Photographer in one of the Prestigious Fashion shows in London, Bonga!

Yes.  Bonga. O di ba?  lumi-level up ang brother nyo.  

Last weekend I was in London to shoot the House of Ikons fashion show.  This is one of the big fashion shows in London during the London Fashion Week.  This is a Lady K Productions. 

I was there because I was invited to be part of the Media team headed by the best and talented fashion videographer and photographer March Josh Rosales.  

First time ko makasama ang mga batikang photographers and videographers sa London.  This was an ecperience.  I'm sure I will be coming back.  

I set off Friday ng gabi papuntang London.  If you watched my vlog you would have seen that It took me about 7 hours drive from my place to London because I hit too much traffics and road works, so I was diverted many times during the journey.  Pagud ako sobra.  But I managed to get to where I wanted to be at around 2 am in the morning. 

Yes.  Umaga na.  I had a few hours sleep then Saturday I headed to the venue where the fashion show is going to happen.  I was so excited.  I have shoot models before but I never had a chance to shoot an actual model in a actual runway with big brand designs all over the world.  I was elated.  

Driving to the venue is quite good but parking is the problem.  It took me a few going rounds in cirlces before I finally got parking space.  I have to pay and in London it is not cheap. But because I parked on the street, it wasn't too bad.  

Coming into the recption, I was asked my name and my name is not on the list.  Goshhh!  The head of media spificifically told me to tell the receptionist that I am part of the team so she gave me the yellow arm band that says press & media.  I got through the security and I felt surreal.  Yes nandito na ako sa isa mga fashion shows dito sa London.  I am finally getting into a real photography world.  lol.

It was 10 AM we are all expected to be there but I was there 11AM, I know not good to be late but I'd blame it to parking spaces.  It took me an hour to find a space.  But the show won't start till 2pm anyway.  So I was good.  

I needed to get something to eat, I was hungry so I was going to the little buffet where you could get sandwiches and water when I was stopped by the security.  My pass (armband) is not all access because its yellow.  But because I am part of the House of Ikons Media, (not just a Media)  I was given the green armband hence the green.  The green is the all acceess pass.  

I had a shooting position where the head of media allocated me.  We had a platform where we stood higher (almost level with the runway) to take the shoots.  

The afternoon segments and all I hear was great sounding music of camera clicking away to take the best shoots of these models wearing great designs from different degisners all over the world.  From casual clothings to movie costumes, one by one was paraded infront of hundreds of guests, families and friends who graced the show.

The House of Ikons has gone big this time.  The kids fashion show was amazing.  I remember this fashion show started small but great designs.  I remember the productions were really amazing but limited.  I know this because I was following the show on line.  Savita Kaÿe, through her hard work and dedication to fashion, she is bringing more and more new to the show.  I admire her passion for a CEO.  

The full day was amazing.  I had some amazing shoots and I've met some really lovely people.  Seeing these photographers and other creatives working along side you is just amazing feeling.  I was humbled and honoured to be with them.  Something I have never imagined I would be doing.  It is amazing what you can do when you set your goal and when you pursue your dreams.  

I have always looked up the man who invited to be here.  March Josh Rosales a friend and a mentor.  Where he started and where he is now is just inspiring.  I must admit, his dedication, creativity and talent is second to none.  The best thing is he still standing feet on the ground.

He is successful now becuase he put friendships and passion above money.  He never hesitated to teach people.  If he sees opportunity to help, he will.

I wish him more success in life.

I am now back in the North East and figuring out how I could start sorting these beautiful images I have taken (about 6K of them) and thinking how amazing those experiences.  

Thank you House of Ikons and MJR Cinematography for the opportunity.  Mabuhay ang Fashion shows sa London.  Mabuhay Pinoy Togs UK.

Goals you Set will Only Be Achieved if you Take that First Steps.

