CEBU & DAVAO: Landscapes, Seascapes, my Second Home

[karlo reyes]

hi guys, id like to share my snaps of Cebu, Philippines. This is one of the tourists spots here so im sure you'll love to know more about this place. will be updating this once in awhile as i tour this excellent and awesome place! cheers! HDRS. BNW, LUCIS ART, PURISTS can be found here

Stunning Sunset awaits at Moalboal, Cebu
Defined as the Diving Paradise of Cebu it is bounded on the North of the Municipality of Alcantara, roughly around 135km away from the city. We went there to relax, enjoy the sand and see the grand sunset it is also famous of. “Lingaw kaayo” means so much fun” and the group definitely had a blast along with the good food and swabe drinks!

“Legend states that a Spaniard was walking around the place and met a town folk near a bubbling underground spring. The Spaniard asked the folk in Spanish as to the name of the place. The folk unable to perceive the Spanish language answered “bocal bocal” for he discerned that the Spaniard was asking about the bubbling spring. Bocal-bocal was a tongue twister to the Spaniard hence Moalboal.”

SAMAL TAXI
HD> http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3410/3671309032_ae262dcd13_b.jpg

READY
HD -> http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3300/3632240549_bafe8a1a71_b.jpg

SHORE ON MONO
HD> http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2475/3566820530_9a4b5b82aa_b.jpg

CC ARE ALWAYS WELCOME

 

[karlo reyes]

HUMILITY
HD> http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2566/368129...cf71175e4_b.jpg

ESCAPE

GAURDIAN

 

[karlo reyes]

[

b]MY VERSION OF BLISS[/b]

REAPING

BRIDGED

​

CC ARE ALWAYS WELCOME

 

[Ken Tanaka]

Hello Karlo,
This looks like a very picturesque place. You solicited critique but presented far too many images for useful specific discussion. Here are my general comments which are, of course, just my opinions.

- You frame your scenes carefully but your compositions and POVs are perhaps just a bit too cliché. Most look like photos from a travel brochure. I don't get any impression from them that I can't get from any of hundreds of tour brochures. Now that we see the general setting how about showing us meaningful details of life there?

- Take it easy on the Photoshop plug-ins. You're distracting your audience from a beautiful place with your "hdr" filters, your amped-up saturations, and your razor-edge sharpening. Just take the pictures and let them speak mostly for themselves. There's beauty in natural color, even if it's not drippy, unnatural Velvia color. Many of these images are beginning to cross the line between photographs and illustrations.

 

[karlo reyes]

Hello Karlo,
This looks like a very picturesque place. You solicited critique but presented far too many images for useful specific discussion. Here are my general comments which are, of course, just my opinions.

- You frame your scenes carefully but your compositions and POVs are perhaps just a bit too cliché. Most look like photos from a travel brochure. I don't get any impression from them that I can't get from any of hundreds of tour brochures. Now that we see the general setting how about showing us meaningful details of life there?

- Take it easy on the Photoshop plug-ins. You're distracting your audience from a beautiful place with your "hdr" filters, your amped-up saturations, and your razor-edge sharpening. Just take the pictures and let them speak mostly for themselves. There's beauty in natural color, even if it's not drippy, unnatural Velvia color. Many of these images are beginning to cross the line between photographs and illustrations.

thanks for taking time to critique the pics. my vision when i took those pics is to capture what the place actually looks like. cliche in the sense that its very common? it can be found in travel brochures? if i may ask in what way can i take those shots and not making it a complete cliche? and meaningful details of life like what sir? farmers planting rice crops etc?

ill tone down on the pp im just excited for now in processing them.hehe will improve next time, with regards to hdr, borderline photographs and illustrations i actually like them. we have our own way and means of expressing art, thats the art i know.

any good points on the pictures? is all of it that bad? thanks sir.

 

[Ken Tanaka]

thanks for taking time to critique the pics. my vision when i took those pics is to capture what the place actually looks like. cliche in the sense that its very common? it can be found in travel brochures? if i may ask in what way can i take those shots and not making it a complete cliche? and meaningful details of life like what sir? farmers planting rice crops etc?

ill tone down on the pp im just excited for now in processing them.hehe will improve next time, with regards to hdr, borderline photographs and illustrations i actually like them. we have our own way and means of expressing art, thats the art i know.

any good points on the pictures? is all of it that bad? thanks sir.

Your photos are not "bad", Karlo. You have a good eye for scenics and for placing elements in pleasant, if typical, arrangements in the frame.

