Category Archives: Photography

GCI Philippines snapshots

March 22, 2020 Len Joson Leave a comment

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, churches around the world have cancelled their regular meetings and worship services and suddenly many have gone online. It’s the same with my denomination. We’re still neophytes in this area of online broadcasting or live streaming but it was very helpful that we already had set up a GCI Philippines website sometime in 2010 and more than couple of years ago we also had set up a GCI Philippines YouTube account for our denomination in the Philippines. This has helped a lot rather than starting from scratch. With the help of several techie young people in my denomination we were able to pull it off last Sunday, March 15, 2020, our very first online worship service. It was not perfect but we learned a lot from that experience.

What is amazing about this is that all of these techie young ones are all volunteer workers. They are not employed by the church. They do it for God and for the church for free.

For the second online worship service this morning, March 22, 2020, we decided to pre-record everything and posted it online as a playlist at our GCI Philippines YouTube account trying to avoid copyright issues and trying to overcome technical difficulties along the way as we tried to learn this new development in the life of the church.

Then I posted it at 10:00 a.m. in our GCI Philippines Facebook Group for our church members to watch our Online Worship Service. We had announced it in advance so many of our church members nationwide were able to watch it online.

Thankfully, I’m glad we had set up a Facebook group for our denomination in the Philippines some ten years ago too. We even created a Trinitarian Theology Forum for those who are interested in incarnational, Trinitarian theology. After some years, we requested Pastor Ted Johnston to take care and moderate that group and it has been going on very well for a long time now inspiring and helping people around the world about the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

The past couple of days, the tech support group–composed of techie young ones in church–had a busy night and day working to produce today’s worship service. Thankfully we were able to pull it off again and we learned lessons again on what to do and what not to do. Another learning experience.

I was assigned to create a video composed of snapshots of our denomination around the country. I do have several shots so I just compiled it and turned it into a video. My original video was only two minutes long but someone on the team suggested to slow down the speed without reducing the number of photos so that the images can be better viewed. It turned out to be longer. Oh well, haha! As it is turning out, viewers online seem to like it although it’s a bit longer. Maybe next time 3 minutes or less should be good enough. Here’s the video below.

Life & Love, Photography

Close up of my wife

March 8, 2020 Len Joson 1 Comment

Last night, as my wife was chatting with her sister and brother, I took photos of her as I usually do. It’s been my hobby since she was a teenager until now that we’re both senior citizens. This time I once again attached to my camera my old, old lens, my more than 30-year old 50mm Nikon prime lens just for fun. I don’t know why but I like this old lens. It still works up to now. It’s really good for close ups and portraits. And for a senior citizen I really think my wife is beautiful haha! I love my own.

Here are two photos of my wife–black & white and colored.

Photography, Travel & Tours

Mt. Arayat Fascinates me

March 2, 2020 Len Joson Leave a comment

Sunrise view of Mt. Arayat last March 1, 2020 at 6:06 a.m.

Just yesterday, I passed by Mt. Arayat again and every time I see it, it fascinates me. I don’t know why but I have this obsession of taking photographs of mountains, volcanoes and everything beautiful. Maybe it’s because it shows me that there is a great master Designer and Creator of all these majestic beauty all around us. It tells me that there is a triune God who has designed all of these so that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit could share their life and love with us for all eternity. The triune God wants us to be delighted as well just like the angels shouted for joy when they first saw the awesome universe after it was beautifully and wonderfully created.

*Sunrise view of Mt. Arayat last March 1, 2020 at 6:07 a.m.*

Having lived in Pampanga for 7 years, I’m fascinated that I am able to see this mountain–it’s actually a stratovolcano–in the four provinces as I went driving and passed by it. The mountain can be seen from the provinces of Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and of course in Pampanga.

*Sunrise view of Mt. Arayat last March 1, 2020 at 6:08 a.m.*

I also have a photo of Mt. Arayat while I was on board a plane on my way from Clark International Airport to Mactan International Airport. I even took a shot as well of Mayon Volcano along the way. Click this photo below and read more about it.

Life & Love, Photography

For the love of photography

February 28, 2020 Len Joson Leave a comment

I don’t know why but I love photography as an art expression. Maybe that’s just how God wired me. As a young boy, I was fascinated that a Kodak camera could take pictures. But then of course that was an expensive hobby back then using black & white films and then later on colored films. I even tried developing films myself but it was just too expensive for me so the hobby was set aside for a long while.

Decades later, I was finally able to buy my own digital camera with 3.1 megapixels haha! That got me started again since expensive films plus developing were no longer a hindrance. I could just shoot and shoot without worrying about the cost.

Davao's Orchids — This very sharp picture of my wife’s orchids in Davao was from my cheap digital camera called Mercury. It was still new when I took this shot.

I actually have an old camera right now, a second-hand Lumix GF2 but it still works . It has been serving me well till now despite its back screen having defective spots already. It’s a gift from my eldest daughter.

This is the micro four-thirds camera I’m using right now, a Panasonic Lumix GF2 with a 14-140mm zoom lens attached to it.

I guess hobbies are important too. It focuses your attention on something else which you love to do for the love of what you want to do haha! Do I sound confusing? Yes, you just love to do it. I guess that’s what hobbies are. It temporarily directs your attention away from your personal concerns and other matters which might be troubling you.

So, back to my hobby. The above featured photo (also below — you can zoom it) is just a random shot I made at home. The reason behind it? I just loved the lighting condition at that moment so I took a shot of the place where coffee is made. Just a silly reason to take a shot haha!

I also use my smart phone and thankfully, it does capture good pictures too — a Sony Xperia F3216 model as well as my old iPhone 5 camera which captures really good videos for YouTube and Facebook.

Life & Love, Photography, Travel & Tours

New Year Vacation at Samal Island

January 22, 2020 Len Joson Leave a comment

After our visit to Bohol and did some island hopping at Panglao Island, we had the opportunity to visit again another beautiful island! This time it was the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS). This was not our first time to visit the island but it was great to be back after the passing of many years.

We usually went to the Paradise Island Park and Beach Resort but this time we checked in at the neighboring resort at Costa Marina Beach Resort. We learned that the owners of these two beach resorts are cousins. Both are nice beach resorts.

We were booked in a cottage and it was great complete with all the things you need for a good rest and relaxation. Here are some photos of our trip to Davao City and Samal Island:

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