(phone beeps)

Hi Art! there’s a new guy in town, would you be interested to shoot him?

A: sure! is he a new model? from what agency?

He’s just a friend who models.

A: cool!

will show you his photos, will send you a link.

A: ok, thanks!

My very first test shoot for this year 2012.

I’d stopped doing test shoot late last year I was quite handful and couldn’t accommodate shoots, worst my favorite stylist wasn’t available. She’s my favorite stylist so far hahaha. (you know who you are)

The INTERVIEW MAGAZINE COVER is just a vision board that I have created out of boredom hahaha (Model is new & I thought my shot of him fits the cover.) I’ve read in a book that as a photographer you have to know where do you want your works to be published, so in that way it will serve as your “style guide”, So what I did, I borrowed my sister’s magazine collection & studied thoroughly the Print ads, Editorials & covers. I also listed down the name of photographers who inspire me the most & there are several of them. Aside from their stunning shots what made me like these photographers were the stories behind their famous names. Like Mario Testino who became famous because of Madonna. Versace loved his shots of Madonna so much & they’ve put his name in all of the campaigns.

Just a short story of one of Testino’s experience, Mario got a call from an organizer of Christies to shoot Diana together with a british photographer who was the official photographer of the royal family, very much trusted by the family & has access to the palace. Mario didn’t have that, all he had at that time was believe in himself & a small studio, so he thought there’s a slim chance for him to get the project. But Diana liked how Mario planned his shoot, Mario didn’t like the made up look, well Diana being a princess she has to be always presentable, Mario sticks to his style & the princess was convinced the next thing he knew he got a photo shoot schedule with the princess.

Know yourself, the things that you like and what inspires you because at the end of the day your work is a reflection of you it’s like you’re leaving a piece of yourself in every artwork that you do. Ok they say it’s the equipment that will get you from point A to point B I agree but if you lack knowledge there’s no way you can maximize your equipment’s potential right? I won’t forget my art professor back in college she told me that those people who produce beautiful artworks with no soul is like a person who knows how to cook “Adobo”(a very delicious dish from the Philippines) but never tasted one. So before you buy your DSLR know what you want to shoot & where do want your shots to be seen.

MODEL: Nathan lane

STYLIST: Eunicena

Special thanks to: Glaiza Bustos & Carlo Zamora

This book came from a friend who contributed a lot in shaping my career as a photographer. 

We  had it shoved  to our faces and dangled under our noses  a hundred times that you’re successful if you’re good looking, have big savings, if business is doing well, if you have power and position, if you have all the new gadgets, and if you can travel the world—- those things are the measure of you being successful.

I remember January this year, when I decided to toss my lucrative career as a Graphic designer to an “adventure” as a solo photographer/graphic designer. My parents were like “Are you sure? It’s difficult to survive now, a lot of people are looking for work!”

But I told myself I need to go out of my comfort zone, need to go out of my nest, I need some flying lessons—— I wanted to grow.

We are all afraid of failure. It’s so easy to lose heart and be shamed when we are trying to live our lives for our dreams, and there are times when things don’t seem to be conforming to the world’s Idea of what our version of success really is. we get pulled off course, we give up, and we head off in another direction.

I remembered one late night, I was in the kitchen having coffee. My mom came in, and she was like, “how are you doing? You’re not getting any younger, should you look for regular work? I’m talking about daily work and monthly salary.” I know what she meant, but I was like “Ma I know what I’m doing. What’s wrong with doing what you love? Besides, it’s only June, so we’ll see what will happen when this year ends.”

Honestly, there were low times. It’s quite frustrating when you check your bank and your savings aren’t enough to keep you afloat. When things don’t seem to be going well in our lives, and all we see are heaps of trials, it becomes easy to conclude that we made a bad decision, and that I’m in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing, on the wrong path.

But I have decided to be strong in my resolve and continue. I always told myself that God has a plan, and His plan is different from mine. God doesn’t waste His miracles. When it’s beyond your power to get things  done, that’s where God performs  His miracles. God’s time to help is when things are brought to the last extremity.

God truly is a great provider in my personal journey. He guides me when I ask for guidance. One example of that is when out of nowhere I’ll get a client, and the client would refer me to another client. I can’t say I am already made, but the jobless guy is slowly seeing his path starting to straighten up. And I am now even thinking of hiring my own artist/photo editor. All these came from my trust in God.

How bad do you want your dreams to be fulfilled? What is your purpose? Do you want to be famous and be glorified? You know on the one hand the world’s shouting at us you’re not good enough, you should be this and that. The world will make you feel that you need to be somebody, you need labels to be significant or successful, and in short you need to be affirmed. You and I, we are not here to be successful in the eyes of the world, we are not here to get all the glory. The one thing that I found real fulfillment, real joy, real satisfaction, and real life, is in taking the one thing that God has given me- - -  the courage and the ability to be a story teller for Him.

I’m going to switch gears for a second. I received an email last month from a complete stranger I was quite shocked, I was like “Maaan! Somebody’s reading my blog.” No idea what that person has been going through but the email made me smile. Inspiring people through your life is one of the greatest things one could ever do. Not everyone wakes up hopeful, not everyone believes in himself, and not everyone has someone to listen to them. So this is a motivation for me to do better. Fulfillment comes in life when you go for the things that you love and getting out, doing it and training towards it. 