Marami sa atin ang nangangarap na yumaman and sick being poor and skint.  We fantasised those moments when we can go to the shops and shop until we have nothing to buy, not looking on the price tags.  We are dying to spend time a nice holiday cruise in the Caribbean or jetting to Paris for a very nice vacation or even as simple as not being able to wake up early mornings, beat the morning traffics and sit in office for 8 long hours waiting to clock out for 5pm.

We dream all those possible things that we wanted to do, building a charitable foundations, help our parents, give our family's needs for the rest of their lives.

BUT, the problem is we are too lazy to take a single step.

We are too anxious of what will happen if we took that first steps.

We are afraid of the uncertainties.

When I was a kid, I did not know anything about  laziness, anxiousness, or fear.  I just get on with it as if I don't have any choice.  In order for me to get poverty and hardships in life is to chase that dream and until now I am chasing dreams.  

Hindi naging at magiging madali.  I met a lot of challenges and I'm sure you will meet loads but the most important thing is you know how to recognise and accept those challenges.

First thing that we should do in taking the first steps is, We should possess that attitude of a child.  

Success is not a overnight occurrence.  It is not as if we can have a magic wand and by waving it, we can success in a silver platter.  I would like to share to you that FEAR is only a state of mind.  When we are born we didn't have this concept of fear.  When we were kids, we tried everything we wanted to try, we explored and learned by means of trying them.  We learned to walk by falling down and getting up a 1000 times.  

The key thing is We have to Know What We Want to do.  Nothing is worst when we are sailing but we don't have plan of course, it is not only dangerous but it will take the whole journey to no where.  It will take up all your time and energy.  Hindi pwedeng come what may na lang.  

The next key thing is have a Plan. May be start by learning the basics of what you want to achieve.  Pull all the resources possible you might need and do it in a timely manner.  Having a time frame on when you would want to achieve it will help you stay on course on your plan.  This will help you eliminate some uncertainty, take away your anxiousness and your fear because you are taking a careful and calculated plans and that would save you from worrying of the unknown and the what ifs. Kapag ginagawa mo to, hindi ka lang naglalagay ng may TIMON but you also directed with a compass.  

Planning is mapping your journey in attaining you goal.  Plan is a blue print of what you wanted to do.  You might want to be a restaurant owner, a successful Vloger in youtube, a hotel owner or a great performing actress.  To make those dreams a reality you got to have to plan it. 

The last key thing you should learn is to implement and execute your plan. Marami akong kilala na nagplano ng kanilang mga gustong gawin pero hindi natuloy.  The most difficult in pursuing your dream is executing your plan.  A lot of people did not get over that next hurdle.  Most of the time, planning is overwhelming and they got lost along the day.  To make sure that you will pass this through na nakatulong din sa akin personally is have an Inspiration.  What kept my dreams alive is I never stop looking for inspirations.  When I was a kid dreaming to finish my college I was inspired of the fact that if I get through this, I will be helping my mum and dad and I will be setting examples for my siblings.  I would like them to aspire the way I aspire for something.  Now, I wanted to do more because I want my kids to aspire the same.  That, there is limitation on things you wanted to do in life and no one could ever tell them that they can't do it.

 

Making those first steps is hard but once you start walking, it will get easier.

Good luck and have a great journey.

Maging Masaya ka sa Success ng Iba, Inggit ay Kalimutan mo na.

Ang isa sa mga bagay na pumipigil sa atin para maging masaya is yung pagiging maingitin natin. Mahirap maging masaya kung hindi tayo nagiging masaya sa success ng iba.Sa mga kaibigan ko dito sa facebook hindi masamang tumingala sa success ng iba, but we should use it as inspirations for us to succeed too. The worst thing that we could do is look and and bring them down. Crab mentality is one of the worst characteristics that destroy people, destroy relationships, and destroy oneself.
There are so many people like this and I tell you guys, it is hard to be happy. Habang nakikita mo ang malalapit na tao sa buhay mo, your friends, colleague at work succeeding, there is rat eating you inside. The most horrible feeling I could imagine.But how can we free up ourselves in this imprisonment? Ano ba ang kailangan natin gawin para mabago ang ating pananaw. There are 3 Things I want to share to you today.

