Solenn Heussaff: Esquire's Sexiest Woman Alive

Definitely agree!

Solenn's Video Hotness Here

Basic Photography Tips

When I was just starting to dabble in photography I basically dove into it blind with no sense of guide whatsoever.  The sadder thing is that I bought a high end camera not knowing that it only had so much clicks before the shutter is degraded.  So here's 4 basic rules in composition that will help you pick your shots.

PATTERN is everywhere.  But you need to be sensitive to see it like looking for words in a crossword puzzle.  Once you see it, it's just a matter of highlighting it to make a dramatic shot.  Highlighting can either be by putting emphasis on the pattern or by breaking the pattern in such a way that catches the eye.  In painting, Andy Warhol made an ordinary stacked up Campbell Soup cans into a work of art.

SYMMETRY is a fickle subject but when you get the hang of it can give you much dividends.  Bottom line is that you need to have a strong point of interest to come out with a dramatic composition.  Symmetrical composition involves a balance of two sides; hence, it would often be in deviation from the Rule of Thirds with the main subject of interest right smack in the middle.

TEXTURE.  More than just being a two dimensional picture, texture can make an image alive and pop up as if it is three dimensional.  Texture is created when light hits the subject at certain angles to provide depth.  Photographers have identified the best part of the day to do a shoot which they refer to as the "Golden Hours", which is usually depicted as the time in and around dawn and dusk.  During this time, the light is warm and "golden" and emanating from a low angle that makes it even with the subject's face.  However, there are also opportunities during mid-day shoots that can provide texture specific to vertical surfaces.  Of course, the source of light are not necessarily natural.  Artificial lighting can also provide for texture.

DEPTH OF FIELD is my favorite.  This is where a photographer employs "bokeh" (derived from the Japanese word "boke" which means blur or haze and "boke-aji" which means blur quality) where the subject is the only one in focus with the rest of the background are blurred.  In this technique, you are able to isolate the foreground from the background to create more dramatic effect.  Bokeh is typically used for portraiture where a photographer would want a shallow depth of field to make the subject stand out sharply against a blurred background.

With today's SLRs bokeh is made easy by simply putting it on "portrait mode".  In the early days of photography, manual adjustments are needed to get this desired effect.

Photography is an art; hence, composition is very important.  What differentiates a simple picture from an artistic one all boils down to composition.

FHM Celebrity Diaries Volume 6

Choice cuts from the FHM Celebrity Diaries Volume 6.  At least those whom I found worth posting.  If we're not on the same page---buy a copy!

Bubble Paraiso

 Gwen Garci

 Abby Poblador

Lauren Cohan for Esquire

Well, Walking Dead followers know her as Maggie and I'm sure many of you guys out there have been waiting for the resumption of the series and see more of Lauren Cohan.  Thanks to Esquire magazine, here's a sneak peak of what she has been doing during the break.  She shares a funny joke (at least to me) in this issue but I'm sure you're more interested in what she's wearing (or lack thereof).  Anyway, to each his own happiness then!

The Following: New TV Series to Watch

Kevin Bacon plays ex-FBI profiler Ryan Hardy who is forced back to work with the bureau when a serial killer on death row, Joe Caroll (played by James Purefoy), the man Hardy put behind bars, escapes from prison. Caroll escaped for one reason---to kill the last victim who survived him before he was captured.

Unbeknownst to the FBI, the event was also a test drive of the network of serial killers that Caroll cultivated during is incarceration via the internet.  He was able to create a cult following of serial killers who are at his beck and call who enabled him to orchestrate his escape and the kidnapping of Sarah Fuller (played by Maggie Grace), Caroll's only surviving victim, amidst the tight law enforcement protection.

Caroll allows himself to be taken back in custody when Hardy catches up to him but not after he gets closure by consummating the kill of his escaped victim.   However, he is now the least of the FBI's concern since they are now faced with the cult of serial killers whom Caroll unleashed to create their own brand of havoc.  

Other than catching Caroll's disciples of serial killers another underlying story plot is his personal plan for retribution aimed at Hardy and his ex-wife Claire (played by Natalie Zea).

The only thing that I didn't like about this new series is that the writers teased me with Maggie Grace and then kills her on the pilot episode (good thing I can still follow her in Californicaiton)!  Other than that, The Following is definitely a MUST WATCH series!

Why do the Good Die Young?

This has been the incessant question that has been asked every time  someone dies (especially if that someone is perceived to be a good person).  Is it just coincidence or is this a logical consequence to being good?  God forbid it's the former otherwise the world will be besieged with bad people! 

God works in mysterious ways.  It is not our place to question God in terms of His decision making.  What we need to question is what do we learn from such a loss?  I totally subscribe to the saying, "Things happen for a reason."  Our lives are intertwined and all events provide a ripple effect in the lives of others.  How events affect us is a matter of choice and our choices are affected by the attitude that we have.  As John Maxwell said, "God chooses what we go through; we choose how to go through it."

