), John Robert Powers (JRP), CalCarrie International Models, Ford Models International Philippines, and Runway Productions. Likewise, it is the premiere digital imaging consultant to and affiliate of the Solid Group, Inc. Professional photographer Dominique James of The Playground Professional Photography Studios proudly shoots via WIFI with the Nikon D2Xs digital camera and all original Nikkor lenses. All fine art images created by Dominique James are exclusively printed on Epson’s Stylus Pro printers using genuine Epson papers and inks. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James, The Dominique James Professional Photography Studios and The Playground Professional Photography Studios. All rights reserved.]

San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts

Apple's brand new Aperture 2.0 is a totally awesome post-production tool that offers professional photographers new and much-improved editing and enhancements tools that are not available in previous versions. In this dramatic back-lit image of San Francisco's historic Palace Of Fine Arts, I was able to draw out the right amount of foreground details I wanted such as the shimmer in the pond, some detailed features in the Rotunda and Colonnades, among others. For this purpose, I used and combined Aperture 2.0's new editing tools such as Recovery, Black Point, Definition, Vibrancy, among others. Long-time Aperture users will be very happy to note a lot of great and exciting improvements in Aperture 2.0. For someone like me who has been using Aperture for the longest time, it's like falling in love with Aperture all over again.

[Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered by The Playground Professional Photography Studios, please call landlines + 63 2 812 21 79 and + 63 2 828 28 11 ext. 873 (Rane), mobile + 63 917 373 80 37 (DJ) or + 63 917 934 55 82 (Renzo). You can also send email to fun@theplaygroundstudios.com for your questions. For more information, visit The Playground Professional Photography Studios official website. We are proud that The Playground is sponsored and supported by Nikon, Epson, Apple, Eneloop, Xacti, Sanyo, Globis, Airborne Access, Global Destiny and MyDestiny. The Playground Professional Photography Studio is a photographic imaging partner of ESC Creative and MediaCircus. It is also associated with The Philippine Center for Creative Imaging (PCCI), John Robert Powers (JRP), CalCarrie International Models, Ford Models International Philippines, and Runway Productions. Likewise, it is the premiere digital imaging consultant to and affiliate of the Solid Group, Inc. Professional photographer Dominique James of The Playground Professional Photography Studios proudly shoots via WIFI with the Nikon D2Xs digital camera and all original Nikkor lenses. All fine art images created by Dominique James are exclusively printed on Epson’s Stylus Pro printers using genuine Epson papers and inks. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James, The Dominique James Professional Photography Studios and The Playground Professional Photography Studios. All rights reserved.]

International Safety Orange

The color is nothing more than rust most cynics will insist, but engineers will have to disagree. One of the world's most famous bridges, the Golden Gate, is meticulously covered in a specially formulated paint color. It is called the International Safety Orange. It gained the monicker Golden Gate because it typically glows golden in sunset. This is one of the after-sunset images I snapped of San Francisco's Golden Gate using my favorite camera, the Nikon D2Xs fitted with a Lensbaby 3G. I love the play of light in this bravely hand-held shot.

[Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered by The Playground Professional Photography Studios, please call landlines + 63 2 812 21 79 and + 63 2 828 28 11 ext. 873 (Rane), mobile + 63 917 373 80 37 (DJ) or + 63 917 934 55 82 (Renzo). You can also send email to fun@theplaygroundstudios.com for your questions. For more information, visit The Playground Professional Photography Studios official website. We are proud that The Playground is sponsored and supported by Nikon, Epson, Apple, Eneloop, Xacti, Sanyo, Globis, Airborne Access, Global Destiny and MyDestiny. The Playground Professional Photography Studio is a photographic imaging partner of ESC Creative and MediaCircus. It is also associated with The Philippine Center for Creative Imaging (PCCI), John Robert Powers (JRP), CalCarrie International Models, Ford Models International Philippines, and Runway Productions. Likewise, it is the premiere digital imaging consultant to and affiliate of the Solid Group, Inc. Professional photographer Dominique James of The Playground Professional Photography Studios proudly shoots via WIFI with the Nikon D2Xs digital camera and all original Nikkor lenses. All fine art images created by Dominique James are exclusively printed on Epson’s Stylus Pro printers using genuine Epson papers and inks. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James, The Dominique James Professional Photography Studios and The Playground Professional Photography Studios. All rights reserved.]

