Stormbringer's Chronicles

Vigan / Ilocos shoot full installment

Here's the follow-up to the Vigan shots we did with Jake and Dianne.  Really loved how Dianne styled herself (she's a make-up artist by the way) and Eddiemar (hairstylist) was just super!  So Day 2 afternoon we headed to Vigan and stopped by Paoay Church along the way.  By the time we got to Vigan, not only was it dark but we were super dead tired.  Our shoot ended at 130am....

Next day we took some shots in Vigan (daytime this time) and then the bell tower.  

Vigan is nice, but its gonna take a lot to make me go back there to shoot. :) Even by plane, so i hope you enjoy these shots. hehehe. 

 

1st time shoot in Windmills of Pagudpod

Flew in yesterday to Laoag (thats North of Philippines) via PAL and headed on to Pagudpod... Woke up really early 4am to catch the sunrise.  Unfortunately, we didn't expect that the windmills were still far from where we were so sun was alway up when we got there.  Did not stop us from getting great shots though... 

This is a really far off place... i joked that its called pagudpod because "if you go here, pagod ka na pudpod pa swelas mo (not only will you be tired, your soles will be worn out too). Anyway, it was worth it but im ok with going here twice.  I will think about it if another couple decides to shoot here... even if they say we will fly in. 

Our 2nd stop is at a light house, forgot the name but it was called Cape something... we have not actually had breakfast yet so i thought CAPE meant they were serving coffee.  :)

Its now 1:42pm... were on our way to Vigan to shoot a street there with old houses.  Hopefully, God will make way so that we can shoot in an old house.  I'm praying, i'm praying... "do not make me come back some other time to get that shot Lord!".

Here are some teasers of our shots.

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Makeup by Edimar. :)

Assistance by Christine Ongte and Mitch Uy of www.christineongte.com

Why God doesn't answer all prayers

Do you know anyone whose been praying for something for a very long time? Or lets see, have you actually prayed for something and then felt like God wasn't listening to you?  If yes, why do you think so...

If you were God, would you listen to your prayers?  Have you actually listened to your prayers? When you pray and talk to God, is at least 50% of the things you say requests?

Well... Lets see what the bible says... In Isaiah 1:15-18

 ¹⁵ When you spread out your hands in prayer,
       I will hide my eyes from you;
       even if you offer many prayers,
       I will not listen.
       Your hands are full of blood;

 ¹⁶ wash and make yourselves clean.
       Take your evil deeds
       out of my sight!
       Stop doing wrong,

 ¹⁷ learn to do right!
       Seek justice,
       encourage the oppressed. ^[a]
       Defend the cause of the fatherless,
       plead the case of the widow.

 ¹⁸ "Come now, let us reason together,"
       says the LORD.
       "Though your sins are like scarlet,
       they shall be as white as snow;
       though they are red as crimson,
       they shall be like wool.

Aha!!! No wonder!  I really find it odd that people pray to God and yet they obviously are not believers.  Before we do all these things for God, lets try to fix ourselves first and make sure that we indeed are worthy of worshiping the holy God.

Speaking of prayers, one of my long time prayer got answered today.  When i became a diver way back in 2005... i was hoping that someday i would be able to dive with my child.  Sabrina turned 8 last week June 2 and that very night she said "Daddy, i'm now 8."  and i replied "So? Whats with 8?" she said "I can now dive!".  I was really surprised... so after 2 days, i already bought her equipment and today we dove. :) I'm looking forward to that open water dive we will do after a few more pool sessions. :)

And the winners are...

We ran a contest 2 months ago that ended last May 31... by simply following us, it entered you to a contest wherein we drew 21 winners.  20 for a free prenuptial pictorial & 1 for a John Mateos Ong wedding labor. 

Winners of the Free Prenuptial Pictorial are:

1 Karen Leslie Dy June 5, 2011

Venue: San Agustin Church / Century Seafood Restaurant

2  Arlene Joy Alfonso 

April 30, 2011 Madre de Dios Tagaytay Midlands /  Tagaytay Midlands Veranda

3 Marie Michelle Yu

March 6, 2011 Sanctuario de San Jose / Crowne Plaza (ballrooms A/B)

4 Princess ong

Jan 30, 2011 St stephens parish/century seafood restaurant

5 Hazel Dacanay

Feb 11, 2011Christ the King Greenmeadows /  The Glass Garden

6 Aileen Lorraine Dy

June 13, 2010 United Evangelical Church of the Philippines /  Century Park Seafood Restaurant

7 Grace Cheng

December 30, 2010 Our Lady of Pentecost Parish (Katipunan, QC) /  Mango Farm (Antipolo)

8 Karen Dineros

December 19, 2010 Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Valle Verde V Pasig City /  Valle Verde V Clubhouse

9 Pamela Nandwani

Summer of 2011 (march - may) 

Venue & Reception: Hopefully Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel

10 Camille Vergara

July 16, 2011 Oceana Events Place

11 Christelle Lyn Baranda

Dec 5, 2010 Light of Love - Cherish / Atrium

12 Sherlyn Catigan

January 8, 2011 Our Lady Of Lourdes Parish, Tagaytay City / Bali Village Glass Pavillion, Tagaytay City 

13 Couple: Regina Riosa

May 8, 2011 Fernwood Gardens

14 Ma.Imm Conce P. Tungala

Jan.28,2011  Lourdes Church Tagaytay / Hacienda Isabella

5 Ria Cantuba  

January 8, 2011 Church of the Risen Lord, UP Diliman / Bonsai Garden UP Dil. 

