about dxb chronicles

The saga of Jeff living in the City of Gold. Presently living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, unravel his journey throughout the city with memoirs and everyday life stories.

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Friday, June 30, 2006

three sessions

yesterday was an exhausting time for me since the last two sessions were unplanned. there were unbelievable experiences in the morning going to and back to oman, the photography issue at the madinat jumeirah and finally, the meetup and unbearable outdoor shoot at the dubai marina.

part i - a slice of oman

shutter speed: 1/30 sec, aperture: f/25, iso: 200, focal length: 31mm, wb: sunny ,af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, kaiser 67mm polarizing filter, manual focus

part ii - madinat encounter

shutter speed: 1/200 sec, aperture: f/7.1, iso: 200, focal length: 18mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, kaiser 67mm polarizing filter, manual focus

part iii - sweaty marina

shutter speed: 1/1.6 sec, aperture: f/4, iso: 200, focal length: 24mm, wb: sunny, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, kaiser 67mm uv filter, manfrotto monopod mount, auto focus

i divided to three parts due to plenty of pictures and long stories which will be posted in a couple of days...
discoursed by jeff @ 11:06 AM  |  1 comment(s)  |  permalink

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

(un)happy birthday party

every birthday should be happy. well we have reasons not to be sometimes... it was just for fun not to be happy-like setting. taken last thursday, we had a little photo shoot and lighting experiments. i edited the pics for a different mood...

the celebrant

shutter speed: 1/2 sec, aperture: f/4, iso: 200, focal length: 29mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, tripod with remote, manual focus

guests

shutter speed: 1/3 sec, aperture: f/4, iso: 200, focal length: 29mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, tripod with remote, manual focus

clown

shutter speed: 1/3 sec, aperture: f/4.5, iso: 200, focal length: 70mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, tripod with remote, manual focus

musician

shutter speed: 1/2 sec, aperture: f/4.5, iso: 400, focal length: 40mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, tripod with remote, manual focus

lady of the night

shutter speed: 1/3 sec, aperture: f/4, iso: 400, focal length: 29mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, tripod with remote, manual focus

foreign ambassadors

shutter speed: 1/6 sec, aperture: f/4.2, iso: 400, focal length: 38mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, tripod with remote, manual focus
discoursed by jeff @ 8:18 AM  |  2 comment(s)  |  permalink

Monday, June 26, 2006

it's been 11 years...

...since my father left this earthly world. i missed him.
discoursed by jeff @ 1:09 PM  |  0 comment(s)  |  permalink

Sunday, June 25, 2006

breakfast at lunch

english breakfast

shutter speed: 1/25 sec, aperture: f/5, iso: 200, focal length: 29mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, manual focus

last friday, we have to go to office to finish the "pending" jobs we had. our colleagues also have the habit of "filipino time" coming two hours late. of course, we started to work late and it had a domino effect...

anyway, my colleague and i got hungry and went down to eat lunch at 3pm. we chose the english breakfast instead since it's complete (and cheap) and costs dhs35 for everything... freshly squeezed orange juice, toasted white and brown bread with butter and jam, two eggs on a toast, sauteed mushrooms, bacon and sausage, and cappucino.
discoursed by jeff @ 8:31 AM  |  2 comment(s)  |  permalink

Friday, June 23, 2006

p o r t r a i t s

yesterday was japs' birthday celebrating it by barbecue, dinner and little photoshoot session. here are some of the notorious gangs...

evil japs

shutter speed: 1/5 sec, aperture: f/4.5, iso: 400, focal length: 46mm, wb: flash, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, tripod with remote, manual focus

serious onting

shutter speed: 1/100 sec, aperture: f/4.5, iso: 400, focal length: 65mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, tripod with remote, manual focus

bilal, the lord's brotha

shutter speed: 1/4 sec, aperture: f/4, iso: 400, focal length: 31mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, tripod with remote, manual focus

super sayan bob

shutter speed: 1/15 sec, aperture: f/3.5, iso: 200, focal length: 18mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, tripod with remote, manual focus

jedi knight

shutter speed: 4 secs, aperture: f/14, iso: 200, focal length: 27mm, wb: flourescent, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, tripod with remote, manual focus
discoursed by jeff @ 10:58 AM  |  1 comment(s)  |  permalink

Thursday, June 22, 2006

bringing down the hammer, again

i didn't sleep well last night, my conscience was full of guilt. i just "wasted" one of our paduans yesterday. i can see it in his eyes that he's frustrated and in shock...

it was a surprise news for me as well. i was assigned to bring the guillotine having their hands clean...

