On my last post, I did mention that I wanted to join the Canon PhotoSkwela held at the SM Event Center on September 14 and 15 mainly because they had my self-proclaimed mentor Jay Tablante as one of the speakers. As a Nikon user myself, I wasn't even sure if they'd let me in but I was adamant about going and probably just take a couple of shots from outside the perimeter. So come day two of the event (wasn't able to join during the first one because of work), I took my 80-200 with me and prepared to be sniping from the sidelines.
When I got to the event there were a lot less people than what I expected it to be. Of what I've heard, the place from the other day's workshop was fully packed considering it was because of the genre our speaker were discussing which was Cosplay Photographer. Today, Jay is supposed to discuss Advertising Photography, apparently a topic lot less interesting I guess for most of the non-professional audience.
So there I was looking at empty seats and I thought why not sneak in. I haven't taken out my camera yet so no one knows I was there with a yellow brand. So I conjured up my inner Neal Caffrey and approached the beautiful usherette first. Her name was Bien according to her tag and I asked if I could sign up for the workshop even if I didn't have my camera with me (liar liar pants on fire). Bien with her killer smile said, "It's okay sir. Just tell the receptionist that you left your camera at home just tell them what model it is". At the back of my mind I was shouting. "This is awesome!"
Now Bien escorted me to the receptionist table and said my thank yous to her. The pretty Canon girl behind the table asked for my name and wrote it down on a name tag she then gave me. She then asked me what model my Canon camera was and right off the bat I told her I had a 70D (I didn't even know for sure if there was a Canon 70D). Things were going pretty much according to plan and I was feeling really confident about getting in until the other Canon girl behind the table asked me what the serial number of my Canon camera was. Dang! I thought I was done there for sure but with some quick thinking and a hint of that debonair smile I told her luckily I save everything in my phone. Then I whipped out my phone and pretended to scroll down my notes and then wrote down some numbers. Little did they know that I was only copying the numbers right on top of my name changing some of the digits. That's what I call brilliant.
Now, with my name tag on and the confidence of having pulled a simple con I walked around the event center and personally met with the speakers, Canon Ambassador, Phottix Master, and Cosplay Photographer Jay Tablante and Canon Ambassador and renowned Fashion/Portrait Photographer Wesley Villarica and we were able to talk a bit about the business and how they started out and if they had some trade secrets they would want to share. I eventually ended up telling them both that I was a Nikon user and that I conned my way inside the event, they just laughed at it and even admired my tenacity of pulling off something like that. Both of them guys are awesome and my respect goes to both of them.
And so my time during the event went off better than I had planned for. I was able to get myself a lot of freebies during the event just by asking questions. I got a Canon EOS baseball cap which I'm planning to use on one of my shoots, a Tamrac Neoprene Camera Sling, and signed copy of Jay Tablante's photobook Geekology. My personal thanks to the speakers themselves for being such great sports and most specially to Canon for not suing me for trespassing. Hope to see you on the next workshop!
Here are some of the photos I took during the event and because I couldn't whip out my big ass D7000 and 80-200 and sticking out like a sore thumb, I had to make use of my fiancee's Nikon Coolpix point-and-shoot.
Here's the Canon ImageNation ID tag they gave me. I wore this the entire time with the Nikon Coolpix in my hand.
Playing with Rock (looks like it)-Paper-Scissor with Canon Ambassador and Phottix Master Jay Tablante
Also a very successful Cosplay and Advertising Photographer, Jay Tablante shares some of his secrets on how to be successful in the business
Doing the never-gets-too-old Number 1 pose with renowned Fashion and Portrait Photographer Wesley Villarica.
Wesley Villarica demonstrating the basics of Portrait Photography
And the freebies!
If you want to know more about our speakers, please check out their websites and prepare to be amazed by their portfolios:
If you want to know more about upcoming Canon events, which I hope you'd join in legitimately, like and follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/canonphilippines
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