tear sheets: Ely Buendia's home for Dwell Asia

I lucked out and got to shoot one of my favorite musicians for my one of my favorite magazines.

Ely Buendia home for Dwell Asia September/October 2011 issue.

Story by Chinggay Labrador
Photography by Miguel Nacianceno

September tear sheets

I should have been uploading tear sheets years ago but I haven't. So I don't know how to do it right, and sorry for the scanning job. It occurred to me, after scanning these, that I should have just asked the art director for the digital files.

Yummy, September 2011.
Recipes and food styling by Jun Jun de Guzman.
Prop styling by Elaine Lim.

Real Living, September 2011.
Shoot direction by Issa Villar.
Words by Michaela Abrera.
Photography by Miguel Nacianceno.

I'm gonna toot my own horn.

It's not often they put a person on the covers of Real Living, but they did, and they got me to shoot it.

Also, Dwell, the only magazine I actually subscribe to, has an Asian edition that's premiering this month. And it's been extremely... mind boggling that I get to shoot a story for it, and have an image from that story make the cover. I'm really not into bucket lists, but if ever I had one, shooting for Dwell would be on it. Check that.

I like the blue versus orange thing going on on these covers. These issues are out in newsstands now.

Real Living cover styling by Dagny Madamba. Art directed by Joanne Enriquez-Bohol. Photography by Miguel Nacianceno.

Dwell cover art direction by Melinda Williams. Story by Chinggay Labrador. Photography by Miguel Nacianceno.

weirdest gig of the year

I haven't mentioned that for almost the whole of last week, I was in Las Vegas and L.A. on assignment. Before anyone thinks this was a high-paying, high-living gig, I'll tell you now, it wasn't.

In the span of the first 48 hours after landing in Vegas, I had to cover Manny Pacquiao's post-fight concert, Manny's victory mass, and a Wowowee episode, then travel to L.A. by land to shoot Manny and Jinkee's house. And during all that, I had to be on my toes just in case we spotted Krista.

It was also ironic that I was in Vegas during the Pacquiao-Cotto fight, but only to see the last round from standing outside a sports bar, the whole freakin' Strip between me and a soundless large screen TV showing Kenny Bayless waiving off the fight. Irony was taken up a notch the next day when I had front row seats at the Wowowee episode being shot in Vegas. I was there, shooting, and making the most of my great view of Willie R's crotch.

It's been years since I've done press coverage and even then it was never this showbiz/gossip stuff. Seriously, for awhile there, I was depressed. But it was also all so surreal and I appreciate the value of that.

And, erm, photos will come out in the January-February issue of YES Magazine, out in the stands by mid-December.

BTS

I was supposed to head out, listen to some bands play, but, good grief, it's a downpour out there. It makes me want to stay in (done!), catch up on sleep and some reading. Still haven't really recovered from my late flight back from Cebu last night (work that turned into a food trip), and my early appointment this morning.

You know how a lot of pros play it cool? I won't. I admit that I like behind-the-scenes shots from shoots. I want to see their set ups. I'm interested in the creative spaces people inhabit, how their studios or work desks look like. I like to have some insight, however imagined, into how other people work. I'm a geek like that. That's also why I'm a big fan of What The Jackanory's Inside the Photographer's Studio/Home series.

Anyway, Real Living, one of my solid editorial clients, started posting BTS of cover shoots on their blog. I shot the May cover (Sorry, shameless plug right there!) and the BTS photos can be found here. Final product below:

Turbo Goth shoot

I shot the band, Turbo Goth, for Preview today. It comes out in the July issue, I think, so no posting of photos just yet.

I've always wanted to do more portraits, and to shoot a band was something I've missed doing. When I was still in school, I interned for a music magazine, and it was cool knowing that I could do much more in terms of technique, now that a I know a bit more.

This shoot went extremely well. Sarah and Paolo were game and knew what do in front of a camera. I had a list of images in mind and I felt that I executed them pretty well. I think it was great that no one from the magazine could come and I was left do my own thing. But, as it is with me and my broken social skills, the day wasn't without some of my usual verbal blunderings.

Me: So Paolo, is your band your full time thing now?
Paolo: Yes. But I'm also a freelance skater.
Me: Oh, like on the long board?
Paolo: Huh? Freelance caterer! I went to chef school.

Sarah brought this tall, stiff hat as part of her outfit.

Me: Great, did you make this from a lampshade?
Sarah: ...
Me: Er, hehe.

I really thought she was one of those girls who made their own clothes (a good thing)! She's a tatoo artist for chrissake (non-sequitur)! Anyway, every thing was all but forgotten by the end of the shoot. I think. They said the liked the photos. Paolo made me take a swig of gin from his bottle of C2. That means it's all good right?

quick plug

Usually March is a month of low cash flow for editorial photographers. Magazines come out with a single issue for the months of January and February, and the checks come out in Feb. No checks for March, and you got to live off your other gigs. But that's cool this year. Because making the covers of two magazines I enjoy shooting for is worth it. Please check out the March issues of Real Living and Travelife at magazines stands near you!