Early morning coffeescapade from a night owl

When it comes to drinking coffee, my usual go to is a large cup of Mocha with a teaspoon of honey. The sweeter it is the better. I’ve been drinking so many cups for the past few months. This started when I needed to drive my roomie down at Caloundra for her 6 am placement shifts. I was never a morning person.

I’d usually be up late all night, enjoying some quality creativity time til 2 AM and wake up at 9 AM. My lifestyle, however, went from being a night owl to an early bird when I went back to university.

So imagine us rushing at 4:30 am to drive 25 minutes every Thursday and Friday was no picnic. Yet with every seemingly sluggish situation, I find an opportunity. Most days, after dropping Mona (roomie babes) off, I’d drive down to the beach and look for a place to do school work or do some design freelance. I’d end up searching coffee shops the night before, checking if the food is affordable and if there was access to wifi.

So every morning when I drive her, I get to visit a new coffee shop or a new beach. I get to appreciate the sun rising on the other end of the sea and just watch as the waves hit the rocks where I was sitting on. I’d take walks and discover a path where Mangroves grow. I get to talk to people, asking them for directions and just happy to be conversing with someone new. They were all very friendly and wanted to help out the best they can. I’ve been asked many times where I got my accent, but I knew they meant where I came from originally.

A few mistook me as Japanese. I smiled and mention proudly I was Filipino. By then, I realised that one day, everyone would walk every part of the world. No boundaries of race or religion. One day, the beauty of no judgments will be real. The world will just be one. An idea I overheard from a drunken father while he was paying his bill at a Japanese restaurant near our home. It was fascinating how other people see things and how they vocalise their ideas once they’re intoxicated. For now, people wanted to relate, thus the question of culture is still the usual conversation starter.

During the journey, my right foot got badly injured. I was walking with it the whole time, not knowing it had a fracture. I’d limp by the seaside, carefully picking out the right stone to step on. Then I’d sit at the largest, flattest mass I can find and soak in the sun. I’d take photographs of birds scraping for food then fly off where the winds will take them. Then I’d walk back to the parking lot and strike up a conversation with an old man who just 25 minutes ago, was in the sea trying to catch a good wave.

After that, I’d find a bench by the shore, close my eyes, meditate for 10 minutes and appreciate the many sounds of my surroundings. Being present at that very moment. I was not in touch with my senses for the longest time. But Sunshine Coast, a place where people understand the importance of pausing, was so far from the busy city where I was used to. I need not have an excuse to keep my mind at ease. To keep me emotionally healthy and physically aware. The people here understand the impact of meditation and calm. And so I close my eyes with them and appreciate the simple life and its beauty that surrounded me.

Aside from being out by the water, I would do this mostly with a cup of hot coffee in my hand. I’ve been to numerous coffee places, yet I don’t usually end up in commercialized establishments. I mostly go to those privately owned businesses where they design their own interiors and have real chalkboards to show their menu. The ones with bikes and surfboards hanging from the walls and where there would be an open area right next to a giant forest of tall trees. I’d hear the birds sing often and think how blessed I am to go on this kind of adventure.

I’ve been chasing success and money and a “socially-postable” lifestyle to impress my parents and other people, realising that I needed to forget all of that and start finding peace and clarity within myself is more important. There is a lot more to learn, but I am glad that where I am right now, I feel is where I should be.

Hobbling at Costigan Mangrove Boardwalk

The alarm would buzz us awake at 5 AM and we’d have enough time to scramble around to freshen up and heat up some food for the road. I’d drop off Mona at her placement by 6 AM at Caloundra and wait til two in the afternoon to pick her up.

I’d have 8 hours on my plate. Last week, I drove around and visited 3 different beaches and a hidden coffee shop within the area. Since I was still healing from my sprain, the doctor advised walking around so my foot can start feeling normal.

My first stop was at Golden Beach. My intention was to look for a good spot where I can sit and get some work done but I felt like I needed a break. I walked around with my trusty Canon 650D DSLR and took photos of the sun coming up. The view was amazing but the only seat I could watch it from was already occupied by a giant crow. Giving respect to its space (honestly just scared shit cause of its size) I moved on and saw a few people coming out from the woods.

