Is Photography Dead? My personal take on the fast-rising popularity of Mobile Photography

(*Photo courtesy of fstoppers.com)

I couldn’t help but wonder if there’s any truth to the debate that Photography is really dead now that modern technology has given mankind that option to enjoy photography in fun and “relatively affordable” ways thanks to the birth of smartphones along with the sudden surge in popularity of such photo applications like Instagram, Streamzoo and others. I’ll go straight to the point folks, I don’t believe that Photography, in any way, is dead.. Photography is still very much alive and kicking but it just so happens that a vast majority of people are now into that stage of enjoying this new form of photography for several reasons: It’s fast, accessible, fun to play around and relatively “hassle and danger-free.” Let’s face it, Photography is a really expensive hobby.. from purchasing a DSLR body to the numerous lenses to suit your needs and down to the other stuff like cleaning cloth, blower and what have you, one way or the other you need to stash out a relatively huge chunk of money to get you started in photography, if this is way out of your budget’s league, you always have the option to get yourself the more affordable Compact Digital Cameras or the ‘Point and Shoot’ cameras.. but somehow these cameras can be quite pricey as well if you want to purchase units that has the same (or almost the same) power-packed functions of a DSLR. The affordable ones may not be quite as promising but if your goal is just to take random photos of anything and everything then this is your way to go. Here in the Philippines, purchasing a camera became a huge trend among a majority of Filipinos that it overshadowed the Pinoy’s insatiable craving for the latest in mobile phone models and gadgets… at least for some time.

But with the birth of the smartphone and the fast-rising popularity of applications (or more fondly called as “Apps”), photography yet again was bred into a new form and it has certainly attracted more than half a billion people in this planet to use this technology anytime, any day and anywhere when they need to capture those precious moments right on the dot… now anyone can be a photographer in their own right … thus the ‘Instagram Age‘ was born. I’ve seen the rise of Instagram and its users swell in such a short time that it made me wonder what is it with this application that got everyone so hooked on to it. It was only recently when I decided to get an entry-level smartphone that I prompted myself to download the Instagram application and see for myself what magic and charisma does this ‘photo app’ has. After going through several trial and error phases and familiarizing myself with its functionality and stuff, I now know the reason why… and I find it quite reasonable in my own opinion.

Getting yourself a smartphone will be your first priority, there are some reputable brands out there that are selling relatively affordable ‘Android-powered’ units since most people couldn’t afford to buy an iPhone. Getting the right specs that is enough to get the Instagram app going is quite enough, and all you need is one download from Google Play and you’re good to go. People like to share and upload their photos online, and all you need is a good Wi-Fi signal to get you connected to Instagram (or to any social networking sites) and voila! Your friends, relatives or even the entire world can get to see your uploaded photos in no time, unlike with real cameras where you have to sit in front of your desktops or laptops and connect your cameras with USB cords to be able to transfer first your photos onto the computer and then only can you upload them to Facebook, Twitter, etc. (unless if you still want to apply some post-processing work on your photos using Photoshop or Lightroom.) Cameras, whether compacts or DSLR units, can oftentimes get really bulky to take along with unlike with smartphones where you just slip it inside your side pockets and that’s it, when you see something worth taking a snapshot, just get it out from your pockets, shoot it and upload it later to Instagram. The fun part comes in when you play around with the filters that comes along with the Instagram app, and there are other photo applications as well that has exceeded the number of ways you can play around with your photos before uploading it, and it makes wannabe (or even serious) photographers get that feel of jazzing up their photos like a pro without a hitch. Photo apps, like Instagram, unleashes the creativity of some individuals who wouldn’t want to complicate themselves with a bunch of stuff to achieve the look they want for their photos, a single touch and swipe of a finger will simply do the trick.

