Architecture Portfolio #1 - Acropolis
Posted on | April 2, 2009 | 1 Comment
I was cleaning up my file folders and came across some past projects that I thought I’d share here. This first sample project is a residence designed for tropical climate and built in the Philippines. The model sketches were made with Google Sketchup. (Awesome software, btw!)
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| Front - Right Side View of the House |
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| Rear View of the House |
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| Front - Left Side View of the House |
When I was doing the modeling, I decided to mess with the walkthrough feature of Sketchup - hence this very simple video. The background music is from YouTube’s audio swap feature - I checked it out and loved the world music “Japaneasy” by Benny Hawes, so I applied it.
Ready for Spring
Posted on | April 1, 2009 | No Comments
Went shopping for spring clothes at Gymboree for Rinoa and Justice for Mica. Absolutely love Rinoa’s flower tulle skirt. We’re so ready for spring - I can’t wait to enjoy the outdoors with my camera and the girls are dying to ride their bikes. Rinoa keeps asking me “What time is spring?” … Like I can say “Uhh, it’s at 4:30, hun!”
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Earth Hour
Posted on | March 31, 2009 | 1 Comment
Last Saturday, March 28, at 8:30 p.m. was Earth Hour where you turn off all your lights to show support for the fight against global warming.
I actually took a long nap that evening and almost forgot about it. Thanks to Twitter for reminding me - so glad we were able to participate.
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So what did we do during that one candlelit hour?
- Mica and Rinoa had a blast playing Monopoly with my sister.
- Troy managed to cook pancakes and sausages for dinner with light from just one candle.
- I tried to clean up in the kitchen and made sure Troy didn’t create a disaster zone - exciting, I know!
It was actually fun. Reminded me of those blackout days we used to have in Manila when I was in high school - well, which wasn’t as fun because those blackouts took hours and it was hard to finish my homework in the dark or sleep in hot humid weather.
When the hour was over, Mica was begging for us to do Earth Hour more often. I’m actually liking the idea.
It’s also heartwarming to see such wonderful global participation. Here are some awesome before and after pictures of Earth Hour in different major cities around the world. How was your Earth Hour experience?
Candid peek at my thoughts.
Posted on | March 30, 2009 | No Comments
I’ve been quiet this past two weeks just contemplating and trying to make sense of my thoughts. I’ve been on this path to self-discovery for a while - figuring what makes me come alive so I can pursue it further. And although I’m crystal clear on my passions, the direction I’m taking is threatening to wobble …
I used to be career-driven and envisioned myself as a great architect someday. Well, that’s why I studied for it, right? And for a while, I was satisfied - seeing buildings and houses built with my designs. I even had an answer for my greater purpose - to promote green living and sustainability through architecture. Eventually, my “muse” started complaining - my thirst for creativity was not being fully quenched and it was getting restless. I didn’t mind so much having days when all I did was deal with building officials and contractors, or days when I just worked on boring technical drawings. I know it’s all part of the process. But what I realized is that all architects are slaves to their clients - You get all fired up with visions of innovative designs and labor at your drawing board. But then what? Your designs stay on paper (or I suppose in your computer) unless someone pays you to build them. And it’s not like a lot of people have hundreds of thousands of dollars lying at their disposal - especially in our current economy. So where’s the fulfillment in that? We’re not like other artists who when they feel that burst of passion, can create a masterpiece without the need for a patron.
Now everything happens for a purpose. My career took a backseat when I decided I wanted to dedicate more time to my family. I slowed down and eventually took a break from my profession to focus on caring for my two lovely girls. This break has given me the perfect opportunity to explore my passions and reassess what I want to do with my life. Don’t get me wrong. I’m still in love with architecture. I just feel that I need to be more creative with my career choice - plus now, I need something that will fit my family life.
And you’re thinking, “Why is this so important to her?” … Because I’m following the “making a living doing what you love” and “living on purpose everyday” philosophy. Simply put, I don’t want to be like most people - a drone to everyday existence; I want to be “alive” because as Howard Thurman said, “It’s what the world needs.”
Ok, instead of discussing my list of passions - you know, things I absolutely love doing - and there’s a few of them, how about I just mention which one I’m currently focusing on? PHOTOGRAPHY.
I know a lot of people who are into photography as a hobby and it’s not hard to understand its charisma - the “seeing/exploring the world”, the “capturing the moment” - and it’s these reasons + the artistic expression and instant gratification that draw me to explore it further, to learn more, to maybe pursue it as a career.
So what’s bugging me? What was on my mind these past two weeks? Well, I’m a classical learner. After all, to become an architect, you need 5 years of education, 2 years apprenticeship, and a set of rigorous registration exams. I’m scared that professional photography is so easy to get into. Now I’m not saying photography is easy. Producing exceptional images is truly a skill - an art. I’m just turned off by the fact that so many people call themselves “professional photographers” just because they own a camera and have earned income producing mediocre images. Everyone starts somewhere, but what does it say about the market when there is always someone willing to pay a budget price for those sub-par shots, from photographers claiming they’ve been doing this for 10, 20, even 30 years? It bothers me.
