Jane's, before

© Joselito Briones

Beautiful day. Mati and I decided to take photos of Jane's living room, where we'll be spending the next few days, before we completely mess it up. Sort of a before and after picture. I'll try to post an "after" picture later. I took photos, above and below, using the Olympus E500, while Mati used his Voigtlander with ultra wide-angle lens.


© Joselito Briones

I've shown you a photo of this living room before, of course, in case you're wondering why it looks familiar.


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Jason Bourne

© Joselito Briones

This is another photo from the "Bourne Ultimatum" premiere in Leicester Square in London the other day. My guess is that one wouldn't think him a celebrity if one bumps into him somewhere, he looks like your everyday nice guy next door. He's constantly got that almost-shy constantly apologetic smile on his face. It's a credit to his acting and on-screen persona that he can carry both art films and action blockbusters.


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Ha!

© Joselito Briones

Am still here of course, spending most of my time in Wil's kitchen (photo, above). I know I owe you quite a lot of stories already, but I'll try to do it little by little, or maybe not. Am not really good at backtracking. I'll just show you photos of things that I've been seeing here in London.


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Star appeal

© Joselito Briones

I was in Leicester Square to buy tickets for a West End musical and I stumbled upon the premiere of "Bourne Ultimatum" in Odeon Theater. The stars of the movie were there, including some other celebrities, so I was just happy snapping away.

Photo above is of Julia Stiles, who's now been in all three Bourne movies. She's very beautiful in person, and seemed nice enough to fans. Oh and her hair, perfectly set.


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And, jazz... feet...

© Joselito Briones

I spent most of the morning on my back, trying to get the perfect pose for a picture, a la "jazz handssss....", only with my feet. I can't even remember where I bought this pair of socks.

I also don't know which is more troubling, that I have such colorful socks, or that I have socks with individual toes, or that I can spread my toes like this.

In the afternoon we did our grocery shopping for the whole week.


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ROTFLMAO

Ann emailed this. So funny!!!

According to the poster: (byronfgarcia)
"1,500 plus CPDRC inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, Cebu, Philippines at practice! This is not the final routine, and definitely not a punishment! just a teaser."


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The Fall of Bastille

© Joselito Briones

The photo above is of Ronnie and Jerome, taken during the Regent's Park picnic that followed "The Fall of Bastille" (a.k.a., their official partnership registration here in London). I've got way too many photos on that day, having had 3 separate events to commemorate the occasion... the ceremony itself in the city hall near their apartment in Baker Street, this picnic in Regent's Park, and a Boat trip along River Thames.

This was taken 14th of July, Bastille Day. We didn't tell either Ronnie and Jerome that we'd be able to make it to celebrate with them, so they were very surprised to see us during the ceremony.


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London trip confirmed

© Joselito Briones

Mati has been for sometime asked by his company to work in England again, but he hasn't really been agreeable with the terms they offer, so he's declined it (and it's in some other city, not in London). This time they offered him a short-term assignment instead (6 weeks) in London, so he took it. I've also got several things to do in London (Ronnie and Jerome's partnership ceremony, Wil's housewarming party, iStock minilypse), so I'm tagging along. So yeah, for the next 6 weeks starting Friday, Mati and I will be in London.

Photo above is one of my absolute favorite places to visit in London, the National Portrait Gallery, taken during my recent trip there. Okay, it's actually the building behind the ornate wrought iron street lamp and kiosk. I've always been fascinated by the human face as photography (and drawing) subject, and this place has a treasury of the different styles different personalities have been portrayed.


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Dark Room

© Joselito Briones

This time I made sure the film rolls are in my bag, before going to Frankenlabor. Managed to do a bit of grocery shopping too. Photo above is a building I always pass by on the way to the supermarket.

I had the apartment all to myself. I used the toilet as a dark room to process the Tmax 100 films that I used in New York and California, with Rodinal (I only brought the Ilford XP2's to Frankenlabor for processing, I don't have the chemicals for that).

I think most of them turned out well, they're now hanging in the walk-in closet. Can't wait to scan them.


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Green

© Joselito Briones

Eric phoned with a very exciting news. He finally got his green card! That was pretty quick, and he himself was very surprised, he wasn't expecting it until after he comes back from his upcoming trip to the Philippines.