The trees were tall and I couldn’t make out what was on the other side so I hobbled (really) towards the edge of a boardwalk and read Costigan Mangrove BoardWalk.

Oh perfect I said using my inside voice and dragged my bruised foot inside. The view of the sunset from the edges was amazing. I took loads of pictures and listen to the birds singing. I tried taking pictures of the wildlife around me but they were too shy and hid behind the many roots of low wet soil.

It was a short walk but literally breathtaking. Like a walking yoga if there was such a thing. A very good morning to me indeed! Next on the list was a short drive to Shelley beach which I will right on the next day.

I’m giving myself an hour to write everyday cause I think It’s good creative exercise.

Thanks for reading peeps!

For more creative photos follow my Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/sainah.benz

or check out our freelance design agency website and let’s collaborate: http://www.kulaycreatives.wordpress.com

The feeling Of Change. Living in Australia.

Australia. It was a 2-year plan to start living abroad, experiencing an independent lifestyle while studying and living amongst strangers that would soon be my friends. It was truly a dream come true. I decided one day that I’d go about shooting pictures around the beach, just walking around and loving the chilly wind of a drizzle. As I look into the sea, I’d always want to pinch myself. Wow. I am in fucking Australia!

For most people, change is hard. It’s a challenge that may either result in fear or growth. And this, for me, was a mix of both. I remembered how we went to an Australian school expo back in the Philippines. There were a dozen great choices but one school won me over simply because it was near the beach. Automatically, the thought that If I’d be knackered from studying, working part-time and doing all the house chores myself, I’d love to see the seaside more than once in a week.

So here we are, living life just fifteen minutes away from the beach. Australia’s Sunshine Coast, as they say, is a tourist spot where most come and go to enjoy the sun. I’ve loved the idea that everyone we’re speaking in English as I’ve never properly engaged with it back home. Judgemental eyes would seep into what came out of my mouth and the reality of it was, most people assume a lot about another simply because you spoke a different language. I know I shouldn’t be bothered, yet I am. It was an enormous nail wrenched out of my system. Open-mindedness is a gift within society. I’d bravely say my hometown lacks a lot of that.

Living outside the family, outside of people who you grew up is honestly, freeing. I miss everyone a whole lot, yet there is something about moving away that gives you peace.

As I ponder about these deep life ideas, I would take walks around Mooloolaba beach. I’d enjoy watching people and giving a moment of myself. With Canon in my pack, I’d take the shots of beautiful animals or people or scenery and freeze that moment forever.

The attitude of liking change and having hopefully, healthy ideas around it is good. Change isn’t easy of course. Whether its origin is from a sad beginning or a happy one, it sets a path that anyone can choose how to end up. I ended up here, working two jobs, studying my second degree in design and striking up a conversation with good-natured strangers. Every different moment, whether it’s riding the bus to work or feeling the mood when the sun sets, everything is authentic, real, and truly worth breathing in. I am thankful every day.

Bringing Creatures Back To Life : Insect Photography

It all started when I was on my usual afternoon excursions. Paying a visit to the neighbor hood “haunted house” was both a test and something everyone seems to wonder about. A test because I’d always believe the place wasn’t haunted at all. I had my days inside that house, walking through it’s burnt down concrete walls, looking for passages but have never gone too deep. Just enough to take shots of it’s textures and window lighting. A wonder to everyone of course since normally, someone my age would never go into a house that has an 80% chance of crumbling over.

My mom however was pretty used to me making my own adventures so she let me be. But everyone else around considered this a rather odd behavior. Odd it may seem, most of my creative shots were built on this two floor mansion.

And it was the first time I started making the dead “come to life”.

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It was just after thesis when I was back into the same house and was looking for interesting pieces to shoot when scratching noises were heard from the garage. The pavement were filled with dead leaves, vines and an assortment of discarded metals, stones and marbles. At the very corner was a small baby bird. It was flying about but it seemed injured. I brought it home and saw it’s wing was badly cut. Three days after feeding it with water and rice, it died inside it’s shoe-box home. But I never did consider these creatures gone. I had the wildest of ideas.

I made my way to my parent’s room, grabbed one of dad’s surgical gloves, got a few tools, a big ply wood, and my dead baby bird. Mom’s dried up roses from the altar was a nice addition to the idea I had in mind. With the ply wood, I positioned the bird and the roses looking as if the bird was flying over them. It was hard to the stomach but in a few hours I made it through. The shots were of a little bird flying over a garden of roses. It’s final flight will live on forever through a photograph.

Since then I have collected creatures of different sizes. Not the creepy type were I’d actually kill and stuff each one and put them on display. Not at all. I’d usually find them dry and have been already “preserved” through the passing of time. Mostly insects, but never furry animals. The bird was my last. The insects were a lot more tolerable.

I’d put my discoveries in a nice box. After getting a good idea off them, I’d position each in a nice setting, like they were back to life, resting on dry leaves and such.

The shots below are my last ones. I’m not sure if I’d continue doing this since putting these things in my cabinet and finding them after years or so seems to surprise and bother me at some point. So before discarding them, I took shots of my last remaining bugs. A very tiny yellow lady bug and a black butterfly.

This is also my first time shooting with a macro conversion lens. I never knew these little “add-ons” would make such nice distortions on the sides! I had rather enjoy shooting my tiny friends for the last time.

May they continue living through my snap shots.

When creatures stare : A curious little spider

When channel surfing between cartoons and educational television, my top most favorite would be what’s on National Geographic. I’ve dreamt of getting photo assignments to Africa, lying for hours on the hot soil, waiting for the beast to strike. Alas, after 6 resumes for 5 different positions, no approval was returned.

So I’d settle for anyone’s backyard and wait patiently for a small creepy crawly to come in. The last best shot of one particular insect was a red butterfly. But now I was truly fascinated by the many eyes of this warm toned garden spider I shot just the other day.

The curious thing about it was at first it was avoiding me and the camera, only showing it’s back when I got closer. But when I slowed my movements and the lens was down on it like an observant God, the spider looked up. Curiously turning it’s eyes as the lenses’ shutter opened and closed.

I turned right, it turned right. I turned left, and so did my little spider friend. It was the cutest sight ever. It was somewhat a small connection between human and animal. I lowered the camera from my face and observed it some more.

Sweat was coming down on my back and decided to finish my little adventure. I took a mental note to name the little creature “Spidey” and said a small dialog like, “Goodbye Spidey.” in my head. I walked off, wondering If I’ve actually said that one out loud.

Shot with a Canon 350D and a macro lens converter.

Dog walking : Run Forest Run!

Forest wasn’t exactly running here. The man and his running shoes across America? Not this story.

It’s about a guy and his dog at around 1:00 am, and meeting them for the first time.

My best friend and I were having our nightly conversations when a furry black and white pooch was taking baby steps with it’s owner. The little pooch, is Forest. I was completely won over, bent down and scratched the back of his ear. Puppies really get to me for it was the day before I’ll be seeing our new baby puppy, Margaux.

I looked up, smiled at the guy in glasses and asked his name. Paulo.

He first introduced Forest as “Forest Dump“. And to those who have watched the movie, you get the joke.

All three of us were conversing while the world rested. Instant connection was made, and our talks lasted for I think two hours or so. Time didn’t matter for a small little pup was keeping all of us entertained.

A phone number was given and dinner at a Yugoslavian restaurant was soon scheduled. Which reminds me…we’ll be seeing each other tomorrow!

The pictures here are taken just yesterday right in front of our condo. Pau and I met up for a Nutraceutical that gives you restful sleep.

It was nice ending your day with old and new friends alike! Meeting people, making new ties and sharing stories during a quite night around the streets of Makati. It wasn’t like any other person would do, simply because they have to get busy and work the next day. Realizing you hold your time and spending it on things that you think matters is a blessing!

Great Sunday morning everyone!

Photos taken with Canon 350D