Luckily, there is a plethora of amazing photographers out there continuing to inspire and remind me why I am on this path (Just browse through the NAPP Portfolios or the forums at FredMiranda.com and you’ll see what I mean.) - and a very supportive husband who keeps telling me to keep exploring my passions and just enjoy the journey.
Saving the earth, one step at a time.
Posted on | March 16, 2009 | 1 Comment
I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned before in my blog that I’m a big supporter of environmental causes. I believe the climate crisis is real and I believe that all of us can help solve this problem, starting in our own homes.
Here are some of the simple things my family does to reduce our carbon footprint:
- We’ve replaced most (if not all) of our bulbs with compact flourescent bulbs.
- We make sure the dishwasher is full before running it.
- We use cloth bags when buying groceries. We do use plastic bags from the store to line our trash cans - so we made a compromise that we’ll only use “plastic” when our plastic bag supply is running low.
- When we go out, we bring our Klean Canteen - a reusable, eco-friendly, stainless steel hydration bottle - instead of buying plastic bottled water.
- We recycle big time. I even get mad at the garbage man when he dumps the recyclables together with the trash!
- I receive e-bills (where applicable) and pay all my bills online to help reduce paper consumption.
- We make sure all unused electronics are unplugged - because even when they are turned off, they still use energy. And we turn off the lights when no one is in the room.
- We always turn off computer monitors when we’re not using our computers.
- We usually just open our windows in the summer instead of using the AC (unless it’s unbearably hot).
- We refrain from idling the car (except when in traffic) - the rule is if you must wait more than 30 seconds, shut off your engine.
- We do keep our tires adequately inflated.
As an add-on, Troy used to carpool with a co-worker - hopefully he’ll have someone to carpool with again. And we’re planning on buying a hybrid car - helps the environment and we get a tax break.
We’ve also joined the Stop Global Warming Virtual March and signed the Petition to Repower America. I encourage you to sign up as well to show your support for a really good cause. You can also get more information about the climate crisis on these two great sites.
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Please leave a comment to share your efforts in reducing your own carbon footprint. Let us help heal the earth and make sure that our children and children’s children have a healthy world to live in.
Caught Singing
Posted on | March 13, 2009 | 1 Comment
Can’t help it, it’s soooo cute - my 4-year old daughter singing in the shower.
Ice Skating and Homemade Pizzas
Posted on | March 11, 2009 | No Comments
Every Wednesday here in our area, homeschooled kids get together to ice skate. And today, Mica joined them for the first time. She was a little bit intimidated because the other kids were just breezing through the rink but, nevertheless, she had fun and can’t wait to go back next week.
Then, inspired by an episode of “Caillou”, we made homemade pizzas for dinner (the second time, actually, in two weeks). Mica and Rinoa had a blast shaping the dough and decorating their own personal pizzas. To make it easier, we used dough that we bought from one of our favorite local Italian restaurants. For toppings, we used Asiago and Mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, and fresh pineapple. You gotta try the Asiago cheese on pizza - sooooo good!!!
| Troy tossed the dough a couple of times and he did miss once - yep, it landed on the floor - “3-second rule” right? |
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| When we made pizzas last week, Rinoa made a bear-shaped pizza. Today, she’s making a bus. |
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| And here’s Mica, working on her pizza. |
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I know, I got so excited when the pizzas were done, that I forgot to take pictures of the final products. The grilled fresh pineapples on my pizza were just calling me - I couldn’t resist.
Macro on a Budget
Posted on | March 10, 2009 | No Comments
I had a few inquiries about the close-up filters used in these photos. I realize a lot of us are interested in macro photography but don’t have the big bucks to spend yet. So I invited Troy Redington as my first ever guest writer to talk about doing macro using affordable gadgets. He was the one who did the research and bought all the “toys” I now use. (I know, how convenient, right? My husband as my first guest writer? *smile)
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| MACRO ON A BUDGET by Troy Redington |
I’ve been interested, or at least amused by macro photography for quite some time - even longer than my photography interest actually. Something about seeing such details of tiny subjects like insects and flowers intrigues me. It’s almost as if discovering a new world that our eyes have yet to fully explore. So a few years ago when Johwey shoved me into the research field to get another new camera, naturally I kept macro shots in mind.
I learned a lot. It was overwhelming. Here I thought ‘macro’ was just a mode for a camera or a lens, turns out there’s a lot more to it. By definition (at least according to the macro snobs I’ve talked to), macro photography is when the subject is projected onto the film plane or digital sensor at its actual size or larger. This means a 1:1 ratio (lifesize:sensor) or larger (2:1, 3:1, etc). Macro modes on point and shoot cameras or even telephoto lenses do not achieve 1:1. Turns out these ‘macro modes’ were more of a means of close focusing. Functional and fun, yes - macro, no.