Glass

Let's toast the new year, featuring one of my favorite still life photos created with the fabulous Lensbaby 3G lens fitted over my Nikon D2xs camera. May all our dreams and wishes come true. May the year 2008 be the year when all of the good will happen to us.

[Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered by The Playground Professional Photography Studios, please call landlines + 63 2 812 21 79 and + 63 2 828 28 11 ext. 873 (Agnes), mobile + 63 917 373 80 37 (DJ) or + 63 917 934 55 82 (Renzo). You can also send email to fun@theplaygroundstudios.com for your questions. For more information, visit The Playground Professional Photography Studios official website. We are proud that The Playground is sponsored and supported by Nikon, Epson, Apple, Eneloop, Xacti, Sanyo, Globis, Airborne Access, Global Destiny and MyDestiny. The Playground Professional Photography Studio is a photographic imaging partner of ESC Creative and MediaCircus. It is also associated with The Philippine Center for Creative Imaging (PCCI), John Robert Powers (JRP), CalCarrie International Models, Ford Models International Philippines, and Runway Productions. Likewise, it is the premiere digital imaging consultant to and affiliate of the Solid Group, Inc. Professional photographer Dominique James of The Playground Professional Photography Studios proudly shoots via WIFI with the Nikon D2Xs digital camera and all original Nikkor lenses. All fine art images created by Dominique James are exclusively printed on Epson’s Stylus Pro printers using genuine Epson papers and inks. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James, The Dominique James Professional Photography Studios and The Playground Professional Photography Studios. All rights reserved.]

The magic of Lensbaby 3G

I've fallen head-over-heels in love with the Lensbaby 3G. It's a specialty lens that I fit into my Nikon D2Xs, and shoot away. It's an amazingly easy-to-use selective focus lens that creates really magical photo images. It is making me see things in entirely new ways! Shown here one of my favorite images that I took with the Lensbaby 3G. Look out for the article I wrote that features a list of tips and hints on how to make the most out of any of the three Lensbaby lenses (Original Lensbaby, Lensbaby 2.0, and Lensbaby 3G). This will come out soon in iMag Photography Magazine. For more on the Lensbaby 3G, click here.

[Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered by The Playground Professional Photography Studios, please call landlines + 63 2 812 21 79 and + 63 2 828 28 11 ext. 873 (Agnes), mobile + 63 917 373 80 37 (DJ) or + 63 917 934 55 82 (Renzo). You can also send email to fun@theplaygroundstudios.com for your questions. For more information, visit The Playground Professional Photography Studios official website. We are proud that The Playground is sponsored and supported by Nikon, Epson, Apple, Eneloop, Xacti, Sanyo, Globis, Airborne Access, Global Destiny and MyDestiny. The Playground Professional Photography Studio is a photographic imaging partner of ESC Creative and MediaCircus. It is also associated with The Philippine Center for Creative Imaging (PCCI), John Robert Powers (JRP), CalCarrie International Models, Ford Models International Philippines, and Runway Productions. Likewise, it is the premiere digital imaging consultant to and affiliate of the Solid Group, Inc. Professional photographer Dominique James of The Playground Professional Photography Studios proudly shoots via WIFI with the Nikon D2Xs digital camera and all original Nikkor lenses. All fine art images created by Dominique James are exclusively printed on Epson’s Stylus Pro printers using genuine Epson papers and inks. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James, The Dominique James Professional Photography Studios and The Playground Professional Photography Studios. All rights reserved.]