And finally, the risk of taking photos using smartphones outside is relatively minimal than taking out your cameras in the open making you a potential target for snatchers and robbers watching silently on the sidelines. There were only a few instances that I brought along my cameras with me whenever I went to a place that I knew I would feel safe to take it out and shoot without worries, gone are the days where you can be like a foreign tourist walking in and around some unfamiliar territory with a camera slinging around your neck and take snapshots one after another “like a boss”, as they say nowadays. Compared to a smartphone where it is much easier to carry along and at the same time more discreet to take photos with and easier to conceal from prying eyes out to do no good. I must admit that my smartphone ain’t at par with the high-end ones that has bigger megapixels, sleek auto-focus function and that much-needed LED flash to capture decent photos, but if you’re just like me who goes for random snapshots of things and whatnots along the way then share them online for the world to see, then this is not a problem at all.

Photography is not dead, and it will never be that’s for sure… But personally I think there is still that defining line that separates Photography and Mobile Photography in today’s fast-moving world of ever-changing technology. We can never erase the fact that having a real camera in your hand and looking through the viewfinder holds much more essence than just lifting aloft your mobile handset and snapping that virtual shutter button with a touch of your finger. Whether we like it or not, Photography is not an affordable hobby.. despite how much you improvise yourself to cut through the expenses, you will still need to put out a lump sum of money to accomplish this, it may not be by the hundreds of thousands or more, yet it is still a big amount especially for those who wanted to get into photography but are tight on the budget. Mobile Photography has provided that solution by giving others that chance to unleash their creativity in fun, easy and affordable ways but it has yet to prove itself fully today and in the future to be at par with what Photography had established since the dawn of the first camera, and Instagram and the other photo applications are just avenues for more milestones and improvements to make this other form of photography accessible and enjoyable for everyone, pros and amateur shutterbugs alike.

(Postscript): I don’t know why am I being monitored by certain individuals for every new post I make… I don’t consider myself a popular blogger nor am I that “superstar famous” to be “stalked” for whatever reason they may have. To whoever this may concern, and most probably you’ll be getting to read this anyway, all I have to say is this…  I’m not doing this blog to compete nor to be popular in the blogging community, I am just an ordinary guy who wants to share his thoughts and his passion to the rest of the world and whether or not my posts get noticed, it’s not a problem with me.. I enjoy what I do and whether I get a gazillion likes or nothing at all, it doesn’t matter… traffic and stats are no big deal to me.. maybe they are to you and I really don’t give a rat’s behind about it. Your highfalutin comments are so obvious and reading them between the lines just shows how insecure you are where in fact there is nothing to be insecure about in the first place because in your make-believe world, you thought I’m competing and playing your “popularity game” inside your head.. It’s such a shame that you had to go this low and honestly, I feel more pity than anger with what you have been doing.. You’re simply fighting your own “invisible war” with yourself and don’t drag me into it.. it’s just plain absurd. It’s a pity that an established and popular local blogger like you would prey on an unsuspecting person like me who’s just minding his own little business in the blogging world. I feel sorry for you buddy,  please grow up and get a life, will you? And yes I will acknowledge you from now on as the supreme and ultimate blogger/trendsetter the world has ever known… I hope you are happy now so let’s all move along and go on with our lives in peace, okay?

Oh, and one more thing… If you will still insist in dragging this issue further then that’s your problem, I’ve said my piece and that’s enough. I’d rather waste my time on other things worthwhile than just getting myself all stressed with this uttermost nonsense. Our time in this world is short, my friend… do something positive… do something good for your soul and not by stepping on other people’s toes for whatever personal satisfaction you gain from it. I wish you well in everything… Thank you.

My apologies to all my sincere fellow bloggers and readers who might be reading this… I need to get this message across, I am only but human.

Finally… My new Star Wars Imperial Speeder Bike from Kenner/Hasbro Japan!