16 Christine Diane Cruz

August 30, 2010 Sonya's Garden (Christian Wedding)

17 Monica Felise Jara

December 3, 2010 Santuario San Antonio / Blue Leaf Monica 

18 Maui Arce

Feb 5, 2011 Magallanes Church /  Le Pavillon

19 Abby Chu

March 26, 2011 STILTS Calatagan Batangas, / Punta Fuego Batangas

20 Thina Serrano

January 15, 2011 RMHall -Reception + Ceremony

And the winner of a John Mateos Ong wedding labor...

Eden Javier Date of Wedding: December 10, 2010 Venue & Reception: Our Lady of Pentecost & The Glass Garden Reminders:

If you won a prenup please email me so i can give you the assigned photographer.  Prenups are good for 2 hours (enough time to shoot duriung best light) and can be done anywhere in the Philippines as long as you pick-up and return our photographer from the studio.  We do our prenups on weekdays only (also so your venue won't be full of people).  You will be given a CD of all the shots (unedited). Please feed the photographers (there will be 3 of them).  All prizes must be claimed by Oct 31, 2010 to give way for other promos & to give way to hectic nov-jan season. :) 

Jamie is it!

What i love about Imagine Nation is that someone is always there to pick-up incase something is left behind.  In this case, fair after fair, the prenup photo contest in Before I Do bridal fair has always been won by Imagine Nation even if the shots are sent unedited as per contest rules and even if obviously, many of the other entries have a dash or two of photoshop. :)

 

I am truly blessed that this year the winner is most deserving of the award... she has been soooo faithful in everything thats been asked from her.  She NEVER complains about anything and is truly a gift to us.  One of the photographers who've grown so much with us spiritually and professionally.... give a round of applause for JAMIE (CROFT) LIHAN!!!

Here is her winning shot that won her a cruise. :)  Fab!!! 

 

Check out all the entries here! contest entries

Kazu & Michelle's fairy tale come true

They met in a Karaoke Bar along Pasay Road... Michelle was #1 in the ranking & Kazu looked at her picture and said "What's so pretty about this girl".  So he complained to the manager and actually met Michelle.  Immediately, Kazu thought she was cute and started asking her out. 

3 years later, just before Kazu turns 40 he fulfills a promise... to marry michelle.  The event was so touching, Kazu is the perfect gentleman.  You can really see how much he loves Michelle.  He really made this day special for michelle.  Even if i know he didn't want the pictorial he said yes to please michelle.  Everything Michelle wanted, the fairy tale theme, the prenup, the big cake, the fireworks, the wedding by the Ruins and flying to bacolod... everything was michelle's wish and it came true. 

Before the night ended, Michelle sang a japanese song to Kazu's surprise that touched everyone's heart.  It was soooo beautiful... 

 

My first Anvaya Cove shoot

Yesterday was my first Anvaya shoot... a whopping over 3 hours drive and a 20k slap on the wallet for permits alone.  On the way, Joseph and Ces (more on Ces) was already praying cause it was raining really hard.  Unfortunately, they're getting married on June 27 so they can't take a leave anymore to resched.   God didn't completely answer our prayer as it was a bit drizzling and lighting was not so good but we had great time nonetheless and we were able to deliver nice pictures. :) so still we praise God! 

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Not of this world...

Today i met with some people from the a government agency...  Its the branch that deals with taxes.  In 2008, Imagine Nation sales reached over 2M and we declared it all (yes crazy but we do).  Unfortunately, my wise accountant then didn't know how to file our expenses correctly and so now we are having problems.  despite paying  over 1M in taxes that year alone, the agency could still point some flaws in our books that can mean real trouble.

After a series of negotiations that need not be revealed here -- long and short of it is that i had told them.  Hopefully, we will not need to do anything like this for 2009.  I would want to do everything to be clean, legal and beyond reproach -- even if it means not making money.

So after lunch, my accountant tells me "I am worried for you sir Jong.  Our sales this year is pretty big.  do you really want to declare your entire sale?" her recommendation was just to declare a portion of it, since that's what most people do.   i knew it was illegal so i said no. Then she suggested if we wanted to just over declare our expenses... with that Monique and I just looked at each other, without uttering a word we understood each other's thoughts. I knew what to reply...

"Don't worry... 20-25 more years and this suffering will end.  I know i just need to hang on some more...." Next year i hit 40 and then i'm sure i'm past midlife.   with that my accountant remarked "Ang daling maging tao no? ang hirap magpakatao..." And i agree, but knowing that our God will reward us for our righteousness helps...  and it just makes me more excited to get out of this world someday.