Nikon Print Ad: A Dominique James Endorsement

This is the new Nikon print ad that came out recently. It appeared in several newspapers and magazines. There are several versions, and this one is the version that was published in T3, Gadgets, FHM, and Cosmo. All the published ads contain the same information. The reason for the different versions, I would guess, is because of the variances in actual print size. As an established professional photographer in Manila, I’ve endorsed several digital imaging products before. Among the endorsements I’ve done and continues to endorse includes Epson, Apple, Aperture, Eneloop, Xacti, Sanyo, Monaco X-Rite, Globis, Global Destiny, and MyDestiny. This is the first time I’ve been featured in a print ad for my Nikon endorsement. And, despite the fact that I came out in the media countless times, this is one exposure that delights me the most. I’m particularly thrilled when it comes to my association with Nikon, and in being featured as the major poster boy for the campaign. I am very pleased to join my colleagues and friends in sharing with you all my love for the Nikon camera system. I am a certified Nikon camera system owner and user for the longest time. When I embarked on my career as a professional photographer, I used the fantastic Nikon F4s film camera. And all throughout, I’ve been faithful to the outstanding Nikkor lenses. Almost all of my shots have been created using with the classic Nikon lenses which to this day, I still use. Because of this, I feel very justified in endorsing Nikon. In this print ad, and in full force, I’m joined by Andy Samaniego, Deo Patalimhog, Dave Trinidad, Michelle Tan, Earl Gonzalez, Joey Velez, Cecile Agustin, Napoleon Alcedo, Marlon Benitez, Yacqueline Yu, John Russell Tan, Brent Co, Malu De Guzman, Parc Cruz, Pia Sison, Pocholo Ignacio, Richmond Zabala, Raffy Crucillo, Jervy Santiago, and Kelvin King. Why did I choose Nikon? In the beginning, I probably got seduced by their ads. The fact that the most popular, the most respected, and the best professional photographers worldwide are using Nikon cameras and lenses made me want to do the same. I remember clearly the classic Nikon ad tagline: We take the world’s greatest pictures. And I bought into that tagline -- hook, line and sinker. Though Nikon now uses a different and updated tagline, which is, at the heart of the image, along with a new spiffy brand logo, I still feel nostalgic over the original tagline. We take the world’s greatest pictures. Hmmm ... it sounds so good, and rings very true, even to this day. In the countless photography and digital imaging seminars, workshops, lectures and talks I conduct through the years, and throughout Asia, my listeners would invariably ask me what camera system I use. With pride, I tell them that I own and use the Nikon camera system. I’m currently using the Nikon D2Xs, but with the announcement of the release of the D3, and with all its advanced technological breakthroughs and its high-end features best suited for a professional photographer such as myself, I can imagine I’d be adopting this latest model the moment it becomes widely available. For me, this is an exciting time to be a Nikon professional photographer. Things just keeps getting better and better. And things are definitely looking forward and up. If you’d like to check out the different Nikon cameras, lenses and products, as well as corollary product lines and services, head over to the official Nikon Philippines and Columbia Digital websites. Columbia Digital, under the dynamic leadership of Anderson Tan, is the official distributor of Nikon in the Philippines. [Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered by The Playground Professional Photography Studios, please call landlines + 63 2 812 21 79 and + 63 2 828 28 11 ext. 873 (Agnes), mobile + 63 917 373 80 37 (DJ) or + 63 917 934 55 82 (Renzo). You can also send email to The Playground. For more information, visit The Playground Professional Photography Studios website.] Professional photographer Dominique James of The Playground proudly shoots via WIFI with the Nikon D2Xs. All fine art images created by Dominique James are exclusively printed on Epson’s Stylus Pro printers using genuine Epson papers and inks. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James and The Playground Professional Photography Studios. All rights reserved.

The Playground

What a fabulous picture-filled 10 years I’ve had! In that span of time, my private photo studio in Quezon City became the “home” studio of many celebrities, fashion models, politicians and socialites. And now, it’s time to move on. My new photo studio is finally open in Makati City. And it has a new name. It’s called The Playground. It is a professional professional photography studio that I co-own with multiple award-winning photographer Renzo Sen. The Playground Professional Photography Studios produces strong, bold and cutting-edge digital imagery. It focuses on all-new portraiture, fashion, product, food, architectural, interior, landscape and adventure photography for advertising, commercial, corporate and media use. It also produces fine art photographic and multimedia images. The Playground Professional Photography Studios is supported by Nikon, Epson, Apple, Sanyo (Eneloop and Xacti), Globis, Airborne Access, Global Destiny, and MyDestiny. And, as we like to say, come and play with us! Our new contact information: The Playground Professional Photography Studios The Penthouse 5th Floor, Solid House Building 2285 Don Chino Roces Avenue (formerly Pasong Tamo Extension) Makati City, Metro Manila 1231 Philippines Phone/s: + 63 2 812 21 79 and + 63 2 843 15 11 Ext. 873 Mobile/s: + 63 917 373 80 37 and + 63 917 934 55 82 Website: www.theplaygroundstudios.com Email: fun@theplaygroundstudios.com [Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered by The Playground Professional Photography Studios, please call landlines + 63 2 812 21 79 and + 63 2 828 28 11 ext. 873 (Agnes), mobile + 63 917 373 80 37 (DJ) or + 63 917 934 55 82 (Renzo). You can also send email to The Playground. For more information, visit The Playground Professional Photography Studios website.]
Professional photographer Dominique James of The Playground proudly shoots via WIFI with the Nikon D2Xs. All fine art images created by Dominique James are exclusively printed on Epson’s Stylus Pro printers using genuine Epson papers and inks. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James and The Playground Professional Photography Studios. All rights reserved.

