Moving

This will be my final entry in this website but I will keep my posts in another site. I will be posting my photoblogs in my multiply account (www.i2castillo.multiply.com). See you there!

High Falls

One of my colleagues referred me to a park that is not very far from where we live. Yesterday, me and Ky went to High Falls in Philmont, NY. The hike was very easy compared to the Hunter mountain hike and at the end of the trail we both got a very wonderful scenic treat. We went off the trail and went in front of the trail to take this picture. 

Hikers

My school had spring break last week and one of the many things that we did was hiking. I think this is the top of Hunter Mountain in Catskills, NY. We were not really fully equipped with the correct hiking gear and we paid the price. About 2/3 up, there was ice on the trail and it was very slippery but we manage to reach the top of the mountain. This photo was taken in an observatory overlooking the Catskill Mountains.

Businessman

Not many of my friends here in the states know where I was before I came here in 2002. I was teaching in the Philippines at Mindanao State University - General Santos from 1997-2002. Aside from teaching, there were a few things that I did when I was there and I didn't realize that I was good at it. I was a businessman selling bromeliads in General Santos. There was really no hard work to it, basically, I go home and buy my mom's and her friend's bromeliads, transport, do some advertising then do a 60-70% mark-up on my mom's price then sell it and eventually profit. I earned a lot of money on my first week and started the bromeliad craze in General Santos. Here's a sample of a bromeliad from our house in NY, its not as colorful compared to what I sold, we manage to keep a few ones indoor.

Four Houses

Here's a photo of my paintings from yesterday (four different paintings, just placed close to each other). I haven't painted in more than a decade and I decided to revisit my long lost hobby. I originally was planning to paint only one (original is top-photo) from a photo I took last Christmas but I decided to mix some colors and came up with 4 different paintings.

First Day of Spring

We were on top of Hunter Mountain in the Catskills, NY this weekend. It was not easy going up because it was very steep and it was also icy. The spring season started this weekend and small buds of the plants are slowly coming out.

Water Drop

I've been browsing other people's photos online and I was intrigued with the water drop photos. So, I decided to give it a try. I learned that you need to adjust basically 2 settings in the camera, ISO number and the shutter speed, then start taking pictures. I didn't know that whole set-up was a lot of work (background, light, source of drop, papertowels, etc.) I took ~300 shots and I manage to get ~15 good ones and this is my favorite.