Regarding your amped-up post processing, if that's what entertains you then by all means enjoy yourself! You're clearly experimenting, as evidenced by a lack of consistency (ex: sci-fi blues, vignetting/no vignetting, b&w/selective color, etc.). If you're like many photographers (who actually keep snapping) you'll probably cringe when you look back on some of these images after you've settled into a style.

Regarding "cliché", again, if that style of image captures your memory best then stick with it. Most amateur photographers would be thrilled to capture such scenes. But while they may be strong personal mementos for you they are not at all informative for others who have not been there. Taken as a whole it looks like the whole place has been evacuated on the eve of a hurricane. Where are the people? Not even a mangy donkey? If you want to see some good, informative, engaging travel photography browse through something like National Geographic Traveler. You'll see many general "I was there" scenes like yours. But you'll also see more up-close features to give viewers/readers a better sense of the location's nature and culture. Consider, for example, this NG Itelligent Travel Blog piece on Cebu or, especially, this fellow's "Cebu" Photo Blog"..

 

[Asher Kelman]

Your photos are not "bad", Karlo. You have a good eye for scenics and for placing elements in pleasant, if typical, arrangements in the frame.

Not only good eye but great opportunity to repeat shots and incorporate new ideas.

Taken as a whole it looks like the whole place has been evacuated on the eve of a hurricane. Where are the people? Not even a mangy donkey?

You are so funny! I ROTFWL!

Your references, as always are very helpful. Your humor aside, adding people is what makes the place so interesting. A beach and a palm tree have no culture but real folk do.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Guidelines for Posting Images!

Karlo,

Ken is a Trojan giving feedback on such a diverse presentation of theme, subjects and technique. I think he gave a cogent expression of my experience too, although his people remark was not in my mind and made me laugh. He's correct!

For your next thread, I can suggest the following.

a. One theme that ties the images together with one way of processing, (unless the latter is a question for comment).

b. Reasonable size to assess the features. No need to have extra clicks for larger versions unless there is detail rich structure that needs to be appreciate as in a panorama or picture of a crowd or church/mosque with stained glass windows etc. 600-800 pixels usually is sufficient

c. If you are going to use some special technique, and that's the topic, then you can show variants you explain. Otherwise, try to keep within one set of esthetics.

d. Center your pictures, (no rule in this, just a good idea) and have white space above and below it with a title underneath. That way your picture is presented as if in a gallery with peace and quiet around it!

e. Avoid frames! A black frame should only be use where it helps the presence, expression or other characteristic of the art. You can choose whatever frame you like. I however, find most black frames stifle appreciation. Images are enhanced by what is not actually there and what we imagine. The dark border, to me at least, holds that back.

Asher

 

[karlo reyes]

Your photos are not "bad", Karlo. You have a good eye for scenics and for placing elements in pleasant, if typical, arrangements in the frame.

Regarding your amped-up post processing, if that's what entertains you then by all means enjoy yourself! You're clearly experimenting, as evidenced by a lack of consistency (ex: sci-fi blues, vignetting/no vignetting, b&w/selective color, etc.). If you're like many photographers (who actually keep snapping) you'll probably cringe when you look back on some of these images after you've settled into a style.

Regarding "cliché", again, if that style of image captures your memory best then stick with it. Most amateur photographers would be thrilled to capture such scenes. But while they may be strong personal mementos for you they are not at all informative for others who have not been there. Taken as a whole it looks like the whole place has been evacuated on the eve of a hurricane. Where are the people? Not even a mangy donkey? If you want to see some good, informative, engaging travel photography browse through something like National Geographic Traveler. You'll see many general "I was there" scenes like yours. But you'll also see more up-close features to give viewers/readers a better sense of the location's nature and culture. Consider, for example, this NG Itelligent Travel Blog piece on Cebu or, especially, this fellow's "Cebu" Photo Blog"..

thanks sir ken for taking time again. haha im actually experimenting now. Recently, i learned photoshop and this software can do wonders. Well, for some it made my pictures a bit exaggerated. Will try to tone down on the pp. Looking again at my set it has everything in it and it lacks consistency like you said.

Most of the shots were taken when there are no people. It was off peak season when i went there also. thanks again sir for giving you cc and your references. i learned a lot today and do let me know more what i can do to improve on our hobby.

much respect,
karlo

 

[karlo reyes]

Karlo,

Ken is a Trojan giving feedback on such a diverse presentation of theme, subjects and technique. I think he gave a cogent expression of my experience too, although his people remark was not in my mind and made me laugh. He's correct!