Come and play with us at our new playground

The Playground is a new professional photography studio owned and operated by famous celebrity portraitist Dominique James and multi-awarded photographer Renzo Sen. The Playground produces strong, bold and cutting-edge digital imagery. It covers all-new portraiture, fashion, product, food, architectural, interior, and landscape photography for advertising, commercial, corporate and media use. It also produces fine art photographic and multimedia images. The Playground is supported by Nikon, Epson, Apple, Sanyo (Eneloop and Xacti), and Destiny. It is located at the Penthouse of Solid House Building in Makati City at Don Chino Roces Avenue (formerly Pasong Tamo Extension). Come and play with us at our new playground. [Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered by The Playground Professional Photography Studios, call landline + 63 2 828 2811 ext. 873 (Agnes), mobile + 63 917 373 80 37 (DJ) or + 63 917 934 55 82 (Renzo), or email The Playground. For more information, visit The Playground Professional Photography Studios website.]
Professional photographer Dominique James of The Playground proudly shoots via WIFI with the Nikon D2Xs. All fine art images created by Dominique James are exclusively printed on Epson’s Stylus Pro printers using genuine Epson papers and inks. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James and The Playground Professional Photography Studios. All rights reserved.

Empress Schuck: The smile of an angel captured on my Nikon D2Xs

Her beauty is as grand and as majestic as her name. Empress. Empress Schuck. She can look straight into the camera, and you won’t be able to resist looking straight back at her. There is something captivating, and almost hypnotic, about her beauty. It is the kind of beauty that will mesmerize you. Empress has captivated a wide audience with her TV appearances in a number of ABS-CBN fantasy, comedy and variety shows. I recently photographed Empress for the movie Angel. She is one of the cast members in this soon-to-be-shown flick. I take pictures of a lot of beautiful women. Day in and day out, they come to my studio for their portrait sessions. Rarely, however, do I encounter a truly magnificent and fine beauty such as Empress. She caught my attention right away. I’m glad I did photograph Empress. This young lady will go a very long way in showbiz. [Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered under my company, The Dominique James Photography Studio, call landline + 63 2 410 43 52 (ask for Agnes Taylan), mobile + 63 917 808 88 04, or email The Studio. For more information, visit The Dominique James Photography Studio website.]
Dominique James photographed Empress Schuck at The Studio with the Nikon D2Xs. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James and The Dominique James Photography Studio. All rights reserved.

