Week 5: Transportation

I actually had quite a lot of ideas for this last week’s 48 Photos entry. I mean, most of the day we’re all moving, going from one place to another to another so there are loads of options for picking a subject. I took several photos of different things and in the end had a hard time choosing between two so I am just posting them both here. Here’s the first:

Camera: Canon EOS 450D
Shutter Speed: 1/16 seconds
Lens Aperture: f/4.6
Focal Length: 24 mm
ISO Speed: ISO-1600
Post-process: Adobe Photoshop CS5

Okay, so this is technically a photography-based challenge and this photo was processed to within an inch of its life that it’s almost unrecognizable from the original image from the camera (though as you can see I still have unaltered and unabashedly ginger-like toes). Purists would probably hyperventilate at the sacrilege. Well, fuck you. I am long past that stage where I cry ‘sacrilege!’ at the first obvious sign of Photoshop (except maybe for those “perfected” magazine cover beauties which clearly distort the truth). I find it’s a necessary evil tool not just for enhancing images but following an artistic vision and making it come to life (naks!), but within reason. Because honestly, it’s hard to take overexposed high-key photos in dim light, you know? But I digress.

For this photo, let me quote my favorite Alchemist, Edward Elric:

Our legs and feet are our very own God-given default means of transportation. They’re the most used and abused mode of transportation right from the start of the day right to the end. For this, I’d like to give them a bit more appreciation than usual, seeing as they’ve been serving me really well, ginger toes and all. 😉

Of course, I don’t go around walking barefoot all day, which brings me to my second photo:

Camera: Canon EOS 450D
Shutter Speed: 1/5 seconds
Lens Aperture: f/3.5
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: ISO-1600
Post-process: Adobe Photoshop CS5

You’re probably already tired of seeing these boots all over my blog, but well, tough luck. 😛 And if it’s not yet obvious, I love love loooooove these boots to bits. My Doc Martens are my favorite mode of transportation right now. Despite my initial misgivings about combat boots and dress code propriety, these have become my everyday office shoes. Seriously. Thank God for lax dress codes, right? 😀

I know I’m already raving but I feel like I was made to wear combat boots in life. These boots specifically. Why? Let me enumerate the ways:

• In general, combat boots kick ass (even literally sometimes), and so do I. Aasbaran ko ang kokontra! Haha.
• They look intimidating (especially at first glance) and so ups the you-better-not-mess-with-me factor. Just about perfect for discouraging those with evil intents (like muggers, thieves, pick-pockets) from even approaching me in the first place.
• The color and finish are just about a perfect match for my personality. Much as black is my favorite color, wearing black combat boots would just feel akin to going to ROTC, you know? So sparkly purple it is for me. Not glaringly bright as to be screaming for attention, but interesting enough to be worth a second look.
• Unique and original. So far, despite the numerous knock-off and “inspired” boots I have seen on the malls and online shops, there hasn’t been one in the exact same color and finish as mine. *fingers crossed* I like to think that despite the sameness we all possess as living breathing humans, my quirks and weird traits set me apart as me and that no one else is exactly the same.
• Tough as they look, they are surprisingly comfortable. Same with me, once you get past the badass exterior, I am the kind of friend you can get comfortable with. I am rather opinionated, but I do know how to listen and withhold judgment. When it comes right down to it, I am pretty tolerant of my friends’ quirks and foibles and the occasional guilty secrets. I am the type of friend who won’t preach or hold you back if you want to do something that I know is wrong. Not because I don’t care, but because it’s your life and I respect your decision twisted as it may be and I am here anyway whatever happens next.

So there. My weekly entry may have been late, but I think all the excesses in this post make up for the tardiness, eh? Hope so. Let me know. 😉