1995 version of the Imperial Speeder Bike from Kenner/Hasbro Japan with Biker Scout figure

The current line of Star Wars toys today has come a long, long way from those that came out back in the late 1970′s to early 1980′s, but nonetheless, the classic line of toys (or more popularly known as ‘The Vintage Collection‘) are still the ones that is in high demand from collectors everywhere.  As a kid I never had that much Star Wars toys in my collection and as far as I can remember, I only had the Chewbacca and Stormtrooper figures and this nifty Speeder Bike vehicle which was given to me by a friend sometime around the 1980′s. The two action figures are still with me though their individual weapons had been lost over the years and the Speeder Bike just disappeared mysteriously but I’m pretty sure that the two out of the three exploding parts of the bike had been missing ever since. My sister currently holds the record for the most number of Star Wars toys in her collection and it just keeps adding up every time I went to the mall and she’d ask favors from me to get her this and that from the several toy shops that I frequent to. But I never realized that this day will come that I’d be reunited with a childhood toy that I truly cherished for the longest time… and I could never be happier.

Back portion of the Imperial Speeder Bike

A couple of days ago I went out to pick up some Star Wars toys that my sister ordered and among the items she purchased, I got for myself the Imperial Speeder Bike from Kenner/Hasbro Japan that came out in 1995 for only Php 600 (roughly around $14.00++). This version of the Speeder Bike has slightly improved compared to the one that I had before in terms of the paint job and its finish is much more detailed and precise unlike the first generation model where it is outright plain and just simply looks like a toy. It still has the exploding function where you just press the button located at the back of the vehicle and the toy dismantles into three parts. It has been so many years since I neglectfully lost the first Speeder Bike that I had and this new one definitely brought back a lot of good memories and since I’m much older and wiser now when it comes to taking care of my current toy collection, this baby will surely be handled with extra care.

Front view of Imperial Speeder Bike

The Biker Scout figure (or more popularly known as the Imperial Scout Stormtrooper) that came with the vehicle somehow changed drastically in 1995 in terms of its physical attributes but the articulation was still limited to bending knees and movable arms at some certain degree, and making it stand straight for display or diorama purposes was no good since the Biker Scout was molded in a semi-slouch position and the legs are somehow stretched wide apart to to make the figure appear to be in riding position… and that’s the gist of it. Your only option is to buy a separate Biker Scout figure if you want to play around with the Bike for photography purposes, that is if you can still find a Vintage Kenner figure of it selling somewhere and hopefully getting it at a reasonable price, these Vintage Collection figures can be quite expensive to purchase. But as of the moment, these lovelies will do for now and I’m as satisfied as hell with it! Here are some photos of the Speeder Bike I took yesterday and ain’t it a looker? (Sorry guys, child/fanboy-mode in progress hehe) ‘Til next time folks, stay safe always!…

A pocket full of entry-level reliability…

I got to admit that there was a time in my life where I got so hooked into the fast-paced world of mobile technology that having just one particular mobile handset would only last me for some months and the next thing I know, I’m now holding a new mobile phone  that I’ll be tinkering around ’til God-knows-when-I’ll-get-a-new-one… and this cycle went on for the next couple of years and I just can’t keep count on how many cellphones did I manage to use from the time I got my very first handset which was the Nokia 5110i in 2001. It was only around three years ago when my relentless pursuit to satisfy my craving for the latest mobile technology had somehow (miraculously) stopped and I decided to rekindle my hobby for photography, thus shifting my focus now to digital cameras and other photography equipment… Soon I found myself very much content with the Nokia X2-01 QWERTY mobile phone that I’ve been using for a good couple of years now (and yes, I think this broke the record for the longest-staying mobile handset I had in my entire life as a “cellphone freak”.)

