Because your 30th Birthday deserves a BBM Patch Birthday Salubong, Henry James...

As I have blogged before here, the month of May is the birthday month of the majority of my guy friends. This year, we had a SURPRISE BANDWAGON for each of the celebrants.

First it was Lyle's Surprise Go Ahead Party, then Ellis' "Wacks-loves-Peachy" Birthday Dinner... and finally this! 

Because Jim's birthday fell on a weekday, I couldn't join my friends in the birthday salubong due to some major commitments, but I promised them I will be there in spirit! So I came up with, not a phone call patch, but a BBM patch and dragged my friends into taking photos of the blow by blow account!

First Birthday requirement: There has to be a classic, all-time-favorite Mer-Nel's Birthday cake.

The message in the cake is always...a private joke. :)

Lyle dropped by the shop to show me the cake for Jim!

Lyle and Jan waiting for the two, late comers: Rogus and Dhoddie

Now, the LATE[ harot comers]  Rogus and Dhoddie! 

Perhaps a more proper photo?

Coordinating with Poch via phone, setting the place for meet up

Now let the BBM-ing begin!

The guys on the way to Mc Kinley to meet Joy, Ellis, Vane and Poch (Thanks for taking the photo Dhoddie!) 

 And of course, in a classic Rogus Fashion: car trouble (over heat)

Best in "Cause of Traffic"

Where are we? Check Billboards!

Mr. Cabby passed by and helped the boys

The guys trying to figure it out ( and in a classic Jan "sister" fashion, he is on the phone again.  I wonder who is he texting? hmmmnn... Kidding sis! )

 By this time, I already got a call from Joy as the traffic reporter giving me the blow by blow account of how the guys are figuring it out while Joy and Vane are inside the car! ( Good job Traffic Angel Jops!)

The guys tried to figure it out

And boy did they try so hard... and then... 

 SUCCESS!!! Finally they reached the no-idea-what's-gonna-happen-I'm-just-playing-Hidden-Chronicles-Jim's condo:

The best friend as the Pizza Guy!

 Again, in a classic Rogus "peeping tom" fashion, he must check the area first:

Waiting for the Birthday Boy:

Happy 30th Birthday Henry James!!!

Congratulations for being the first one in our group to turn THIRTY! :)

Speechless?

 Here's your cake all the way from Laguna...

...Especially delivered by your best friend, Lyle.

And because I said this is a Birthday BBM Patch, All photos are taken and sent(real-time during the event) via BBM (Blackberry Messaging) so excuse the blurry photos.

The gang

 I'm assuming this was taken by Joy? Because I keep bugging everyone to take photos of the blow-by-blow account as early as 8pm!

(L-R: Jan, Ellis, Poch, Vane, Dhodie, Lyle and Rogus)

And again, because this is is a BBM patch Birthday Salubong, I am also in the Birthday Salubong in spirit and in photo via BBM:

Take 1:

 Where's my cake and pizza guys? 

Take 2:

Thank you Apy for taking my photos

Happy Birth Month Friends! 

Cheers to more years of fun friendship and surprises! 

Eye was a model for a day

I was enjoying a spontaneous Monday of coffee, book sales and girl talk when I got a call from my high school friend Marc Maligalig.

Marc: Kea, may contacts kang blue diba?
Me: Oo, Bakit?
Marc: Good! Kailangan ko!
Me: Ok, may grado yun ha!
Marc: Ok lang, ikaw naman magsusuot.
Me: Ha?
Marc: Please, please, kailangan kita, picturan ko mata mo. Nasa bahay ka lang ba?
Me: I'm out. Urgent ba?
Marc: Hindi naman, pero please kailangan kita kunan ngayon para sa blue project ko bukas.
Me: Okay sige, I'll get back to you. Uwi ako to get it, iba na kasi suot ko.
Marc. Good, good, sige, text text.

And that's all it takes for me to be a model... an eye model specifically, for just a day.

Anyone close to me  knows that I am more interested and passionate in working behind the scenes in concept shoots.Next thing I know, I was already with Marc and Poch going to Jim's house to borrow external flash and have my eye photo taken.

Four of my Highschool barkada (a.k.a. friends) were in this club called The Los Baños Camera Club. Every 2nd Tuesday of the month they have this themed contest among the members of the exclusive club and they invite guests to be the judge of the picture. Members are required to submit two entries in adherence to the theme. Every month they get to pick top 5 photos, proclaimed as winners, where their work will be shown in the club's upcoming exhibit on November of this year.


This month the theme is BLUE. Anything blue.

The Boys, all camera jargoned-up. I decided to take a photo of them exchanging lighting tips. Uploaded the dim/blurred version of this pic or else Jim will kill me that I exposed his sanctuary :)

Nikole Calimbas-Maligalig's Maternity Photo Shoot

Just as promised from my last entry here are my favorite shots from last week's Maternity Shoot

Happy Expecting Couple

Baby will be named Marcus Nikolai, derived from his parents' names

Mommy Nikki

Jersey Mommy

Boss Mommy

We didn't really have any problems with shooting Nikki because she was so game to pose and change outfits underneath the umbrella. Admittedly, we could've produced more good shots if not for the rain who seems to be fond of playing hide-and-seek with us.

We're hoping to shoot the baby once he comes out! <3

Behind the Scenes: Nikki's Maternity Shoot

We were already planning on shooting Nikki's Maternity pictorial since last year, so weeks before her due date, her hubby Marc decided to give it a go!

We were planning initially to do a combination of indoor/outdoor pictorial. We were just planning to play around Marc's location (Beestro Kase) but then we decided to go to Caliraya to do a full outdoors pictorial since Marc mentioned that Nikki's never been to Caliraya. We decided to kidnap Erna on our way to Japanese Garden, Caliraya. 

Photographer: Henry James Botengan

Asst. Photographer: Marc Maligalig

Lightsman: Dhoddie Morales

Creative Director: Kristine Araguas

Mommy Model: Nikole Calimbas-Maligalig

We dressed up Mommy Nikki in "Man" Outfits since they are expecting a Baby Boy next month. It would've been a really great shooting day if not for the heavy rain showers that seems to be playing hide and seek with us during the entire shoot.

Here are the behind the scene photos from last night:

First Shot: Under this tree

It was still raining in Japanese Garden when we left

The edited pics are still being processed. Will upload my top favorites soon!