1. Learn to Appreciate you have. Until we value the things we have, we will never be contented of what we have. Palagi natin hahangarin ang pag aari ng iba. We will always be unhappy dahil hindi nakikita ang halaga ng mga bagay na meron tayo, ng mga taong nakapaligid sa atin. I tell you a story. There was this woman, she is beautiful at her 30s. She is single, she has a good job, drive a slightly new car and have a fair bit of money in the bank. But one thing is lacking from her-relationships. She is single because the last relationship she had her BF left her from another woman. She has very little friends. All of these because, she drove them away. She always wanted to be the the first one buying new clothes. She has to be the first one to have the latest phone and she will be not be pleased if someone has one and she hasn't. She will talk about her friends behind their backs. She never appreciate what she had.

2. Don't Compare yourself to others. Comparing yourself to others is a form of immaturity. Every people has different circumstances. Wag mong sabihin na bakit si ganito ay kayang bumili ng ganito, palaging nag babakasyon, pashopping shopping lang eh parehas lang naman ang sahud namin at hindi naman nagkakalayo ang status namin sa buhay. This is wrong. If you do this, then you are missing those what you have. That maybe wala kang utang, or you spend your money in a sensible investment, or maybe you spend your money helping your family and friends. Appreciating those benefits make you to look less on others but appreciate more of what you have been doing. If you stop comparing yourself to others, you will be able to liberate yourself from aspiring what others have.

3. Move on, Move on din pag may Time. Hindi nyo ba napapansin na bakit hindi ka makaalis alis sa pagka inggit sa kapit bahay mo, sa friend mo or sa kapamilya mo is because you can't let go. You can't accept the fact that he/she did better what you did. You think that you came from the same background, you came from the same family, you have the same circle of friends eh bakit he/she is more successful than you or bakit he/she is loved better than you? May be you need to do something about that instead of bringing others down with. Letting go your emotions and you envy is better than carrying the whole load your entire life. Mas masayang makitang masaya ang iba kesa nagpupuyus kang makita ang ibang masaya. So move on now.
You have to remember, ang inggit ay parang anay yan na sisira sa lahat ng relasyon meron ka. Wag mong hayaan na before you realise, you drove your loved ones away from you.

Have a good day Everyone.

Your Family is your Support & Inspirations

I have never been so inspired in my life looking my family grow and do good despite the conditions of our life. I have never dreamt harder if not for my mum, dad and my siblings. I have never been so determined to succeed knowing that with my lead, my siblings would follow my footsteps. They need an inspiration. They need a role model.

Setting my goal is setting my family's future. My success is their success. Wala ako nung iniisip kung hindi paano ako makakatulong sa tatay at nanay ko pag aralin ang mga kapatid ko. How could I help atleast ease the responsibilities my dad and mum are carrying.

After graduating Philosophy I decided to leave the seminary for a break and help my ill father bringing the family up. Decided to find a job and started working. I can't do anything because I still owe the seminary so much money that I am not allowed to get my transcript of records and diploma.

But family is family and they will love you no matter what. My uncle Jamesy offered me a job to get started. He was one of those uncles and unties who had been a great inspiration and a great support not only mentally but financially. I owe them so much.

But the great thing that I am thankful more than ever, is my family never demanded anything rather I was willing to give everything.

My brothers and sisters did really well in school. Getting scholarships here and there. Helping my father and mother the best they could. Little did I know that after many years of hard work and perseverance. They will all make our mum and dad proud. They will make me prouder.

I was happy the way things are turning. I can see a great future. I am happy for their achievements. I am blessed that way we have become.

Great things happen to those who pray. I thank the Lord for letting me have this family. They are my all. They are my life and they are my everything.

Pursue Your Dreams: Never Give Up.