...and it's hard to bring bad news to someone.
discoursed by jeff @ 8:47 AM  |  0 comment(s)  |  permalink

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

s l e e p

discoursed by jeff @ 9:11 AM  |  4 comment(s)  |  permalink

Monday, June 19, 2006

pic of the week(end)

pinoy expats along the jumeirah open beach


emirates towers in the morning


early morning clouds of june 18th


goddess... (waiting for the model's approval)
discoursed by jeff @ 8:37 AM  |  4 comment(s)  |  permalink

Sunday, June 18, 2006

shooting weekend

been busy...

...shooting with fellow treklensers, forgotten update, cut-down power during my holiday, truckload of work and an interesting photo session...

post the pics soon.
discoursed by jeff @ 2:36 PM  |  0 comment(s)  |  permalink

Friday, June 16, 2006

i forgot!

the dubai chronicles just turned two yesterday...

and i forgot this one. sh*t.
discoursed by jeff @ 10:31 AM  |  6 comment(s)  |  permalink

Thursday, June 15, 2006

e t h e r e a l


shutter speed: 1 sec, aperture: f/3.5, iso: 200, focal length: 18mm, wb: flourescent, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, tripod, manual focus

i'm commissioning and experimenting myself for the upcoming session for the models and trying to do it just for kicks and a sampler to them. :P
discoursed by jeff @ 2:56 PM  |  2 comment(s)  |  permalink

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

defy gravity

during our lunch breaks, after eating we usually go down to the grocery to get some fresh air and away from the office for a few minutes. the usual gossips, questions and rants are held here and you'll always listen to it almost repeatedly.

until i decided to make a different approach. i told my colleagues, before going back to the office to have a little experiment. i took them on one side of the wall of another building and let them count to three and jump.

at first they were a little bit tense and shy...

shutter speed: 1/160 secs, aperture: f/7.1, iso: 200, focal length: 25mm, wb: cloudy, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, manual focus

i didn't like the first shot since the guy on the left blocked the other. this time, i told them to relax and feel what they really feel when jumping...

better?

shutter speed: 1/160 secs, aperture: f/7.1, iso: 200, focal length: 18mm, wb: cloudy, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, manual focus

but the background is somewhat urban... let's try on a different approach. nearby the lobby, there's a green lawn and i picked the spot perfect for the shot, unfortunately though, the lighting is against is too harsh and background is distracting due to the trees didn't contrast to my subjects.

distracting...

shutter speed: 1/320 secs, aperture: f/7.1, iso: 200, focal length: 18mm, wb: sunny, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, manual focus

with quick thinking i found the parking building a little interesting and told them to go to that side. once more, they counted three and jumped.

perfect? almost but the onlooker added interest.

shutter speed: 1/320 secs, aperture: f/7.1, iso: 200, focal length: 25mm, wb: sunny, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, manual focus

i'll try something more when we do our usual lunch break habits...
discoursed by jeff @ 10:47 AM  |  2 comment(s)  |  permalink

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

thoughts and the sea


shutter speed: 1/1.6 secs, aperture: f/29, iso: 200, focal length: 44mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, manfrotto monopod


shutter speed: 1 sec, aperture: f/29, iso: 200, focal length: 52mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, manfrotto monopod


shutter speed: 1 sec, aperture: f/14, iso: 200, focal length: 70mm, wb: auto, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, manfrotto monopod

what they're thinking?
discoursed by jeff @ 11:02 AM  |  3 comment(s)  |  permalink

Sunday, June 11, 2006

tranquility


shutter speed: 2.5 secs, aperture: f/22, iso: 400, focal length: 18mm, wb: flourescent, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, manfrotto monopod

taken during my trekking at the jumeirah open beach. i missed the opportunities of large sunsets but when i got there, it was smaller than the previous encounters. i decided to take the shots of the sea instead.

pp talk:
- converted raw file to jpeg

more sea shots to come.
discoursed by jeff @ 3:33 PM  |  6 comment(s)  |  permalink

Saturday, June 10, 2006

presents

i thought kids were the only one to be given a present during their birthdays and i'm happy with i'm receiving recently...

a had few but totally i am happy with it!

from gladys


from ceslou


and for myself... this baby and its crib.
discoursed by jeff @ 1:03 PM  |  2 comment(s)  |  permalink

