INNA CRISTOBAL PHOTOGRAPHY

2014

2013 has finally come to an end. The first few days of the year has been very kind to me so far.

Celebrated New Year where my family usually does: at my grandparents’ house in Makati City (father’s side). A few hours before midnight I finished my year-ender blog post and immediately started taking photos of my family with my phone and camera. I whipped out my GoPro also for the fireworks.

This was the first year where our family decided to not buy fireworks, and thanks to the cancellation of the annual Ayala Fireworks display (the money for the event was donated to the typhoon Haiyan victims instead), the fireworks weren’t as amazing, but some houses made up for it and it still made our night. We opened 2 bottles of sparkling wine and got grapes and cheese to match. First day of new year, I took it easy for once. My boyfriend arrived so I spent time with him and just watched movies with him, my mom and brother.

For this year I got my dad to buy me a planner I’ve been wanting. At the end of every week is a mood chart where it’s suggested I draw how I feel for each day that has occurred in the week. I found it a bit unnecessary but ended up doing it anyway and realized how happy I was with the week that passed. Below the mood chart is a  “Highs” and “Lows” of the week section. I decided to write them down as well. I’ve been to therapy sessions as a kid and a bunch of retreats but I never, on my own accord, thought to write my own highs and lows. I noticed that it basically summed up my week and said a lot about me and what I needed to work on/learn. With that realization I’d like to share with you my highs and lows.

Let’s start with my Lows.

I wrote:

“Dan’s critique on the marketing materials I made for Smokey Tours. A lot to learn marketing-wise. Listen to him.”

Dan is the brother of my boss. I’m a professional photographer and freelancing as one, but my day-job for now is manager and marketing officer of Smokey Tours and World Activity Philippines. A tour operation and an NGO. All the new marketing materials I make for Smokey Tours has to be approved by Dan (who knows marketing), before I post or print them. I’m not a graphic designer myself but I did my best, but I realized I didn’t know the exact branding and identity Smokey Tours was going for. Even my boss didn’t exactly know what kind of look to go for, but Dan did, but before I sent it to Dan my boss loved what I did so I thought I did it right, and then Dan tells me to change it completely. My mistake was celebrating before the final cut. And I started taking things too personally a bit. But I know Dan knows better and I should listen to him and thanks to everything he’s saying and teaching me I’m even rethinking my marketing ideas for my photography. Will definitely go through all my plans and revamp again if necessary when I have time. In some way this is also another reason why I’m enjoying my job. I’m learning things from a managerial stand-point and learning marketing strategies and how branding and identity really work. I had marketing and business classes in college but it was just 2 classes. I’m an artist but since I can’t afford someone to promote me, I should learn to promote myself. And it’s a bit scary, but I love it. Lots to learn, lots to discover.

My Highs:

I finally have a GoPro. And not just any GoPro but the GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition.

Brian’s in town! (My boyfriend arrived on New Year’s Day)

My neurotic best friends EK and Nicky are so in love. Didn’t think the day would come this soon, but I’m just so happy for them and happy that we’re all happy for once.

Might be going to Baguio mid-January.

Finally saw “Artifact” the movie. Oh, 30 Seconds to Mars. I love you, Jared Leto.

I got inspired by the “Artifact” and if you read my post last New Year’s Eve you’d know how driven and passionate I am, but now even more so. Saving up on adventures, equipment and means to reinvent myself and just continue creating. I want to just continue my craft, my art and share it with the world and hope that no one takes advantage of me. I believe in being fair and paying people right and with that I know what kind of boss I want to be when we put up our creative firm. I want to move people like how 30 Second to Mars inspires millions. I want to surround myself with creative people like they do and just conjure up brilliant ideas like Vyrt. One day... One day...

My planner is already filled with plans and ideas and I’m so excited.

Today I also finally bought a laptop case. My laptop, which I’ve had since August, has so many scratches already I just couldn’t go on bringing it everywhere without a case, and to my luck I found an apple green Speck case. I took it home, attached it and noticed how many minutes later that most of my important gadgets were green; my favorite color. Couldn’t help but smile. Everything’s just falling into place and not because of the color uniformity but it’s really just happening (the color uniformity just made me feel it even more). And the end of last year and everything being green now is just the beginning. 

To an awesome and adventure-filled 2014! I’ll do my best to blog as much as I can again and stay tuned for my weekly photo challenges. Expect collaborations, self-portraits, videos, travel blogs/videos, and more! I want to slowly do everything I’ve always wanted to do and nothing’s going to stop me. I feel more confident and in-tune with myself more than ever. I’ll never stop reinventing myself but staying true to who I am in the process.