For your next thread, I can suggest the following.

a. One theme that ties the images together with one way of processing, (unless the latter is a question for comment).

b. Reasonable size to assess the features. No need to have extra clicks for larger versions unless there is detail rich structure that needs to be appreciate as in a panorama or picture of a crowd or church/mosque with stained glass windows etc. 600-800 pixels usually is sufficient

c. If you are going to use some special technique, and that's the topic, then you can show variants you explain. Otherwise, try to keep within one set of esthetics.

d. Center your pictures, (no rule in this, just a good idea) and have white space above and below it with a title underneath. That way your picture is presented as if in a gallery with peace and quiet around it!

e. Avoid frames! A black frame should only be use where it helps the presence, expression or other characteristic of the art. You can choose whatever frame you like. I however, find most black frames stifle appreciation. Images are enhanced by what is not actually there and what we imagine. The dark border, to me at least, holds that back.

Asher

hi sir, actually i appreciate all of the comments posted here thanks a lot! will do all of this on my next set and hopefully it will give justice already hehe. just one question sir i really wanted my pictures to have borders can i put white ones instead of black. in my point of view putting black border centers/focuses the eye into the picture being presented. looking forward to more CC from you guys again.

much respect,
karlo

 

[Asher Kelman]

Artistic Trust: to each work its breathing space & open borders to cross at a whim!

Some thoughts on Openness and public viewing of art. (For snap shots, this writing is redundant. The memory of your life is rich enough for your mementos to have rich meaning to you and your loved ones.)

We are interested also in photography as art. Here we often seek to go beyond the personal impact of the picture on just the photgrapher and his/her circle. We also might sometimes want to even go beyond the successful postcard-pretty scenes for commercial use, although I am impressed that these can generate good income and all require creativity, some respect for artistic design, composition and references to icons and so forth.

As an artist, working for "art for art's sake", it's tough to put out one's "Children" into the world.

You are best advised to empower the viewer to experience your work with the least restrictions. In this I include how your work is presented to the world. Ideally, your ideas in the physical form you made, can evoke the broadest response. Some reactions can surprise the artist each person experiencing your art. So one has to take a risk and trust.

For this process of getting your private work into the public space, trust the capabilities of the public. Some will bring more than enough to your work to be thrilled or moved by it.

However, the black border around an image to me is far too controlling and is, to me at least, the antithesis of an openness that living art may depend on to work its magic on us.
​

just one question sir i really wanted my pictures to have borders can i put white ones instead of black. in my point of view putting black border centers/focuses the eye into the picture being presented. looking forward to more CC from you guys again.

Hi Karlo,

"No black borders" is a general working rule just for myself, but for others, only a strong appeal and suggestion to consider for people's fuller engagement with the art

You actually can have any color border you wish! It's your picture after all and I don't censor your art. I just feel I cannot comment on pictures I feel turned off by. Black frames can be powerful parts of a work of art. If that's your intent and you have built it into your composition, then it's just that I don't "get it" and maybe others do. However, I've come to believe strongly that unless you have some special organic need for the black border, avoid it like the plague.

As you may have noticed, I re-set your images with white space around each one, as in a gallery. That's to give your pictures a better chance of being looked at.

A cluster of unrelated small Dark images stuck closely to one another and aligned to the left border of the pager can easily get passed by. Just like for cigarette smokers, I'll tell them of health risks only once. I won't bug you about this, except I am not equipped to critique small images embedded in a black frame. Ken Tanaka, however, was able to overlook this and gave you spot-on feedback. Still he didn't focus on individual images but that's likely in part because your subjects where only somewhat related and covered diverse theme, subject and technique.

However, I am sure that Ken's overview and generous feedback is rare in this fight for attention on the internet. Generally complex presentation gets little response, (as might this far too long explanation to you.). However, if this has value to just you, it's worthwhile for me to put in this effort. After all, I like your access to good subject matter and your eye for choice.

Still, I have come to believe, rightly or wrongly, that art comes alive in an open space, unless it's some performance art requiring imprisonment. Art should have it's own territory assigned with no major limitation to its edges as the experience is often best when the artist trust the viewer to bring their own history to the artwork.

Part of creativity is openness to new experience. If you follow discussions here, you'll find that sometimes I too am forced to rethink my position when a good argument is presented. I hope in this case you might reconsider your need for these bars around your work.

If you still need them, so be it! Go for it. I will not dictate taste only just give my $0.02

Asher

White frames? Never a problem! Can be useful when you don't like the blue background of the page here! Also the white can set your picture in a clean space even if you don't add extra empty lines as I have done for you above in your first post.