My newest baby… the Samsung Galaxy Pocket

As the days, months and years dragged on, my family somehow noticed that they were having a bit of a hard time contacting me whenever I went out of the house… phone calls couldn’t get through, super delayed text messages (incoming and outgoing), at first we thought it was network problems, but later on I realized that the problem was with my X2-01 handset already. I didn’t want to just go out and get myself a replacement since I’m limited to my spending capacity, and a snazzy, high-end brand or model is definitely out of the picture. My sister was nagging me almost everyday to get my X2-01 replaced for good and after some months of perseverance to stick to my guns, I finally gave in to that pressure and decided on a date on when I’ll be getting myself a new handset. Since I’ve been long out of touch from what’s new and what’s hot in the world of mobile technology, I did myself a little research on what type, brand and model should I get that will just somehow fit to my allotted budget. Since smartphones are the way to go these days, then a smartphone is what I’ll get.

This what keeps me occupied if I’m too lazy to take out my camera to do a photo shoot… Instagram!

I know for a fact that there is no way I’ll be getting myself the iPhone or the so-called “god of all smartphones” since my pocket ain’t too deep to stash out a huge chunk of money for it despite having good specs and functionality, even the other high-end to mid-range Android phones from various brands are still a bit pricey. I wasn’t in a hurry so I just took my sweet time to look around and stuff… until my sister handed to me a newspaper clipping saying that Samsung Mobile is having a “Thank You Sale” on all of their handsets in all participating branches stated. So to cut the long story short, I’ve finally decided to get myself the Samsung Galaxy Pocket (S5300) which is just right on the budget and the specs are somehow good and reliable for someone like me who’s getting himself familiarized with smartphone technology. I never realized how small it was in person as soon as I got hold of it at the Samsung Mobile branch that day when I purchased the unit, it somehow reminded me of the classic Nokia 8210‘s and 8250‘s that were the ‘in’ thing during the late 90′s to early 2000. But in today’s trend, the bigger (longer or wider) your smartphone is, the better and “cooler” you are. But nonetheless, the Samsung Galaxy Pocket was worth it! It’s entry-level functionality is enough to get me familiarized on how to go about handling a smartphone and it may indeed become a stepping stone for me to be able to handle the more advanced smartphones someday (hopefully if I do have the budget to get one hehe.) There are still a lot of getting used to, but I’m taking it one day at a time and I’m seriously enjoying it… but more importantly, no more delayed text messages and my family can now call me without a hitch!

I have somehow reconnected once more with my geeky self through purchasing the Samsung Galaxy Pocket, but I hope it won’t unleash the ‘gadget-hungry monster’ in me once more… but I think I have somehow mellowed over time, though I can’t be sure… but for now let the good times roll, folks! ‘Til next time, stay safe always!

Nifty Toy Finds: Tiffany The Amazon from Spawn (Series 6)

Tiffany The Amazon from Spawn Series 6 (in monochrome)

I’ve featured in one of my previous posts some months ago the Angela action figure from Todd McFarlane‘s earlier line of Spawn toys from the 1990′s and I was lucky enough to have discovered it going on sale in one of the toy shops that I frequent to. Selling the action toy at a relatively low price gave me enough motivation to go back to that toy shop and purchase another Spawn action toy that was available at that time, though I was hoping they had the much newer, more detailed versions of the Spawn figures on sale too, but I guess I could understand the establishment’s reasons for cutting down the prices “drastically” on the classic Spawn items and they just wanted to dispose their old stocks to furnish enough store space for newer toy items. Anyways, I went back and checked out the stuff for my next purchase and I happen to come across another classic, and she’s no other than the ambitious angel from the Amazon Warriors division out to get Spawn right to the very end… enter the swashbuckling, gun-toting femme fatale Tiffany The Amazon.

Though the toy shop offered only quite a few number of classic Spawn characters that appealed to me and so far I got to purchase three characters to date: Angela, Tiffany The Amazon and Viking Spawn (which I will feature here sometime soon.) The packaging condition of the Tiffany figure was relatively good sans the small, bearable creases and minimal signs of wear-and-tear considering that this came from one of Todd Toys‘ pioneering batch of action figures from Series 6. The Tiffany figure’s points of articulation are her limbs, knees, wrists, arms and head though they can only be moved (or posed) at a certain degree, the action toy is relatively considered ‘stiff’ or “prehistoric” in today’s action figure standards but nonetheless, it is still a classic item worthy to be a part of your collection, most especially for those serious Spawn toy collectors.