Sorry if this is another realization blog post but it’s the beginning of the year after all so resolutions and realizations are expected.

THIS IS MY LIFE

And once again another year is about to end.

What was 2013 like for me? Nothing short of amazing.

But it wasn’t just 2013... I have gone through so much ever since like anyone else but I guess like every sad story comes a really happing ending or another beginning (the start of something new or as I’d like to see it Version 2.0). It’s always up to you to turn it around. And boy, did I turn it around.

I’ve always loved life, the world and its people. I always see what life throws at me as challenges I should overcome and lessons I should learn from. I’ve never lost my faith in a higher power and most definitely in people. I believe in people and the good they are capable of. I’ve always wanted to see the world. I have this absolute desire to travel, this thirst to experience different cultures and see history.

I’ve been to Singapore, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands, Kota Kinabalu), Hong Kong and Thailand. In the Philippines I’m in Cebu, Ozamiz, Tagaytay and Batangas a lot whether with family or friends, I’ve been to Baguio, Bicol, Puerto Galera, Palawan and Boracay. But all this was planned and done with family. Until 2011.

2011 (at 19 years old), I loved and lost and wanted to get out. So for the first time without adult supervision I took a plane with my good friend Alecks and went to Thailand. We met my mom there who gave us a room in the hotel she was staying in. She was there for some conference. But Alecks and I went around on our own. We figured out the trains, maps and took tours.

I got back home and then onwards was non-stop Pizza Tuesdays and Coffee Nights with my good friends from college most especially with Ralph and Bren. We got really close and a lot of heart-to-hearts occurred with Ralph, Bren and also my former professor Nestor. Also thanks to Nestor I was somehow “back” in the music scene. I was always watching bands in High School thanks to my ex-boyfriend then college came along and we didn’t find the time anymore. But Nestor started managing bands and I was going to gigs again.

Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines also got certain students from my college to document the projects they placed up in areas that needed water sources and schools. Our professors Jun Barrameda and Gammy Parazo chose my friends Ralph, Justin, Ame and me for the Boracay team. So October 2011 we were sent to Boracay (all expenses paid) and our photos and video were exhibited in Greenbelt 3 for a week November 2011.

Then early December my friends Artu, PJ, Inno, Berns, Mico, Potz and I opened our photo exhibit “Disarray” for our Business of Photography class. A lot of people went and it was a success.

I kept going out of the house and surrounding myself with friends. Sometimes I remember those days when I hear certain songs or am in a certain situation and it just becomes so nostalgic. Not because I miss being single but because it was just so fun, I was still getting allowance, there was still no pressure to look for work because I hadn’t graduated yet, but I only had a few subjects left so I felt so free, despite me still moping about the break-up, and, also, for some reason, I felt so brave. Too brave I think that I ended up doing some stupid things.

Then suddenly I felt like I was back at day one of my break-up again. Coffee nights with Ralph and Bren became more frequent.

Before the year ended though a silver lining came up again: I was invited to put up a solo exhibit in India along side a conference my mom was a part of. So before the year ended I preoccupied myself with planning and executing the photoshoots needed to create the photos for the exhibit which was to be held on January 2012.

Ralph was my production manager and Bren and Joe assisted me during the shoots. To everyone who helped me out, styled, did make-up and modeled, I am forever in your debt. I couldn’t have done it without any of you, especially you Ralph. Thank you again for all the late nights brain-storming, planning, accounting, editing and putting up with me. You were amazing. I miss working and hanging out with you, man.

Then the year ended and I made certain promises to myself that I realized I didn’t break.

I left for India January 2012. I explored the crap out of India on my own (even if locals were telling me not to), I even went to the less fortunate area and tried the street food there. Thank god I didn’t get sick. I got home and went straight to school because I wanted to see my friends. I ended up in Quezon City, tired due to lack of sleep and starving, but I had an awesome time.

After India came loads more of experiences and opportunities including the launch of our (15 photo students from my college including me) 3 month exhibit in the Metropolitan Museum - Manila thanks to the Spanish Embassy of Manila and Pasay City.

I also fell in love with one of my best friends Brian and we ended up together. Until now we’re still together and it’s so different from my previous relationship. I no longer rely on the promise of forever and fairy tales but he kinda does now (and it’s so not him from the how many years that I’ve known him) but it’s great because I’m in it for the long run anyway and it’s reassuring to know that he’s turned around. I’ve always been like Ellie (from “Up). I’ve always just been looking for my Carl I guess and I’d like to think I’ve already found him. 