 

[karlo reyes]

thanks sir again for that critique. will try to review my workflow if it really does need borders.. i understand your point of view that those black borders imprison the picture and will make the pics lined up in the center as well. Just for "looking back" reference would like to keep the 1st 6-19 shots I've posted as to see how will my art evolve in the coming months and years. haha thanks for the opportunity again sir we can not learn unless we here those experienced juices coming in..cheers!

 

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Karlo,

I'm just Asher. No need for the "Sir" title. I'd love to be knighted for the flair, but that's not going to happen. I haven't seen the Queen of England for years!

Please start a new thread with 1-4 pictures that go together and we'll restart!

Asher

 

[karlo reyes]

Hi Karlo,

I'm just Asher. No need for the "Sir" title. I'd love to be knighted for the flair, but that's not going to happen. I haven't seen the Queen of England for years!

Please start a new thread with 1-4 pictures that go together and we'll restart!

Asher

haha thanks asher! will do that! would like to ask if my sharpening technique is too much here is my workflow. (i do this to all my images) you CC is appreciated.

sharpening first at ACR .5 radius 150 amount, done> open image.

after all editing is done USM sharpening.

- Mode> Lab color> lightness
- 18% 40 0
Mode> lab color> rgb
- USM 150% .5 0
- fade 100%> darkeness
- fade 50% > lightness

is this over kill? tia

 

[karlo reyes]

LETS CHILL

RELAX

TILT

 

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Karlo,

Given the powerful geometric motif, and the generous size, your black border is not a problem for me here, I must admit. I find the series work together and it's agreeable. Without the border, the pics could be reduced but don't change a thing

LETS CHILL

This first picture shows a white sharpening halo at the edge of the umbrella. You might decrease your pixels to 0.3, or mask that edge only with no lost of overall impact.

RELAX

Here, your sky on the left shows what "looks" like Moiré but rather could perhaps be the result of steep changes in the gamma in your adjustments, (especially if done in 8 BIT), causing posterization. BTW, do you use a polarizing filter?

TILT

The boat is very strong and well imaged but the water and sky are soft. The angle of the horizon rising is effective. The boat seems to be "returning". Did you do that in photoshop or the file was that way with the water softly rendered? In any case, I'd prefer real edges for the sky to water transition to match the entire geometric feel for this very small but well thought out series. If it was taken soft, an horizontal flip of the image might be worth looking at.

Thanks for putting together a coherent set of pictures.

Asher

 

[karlo reyes]

Hi Karlo,
Given the powerful geometric motif, and the generous size, your black border is not a problem for me here, I must admit. I find the series work together and it's agreeable. Without the border, the pics could be reduced but don't change a thing

LETS CHILL
This first picture shows a white sharpening halo at the edge of the umbrella. You might decrease your pixels to 0.3, or mask that edge only with no lost of overall impact.

RELAX
Here, your sky on the left shows what "looks" like Moiré but rather could perhaps be the result of steep changes in the gamma in your adjustments, (especially if done in 8 BIT), causing posterization. BTW, do you use a polarizing filter?

TILT
The boat is very strong and well imaged but the water and sky are soft. The angle of the horizon rising is effective. The boat seems to be "returning". Did you do that in photoshop or the file was that way with the water softly rendered? In any case, I'd prefer real edges for the sky to water transition to match the entire geometric feel for this very small but well thought out series. If it was taken soft, an horizontal flip of the image might be worth looking at.

Thanks for putting together a coherent set of pictures.

Asher​

hi asher

for 1st pic i notice also the white halo. I think im going to tone down my sharpening workflow from .5 to .3. but keep the initial sharpening at acr to .5 and 150 amount. by the way i really have no idea whats the difference with detaila and amount at acr care to explain that one?

for the 2nd pic, yes i use cpl hoya pro1 here. as much as possible i don't tweak the gamma. that gradual change from blue to white must be the suns position at that time. this is a morning shot so the suns rays,light, origin is on the left. that's the only logical explanation i can think of basing on the raw format im looking now.

for the 3rd pic i did selective sharpening here, i wanted to bring out the detail of the worn out boat. other elements does look soft especially the tree on the left. hmmm, thanks asher for taking time again. id do away with the borders next time these are old files i have that i wanted some cc on it. by the way sir any comment on the sharpening workflow of mine?

much respect,
karlo​

 

[karlo reyes]

AT THE EDGE

FALLS DEVIANCE, HDR

MANTAYUPAN GROUNDS

CC ARE ALWAYS WELCOME..

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Karlo,

I have soft deleted your last post as it actually was an advertising, which we do not allow outside of the forums dedicated to that purpose and even then only when it is related to photography.