Photo above was taken last time I was in New York, in Central Park, close to the Metropolitan Museum.


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Summer fun

© Joselito Briones

This is another scan, of one I took in Union Square, in New York. The moment I pointed my camera to them, these kids just started making faces.


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California Street

© Joselito Briones

This is one of the images that I like most among the black and white photos I took in San Francisco. I'm still scanning, so more black and white photos coming.


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Teeth needed cleaning

© Joselito Briones

Busy busy. Went to Frankenlabor to pick up test strips and bring color films for processing. Went to dentist for "professional" teeth cleaning. Then back home. Uploaded some photos including one, above. Frankenlabor again to pick up the films and to bring disc for printing. Marktplatz to buy some herbs. Asian grocery to buy some vegies. Upload some more.


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Powernappers' Duel

© Joselito Briones

I started scanning some of the films that I processed the other night. Above is one of the photos. It was taken in Bryant Park.


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Test Prints

© Joselito Briones Third day in a row that I went to the photolab. Today I picked up the Ilford XP2 films, and dropped a photo cd for test printing, including the one above, of Mati. XXX

Forgetful

© Joselito Briones

Stupid me. I went to Frankenlabor to bring the films I used on my recent trip for processing, only to find out, upon reaching the photo lab, that with all the other things I bothered to bring (umbrella, digital camera, shopping bag), I forgot to bring the film rolls. I thought, well, it can't be too bad, I can still do grocery on my way back. Only, when inside the grocery, I found that I forgot to bring money. How stupid is that? Wasted a good hour and half for nothing. Must be really getting old.

Photo above is from the same series as the shoot with Vicki and Zack.


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Touched by Music

© Joselito Briones

This is from the same shoot as the other day, with Jared. It would've been much better had he been using an iPod earphones, unfortunately I forgot to bring mine.

Catch up time starts today, loads of travel clothes to wash.

Phoned Carmona, today being father's day and all...


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Last minute lunch treat

© Joselito Briones

A bit rushed and stressed today. I did some last minute packing, passed by Jane's office in the Flat Iron district, then to Wall Street to meet up with Godfrey for lunch. The lunch itself was rushed, we grabbed some soup and sandwich, while he told me about the new house that he and Scott bought (bigger, closer to Manhattan).

And now, flying back to Germany.


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Jared

© Joselito Briones

I took some photos of Jared, above, today. Most of the photos came out well, the only problem I had was focusing the lens, because it's the old manual lens for the OM-1, so it doesn't work with the autofocusing function of the DSLR. Another downside that I noticed is the "glow" that looks constant now from most of the pictures I take using the DSLR. In the photo above, it's most noticeable where the suit sleeve ends and his hand sticks out, there's a pronounced "glow" against the dark suit.


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A Life-changing moment

© Joselito Briones

"you would not believe the day i had. ugh. right after school at 1230 i went to the mall to buy alla those things. its so random that everything i got was on sale. haha. so everything was less than 30 dollars. lmao. i was so embarresed tho. as soon as i went back to school, i went to a teacher to ask him to tie my tie for me. ha. i did a lot of walking. since i went to the mall taking the bus. and then when i got home, i didn't have enought time to rest, so i just got ready and then did more walking. -___-"

The above rant, of course, is from Kebbs, today being his promotion ceremony, as related to our failed shopping mission last Sunday.


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More travels

© Joselito Briones

Noel drove me to the airport today, after I drove Ate Uding to work, and after the post office thing to mail Alex's photo CD. I guess that's about it. Bye bye California again, until next time.

Photo above is of Eric, around the block where he lives in Roosevelt Ave, in Queens, taken last month.


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Portrait of a struggling singer/songwriter

© Joselito Briones

The struggle, in this case, is internal. Not being able to sooner put out something that he knows he's perfectly capable of making, having opted to rely solely on himself to complete his project, not being able to constantly muster discipline to regulate the progress.

He's really good at it too, I heard one of his tracks and was really impressed. One that he has since discarded as unusable. I thought it perfectly good, if technically wanting polish (he made it a few years ago). Reminded me of a more layered "Strange and Beautiful (I'll Put a Spell on You)" by Aqualung.

I hope for his own sake he finds direction sometime soon. One can get lost in a struggle for a lifetime without realizing it. Then it's too late.


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