Marco Antonio Alcaraz: Touching the angel with my Nikon D2Xs

Marco Antonio Alcaraz admits he got into show business by accident. Being an actor is a career path he never planned on taking. All along, he wanted to be a basketball star. But as fate would have it, he’s more known now for his forays into the entertainment and fashion industry more than his games in the court. He first caught the attention of the public with his TV commercials for San Miguel, Chowking, PLDT, Smart, Astring-Asol, among others. He also did ramp and print modeling for Bench and other brands. And then, he tried his luck by auditing for the movie, It Might Be You. He passed the screen test and his auditions with movie director, Olive Lamasan, and Malou Santos, ABS-CBN’s senior vice president for drama, and managing director for Star Cinema. Some of the movies he has done includes Mga Batang Bangketa, Don’t Give Up On Us, Blue Moon, Shake, Rattle and Roll, Birhen ng Manaoag, A Beautiful Life, Aishite Imasu, among others. And now, he’s one of the main casts in the upcoming flick, Angel. There’s no doubt that he is one of today’s most gorgeous bachelors. His looks, charms and appeal has been celebrated in countless editorial features including full-color sexy spreads in magazines. Girls, and boys, do talk about him. Marco is the eldest in a brood of 6. He is Cebuano. He took up an engineering course at the University of San Carlos in Cebu and shifted to B.S. Management in San Sebastian College when he moved to Manila. I first met Marco years ago when his talent manager, Arnold Vegafria of ALV Productions, asked me to photograph him in my studio. I remember being extremely pleased with our first photo shoot. He did everything I asked him to do in front of the camera. He registered very well in the photos I took of him. Through the years, I went on to photograph Marco a number of times for several other projects, and now, my most recent shoot with him is for the new movie, Angel. Every time we are on a pictorial session, I can’t help but be amazed at how magnetic his personality is. He is absolutely an engaging person. [Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered under my company, The Dominique James Photography Studio, call landline + 63 2 410 43 52 (ask for Agnes Taylan), mobile + 63 917 808 88 04, or email The Studio. For more information, visit The Dominique James Photography Studio website.]
Dominique James photographed Marco Alcuaz at The Studio with the Nikon D2Xs. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James and The Dominique James Photography Studio. All rights reserved.

Marvin Agustin: The Soul Of An Angel Captured On Nikon D2Xs

Photographing Marvin Agustin is an occasion that I anticipate with eagerness. I always get excited at the prospect of having him in my studio. While every shooting session with whoever subject is something that I always look forward to, there’s something about a pictorial with Marvin that is not quite the same as all the others. He is one of the few that I’ve come to totally love working with. If you were to personally witness the shoot, particularly the pictorial with the entire cast of the movie Angel, you maybe able to recognize why, but I would be hard-pressed to actually explain it. Maybe, because things work the other way around. Usually, as a host, I am the one making sure that the celebrity guests are always comfortable and in a good mood. But with Marvin, the tables are turned--he is the one who is accommodating me. With his relaxed and easy charms, he somehow puts me in a good mood. But what really excites me about Marvin is that he follows a certain disciplined method every time we shoot. It’s almost like a ritual. The moment he is in the set, in front of my camera, he clears everything away, blocking all distractions, and focuses solely on the act of photography. He concentrates so well, to the exclusion of everything else. He is powerfully and sharply focused on what he is doing. That kind of concentration is difficult to achieve, particularly when there are so many people around, among so many other naturally occurring distractions, that can easily snatch one’s attention. In my pictorials with him, he finds his inner center, and zones into that. I pace myself to match his rhythm, and climb up to meet him at a plane that is not in the studio (so to speak). While shooting, we relate and interact on a playing field that is above and beyond the physical nature of our surroundings. It is a conscious detachment away from the immediate reality that is all around, to the sphere of pure and free emotional expressions. Marvin gently takes me there and keeps me there. And then, we both go back to reality only when both of us instinctively know it is time. I would imagine that my photo sessions with Marvin would not be any different from meeting a real angel. The intensity of that moment is a blinding white point of light that everything else fades into nothingness. [Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered under my company, The Dominique James Photography Studio, call landline + 63 2 410 43 52 (ask for Agnes Taylan), mobile + 63 917 808 88 04, or email The Studio. For more information, visit The Dominique James Photography Studio website.]
Dominique James photographed Marvin Agustin at The Studio with the Nikon D2Xs. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James and The Dominique James Photography Studio. All rights reserved.

