Category: Photography

Photos and words by Winston Baltasar

What can we say to the youth? Are they still called Millennials, these college students?

I’m on my second day of teaching 2 classes of Sports Photography to 50 plus students. 

Photography I can teach because I’ve been shooting since the 1970’s and teaching is in the blood; my parents, uncles and aunts from both sides have been teachers. 

But how does one relate to students? I don’t watch the same movies they do, nor do I listen to the same music. Fortunately, we have common ground in sports. All of my students are athletes from the DLSU’s Sports Management program. 

When I talk about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, they understand intimately and with a visceral reaction. 

We also have the school in common. We bleed green, as they say; although I have to tone down my loyalty to appease my Atenean wife.

Have to run to my next class. Will post photos taken by my students next. 

A peaceful Sunday to one and all. Shot 7 years ago with an iPhone. #iphoneography #pet #animal #photography

Recap by Yoyo Sarmenta / Photos by Winston Baltasar

“The Adamson Soaring Falcons earned their first win in UAAP Season 80 after an impressive 88-81 victory over the UST Growling Tigers on Saturday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Robbie Manalang (#0) put up 19 points, four rebounds, and five assists while Kurt Lojera scored 16 points. Papi Sarr returned to action for the Falcons after missing their season opener against Ateneo and registered 10 points and four boards.”

Read more: http://sports.tv5.com.ph/basketball/collegehoops/article/uaap-season-80-falcons-soar-to-first-win-vs-turnover-plagued-tigers#ixzz4su7y3bpN

Recap by Yoyo Sarmenta / Feature on NU rookie Jordan Bartlett by Charmie Lising / Photos by Winston Baltasar

DLSU’s Ricci Rivero slides past NU’s Nico Abatayo

NU’s wily Jayjay Alejandro draws the defense from Ricci Rivero and Abu Tratter before passing the ball

NU’s Issa Gaye celebrates a point while DLSU’s Abu Tratter retrieves the ball

NU’s Jordan Bartlett played pesky defense aside from topscoring with 23 points

DLSU’s Leonard Santillan and Kib Montalbo jockey for position with NU’s Jordan Bartlett

“The De La Salle Green Archers and National University Bulldogs were caught in a fast-paced, high-scoring game on Saturday, with the defending champions pulling out a 115-109 win to notch their second victory of UAAP Season 80.”

Links to write-ups here:

http://sports.tv5.com.ph/basketball/collegehoops/article/uaap-season-80-green-archers-outlast-bulldogs-in-high-scoring-contest

http://sports.tv5.com.ph/basketball/collegehoops/article/nu-rookie-jordan-bartlett-shines-in-tough-matchup-against-defending-champs

Today, Sep. 16, 2017 at 8am, is the first rematch of the DLSU Lady Archers and the  NU Lady Bulldogs. Since I have other work, I can’t cover it but let me post photos from their championship game last year.

The Lady Archers were defeated by the much taller Lady Bulldogs but they played with heart.

DLSU’s Snow Penaranda boxes out NU’s Jack Daniel Animam

NU fielded several National Team players going for a three-peat championship.

Animam and Miranda get the rebound over Penaranda

NU’s All-Star Afril Bernardino gets away for two

Postscript: I have to run to shoot the UAAP Basketball games today so I have not completed error checks on this post. My apologies; I will correct tonight. I’ll also post more photos.

Call me old school, but I’m still amazed at how quick it is to publish now. In the old days, I’d send photos to a magazine several weeks before it is out in the newstands. For a breaking story for a broadsheet, you’d have to meet a 10pm deadline before the press run, in time for the newspaper to be out early the next morning.

Today, my editor messages me asking for a photo of PBA players at the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas scrimmage that I shot the other day. I’m at a coffee shop with my laptop; it takes me a few minutes to find the photo, post-process it in Photoshop, and email it to my editor.

Quicker than lightning (mabilis pa sa kidlat), the photo is published on the internet.

Here’s the full feature: http://sports.tv5.com.ph/labanpilipinas/article/you-cant-be-here-pba-players-make-surprise-appearances-in-chooks-to-go-practice

“Paul Desiderio called it.

The veteran guard hit the go-ahead triple with 1.4 seconds left to give the UP Fighting Maroons a 74-73 win over the UST Growling Tigers on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.”

