SPARK is Online

After a few months with SPARK Magazine, they were finally able to release their maiden issue last September. I was able to get my complimentary copy and was looking forward to seeing my articles posted on their blog. (I was their blogger).

A few days ago, I got an email from them announcing the launch of their blog. Of course, I had already been aware of it since I check the website everyday! To share with everyone, here are the photos I took for SPARK features and such.

Super model Jo-Anne Bitagcol

I took a picture of Jo-Anne Bitagcol and the contents of her Balenciaga bag as a feature of the mag's "What's In Your Bag?" Read the article.

Jo-Anne Bitagcol's Balenciaga bag

One of the best things I got out of SPARK was that I discovered I had the talent to take beautiful pictures. Armed with my dad's Sony a380 camera, I played around with the gradient lighting and fixed the settings through what I felt was good. I do have basic knowledge in photography so I used this to "intelligently" tinker around with the settings of the camera. 

With the many shoots I have done for SPARK, the shoot with Bea Valdez for the "Behind the Scenes of Our Cover Story" was one of my favorites. We worked from 10am until 8pm and it was worth it! I ended the day with hundreds of raw images waiting to be criticized. This was perhaps the first that I shot with a real model, as I was taking pictures of food and inanimate objects in the past. Read Article.

Polaroids taken by Jan Michellardi

Taking a photo of Bea with the photographer, Jan

Another set of Polaroid shots by Jan

I remember my editor, Carla Sibal, loved this shot!

Bea, gorgeous as ever, on the 7th wardrobe change of the day

And who could forget the delicious feature I covered for Cafe 1771? Not only was the food so delicious, I was also able to take loads of photos here! Too bad SPARK only uploaded a few of them. READ ARTICLE.

Cafe 1771

I'm looking forward for the next batch of articles SPARK posts under my name. I'm especially eager to see the features I wrote on Fat Michael's Place, L'Incontro, Manila Collective, MINI, and The Room Upstairs. These were the articles which I also took beautiful photos of! 

Aside from that, I look forward to the next photo shoot I take (not necessarily with SPARK). Keep posted on SPARK Magazine by following their blog! 

I COMMIT TO CHANGE: My Wardrobe Malfunction

Have you ever felt the sudden urge to go to a clothing store and purchase some clothes to make you look and feel better? I usually battle with this problem since I don’t have a lot of clothes to wear. Correction: I do have several clothes it’s just that they are mostly shirts and jeans. Since I have big arms, wearing shirts make me look bigger than I really am. And this is why I frequently feel the need to change my whole look whenever I’m in the mall, killing some time before I attend meetings.

Aside from this, I often find myself ransacking through my closet just so I could find the right clothes to wear to the events I go to and the scheduled meetings with my boss. And this sometimes takes me forever! Before, I could just throw on any ‘pambahay’ clothes and work the whole day in the comfort of my own room. While this has been acceptable in the past (when I was still working at home as a freelance writer), it no longer is okay for what I do now.

At the 2010 Hot Air Balloon Festival, Clark

As many of my friends know, I have been given a job as a Web Marketing Manager for SPARK Magazine (thank you Sammii!). I started on the last week of April and I’ve been very happy about the job. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always wanted to work for a magazine. I always thought that if I could just get at least one article posted, even without any remuneration, I would be happy. But I could never get the part. This is because I lacked the education and background for working in the industry.

But hey, I love to write. Ever since I was 11 years old, I’ve been writing poems and short stories. If you do a Google search on Trixie Torralba, you would be directed to several links all containing previous poems I have published on a certain blog (unfortunately, I forgot the password). I knew that if they (magazine editors) would just give me a chance, I would prove myself to them.

Luckily, I was well into my 8th months of being a freelance writer when I happened to overhear Angel’s friend, Sammii, asking if anyone was interested in working for an upcoming magazine. I knew I could not let this opportunity pass. So I told her that I was interested and luckily, I was accepted.

This is my third month in the business and I’m feeling more ecstatic than ever! I get to practice photography, meet new people, and do what I’ve always wanted! But most of all, I get to show people (especially my editor) what I am capable of. I may not be perfect or the best, but I am trying to be.

My tasks in the job include writing articles, doing photo shoots, featuring restaurants, attending events, and talking to several people. And because I have nothing DECENT to wear to such events, I always end up heading to the mall and scouring for an outfit that will fit my budget while still being able to look tiptop.

Knowing this, I decided I COMMIT TO CHANGE my whole wardrobe. I always had a knack for pretty clothes but I always thought that I wouldn’t get to wear them. I always made alibis (palusot) that there was no point in buying such clothes as they will just get stuck inside my closet. Well, now’s my chance.

During a trip to Bangkok with my friends

I COMMIT TO CHANGE not only my wardrobe. I will also change my bags. Before, I used to buy just about any bag large enough to fit all my essentials but below P500. I have to keep in mind that the magazine I am working for is a luxury lifestyle magazine. And although I may never have the chance to own a Balenciaga (except if it’s free), I do have to look for bags that are of good quality and design.

A bag I got in Chatuchak, Bangkok

I COMMIT TO CHANGE my shoe collection as well. If you ask anyone close to me, they will honestly tell you that I have really cool shoes! And I promise I really do since I’m a shoe person not a bag lady. But I will look for more designs and comfortable footwear that will make me able to face people I talk to without any insecurity.

Yes, that's my super white leg in the middle.

Lastly, I COMMIT TO CHANGE my look. When I started with the magazine, I decided to chop off my hair and had it cut short by Basement Salon. A few weeks later, I got Mr. Shin of Beautybrick to fix it for me. Aside from my hair, I also need to learn how to put on makeup. I used to be a big fan of cosmetics back in 2008 but I stopped using them when I started being M.I.A. from the events of VIBE Manila. My sister, Bubot, sponsored my makeup class from Suesh as my 24th birthday present. I will be attending the class tomorrow and already, I’m excited!

A fully made up Me with hot Toni Santos in 2008

Hopefully, with these changes, I will be able to learn how to become a better talker since I always shy away from crowds because of my insecurities on the way I look. *Crosses fingers*