All I wanted was to have a laptop. Period. But that was before I learned about the existence of DSLR (digital single lens reflex) cameras. The idea came when my other journal, Manila Street, got a PR2. I want to transform it into a photo blog featuring every nook and corner of Manila. And besides, the name itself sounds formal. Manila Street. I feel guilty because it deserves decent content and not just my non-sense rants in life which are basically written in Filipino.

So anyway, wouldn’t it be nice to take pictures of Lawton, Binondo and Quiapo? Because these are my favorite spots in Manila. Okay. These places may look dirty and rageddy, but I see something about them that I really appreciate, something beautiful. I mean, we just need to clean the entire city. Perhaps repaint the buildings, plant more flowers, and we’ll be surprised of how elegant these places can be. Nope. I don’t believe that sidewalk vendors should be removed. Sorry about that. They are a part of our culture. We just have to organized things a bit so they wouldn’t be a sore to the eyes.

However, I cannot execute the plan without a decent camera. My sister has a 2 mega pixel camera-phone which I can always borrow but I want something better than that. At least 5 mega pixel digicam will do. For sure, DSLR is absolutely not something I can afford at this point of my life. And for a beginner like me, I feel like it’s an investment not worthy at the moment. But I googled it anyway to have a better understanding of its complexities. Good idea because now I’m obsessed about having one which means I’ll do everything to save enough for that baby

I chanced upon an article that says “at first glance some digital cameras can appear to be complex.” It instantly caught my interest because I have always thought that such cameras are intricate and should only be touched by professionals. Most of the things that I need to know about DSLR are discussed in the article. I just hope the author uploaded some photos.

Somebody is sort of discouraging me to save for it because I’m not a techie person. He said it’s only a good investment for people who travel abroad and go to many places. He asked me what will be my subject and without batting an eyelash I said MANILA. With conviction. And why not? This is the place where I grew up! And take note, my first novel is going to be set in this city. First novel …  ha ha ha … wishful thinking

He just laughed. He said Manila is a very common subject and that people already know too much about this city. But he is badly mistaken. I don’t think I need to go abroad to have beautiful photos. Besides, a good photographer uses his/her creativity to make a moment or a thing worth capturing. I’m so pissed because he called me jologs. I walked away scratching my head.

Anyway, reading the article helped me understand the basic things about DSLR which is an eye-opener for me. The author of this article said “it is a skill which is attainable by most people.” I assumed that I am included in that “most people’ because for heaven’s sake I am a college graduate. LOL. I’m not exactly planning of becoming a professional photographer. Just for personal use and for my blogging activities. DSLR camera can wait until Manila Street is already giving me money.