Calling all Pampanga-based models and wannabes

Kalalangan Kamaru—known for making Kapampangan films, producing Kapampangan songs, spearheading Kapampangan projects like RocKapampangan, Kalam, Frequency K, and Cinekabalen—is branching out to Model Photography, with its subunit called "Kamaru Photography."

We are building our portfolio, and we are trying to fill it with different sets of our "dramatic character photography".










If you're a model (or model-wannabe, or model-material) based in Pampanga (male/female), and you want to add more creative photos in your set cards, then let's help each other out!

Just email sisig_man@yahoo.com.ph your FULL NAME, DATE OF BIRTH, HEIGHT, and please attach full body and close up pictures (preferrably no makeup). Indicate in your email, too, if you are willing to go sexy (creative sexy, not pornographic sexy).

For inquiries, 0918 699 2459

We don't just take pictures of you... We make you a part of an artwork...

Kamaru Photography's first "serious" attempt

Okay, so after goofing with photography last time, we decided yesterday to for the first time do a serious shoot—but not a professional one. Serious, as in producing quality photos that are add-worthy to our very (9x) young portfolio.

The catch is, we only had one camera, a friend (whom we turned into a model overnight), home lights and desk lamps, and various junk to serve as possible props.

Diegs and I were discussing what type of photography we want to engage in. We don't know all the labels for the different branches of photography (fashion photography, landscape photography, photo journalism, etc.), and we're too lazy to research, so we decided to come up with what to call our desired specialization, regardless whether the term exists already or not.

We call it character/dramatic photography. Character, because we make our model portray characters we create (which we usually do on the spot when things start making sense around the set). Dramatic, because there's supposed to be drama—a [fictional] story behind the concept.

So, our photography is not really about the model, nor is it about the fashion, or the set... It's about the character and story. The set is not of less importance compared to the model, nor is it the other way around. The model, like the props and all the other non-living materials present in the photo, is simply an element that contributes to the realization of the concept we have in mind.

This is because the model wouldn't be an interesting character if the set was given less attention, and the set alone wouldn't highlight much drama if the human element is not semantically related to the environment.

Sorry, we in Kamaru love to philosophize and understand our craft to make the most out of it consistently. Know thyself, says some European philosopher I can't recall right now. It's not that we're limiting ourselves. As I said, we aim to specialize in something.

So, here's a picture from our first set. Others are still to be color-graded. The set it belongs to doesn't have an official title yet, but I remember us telling our model to internalize the character of a Movie Bitch (Optical Media Bitch!). Or a Pirated Lady, who is bought for less than it's real value.

"Optical Media Bitch"

Photographer: Diego Marx Dobles
Set Designer: Jason Paul Laxamana
Model: Thea Lelay
Dobles Residence, Redwood Village, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga

I confess that for the first time in my life I tried to be a makeup artist, putting eyeshadow and other colored powdery substance (sorry, I don't know what they're called) around the eyes of our model. All that was in my head was that putting makeup on someone else's face is just like coloring a poster with pastel or color pencils, which I have always done in the past. Was I successful? I don't know. But nevertheless, I did the job. But I won't credit myself as makeup artist, hahaha.

Here's a picture from our second set, shot in the morning that followed. Others are also still to be color-graded. This one is "Coming Home to Nature."

"Coming Home To Nature"

Photographer: Diego Marx Dobles
Set Designer: Jason Paul Laxamana
Model: Thea Lelay
Redwood Village, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga

Okay, now's everyone's favorite part. What do you think of Kamaru Photography's first serious attempt? Let the bashing and trashing begin!

Kamaru branches out to photography...

Well, not really...

Not yet! Since I am to soon acquire my own camera, and fellow Kamaru member Diegz has his own camera, we might be producing a number of "Kapampangan photos" in the future, i.e., pictures that in one way or another present a Kapampangan touch.

No, we are not referring to photos of farmers, boatmen, and Candaba migratory birds—although we'll take photos of 'em as well. We intend to specialize on shooting models, both male and female, embellished with costume, set, and concept that emanate a certain degree of Kapampangan identity.

Below are some wala lang / ala mu photos we took this afternoon while killing time at the GV radio station backyard. All of the people you'll see in the photos below are not models. They are however the young DJs of GVFM 99.1, including yours truly.

Note though that these photos don't represent what we intend to do in the future, as we still have a lot to learn about photography. I'd just like to post these fool-around photos.






















Can't wait to get into photography!

Watas (Poet)

I look out on the river
and see a drowning gal
flailing like a catfish
wailing like a swine
Worry not, you girl
this is your lucky day
for this poet is here
your savior for today
I’m here to write a poem
for men to come in haste
they’ll strip and dive and swim
and rescue you from fate
Depict shall I your struggle
in metaphors and more
embellished, yes, with rhymes
and imageries galore
while quoting learned men
who made reflections so
evaluating lives
they barely even know

More "Asian" style coloring!

More "Asian" style coloring! Photos care of Diego Marx Dobles. Can't wait to use this color on my next music video.