First I was born in hand to mount Family. Mag sasasa ang Tatay (Nipa Hat Plantation farmer) at ang Nanay ko is kakanin verdor and fish vendor. Sometimes she would do part time doing the laundry of other people's clothes. Labing isa kaming magkakapatid you have to remember.

I would go to school 3 times a week and 4 days a week I would help my mum selling fish or I would spend full day with my dad's muddy, mosquito infested, cold and wet work place. I hated it. That's when I ask my dad, "Tay gusto ko pong mag aral" I was crying. My dad's answer was this "anak paano ka mag aaral eh mahirap lang tayo." He was crying too. I felt the frustrations. I felt the desire for him to send me to school but he can't do his job alone. That moment, I made the defining decision that changed my life forever at a very young age. I will finish my studies no MATTER WHAT.

I did everything I could. I worked for money. Nag kundoktor ako ng jeep while I was in high school. (Most of the time naakusahan ako na nagungupit sa kita ng jeep) but I just bowed my head and continue coz I know that it was not true. Sumama ako maging laborer ng construction at the age of 12-15. I sold Ice Cream and Ice candy sticks on the streets. My dad and I would go round the entire town buying and selling "bote-garapa at bakal-tanso-aluminum".

I spent all my summers doing summer jobs. I never grew up like a proper kid. If sometimes I managed to play a bit with my friends mapapalo pa ako.

Back in college, I was determined to finish my education. I thought if I could finish my studies, this is my ticket out of poverty. I could help my mum and dad getting out my siblings from hardships in life too. Last April 2018, my youngest brother finished college too. Thanks to the whole family.

I was blessed. God gave me countless opportunities to attain those that I prayed for. God gave me tools to make my dreams come true, I just utilised them. God gave me generous people whom I am forever grateful. I was given understanding formators. I was gifted with thoughtful and supportive friends.

Sa hindi nakakakilala sa akin, I am Anthony. I am the eldest amongst 11 siblings. I live in the UK. I have a beautiful family here, I have 2 lovely kids. I am studying full time nursing and on my last year in University this year at the age of 40. I studied bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and eventually took bachelor of Science in Secondary Education way back in the Philippines. We own our house, I drive a car from A to B. I am a vlogger and lastly I am a business owner.

My CV seems a lot. It is a lot. Not including various jobs I have worked here in the UK. But I to get where I am now is not a journey in the Park. It is not handed over to me. I have to work hard to attain where I am now.

Life is never easy. It is never fair. But I never blamed anybody. See, success is is taking full control of your life. I never doubted myself that one day I would hold that diploma. I would make my dad proud.

Have a Blessed Friday Everyone.

Don't Live your Life Based on what other people Says

When I was in high school, I was bullied.  Galing ako sa mahirap na pamilya.  Yung gusto lang makipagkaibigan sa akin is yung katulad kong mahirap lang.  

I get it because I was not as cool as them.  I begin to think that "they" were better than me.  That their definition of cool is different to mine kind of cool.  I made myself believe that what they say about me is right so I have to please them.  That was a messed up.  

I took that attitude in the seminary where I studied my college.  I realised that all I was doing was pleasing other people.  I volunteered  because I want to make people people think I am good at something.  I try and make the best out of my subjects (although it didn't work.  I still got low grades in some of them) just to convince myself and people around me I am good.  I felt sad when people says otherwise. I would barrow someones clothes just to look cool and decent.  I would wear someone's shoes or watch just to look nice.   I was very insecure though I could hide pretty good.  My life revolved on what people says about me.  I didn't care about who I am.  

Dude, that was pretty messed up.  My life was lonely.  My life was just a big lie until I seek for help and realised there is better me inside.  I started to appreciate myself a little.  I started to do things for myself not because others would want me to but because I wanted to.  And to my surprised, It was pretty cool.  I begun to feel joy.  Contentment of what I am and what I have.  

People who get messed up in life are those people who always rely what other people has to say. Today  look at that mirror before you go out tell to the person you in that mirror that is he blessed because God created him the greatest person in the world.  Have a good day.