Michelle @ PCCI

The most extraordinary fashion models today come from Asia. More and more, we see distinctly Asian faces gracing the covers and pictorial spreads of international magazines, sashaying down the ramp of fashion week events held in various fashion capitals, and prominently endorsing popular labels and brands for worldwide campaigns. This trend is bringing Asian models to the world’s attention. And it’s long overdue. It is time for the beauties of Asia to shine. Among the most cosmopolitan cities this corner of the globe, Manila can most certainly be considered a hive of enchanting and beautiful professional fashion models who are being sent to foreign countries to strut their stuff. Asian photographers, with sensibilities that are distinctly Asian and yet with wide global perspective, are the perfect compliment to the fast-rising Asian supermodels. The past 5 years, for instance, young and upcoming photographers are quickly joining the ranks of professional photographers by fast-tracking their learning and working experiences through specialized workshops conducted by private institutions such as the Philippine Center for Creative Imaging (PCCI), by affiliating and apprenticing with the best and most recognized photographers, and by teaming with a pool of the hottest creative talents such as fashion stylists, hair and makeup artists, and fashion models. In this photo, Michelle Tan strikes a pose as I presented an actual demonstration of the process of shooting so that students may effectively learn the styles and techniques of interacting with professional models during my weekend fashion photography workshop at PCCI. For this deeply insightful photo shooting demonstration, I use my Nikon D2Xs and Nikkor lenses when shooting models and talents at the world-class facilities of PCCI’s well equipped studio. Together with hair-and-makeup artists and fashion stylists from Ix Chel (is-shel), students at my PCCI workshops are given the opportunity to shoot professionally trained models from CalCarrie International Models, to hone their skills, and also to build a successful portfolio that can be presented to prospective clients. To learn more about the various popular advanced courses for professional photographers, and to enroll, visit the PCCI website. [Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered under my company, The Dominique James Photography Studio, call landline + 63 2 410 43 52 (ask for Agnes Taylan), mobile + 63 917 808 88 04, or email The Studio. For more information, visit The Dominique James Photography Studio website.]
Dominique James photographs Michelle Tan at the PCCI fashion photography workshop with the Nikon D2Xs. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James and The Dominique James Photography Studio. All rights reserved.

Jennylyn Mercado: As Seen Through The Lens Of My Nikon D2Xs

Jennylyn Mercado first came to public consciousness as one of the strongest contenders in the first runaway reality show, Starstruck. She went on to become a young celebrity with a loyal following. Now, we see her all the time on a lot of TV shows. As in a whole lot. By all accounts, she is a classic beauty. She has captured the attention of the viewing public with her endearing good looks. Her extraordinary face, helped by a number of controversial bits from her personal life story, makes her a fascinating public persona. This landed her a number of lucrative commercial endorsements that are being constantly aired. And now, she figures as one of the major cast members for the movie, Angel. Top-billed by another young star, Angel Locsin, Jennylyn Mercado plays a pivotal role in one of the stories in the movie’s trilogy. The movie is about to be shown soon. And because of its power cast, heartwarming story, and witty promotional push, it is gaining huge public attention. It is expected to do good on its movie theater run. I first photographed Jennylyn Mercado when she was just starting out. And now, using the incredible Nikon D2Xs digital camera, I photographed her again for this movie project. Jennylyn has so far withstood, and survived, the tempestuous mood swings of the entertainment industry, including the latest intrigue, where she’s being linked with leading man Patrick Garcia. This is quite an achievement for someone so young, and for one who is seemingly vulnerable. A lot of young hopefuls start out strong, but eventually, they get disillusioned and fall by the wayside. Not Jennylyn. She embraced show business, and show business embraced her back. And it is a tight embrace. And this photo shoot for the movie poster may just be the first of many more films that I’ll be working with her. No matter what role she will portray in future films, angelic or not, I look forward to future studio sessions with her. [Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered under my company, The Dominique James Photography Studio, call landline + 63 2 410 43 52 (ask for Agnes Taylan), mobile + 63 917 808 88 04, or email The Studio. For more information, visit The Dominique James Photography Studio website.]
Celebrity portraiture by Dominique James. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James and The Dominique James Photography Studio. All rights reserved.