Tiffany The Amazon action figure (side profile)

Inside the package you get the action figure, the wing attachment, a huge sword and a small silver handgun. Though the amazing thing about the Todd Toys merchandising back in the 90′s is that Todd McFarlane wanted to break from the conventional aesthetics of action figure-making and he made sure that his toy line stood out from the rest, and it indeed was, in some way, a breakthrough from the common action figure toys then so Spawn fans and toy enthusiasts alike couldn’t get enough of Todd’s creative vision. With the Tiffany action figure, you’re not just going to get the usual “assemble, pose and display“, but instead, her wing attachment can turn into a sled while the huge sword transforms into the sled’s handle bars and all you got to do is assemble the wing and sword together, mount the figure on the two pegs connecting underneath her feet and voila! Tiffany gets to swag on her own customized ride to hunt down Spawn… in style!

I decided to unbox the action figure just yesterday after it sat for months inside the container and since I’m way past due my blog updates for more than a month (I think) so I wasted no time in taking some snapshots of the toy and I have here some photo samples that I took and I hope you guys like it. If you want to check out the entire photo set, please do visit our Facebook page by clicking on this link. So until the next toy feature, stay safe always!

(*Click on the images for larger view and more photos on the next page)

I finally got the Gladiator from Lego Minifigures Series 5!

A couple of weeks back I was at the mall and I happen to be passing by in front of Toys ‘R Us so I decided to go inside and check out some of the toys that might catch my fancy. Before I left the premises I visited the Lego section to get some of the Minifigures my sister asked me to buy. It was a good thing they still have a wide array of figures to choose from unlike the other toy shops that I previously visited that day where they sell mostly Minifigures from the newer series. Since I was already there and fortunately I was still able to stash away some extra cash enough to get myself a Lego Minifigure… so I immediately asked the salesperson in charge if they still have the Gladiator figure from Series 5… then lo and behold he handed to me the small plastic package containing the Gladiator toy figure! So I went directly to the counter, paid the items I purchased and went home.

Gladiator from Lego Minifigures Series 5 with packaging

The Gladiator is just one of the few figures from Lego that I truly liked along with the Spartan Warrior (from Series 2) and Clockwork Robot (from Series 6.) What got me interested in the Gladiator is its awesome detailed bronze helmet that just looked cool when worn over the figure’s head, attach the short sword and round shield on each hand, he’s ready to rock n’ roll in the Roman arena! Though the prices of the Lego Minifigures started to skyrocket with the release of the Series 6 line onwards, I was still able to get it for its old price tag of Php 199.75 (roughly around $4.70++) and sure enough it was worth every penny spent on this baby.

What you get inside the package of the Lego Series 5 Minifigures Gladiator toy…

It was just only around early this afternoon that I decided to take some snapshots of the Lego Gladiator figure (thanks to my unwavering flair for laziness) and thank goodness I was able to pull through with the photoshoot and came up with this small set of photos that I hope you guys will like. So until next time folks, stay safe always!

(*Click on the images for larger view and more photos on the next page)

Birthday with the Highland Battler

Yes I do admit that once in my life I became a die-hard LEGO fan and even up to this very day there are still several LEGO items that I really want to have someday in my collection, most especially their Minifigures line. But ever since I got introduced to its counterpart, the Minimates, I suddenly turned my attention to them and was slowly becoming a follower due to the fact that it was more bigger than the LEGO figures plus it had more points of articulation when it came to poseability/flexibility… not to mention that it is more affordable than the Minifigures which is now selling at PHP 250 each (roughly close to $6.00)… that is if you’re buying the regular pack and not the ones sold exclusively during toy or comic book conventions. Either way, whether it be LEGO Minifigures or Minimates, it really doesn’t matter for as long as you enjoy them.