 

[karlo reyes]

hi cem,
no worries, im not advertising here or anything near that word.=)
i just want to inform and share rather than to impress and make money
its our passion..
much respect,
karlo

shots taken with 5dmkII, and 17-40L

LEAD US

GROUP HUG

 

[karlo reyes]

TWIGGY
HD> http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2446/3742253493_8f1a852df6_b.jpg

MARLO ATTACK
HD> http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2428/3743049576_50189e2aba_b.jpg

WANDER
HD> http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2538/3743056774_6f5cc910c1_b.jpg

CC ARE ALWAYS WELCOME ;D ;D
​

 

[karlo reyes]

Last weekend I celebrated my 1st fiesta at Badian,Cebu. Me and my friends also attended a wedding and the 3 days being there, literally is heart pounding! Lechon, Humba, and other Cardiac delight is over flowing! haha ;D We stayed at our friend's Cold Spring Resort and at last i got decent snaps of it! I remember taking pictures of it before but i ended up doing it HDR style. ;D Here are some of the pics i got of the fiesta, Seascapes of Green Island and Badian Cold spring Resort. Thanks for Looking! ;D

 

[karlo reyes]

#2 TRUMP

cc are always welcome​

 

[fahim mohammed]

Karlo, you live in a beautiful place. I have visited the Phillipines many times and have visited Cebu sometime ago and you seem to have captured the natural beauty of the place. However, I found Cebu to be beautiful because of it's people And because of the land.

You do yourself injustice with oversharpening.
Karlo, put the people back into these exotic places.

for example in the fiesta resort, i would keep a beautiful background and show, maybe, the people
who must work very hard to keep it beautiful, and clean.
I am sure the Cebu must look beautiful in different light..not necessarily always in the bright sun. I also
take pictures in stark sunlight and loose more than half of the beauty of a place.

You are blessed with some super scapes, show them in the best possible 'light' literally and figuratively.
My visits to the Phillipines were primarily because of its kind, hospitable and beautiful people.

Love your scenics.

 

[Asher Kelman]

#2 TRUMP

cc are always welcome​

Just this, makes me want to visit. You span a huge number of styles. This one I find impressive.

Asher

BTW, Why do you add huge text to one picture then with this one you show restraint and we have much less distracting modest type? I appreciate it more when you refrain from adding the big text! Is it that you have used some pictures in a catalog or brochure and you have no other version of that picture now to share?

 

[karlo reyes]

Karlo, you live in a beautiful place. I have visited the Phillipines many times and have visited Cebu sometime ago and you seem to have captured the natural beauty of the place. However, I found Cebu to be beautiful because of it's people And because of the land.

You do yourself injustice with oversharpening.
Karlo, put the people back into these exotic places.

for example in the fiesta resort, i would keep a beautiful background and show, maybe, the people
who must work very hard to keep it beautiful, and clean.
I am sure the Cebu must look beautiful in different light..not necessarily always in the bright sun. I also
take pictures in stark sunlight and loose more than half of the beauty of a place.

You are blessed with some super scapes, show them in the best possible 'light' literally and figuratively.
My visits to the Phillipines were primarily because of its kind, hospitable and beautiful people.

Love your scenics.

hi fahim,

thank for giving time to comment on these pictures. I'm actually guilty with over sharpening, before on top of the USM i still to do a High pass filter on my pics. However, for the last 2 sets i don't do it anymore. This thread will be my learning process, as you give those CCs i incorporate them to my work. I will be posting more of festival shots on the coming days and would love to hear from you. All the best sir!

much respect,
karlo

Just this, makes me want to visit. You span a huge number of styles. This one I find impressive.

Asher

BTW, Why do you add huge text to one picture then with this one you show restraint and we have much less distracting modest type? I appreciate it more when you refrain from adding the big text! Is it that you have used some pictures in a catalog or brochure and you have no other version of that picture now to share?

hi asher,

its always been a pleasure reading your comments and thanks also for giving time. the huge text are just a playful streak i have. just want to try it looking like a magazine cover. haha if its ok i would want to keep one per set, then i will just post the same pic without the text?

much respect,
karlo

 

[karlo reyes]

"So, what is moral fiber? It's funny, I used to think it was always telling the truth, doing good deeds, basically being a *toink* boy scout. But lately I've been seeing it differently. Now I think moral fiber's about finding that one thing you really care about. That one special thing that means more to you than anything else in the world. And when you find her, you fight for her. You risk it all, you put her in front of everything, your life, all of it. And maybe the stuff you do to help her isn't so clean. You know what? It doesn't matter. Because in your heart you know, that the juice is worth the squeeze. That's what moral fiber's all about."

#3 MORAL FIBER