HMS Photography & Beyond

NO STOPPING STOCKINGER IN BARCELONA

Day two of Formula Renault 3.5 Series collective testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was dominated by two of the drivers to feature in the category in 2013, with Will Stevens (Strakka Racing) going fastest in the morning before Marlon Stockinger (Lotus) clocked the day’s best lap of 1:30.218 in the afternoon. FR 3.5 newcomers Matthieu Vaxiviere (Lotus) and Raffaele Marciello (Tech 1 Racing) made an instant impression by finishing in the top five, while Oliver Rowland (Fortec Motorsports) was among the ten fastest drivers in both sessions.

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Marlon Stockinger (File copy) Photo: ©Hermes Singson

Operation Tuli (Mass Circumcision)

Filipino boys go through circumcision conducted by doctors from Manila Central University (MCU) Hospital and Fatima Medical Center at Andres Bonifacio Elementary School in Tayuman, Sta. Cruz, Manila, on 21 April 2012. A total of 95 boys were screened and 80 boys availed the free medical service, which is sponsored and organized by the Island Luz Minerva No. 5. Mass circumcision is usually done in the dry season (April to May). It is a belief in Philippine culture that circumcision is a rite to passage to manhood.

Nine year old Filipino boy flushing the thumbs up sign, showing he had no problems with the operation, and he's one of the youngest who availed the free medical services.

Filipino boys lines up, as a representative screens and give them some briefing regarding the minor operation.

Filipino boys go through circumcision, and it is a belief in Philippine culture that circumcision is a rite to passage to manhood.

Filipino boy flushing the 'pogi' (handsome) sign, as they happily go out the gates of Andres Bonifacio Elementary School, because they have endured the operation.

All photos copyright Hermes M. Singson

Please do not use my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

Third Alarm Fire

Third alarm fire struck at Sta. Cruz, burning the two-story house of a certain Dr. Mendez on M. Hizon St., Sta. Cruz, Manila, April 15, 2012. According to residents, fire started at around 1:30pm and was under control at around 2:45pm. Two boys almost got trapped inside the burning house, but managed to escape from a balcony to a neighbor’s house. No injuries were reported.

Fire trucks on Oroquieta Street. Firefighters going in from the back side of the burning house to prevent the fire from spreading. It was a good thing the house had a firewall at the back and both sides.

Firefighters going in from the back side of the burning house to prevent the fire from spreading. It was a good thing the house had a firewall at the back and both sides.

Fire truck

Fire Fighter Brian F. Noquiz of RESCOM 11, takes a rest after he was relieved by fellow fireman from the fire scene.

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All photos copyright Hermes M. Singson

Please do not use my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

First Tattoo Session

Last year, I got together with two friends whom I haven’t seen for a long time. We went to a mall to get some shirts. While they were fitting out some shirts I was surprised to see one of my friends has a tattoo on his back. I remember him just having only a tattoo on his chest and arm, but now, it is a big tattoo which is almost covering his entire back. After seeing it, I told him we should do a photo session of your tattoo.

March 13, 2012, I saw some post on facebook that Karl Roy, vocalist of three well known Pinoy rock bands, P.O.T, Kapatid and Advent Call, died of complications due to pneumonia. When I saw his photos it reminded me of my friend with the tattoo, I then called him and ask if we can do the photo shoot that day, and he agreed to do it.

Before we got started, I talked to him about the shots and ask him what his thoughts about it. Some of his friends do not know that he has a tattoo; he does not talk about it or even mention it. Others would only know about his tattoo from close friends. He showed me the different Japanese designs which he used for his selection, and according to him, his tattoo is not yet finish; there is still more work to be done, and it will probably take another five to seven hours, straight, to finish the whole image which will cover the whole back down to the butt area, and to the thighs. “Ouch!” I said, I could almost feel the needle, and the pain he has to go through again just to have it finished.

I too had thought of having a tattoo, not a big one, but if I did, I would feel very tiny after seeing my friend’s tattoo. It is a good thing I didn’t, as I have read it in the bible, “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:28).

Yes, this is my first tattoo session not with the needle, but taking pictures.

All photos copyright Hermes M. Singson

Please do not use my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

FIRE STRIKES AGAIN AT TAMBUNTING. Second alarm fire started at 8:26am at the ground floor of a two-story residential with address; 1281 Interior 16, Tambunting, Sta. Cruz, Manila, the house was owned by Nixon Ramos. According to a resident about six to seven houses got burn in the fire. Fire was under control at 8:58am and out at 9:18am. No reports of injuries or death, and at the time I left the scene cause of fire was still under investigation. PHOTOS BY: Hermes Singson/Photoville International

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Be Alert. Have Patience. Shoot with Conviction.

Mechanic © Hermes Singson

I was on my way to work when I took a photograph of this scene. I just couldn't resist taking a shot with my Canon G2. The light and contrast are just great! But, just as I was about ready to point the camera on my subject... the guy, the mechanic, was gone! "Duh? Where did he go?" I said myself.

So, what I did for the meantime while waiting for the mechanic to get back I took some of shots of the jeepney, and reviewed them from the LCD screen– it did not look as good from what I saw earlier, it looks like there was something missing in the photograph, another element that would make a good composition, and that is to have the mechanic in the frame.

The guy when he came back saw what I was doing, and he was a bit surprise and puzzled why I was taking a photograph of his jeepney. I showed him some of the photos I took to make him feel that it was alright. I was waiting for him to get on top, but then, he did not... I felt then that he was not to keen to have his photograph taken. So I decided to move away and point the camera to the other direction... I waited... and waited... and when I saw that he was about to get on top I rushed towards him and took my shots where I want him to be.

Patience is a virtue that it is good to have, and with a bit of luck you could capture moments like this.

Upgrade to 4.0

After six months of using the Nikon Coolpix E3700, I had an upgrade from 3.2 to 4.0 mega pixel. I had to exchange the E3700 for a Canon G2. At first I was a bit hesitant, but then, I thought of the G2’s better features and better quality of image.

The Canon G2 is a 4.0 mega pixel point-and-shoot camera, that shoots RAW files, focal length of 34mm to 102mm, an aperture that opens up to f2.0, with 50 ISO setting for less noise, and a swiveled LCD screen that is very good for taking overhead and ground level shots. It is easy to use, especially when you work on your exposures in combination with the focusing, or vice versa.

The G2 in my opinion is a very good point-and-shoot camera that performs more than I expected. We have used it in some of our projects, and even made photographic blow-ups that the quality is absolutely acceptable. But I will let you be the judge on that...

Here are some of the shots I made with the Canon G2: