Merrell Chameleon II Storm GTX

Taking a break from the usual tech blog post...

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Living in the Metro Manila presents a lot of challenges. You have over-population, vehicular traffic congestion, just to name a few. But there is another problem that one has to contend with because of the fact that we live in the tropics: it can rain anytime. And since this is Metro Manila we are talking about, a slight amount of rain can mean ankle-deep street flooding... At the least.

While living in the US, a pair of insulated boots became a very important piece of clothing accessory. When winter hits, you'll be screwed if you don't have a decent pair of warm pair of shoes. And thick socks, of course. In the Philippines however, where it rains a lot in any given year, you definitely need a pair of water resistant shoes.

Enter the Merrell Chameleon Storm II GTX.

This pair of shoes is very nice, design wise. It has a seamless construction and it feels as if there is no part that has no value. It has an aerodynamic feel and I feel that running water will just run around the shoes. Traction of the sole is good, especially while I walk the streets of the Metro. I feel that this pair of shoes will also hold itself up if used on rough roads and unpaved paths. I've used it for driving and, despite the odd two hour congestion on the nasty streets of Metro Manila, the shoes still felt comfortable.

The wife warned me that I might be weirded out by the Vibram undersole. Well, I was, at least at the start. But now I actually kind of dig it. I don't feel my feet getting strained by the shoes even if I wear it for, say, the whole day. It's comfortable to wear and I don't mind wearing it from morning til night.

Now, the only thing that is slightly not good is the fact that the shoes can make your feet hot if you do a lot of outdoor walking. Well, this is to be expected because of the water resistance offered by the shoes. Your feet can't breathe as much when you wear this pair.

Well, that is something that I can live with. I will not take the shoes jogging anyway, so I'd rather have dry feet than spend the whole day out-and-about with wet feet and shoes...

The Merrell Chameleon Storm II GTX is Highly Recommended!

Photos shot with a Canon 5D Mark II and Canon 100mm f/2.8L EF Macro.

Sara Black Workshop in Ateneo de Manila University

One never stops learning. Even if, say, a photographer already has put years of experience into his portfolio, the photographer can still benefit from someone else's knowledge.

I have several years of photography already with me, but I'll be naive if I say that there's nothing anymore more for me to learn. It simply isn't the case.

So, several weeks back, when a photography workshop by famous fashion photographer Sara Black became available, I immediately signed up for it. (I have to thank the wife for finding out about said workshop.)

The workshop was done in Ateneo, one of the prestigious universities here in the Philippines. There, I met other people, ranging from enthusiasts, to semi-serious people (I think that was just me, hehehe), and people who already own studios and have extensive portfolios. The age of the attendees range from college-age students to people who already benefit from their extensive life experiences.

It was a nice event, relaxed, and I was able to connect with some of the participants. It was a nice, friendly atmosphere and I believe everybody enjoyed their day.

We were asked to photograph some table-top items and we were also asked to photograph one another. After the shoot, the group, led by Sara, critiqued each other's photos. I learned a lot from the comments and, I believe, I took more from the workshop than I was able to give back.

As a Canon-sponsored event, there were Canons everywhere. After the workshop, we were asked to pick one photo from the shoot and the guys from Canon printed it out. I gave my print out to my lovely model.

It was a very nice experience and I sure would sign up for more workshops in the future. I learned a lot and I was able to make, hopefully, lasting connections.

And special thanks got to Leann for being our gracious model. And thanks Albert for being the leader of our group.

And of course, thanks Sara for being generous with your time and knowledge.

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Gear used to make this post:

-- Canon 5D Mark II (article)

-- Canon 24-105 f/4L IS USM Lens (Long term review)

Additional photos shot with an iPhone 6+ using the iOS app Hipstamatic