The Angelic Face Of Patrick Garcia Captured On Nikon D2Xs

The eternal angelic face of Patrick Garcia is captured with my Nikon D2Xs in this deceptively simple and direct studio portrait. I took this picture of him during the recent all-star cast pictorial for the movie, Angel. This is not the first time I photographed Patrick. He is a regular at my studio. At least once a year, we work together once or twice for his projects. It could be a for a movie this year, and the next, a TV show. Somehow, there’s always a reason we are thrown together to work. I adore Patrick, and I love photographing him. His face isn’t like that of any other. It’s angelic, to state the obvious. From the boy of a few years ago, he is certainly growing to be a fine young man, year by year, but that is not obvious in the way he looks. His youthful and innocent countenance remains unchanged. It’s as if he never ages. He’s as gorgeous and as handsome as the first time I photographed him. For all intents and purposes, Patrick can be considered photogenic. But that label is unfair. His blessed good looks is not the only main reason why he always looks handsome in his pictures. It’s the emotions that he brings out and comes across through the still image. Look into his eyes, you will read the deep emotion from those eyes, the feelings and thoughts of a boy, who is now a man, who has been through life’s ups and downs. The studio set-up for this shoot has been stripped down to the basic essentials. I peeled away the layers of complexity to bring out the raw emotions of the subject. The focus of this and other photographs in the set is to wordlessly and directly communicate to the viewers the authentic human emotion. The picture is talking to you. [Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered under my company, The Dominique James Photography Studio, call landline + 63 2 410 43 52 (ask for Agnes Taylan), mobile + 63 917 808 88 04, or email The Studio. For more information, visit The Dominique James Photography Studio website.]
Photography by Dominique James. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James and The Dominique James Photography Studio. All rights reserved.

Nikon D2Xs Captures The Face Of An Angel

Angel is an inspirational film. It reveals the quiet travails of three ordinary individuals whose lives turn extraordinary because of an angel’s touch. The movie uplifts the viewers into the realm of hope for a better life. The challenge for me was how to capture that essence of hope, and visually express it in the photographs I took for the movie’s poster. I made a conscious decision to do away with a complicated technical studio setup, keeping everything simple and clean. This is in synch with the theme’s execution: direct. Instead of adding distracting elements, I peeled away all the unnecessary layers, and focused instead and almost solely on the subjects I photographed. What made the studio session inspiring for me were the very talented stars I photographed. And, the camera I was using. The stars. led by Angel Locsin, brought out the right emotions on cue. It was almost effortless. And the Nikon D2Xs camera system I was using perfectly captured those emotions. I couldn’t have chosen a better camera system to do the job. Reviewing the shots I took in my studio’s MacPro with dual 23“ cinema displays, and using Apple’s all-in-one post-production software for professional photographers, Aperture, I’m amazed at the almost raw emotional power in each and every shoot I took. The Nikon D2Xs allowed me to capture it all, moment by moment. [Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered under my company, The Dominique James Photography Studio, call landline + 63 2 410 43 52 (ask for Agnes Taylan), mobile + 63 917 808 88 04, or email The Studio. For more information, visit The Dominique James Photography Studio website.]
Photography by Dominique James. Copyright 2007 © Dominique James and The Dominique James Photography Studio. All rights reserved.

Nikon D2Xs: Love @ First Click!