My birthday gift from sis… the Highland Battler from LEGO Minifigures Series 6

It was the evening of June 16 when my sister handed me a small advance birthday present amidst our little misunderstanding that went on during that entire day… it was never wrapped like a birthday gift should be and she just handed it to me as is and greeted me a happy birthday. I later found out that it was the Highland Battler mini figure that I bought for her a couple of weeks back and it was intentionally bought by my sister to be given to me on my birthday. The Highland Battler is considered my very first LEGO Minifigure in my collection and I couldn’t thank her enough for it, but somehow it paved the way for us to patch things up and we were once again in speaking terms shortly after the stroke of midnight on my birthday. Despite being a “small item with a hefty price tag“, you get what you paid for and it was worth every penny! You get that distinctive LEGO quality that we’ve always known for years, and having to become a Minimates fan just recently, LEGO still and will always have a special place in my heart when it comes to those toys you grew up with.

Highland Battler figure placed on top of base

The Highland Battler mini figure comes with a sword and a round shield (or a buckler to be more precise) including a base where you can attach the item on to for display purposes. According to my sister, the Highland Battler is regarded as one of the few LEGO figures with the most good reviews in recent times even though some may look at it as somewhat simple in terms of its design and its add-ons are not that elaborate unlike its other fellow Minifigures on Series 6. I’ve taken the liberty to spare some time one afternoon and took some snapshots of my new toy at my small makeshift studio inside my bedroom and here are some of them… Thanks sis for the wonderful gift, very much appreciated! ‘Til next time folks, stay safe always!

(*Click on the images for larger view and more photos on the next page)

The Maharlika Project

Looking back on my last blog post, I realized that it has been more than a month now since I’ve last made an update and I guess it is high time for me to write a new one now and hope this will shed light on what I have been doing lately and somehow I eventually stalled in doing blog updates for quite some time… well aside from my bouts of laziness that I am truly guilty of… I decided to indulge myself in doing a little toy customization work and for several weeks I immersed myself in taking a little refresher course which includes quite long hours of watching self-help videos on how to go about making your own toys, most especially on how to paint your toys the easiest and simplest way possible without having to spend a fortune on painting materials. With some bargain toys in tow I initially used them as my test subjects and just fired away and worked on my little side project which I fondly called ‘The Maharlika Project‘ and somehow it yielded a fairly good result though personally it isn’t good enough to brag around since I still have a loooonnngggg way to go and it takes time, patience and a lot of practice to be able to come up with a real nice one.

(L-R) The bootleg Thomas & Friends toy train and an alleged mini toy robot of Bumblebee from ‘The Transformers.’

I have here a photo of two of my test subjects which consists of a bootleg Thomas & Friends toy train and a small toy robot which happens to be, according to the info on the toy’s packaging, Bumblebee of ‘The Transformers‘ fame. I decided to play around with them and ended doing a new paint job on these items though I wanted to put some add-on stuff to make it look more different but I still have to work on it and research for the materials that I can use for customizing toys. You can see that they basically share the same color scheme since during that time I only had a few paint items with me and was limited to these colors on my arsenal, since this was just basically practice work so I gave it a go more or less to help me get the feel on what I’m doing and at the same time learn from my mistakes and take heed on the good points that has worked perfectly fine in this particular task.

The Maharlika Project somehow sidetracked me a bit in doing my blog updates and it also veered me away from doing toy photography as well, though I still consider continuing this new found venture and somehow come up with more customized toys in the coming days but I have to find a way on how to manage my time in blogging and toy photography all at the same time… Oh well, like they all say “If there’s a will, there’s a way.” And for as long as you enjoy what you’re doing, no matter if you get your hands full on the things you love to do, then everything will be just fine. Really sorry folks for the delay and I’ll try my best to come up with more new stuff here on Of Photography, Toys and Other Stuff. ‘Til next time, stay safe always!