In 2012, our group of friends had a trip to Laiya, Batangas, I turned 20, I graduated from College and got a Canon 5D Mark III as my Birthday, Graduation and early Christmas gift from my parents and grandparents (dad’s side), I finally went to the Masskara Festival in Bacolod with my good friends Joy and Joe. We stayed with my friend Ianna and her family. I borrowed money from my grandfather to buy my dream lens (24-70mm f/2.8), and I got to see my cousin Ate Dimple get married in Cebu + finally see my cousin Eddie after so many years. On my mom’s side Eddie was who I was closest to until they moved to Australia.

Before Cebu though I was invited to put up another solo exhibit in Bali alongside another conference my mom was a part of. Brian was my production manager this time and my good friends Patrick and Bren helped me out with the shoots. To everyone who helped and modeled for me, I’ll forever be thankful. I went around Bali on my own again and left a piece of my heart there and all its beauty. I’ll be back, Bali.

And then 2013, a year I will never forget and never regret.

I got my first job at a studio that did shoots for big companies but I stayed for less than 3 months because everything was so improper.

Before leaving though I finally experienced Sinulog in Cebu and with my boyfriend and good friends Joe, Mari and Joy. My best friend Nica also partied with us one night. I’m in Cebu every year thanks to my mom’s family there but never experienced Sinulog. To finally be there during the festival and at my age with my friends was like a dream come true. Went to the beach, bar-hopped, showed my friends how my cousin Ate Dhee is like on stage (she’s the vocalist of a local band called Pandora), saw and was in the middle of the parade and experienced the Base Line Bloc Party.

After leaving my first job I got my first ever baby, my Pomeranian Rupert. I never thought I’d be so attached to a small dog but lo and behold I don’t know what I’d do if anything ever happened to my baby. 

My friends and I also planned a trip to La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. Brian, Bren, Joe, Krystle, Janni, Alecks, Paw and I headed off on our 4-day road trip. We surfed, saw the huge wind turbines, rode 4x4 buggies at the sand dunes and finally experienced Vigan.

I turned 21 and decided to give back to the community for my Birthday and feed less fortunate kids with my family and friends. To everyone who came, helped out and donated, you made 50 kids really happy that day and I thank you. After the feeding my friends and I ended up at my friend Marco’s house where he treated us to pizza, cake, Tequila and more. I tried my first Root Beer Float there. Ended up in my favorite hang out spot The Noodle House along Guijo Street, San Antonio Village after.

The next month was hectic and exciting. My best friends Nica and Camille, our friend Thea  and I planned a Eurotrip. Sadly only Nica and I were able to go and Thea only went with us to Paris and Amsterdam. We got our Visas, booked our hostels, looked and asked for money and planned our whole itinerary. My parents (who are separated by the way) also all of a sudden planned a trip to Bohol. So we stayed in Bohol for a week for Mother’s Day.  Got to see the chocolate hills, tarsiers, churches, dolphins and go island hopping. Didn’t think my parents would ever plan a trip together again like that but they did.

Less than a month later my grandparents (dad’s side) brought the whole family (all 16 of us) to Singapore. We rented this 4 bedroom apartment for a few days and went to Universal Studios Singapore and Palau Ubin Island to go off-road biking. I’ve never been to a Disneyland or Universal Studios in my life so I felt like a kid again going to all the rides and seeing all the characters come to life. My favorite movie of all time is Jurassic Park. I love dinosaurs like crazy before photography ever came into my life, so imagine my excitement when we hopped on the Jurassic Park ride.

Palau Ubin was also truly an experience. I learned to bike at a really young age and when I was still in elementary I’d bike around the park and lobby area of the condominium we live in everyday with my good friends Shinri and Kei. And to bike again for 7.5km with my cousins off-road going up and down hill was such an adrenalin rush and an amazing experience I just had to get a bike again. Months later my mom got me a bike.

And then from June 10 - July 3 I was in Europe with my best friend. From Paris, to the Netherlands (we slept in Den Haag, visited Delft and of course Amsterdam), Germany (for 8hrs because we missed our train), Italy (we stayed in Rome and Venice but also visited Pisa and Florence for a day), Spain (Barcelona and Madrid) and then back to Paris (we also visited Versailles). I grew as a person and as a young adult there. Realized I could do a lot of things on my own already and my belief in people just strengthened. Nothing bad happened to us. Some situations were a bit scary but we were also just scaring ourselves. And in the end someone or a group of people helped us out and looked out for us and that was awe-inspiring.