Friday, June 09, 2006

inihaw party

it was a different approach, orlans and i celebrate our birthdays last night, grill style. with the exception of tin-tin's lamb spaghetti, every food was set on a grill like chicken wings, sausages, different fishes and pork strips (liempo).

bob and his tuna

shutter speed: 1/2 sec, aperture: f/4.5, iso: 400, focal length: 35mm, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, manfrotto monopod

halal and haram

shutter speed: 1 sec, aperture: f/6.3, iso: 400, focal length: 24mm, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, manfrotto monopod

grill in action

shutter speed: 1/2 sec, aperture: f/4.5, iso: 400, focal length: 35mm, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, manfrotto monopod

co-birthday celebrant, orlans, stopping the wall from falling while slicing the cake

shutter speed: 1/8 sec, aperture: f/4, iso: 400, focal length: 18mm, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, flash fired, manfrotto monopod

deep nights? better than that

shutter speed: 1 sec, aperture: f/3.5, iso: 400, focal length: 18mm, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx, flash fired, manfrotto monopod

the weather was on our side as well, giving us a cool breeze over a smoky venue. turned 29, i had a great time last night. and on this day, my birthday, i'll be out on my own, alone, celebrating in contemplation.

thank you guys.
discoursed by jeff @ 1:47 PM  |  2 comment(s)  |  permalink

Thursday, June 08, 2006

tower crane


shutter speed: 1/250 sec, aperture: f/14, iso: 200, focal length: 70mm, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx

i'm still fascinated about these machines... how on earth do they extend themselves?

i found out here and finally learned their "stunted growth."

taken near our office. a lot of these cranes are popping in the past few weeks.
discoursed by jeff @ 11:16 AM  |  1 comment(s)  |  permalink

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

i love...



what's the last letter?

"s" - light fixture on the ceiling. i lied down on the floor to get the right position

"e" - various finger foods such as nuts and chips.

"..." - interior of burj al arab

i leave it up to your imagination. i had mine.
discoursed by jeff @ 12:47 PM  |  3 comment(s)  |  permalink

Monday, June 05, 2006

ahoy there!

although it is prohibited to take photos outside the docks i was able to manage some shots from the inside of the cargo vessel. the crew consists of all pinoys and their hospitality are superb. food was great (jap's friend is a cook) and the place was prepared for a mini concert and dancing.

window to the outside world

shutter speed: 1/60 sec, aperture: f/4.5, iso: 200, focal length: 18mm, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx

drummer's pov

shutter speed: 1/6 sec, aperture: f/3.5, iso: 200, focal length: 18mm, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx

junefest is sponsored by...

shutter speed: 1/6 sec, aperture: f/3.5, iso: 200, focal length: 18mm, af-s nikkor 18-70mm dx

we had a blast partying and jamming.
discoursed by jeff @ 9:11 AM  |  4 comment(s)  |  permalink

Sunday, June 04, 2006

half-time report

since the start of june this year, things went well. it was a bad start for me during my first five months, but things are going to the right track.

let's forget the bad memories and list our "blessing in disguise" instead that happened for the past few months:

- first time i entered the dry docks and boarding a cargo ship, seaman style. unfortunately, fearing of getting my camera confiscated, i wasn't able to shoot the premises but still i have shots inside. :P

- the thorn inside the house was gone.

- skills in photography are improving. not only that, my tools and gadgets are adding up to my inventory. i guess it's a full-blown hobby and maybe thinking of a career change.

- shhh, i got a raise.

- met different "big" and interesting people. i've met an undercover sheikh, statesman, humanitarian, artists, and different locals with different lives.

- gilids are keep on coming even if i cannot take the load anymore

- financial debts are zero and started to increase the savings

pictures of the party at the ship will be posted soon.
discoursed by jeff @ 2:38 PM  |  1 comment(s)  |  permalink

Friday, June 02, 2006

week-long hiatus

now, i'm officially back to the blogosphere. it's been a rollercoster ride for me with the client... tense, drama and comedy. me and my colleagues finished the project for a local arab in the nick of time, sacrificing even my absence and staying very late just to finish it.

but we're not happy to the payment that we received. we quoted the best price and we only got 10% of the total quote. anyway, money is just money and their riches cannot be with them when they die.

it's a proven experience and lesson to deal with this people and there will be no-freebies and do it now, pay later next time.

in other news, we renewed our flat almost emptying our pockets, the black sheep of the house will be leaving in a couple of days, the new dvd writer which bob broke was replaced, and i got a new toy for my birthday.

stay tuned.
discoursed by jeff @ 11:26 AM  |  2 comment(s)  |  permalink