So I realized that we’re going to need at LEAST two lenses if I want to dive into the macro pool. But then I saw the price tag of the macro lens I wanted - $800 was a bit much considering our budget was only $1500. The macro lens would have to wait :(
After a matter of months with our new camera (D80 with the 18-135 lens) I was finding cheaper ways to macro. Here are the options I had found:
- close-up filters
- reversing the lens
- extension tubes
- reversing a lens on top of a normal lens (crazy huh, this is referred to as ‘rev stack’)
The first thing we tried were the close-up filters. I picked up a set of +1, +2, +4 Tiffen Close-up Filters from Adorama. They’re basically magnifying glasses that screw on to the front of your lens. I was quite happy with the initial results. It allowed the 18-135 kit lens to focus on things really close up like flowers and insects. The magnification wasn’t HUGE but it was pleasing. It also allowed us to use automatic mode and auto focus - something the next few options don’t have. You CAN stack these (use more than one at once) but the image quality will suffer and the DOF becomes shallower and distortion gets worse.
I later learned that reversing the lens would produce 1:1 or greater magnfication. But to reverse the lens, you need a lens that has an aperture ring. The DX 18-135 wouldn’t work reverse because the aperture is electronically controlled and resets to f/22 or something when removed from the body. The best lenses for reversing are prime lenses. Everyone I spoke with mentioned the 50mm f/1.8 (or nifty fifty). So I picked one up from Adorama along with a $10 reversing ring. The reversing ring basically has the Nikon mount on one side (no electrical contacts, just the mount) and 52mm filter threads (male) on the other. I was immediately impressed with the 50mm lens AND the reversing ring - but WOW what a pain in the butt the reversing ring is. When you reverse a lens, you lose the ability to focus. The focus ring of the lens no longer works as a focusing tool, so instead you have to move the camera and lens around until your subject is in focus and in the right DOF. The DOF btw, is incredibly narrow unless you stop your lens down to about f/8. But there’s the kicker, you stop down the lens to get more than 1mm of DOF and there’s no longer enough light to get your shot in focus. Reversing is ok for flowers or bugs on a bright sunny day, but kinda frustrating. A monopod might help though.
The third option I’ve tried is by far my favorite. I picked up these extension tubes for $9 bucks shipped from Deal Extreme These tubes will add a gap between your camera body and the lens element. There are no optics inside the tubes, so you won’t lose image quality due to shotty glass. The magnification comes from the spread of light from the rear element as its being projected onto the sensor. The further that gap, the more the magnfication. The tubes are basically a male mount (to camera), a female mount (for lens), and 3 spacers of different lengths. You can use one, two, or three of them in any order or combination. These tubes also do NOT provide any electrical contacts. You won’t have autofocus or aperture controls from the body. It’s all manual baby. If you can’t live without it, you can spend $150 on some kenko tubes, but I don’t think its worth it. I’ve had the best luck with these. I have a 70-210mm Vivitar that I extend for some crazy magnfication goodness, but the 50mm is the easiest to use extended.
I did an experiment last night on the different methods I just discussed. Here are the results. (The exposures are far from perfect and the images are unprocessed. I just wanted to show what the magnification levels were.)
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| These are the tools I just described. |
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| Here’s my subject - a 4″ ceramic pepper shaker. I shot it with an 18-135mm lens at 50mm, f/5. |
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| This shot was taken with a close up filter (+4) with the 18-135mm lens at 50mm, f/5. |
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| Here I used a reversed 50mm lens. |
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| This one was taken with an extended 50mm lens (all 3 tubes). |
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| And lastly, this one was taken with an extended 50mm (just 1 of the short tubes). |
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I hope this inspires you to start taking those macro shots you’ve been itching to take. Let me know how you did.
New Imagekind Prints
Posted on | March 9, 2009 | 1 Comment
Here are two more additions to my Imagekind gallery. The bee was shot with a close-up filter. I was so scared that the bee might notice me and sting me - but I got the shot. The dragonflies were actually taken by Troy. Enjoy!
Friday Art: Mica’s Artwork
Posted on | March 6, 2009 | No Comments
My computer has been in repair for the past two days. Now it’s back and running a trial version of Windows 7, which I think I’m liking.
Anyways, as promised last Friday, today’s Friday Art is a sampling of Mica’s artwork. We’ve done a couple of charcoal drawings since the schoolyear started and here are some of her projects.
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| BEETHOVEN by Mica Redington |
JOHN F. KENNEDY by Mica Redington |
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| ABRAHAM LINCOLN by Mica Redington |
MONA LISA by Mica Redington |
About Me 
I'm an architect taking a break to focus on two awesome girls. I'm also an avid photographer, experimental cook, and craft enthusiast. My days are definitely never boring.