I got home in time for my boyfriend’s graduation. Planning our future company with our good friends Patrick and Dan followed after.

Then the whole month of August my cousin Eddie came back to the Philippines and this time brought his band Double Lined Minority. Nestor and I got them gigs and radio interviews, Brian and I took them around. They toured Manila, playing in SaGuijo, 19 East, and performing on Radio Republic, Green Giant FM, etc. They also toured in Cebu handled by our cousin Ate Dhee of Pandora.

After that I started going through my own personal struggle. I started discovering things about myself I hated. My self-esteem also went to its all-time low thanks to the 30+ ignores from potential employers. I was still getting freelance gigs but it wasn’t stable enough yet. Some people suggested to already put up our creative firm that Brian, Patrick, Dan and I were planning but I still wanted experience and I needed to save up for my contribution to the creative firm’s capital. I was constantly on and off September onwards. Then I found the manifesto that kept me going 2 years ago: The Holstee Manifesto and I didn’t care anymore. I read it over and over again and internalized it. I decided not to care what people think or say and work on over-thinking and analyzing things. I should always remember that I’m not always right and things will be okay because whatever’s meant to be will happen, at least I’m trying.

Then my Auntie Aleth (mom’s side) passed away. My parents, brother and I headed over to Cebu for the wake. First time an immediate family member died. Wasn’t sure how to feel but I did cry it out. But of course with the barrage of family members who know it’s been a year since I graduated comes the ever haunting question from everyone’s lips: “Working yet?” And I spiraled down again. It was when I got home, something unexpected happened. In Cebu I told my mom my plan. Get a job or 2 for a year or 2 and then put up the creative firm with Brian, Patrick and Dan. Eventually put up my own Hostel to show tourists what Manila REALLY is like and then put up an NGO to help the less fortunate. We get back to Manila and my mom bumps into her Dutch friend Juliette who owns an NGO and tour operation. 2 weeks later, Juliette hires me. I said to fast-track my NGO experience. Now I work for World Activity Philippines and Smokey Tours as Manager and Marketing Officer. I was “trained” for 2 weeks before Christmas. Right before Christmas I finally had my hair done after awhile and got full bangs and for some reason everything felt like it was just all piecing together.

I stepped out of the parlor feeling like a new person. Christmas happened and I got a new phone from my dad. To top it off I also finally got a new laptop and desktop this year making things so much easier for me (work-wise). Now with my new phone I for some reason realized how I want my social media accounts to be for my work to get noticed online. And strangely enough I realized this all while I was in Malacca, Malaysia. My mom, brother and I left for Malacca on Christmas Day and we just got back 4am this morning. I went out on my own again (my mom was working and my brother preferred to be in the hotel room sleeping and using the Internet) and I felt more me than I ever did. I also got a GoPro Hero3+ while I was in Malacca and it just felt meant to be. My drive to travel became stronger than ever, my passion for travel photography which I thought was waning wasn’t after all, I still want to document my experiences and travels, document my history and the history that takes place in front of my lens every waking day, the way I look is my own business and no one else’s, the way I dress will say a lot about me: I’m a free, wild-spirit who belongs everywhere but I know where home is. Self-actualization. I think that’s what I went through. 

I’m an average height-ed Filipina with huge cheeks. Last time I was skinny was first year college and I don’t care anymore. I change my hair often but as much as possible don’t like using chemicals a lot. My favorite color is green. I love art and dinosaurs SO MUCH. I collect hats and certain other things and I love circular sunnies. I don’t drink hot coffee and I’m trying to get into tea. I live to travel, learn, meet people and experience almost everything there is to experience. I take my soup last and eat around my pizza. I save for last all the best parts of my meal and savor each bite. I love animals with a passion and currently have 3 dogs and a cat. My mom is my eternal lifeline and we have this bond no one can imagine. I love my family to death no matter how imperfect everyone is. They’re perfect to me. I know who my real friends are and if I could I’d travel with all of you. I know my dreams, I’ve set my goals and I’ve always been working on each of them and I’m not backing down. I am an artist. I am a professional photographer. I want to take photographs and simply just CREATE for the rest of my life. I will share my passion and love for everything with everyone. I’m in love with life and the world. I know what I want to be and I want to just be me.

Bring it on 2014. I’m really excited for you and everything else to come. I don’t know what’s going to happen next but I will take it in with open arms and an open mind. To all my family and friends, thank you for everything. I wouldn’t be who I am now without any of you (including acquaintances). Let’s make 2014 rock.