A good person is someone who has positively touched the lives of many people.  I believe that good people die happy because they know that they have done their part in making this world a better place by imbibing in others the same set of positive attitude and life perspective to create yet another good person. 

Remaining on Top

They say that the problem to being on top is remaining there.  Very true, especially if you don't have the mindset to keep the position.  

Often times, those who are on top tends to slack off and assume that their peak would give them enough momentum to carry them through the next round of challengers.  Of course you must realize that everyone else would want a chance to put you down.  Hence, you always need to be on top of your game.  Key word there is YOUR GAME; meaning, you need to challenge yourself beyond what you have already achieved.  Say, if you are a southpaw slugger get yourself another arsenal with a right handed haymaker; if you are low post basketball player excel in perimeter shooting; or, if you're not a handsome dude---be smart. 

Like what William Faulkner said, "Don't bother being better than your contemporary or your predecessors.  Try to be better than yourself."

Gloc9 and Abra: Two Sides of a Coin

A couple of days ago, I chanced across a Facebook post about this guy who calls himself Abra.  Truth be told, I did not take much stock to it and moved on scrolling down on my Home page for more relevant updates.  Then I got a call from a friend who told me that Abra is an up and coming rapper whose single "Gayuma" is currently Myx's number 1 song.  Ok...so...?  To be honest about it, with the exception of Francis M. and Gloc9, I'm not really into rap music.  During the course of our discussion, Looney and Fliptop were also mentioned---which really got me at a loss.  Who the hell is Looney and what is Fliptop?!  Oh, well, still not interested.  And then it was mentioned that this young dude Abra is being compared to Gloc9---and that's what got both my ears up at attention and my head protruding like a guard dog roused from stupor!  Really now?  So I check out Gayuma on YouTube and give my own opinion about the matter.

Well, Gayuma had a nice beat to it but I don't think it's near any of the works of Gloc9.  "Gayuma" is more a novelty song in the league of Andrew E. and Michael V.  Apparently, Abra's following, has not penetrated the general public yet and is limited to the Fliptop enthusiasts    So I research on what Fliptop is all about and discover that it is some sort of a "battle royale" for rappers.  A modern day Balagtasan they are calling it.  

Balagtasan, if I still recall my Philippine Literature, is a poetic debate made popular during the American colonization.  Balagtasan topics are usually political or current events.  So, is Fliptop really the modern day Balagtasan?  Well, in terms of poetry, Balagtasan and Fliptop are more or less the same.  Their difference lies in their composition.  Where Balagtasan is formal Fliptop borders on the vulgar with lyrics filled with cuss words.  Personally, I'd say that Fliptop is a regression of Balagtasan.  But this is just me.

So what's this thing comparing Abra to Gloc9?  Well, Abra is the new kid on the block and with only Gayuma in his list of hit, doesn't really hold much weight.  One thing going for this kid is he's got that boy-next-door look.  No wonder many of his followers are teenage girls.  Gloc9 has an across the board penetration in terms of demographics.  Even National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera follows his works.  I'd say that the comparison is more to elicit media mileage.  Whoever is handling Abra, they have decided to sow intrigue to get the needed press and attention.  Effective really.  I'm doing this piece because I was intrigued didn't I?  So I guess they got one more more from me and those who are going to read this.  It's just sad that the means to get him press is riddled with controversy instead of merit.

Anyway, I wish Abra all the best and if he wants to follow the footsteps of Gloc9, he should always remember to be grounded and strive to be a good influence to his followers. 

Gretchen Ho: More Volleyball Hottie

My-oh-my!   Even when it comes to pretty volleybelles, La Salle and Ateneo are still competing!  

Meet Gretchen Ho---Ateneo volleyball hottie!

Megan Fox for Esquire February 2013

I personally felt betrayed when Megan Fox got hitched to Brian Austin Green and then knocked her up!  It was like vandalizing Venus de Milo with an unwanted appendage!   (Although a pair of arms would be nice.)  Good thing her image is securely locked up in the temporal lobe of my cerebrum (in a folder aptly titled porn bank) where I can just easily extract them (Yes, there are a lot of Megan Fox images stored there!) when needed.  Fortunately, motherhood did not spoil her sex symbol image based on this set of pictures from Esquire magazine.  Storing images now.

Michelle Gumabao Makes Philippine Volleyball a Bit Hotter

One reason to follow the women's volleyball is this spiker named Michelle Gumabao of the La Salle volleybelles.  Not only does she have that killer SPIKE but she also got the looks to melt the eyes and make an ogler's heart go into over-drive if not give him a self induced lobotomy!