One of the questions I am asked often enough, particularly when it comes to the photographs I create, is: What is the source of your inspiration? They want to know what inspires me to create the images. They want to find out where, exactly, the magic of my photographs come from. Well, there is no one answer. There are several answers. I get inspired by many things. For one thing, I get inspired by the subjects I photograph. If I am photographing a person, I look for the inherent qualities and make it obviously visible in my pictures. During the shoot, I motivate the person to reveal emotions through the eyes. The challenge to any portrait photographer is how to bring out that inner quality and inner glow into the surface, making the invisible, visible. Another thing that inspires me are the tools that I use. Of course, I can pick out any tool, and then go ahead and shoot and do my work. And then that’s basically the end of it. It can be just that way, and to a lot of people, they wouldn’t have cared one way or the other, for as long as the picture is there. But to any professional, particularly to a professional photographer, the right set of tools is essential. Working with the right tools inspires a photographer such as myself to create a thing of beauty in every click. When I first ventured into the field of professional photography, for instance, during the halcyon days of film, I immediately took to the Nikon system. There was no doubt in my mind that the Nikon was, and still is, the camera system I want to work in. I bit the bullet and believed in the mantra that Nikon cameras take the world’s greatest pictures. When the digital era dawned, I didn’t give up on the Nikon system. I chose a camera system that works on the Nikkor F-Mount lenses, and all the lenses that I’ve been using all through the years have been exclusively Nikkor glass. My loyalty to the Nikon system came into full circle when I finally picked up Nikon’s flagship digital camera, the D2Xs. A “new” digital camera can sometimes take a bit of hand-holding before one is able to tease and coax out the best performance it can deliver. There’s that getting-to-know-you stage that one must get through before any earnest work can be done. Not surprisingly, such is not the case between me and the Nikon D2Xs. The moment I held the camera, fitted it with my favorite lens, loaded a blank CF card, turned on the power, and peeped through the viewfinder, it was love at first click! This has been the camera that I’ve been waiting for to replace the aging digital system I’ve been using for quite a number of years. I finally found the camera that I truly, truly love. I brought the Nikon D2Xs, together with 6 of my favorite lenses, to Singapore, where I did an amazing whole day shootout with multi-awarded and seasoned travel photographer Lester Ledesma. I shot more than 2,000 images that day. That was when I discovered its impressive battery life. It never let me down. The Nikon D2Xs still had an almost full charge that maybe would have been good to go for another 2,000 images or more. And although I’m not one to totally rely on superstitious beliefs, and maybe, quite unrelated, I received a surprise professional dream job -- to photograph the Apple stores in Singapore, that somehow made me think this new Nikon D2Xs is going to bring me a wave of good luck. And that wave of good luck continues to this day. From the moment I came back to Manila, I’ve been shooting almost non-stop, and exclusively with the Nikon D2Xs. I’m definitely falling more and more in love with this camera each and every day. With the Nikon D2Xs, my new works are actually different--more edgy and more vibrant. If you ask me what inspires me to shoot nowadays, it’s the Nikon D2Xs. (To learn more about the Nikon D2Xs and other Nikon digital cameras, lenses, accessories and other products, visit the Columbia Digital official website at http://www.columbiadigital.net.) So, the answer to the question what inspires me are both the subjects I shoot and the tools that I use to create the images. [Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered under my company, The Dominique James Photography Studio, call landline + 63 2 410 43 52 (ask for Agnes Taylan), mobile + 63 917 808 88 04, or email The Studio. For more information, visit The Dominique James Photography Studio website.]
Copyright 2007 © Dominique James and The Dominique James Photography Studio. All rights reserved.

For the love of photography

The progressive developments of technology in the field of digital photography continues to encourage more and more people to learn how to take better pictures. Every time I give a talk, I see new, eager and bright faces, hoping to learn a new thing or two that they can apply right away. They all want to be able to improve the way their photographs come out. Since January, I conducted a couple of 2-day extensive workshops for professional photographers at the Philippine Center for Creative Imaging (PCCI). For February, I gave 3 talks on various photography subjects in different venues for several organizations. I was invited to speak at the Nikon booth last February 4 during PhotoWorld 2007 held at the Ayala Center in Makati to show and talk about my recent celebrity portraits and fashion photographs, and how I use my Nikkor lenses in taking pictures. Malu de Guzman of Columbia Digital said, “Truly, you inspired and entertained the people.” Last February 6, with the invitation of Ynzal, one of the official and the most trusted Apple Authorized Resellers in the country, I delivered a mini-lecture to the members of the Ayala Alabang Photography Club on my digital post-production workflow using Apple’s advanced software for professional photographers called Aperture. And February 13, I was the guest speaker for the LEAP class at the De La Salle University (DLSU) where I conducted a mini-workshop on Fashion Photography. The month isn’t over because on February 19 and 20, I will be one of the resource speakers at the 4th annual Youth Conference in Information Technology (YCIT). This event is organized by the University of the Philippines Information Technology Training Center (UP ITTC), UP System IT Foundation (UP SITF), Roosevelt College System and the Student Volunteer Corps (SVC), in cooperation with the Computing Society of the Philippines (CSP). And, to cap this month, I will be making an appearance at the newly opened PowerMac Center in Greenbelt 3 to conduct 2 introductory sessions on Apple’s advanced all-in-one digital post-production workflow software for professional photographers, Aperture. All of the talks that I’ve done so far are all for the love of photography. [Note: If you’d like to inquire about the wide range of professional photography services and products offered under my company, The Dominique James Photography Studio, call landline + 63 2 410 43 52 (ask for Agnes Taylan), mobile + 63 917 808 88 04, or email The Studio. For more information, visit The Dominique James Photography Studio website.]
Copyright 2007 © The Dominique James Photography Studio. All rights reserved.