Recap by Yoyo Sarmenta / Photos by Winston Baltasar
Read more: http://sports.tv5.com.ph/basketball/collegehoops/article/desiderio-for-the-win-up-escapes-ust-with-late-triple#ixzz4sXARzUke

http://sports.tv5.com.ph/basketball/collegehoops/article/desiderio-for-the-win-up-escapes-ust-with-late-triple

Prize rookie Juan Gomez de Liano with a floater

UP star Paul Desiderio makes a two over UST’s much taller Steve Akomo

Battle of the Boards with UP’s Jerson Prado and Jarrell Lim vs UST’s Jeepy Faundo and Zach Huang

Battle of the Boards with UP’s Jerson Prado and Jarrell Lim vs UST’s Jeepy Faundo and Zach Huang

I woke up early on the first day of class that Monday, 11th of Sep. Coming from a hectic weekend where I shot four UAAP basketball games and one PBA game, it was not easy to be wide-awake alert. But for my Alma Mater, it was a small sacrifice to make.

I am a pure green-blooded Lasalista, much to the chagrin of my Atenean wife. I studied at De La Salle College (Taft) for grade school, La Salle Green Hills for high school, and finally graduated in De La Salle University (DSLU), upgraded and still on Taft Avenue).

Navigating my way through the school was easy. I came in through the DLSU South Gate although my classes are in the Miguel building, closer to the North Gate. As usual, the memories flooded in at the site of the neo-classic architecture.

Here is where I used to play handball but the handball courts are gone. Here is where I punctured my palm on an errant nail on the criss-crossed wooden wall panelin while playing Habol-Taya. No more nails on the walls but I don’t run much anymore.

The gigantic Henry Sy building occupies most of the football field where I learned to goalkeep. I pass by it, suppressing a sigh as I recollect my bygone youth.

The Miguel building is at the far end of the photo above. I taught a class of Sports Photography there in the first trimester of last school year, 2016-2017. It is the first trimester of this school year and I wonder what awaits.

I’m teaching Sports Photography again, this time to two classes. All my students are athletes, which makes it especially interesting. Their sports are fencing, volleyball, track and field, badminton, taekwondo, baseball, tennis, basketball, even chess. It will be an interesting trimester. I look forward to shooting those sports I have not shot before, hoping to inspire these athletes to perform better.

Teaching is in my blood. My parents, aunts and uncles on both sides were teachers. There is a deep satisfaction in passing on knowledge to the youth. I get as much as I give.

Season 80 of the UAAP opened with pomp and circumstance as expected. UAAP greats, past and present paraded at the MOA Arena center court to the delight of the fans. 

Some of the DLSU greats feature in the Wall of Greats (see previous) blog post like Basketball star Ren Ren Ritualo were present. Also Senator Pia Cayetano of the last champion UP Volleyball team, Roni Magsanoc, Track & Field impesario Rio de la Cruz, former NU MVP Billy Ray Parks and many more. 

UAAP Season 80 Opening is coming up on Saturday, Sep. 9! We will be at MOA Arena this weekend (both Saturday and Sunday) to cover the Opening Ceremonies and the Men’s and Women’s Basketball games. We are quite excited that we are going to sleep early Friday tonight to store energy for this exciting weekend.

In the meantime, here’s are links to Sports5’s previews of the Men’s Teams. Written by Yo Sarmenta with photos from Winston Baltasar.

http://sports.tv5.com.ph/basketball/collegehoops/article/uaap-season-80-preview-la-salle-green-archers-ready-to-defend-their-crown

http://sports.tv5.com.ph/basketball/collegehoops/article/uaap-season-80-preview-ateneo-blue-eagles-wont-just-lean-on-experience

http://sports.tv5.com.ph/basketball/collegehoops/article/uaap-season-80-preview-feu-tamaraws-remain-competitive-as-ever-under-new-coach-olsen-racela

http://sports.tv5.com.ph/basketball/collegehoops/article/uaap-season-80-preview-adamson-falcons-looking-for-an-even-better-finish

http://sports.tv5.com.ph/basketball/collegehoops/article/uaap-season-80-preview-the-nu-bulldogs-relish-being-the-dark-horse

http://sports.tv5.com.ph/basketball/collegehoops/article/uaap-season-80-preview-ust-growling-tigers-banking-on-preparation-heading-into-new-campaign

(UP Photo to follow)

http://sports.tv5.com.ph/basketball/collegehoops/article/uaap-season-80-preview-up-fighting-maroons-are-ready-for-more-wins