MOVING ART

A good photographer knows how to be transgressive & commercial at the same time. My first attempt to shoot something commercial was a failure, you heard it right I failed. You often hear success stories of photographers and rarely hear their failures but I want to be completely honest (hope this won’t scare my future clients off) we were supposed to shoot a commercial headshot (see video) but the shots became like beauty editorials. Seriously then, I didn’t know few people appreciate the editorial style. I was told that few people buy sadness or emotions. You cannot sell a shampoo showing a teary eyed model, but a sweet charming face can persuade a million consumers. So I was like am I in the right place? am I doing the right thing? If I want pure acting why be here? Then I realized that you just have to do what is asked so what I did was I made a serious research & study commercial shots. Seriously it’s hard, not that I’m not smart but I’m not into this whole commercial thing. To me its flat! but learning how to do it correctly will make you rich. Maaan think about the beauty Ads, the cosmetic brands especially in this country we got tons of beauty products targetting the masses.

I often hear that a good photographer knows how to pose his subject, especially in fashion. If it’s personal work I don’t like posing models like telling them how to position their body all the time and where to put their hands, show their neck etc. I’m working with human beings not a robot or a doll, but of course if it’s a requirement like a commercial project you cannot do anything about it you have to conform to the clients want/need.

The video above was taken during my actual photo shoot “my very first supposed to be a commercial head shot” shooting this model is such a joy that you will forget that you’re taking pictures.

Before the actual shoot, I told her that I won’t be directing her all she needs to do is to react to the music that I’m going to play & I didn’t tell her the title of the songs in my playlist she had no idea about the beat & genre. Because I want to see real emotions. The process was inspired by an acting exercise “scoring the music through movements, & facial expressions”. It was hair raising, and you could actually feel that I’m enjoying it, did you hear the sound of the studio light’s burst? this model can nail 100 layouts in 1hour of course I’m exaggerating but if you know what I mean. The first 10 seconds of the song I already got the shots that I wanted but I was enjoying the moment so much that I got lost. Model is really good to start so maybe some of you would think that it’s useless, but I’ve photographed a complete stranger whom my sister discovered in a mall, the guy wasn’t a model at all, the same process, the shots came out great (see etranger www.arturoalera.com )

My two cents, a beautiful face alone won’t guarantee a good shot. You got to bring out emotions. A model must be committed.

It’s almost 1am, I’m not yet done editing photos its past the deadline, then shoot the next day. Out of nowhere this film just popped in mind. “New York, I’m thinking of New York Film Academy again, Maaan I’ve always wanted to be a film maker. Maybe need to be more realistic, Mowelfund? I don’t know…”

I used to draw comic story boards using fax paper when I was 7yrs. old, I din’t know that what I was doing was a story board. I was always more inclined to drawing writing play scripts & directing and the exploration of character. My background in theater management or just by attending workshops helped me in my photography in terms of communicating with models/people in a very specific way. 

Most models that I have worked with know that aside from showing them pegs I would send them 5-paragraph story concept of what we are going to shoot. I work with scripts I want to treat them like actors & not models I hate it when they get on set and already have the pose#1,2,3. I want emotions, I want the the viewer to walk out & think.

I won’t forget hearing from one of the model’s that I worked with telling me “wow I look like a human being in this shot and not a model”. That validates that he got it,  & that’s my style!

I had always had this idea for a film in my head (see video) quite common though, but even if every director and photographer have done this I still haven’t done it my way. I like the idea of the production & how the actors portray the common movie story of a star falling in love with a regular guy. I’m interested in the idea of conflict. In script writing to make the story interesting you need to create conflict and more emotional baggage then you crush the audience imagination. 

Can’t wait to be in a real film school.

2am still can’t sleep, more ideas are popping.

What’s next?

 Wake up! wake up! more energy!

“SHORT LIVED RADIO SHOW BUT THE IMPACT THEY MADE LASTS.”

Models don’t normally talk, yeah some do hosting jobs & whatnot but rare you’ll find models with substance if you know what I mean. I’m not kissing @#$ on line, if I wasn’t familiar with SARAH MEIER & VICKY HERERRA then I would mistaken DOLLHOUSE for a contemporary gospel radio show. Maaan I don’t know, rare you’ll hear radio programs/show on FM talking about “positivity” & how-to-be-a-better-individual if it’s not from a gospel station, seriously. (this is just my opinion)

“Don’t copy the behavior & customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by CHANGING THE WAY YOU THINK. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Ok reality is you can not avoid negative people, they’re everywhere work place, streets, media etc. but you can spend less time with them right? So be watchful, guard your heart & your mind because your way of thinking will shape you, your life. Surround yourself with positive people!  

According to Bob Colacello, “We should throw more dinner parties with interesting people.” The principle here would be if you want positive/interesting people’s way-of-thinking to rub off on you then go look for great people to hang out with, Not saying you need to be with the “FAMOUS” people/crowd, I’m sure we have friends who appreciate our small achievements, people who encourage us to be better & whatnot, I don’t want people to get the impression that trying to fit in is all that matters in life. Our performances, labels, achievements in life do not define us. But that doesn’t mean that it’s wrong to pursue greatness. Do things that will make you a better person because that is our mission, but put in mind that in everything that you do, your doing it to make God deliriously happy. 

Basically most of us don’t have any access with “GREAT PEOPLE” but now DOLLHOUSE made it possible, you can now pick up their minds by reading interviews about them. Be inspired!

Unscripted is a book based on the conversations that transpired during the radio show “The Dollhouse.” 

Written by Sarah Meier and Vicky Herrera, the book features a diverse roster that includes names such as Madame Imelda Marcos, Raimund Marasigan, Gang Badoy, Mastaplann, and Jeff Cariaso. 

Inspiring and thought-provoking, the book highlights the truly memorable conversations that last; and truly unscripted ones from the heart.

…I have come that they (you) may have life and have it to the full.

John chapter ten verse ten