| THE birth of DSL cameras was a mere decade ago and photography then was still no man’s land for the average Joe. At the time, my Nikon F6 was state-of-the-art, but knowing the functionalities and rationale of proper shooting was far from my mind. I mainly took pictures of my dogs and family members and always on auto mode. The advent of digital cameras opened the flood-gates to common folks dreaming of becoming a photographer as a hobby or profession, but couldn’t do so before then due to the time involved in film developing and the intricacies of photography in general. Thanks to technology and popularity, the once forbidden fruit is now at arms length to anyone wanting to mix creativity, art and technology on one medium. Approximately a month ago, I posted a thread (on Digital Photographer Philippines Forum) about creating a Makati-based camera club where people with the same passion for photography, such as myself, can share thoughts and ideas on capturing the best photo possible. In a matter of days, my innocent yearning turned out to be a similar drumbeat for most hobbyists. At times, experts or well-seasoned photographers would veer away from sharing their own techniques, not to mention workflows, on Adobe Photoshop. Personally, I do not blame them. However, taking lessons from long periods of time could somehow not fulfill the hunger within. A modern and well-seasoned gentleman named Sam Rosales was one of the first few guys who expressed utmost gusto on hooking up and creating a small group, who was later on followed by Chuck Oreta, a young fellow from the University of the Philippines. Like a snowball gathering speed down a slope, the small snowball became an avalanche from people all over. By instinct, wanting to put some order and process, I casually formed a simple web site, called Lensmen: Makati Camera Club (www.lensmen.multiply.com), where folks can be updated by the next steps on how to make this initial gathering a reality. In a span of a few days, Lensmen began to grow, beginning from a handful of people to 70-strong (men and women), including our very own Doan and Randy Cabangon of the BusinessMirror. Its Makati roots didn’t deter other photographers from other cities in joining the club. Hence, Lensmen extends beyond geographical location to everybody with a desire to be part of a community where gentlemanly standards and camaraderie are paramount. From our very first meeting held at Bo’s Café in Greenbelt 3, Lensmen has already participated in several events, including our first shootout called “Street Photography in Makati.” Some may not know that DSLRs are prohibited within the walls of the CBD and taking shots at the middle of the day is truly an exciting venture to participate in, especially as 50-strong fellows with huge cameras is a sight to behold. As expected, the event was a huge success where everyone shared his/her own stories on how his/her got caught by the local police while taking the shots of his/her life. To spice things up, fellow Lensmen Chuck Oreta sponsored a prize for the best picture of that day, translating to a subtle message that Lensmen is all about friendship, sacrifice, knowledge and gentlemanly acts that extend well-being to everyone. Presently, Lensmen consists of the following officers in charge: P’jay Fortaleza (web-site administrator) and Sheng Hermano, whose utmost dedication to the club binds us together as one big happy family. Soon at our sights would be participating in the BusinessMirror’s own photo contest and, hopefully, one of us Lensmen gets the top honors. For participation and membership, visit www.lensmen.multiply.com, or send a private message to Karlo Magpayo at www.kgmphotography.multiply.com. |