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Di ba di ba di ba di ba?

Jason Laxamana, the Punit Filmmaker

Kamakailan lamang ay natapos na namin ang pinakahuling obra naming Kapampangan. Isa siyang short film na pinamagatang Balangingi, o Nosebleed sa Inggles, o Balinguyngoy sa Tagalog.


Kahit na isusumite namin siya sa mga upcoming na film festivals sa Maynila, ngayon pa lang ay personal na akong nawawalan ng loob dahil hindi artsy ang pelikula namin, at ang paksa niya, kahit na sinasabi ng karamihan ay fresh at bago, ay hindi yung social-realist na klase, na kadalasang pinaparangalan at kinukuha sa taunang Cinemalaya.

Kung tutuusin, socio-realist ang Balangingi na ginawang feel-good, para balanse. Ang mga Pilipinong intelektwal ay realidad sa Pilipinas, at ang kaliitan ng kanilang bilang at ang paminsan-minsang pagkalungkot nila sa pag-iisa ay nangyayari sa iilang porsyento. Inilarawan ko lang ang isang possible episode ng buhay nila.

XOO: "Masaya ka bang ganyan ka?"
APRIL: "Hindi lang masaya. Proud pa. Kung ang isang tipikal na Pilipino ay nakikita ang daigdig sa tatlong kulay, kita ko sa sandaan."

Pero gaya ng sabi ng iba, bago ang topic na ito. Wala naman tayong pakialam masyado sa mga makabagong pilosopo -- lalo na ang mga makabagong pilosopong kabataan. Ang pagkabulag natin sa realidad na naririto sila sa bansa natin ang nagbibigay ng feeling na parang mainstream na inimbento ang kuwento ng aming pelikula.

Pirat. Punit. Torn.

Ito ang sitwasyon ko sa paggawa ng pelikula. Bakit nga ba hindi parang socio-realist ang mga ginagawa kong pelikula, kagaya ng mga Brillante Mendoza na pelikula?

Sa mga nakakakilala sa akin, alam nila na nakabase ako sa Pampanga, at kinuhang adbokasya ang pagpapalago ng Kapampangan culture at identity sa pamamagitan ng pagpapalawig ng Kapampangan mass media.


Ang mga kabalen ko ay mababa pa ang art appreciation. Si Brillante Mendoza, kahit pa kaliwa't kanan ang mga naaani niyang parangal sa loob at labas ng bansa sa kanyang mga kadalasang Kapampangan-related na pelikula, hindi siya tinatangkilik sa mismong sangka-Kapampangan. Oo, tinitingalaan si Direk Dante dito ng mga iilang mataas ang baitang ng art appreciation (kagaya ko), pero ipanood mo sa mga average na tao, kundi sumasakit ang ulo nila, naiinip sa mga long take at sa mga masagisag na shot, at kapag nakakita ng puwet, iyon ang pagtutuunan nila ng pansin kaysa sa katayuan nina Gina Pareno sa Serbis.

Noong huli kong nakasaup si Direk Dante, ang sabi niya ay hindi muna siya gagawa ng pelikula. Iroronda muna niya ang mga pelikula niya sa kanyang tinubuang lupa, partikular na sa mga pamantasan, habang nagbibigay ng seminar o lecture tungkol sa paksa ng kaniyang mga pelikula at tungkol sa independent filmmaking mismo. Ganoon ang teknik niya para tumaas ang art appreciation ng mga kabalen niya.

Sa kabilang dako naman, ako. Imbes na gawin ang ginagawa ni Direk, ang ginagawa ko naman ay finu-fuse ko ang mga alternatibong istilo at kuwento at ang mga mainstream. Posible kaya?

Ang "best of both worlds" approach na ito ang nagbibigay sa akin ng dilemma. Hindi ka masyadong papansinin sa mga establisadong film scenes kagaya ng sa Maynila kasi may touch of mainstream ka. Sa probinsya naman, kahit na malamang matutuwa sila sa gawa mo, hindi ka rin masyadong mapapansin kasi wala namang mga festival-festival na ganyan sa kasalukuyan sa Central Luzon.

Kaya heto ako. Pirat. Punit. Torn.

Ngunit ang pagkapunit kong ito ang marahil magbibigay ng identidad sa aking mga likha. Malay natin. Liban pa sa kakulangan ng gamit.

Maaaring sabihin ng ibang tao: e bakit ko ba kasi iniisip ang audience ko? E kasi naman may advocacy tayo sa mga kabalen natin. Kung gagawa ako ng pelikula na di naman ine-enjoy ng mga target audience ko (na rumeresulta sa hindi nila pagtangkilik nito), ano pa ang saysay?

May ginawa na akong medyo artsy ang approach. Maganda daw siya, sabi ng mga nakakapanood. Pero noong ini-screen ko 'to sa UP Diliman, may pagka-snore fest din siya, kasi walang masyadong aksyon, mabagal ang pace, at iba pang mga kadahilanan.


Post ko dito one time yung pelikulang iyon at kayo ang humusga.