Full Circle of CFC 1A - Dinner Night Out

STORY OUTSIDE FULL CIRCLE

Title: Couples for Christ - 1A "Dinner Night Out"

Location: Chinese Restaurant Sabu-Sabu

Baniyas Road, Dubai, UAE

Date: Aug.27, 2010 9:00-10:30 PM

Camera & Gears: Nikon D300, Sigma Fisheye Lens,

Manfrotto Tripod, Phottix Remote Shutter

We gathered every week for our group "Household"-a prayer

and bible meeting...(we are 4 pairs of couples...yes!!!

for Christ) but....this time we are taking off and

instead a Night Out Dinner at Sabu-sabu...

Enjoy this 2 sets of VR...cheers...!

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HOVER YOUR MOUSE INSIDE IMAGE

Full Circle of Old Dubai I: The Old Town Bastakiya

THE OLD WALL OF DUBAI

Bastakiya Old Town Dubai

Al Bastakiya (Arabic: البستكية‎) is a historic district in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Together with Al Shindagha, Al Bastakiya is one of the oldest residential areas in the city of Dubai. Al Bastakiya is named after the Bastak region of Iran, from where many of the residents emigrated.

The emigrants are mostly Arabs that have migrated to Iran throughout history, then moved back to Arabia later.The locality lies along Dubai Creek and includes narrow lanes and wind towers, as well as the Al Fahidi Fort, the oldest existing building in Dubai.

The construction of Al Bastakiya dates back to the 1890s. In its prime, the locality was capable of supporting 60 housing units, most of which were separated by narrow, winding lanes.

Traditionally a stronghold of rich residents, the demographic of the locality changed with the discovery of oil, which resulted in many rich families relocating to other parts of the city.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Bastakiya

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STORY OUTSIDE FULL CIRCLE

Title: Bastakiya Old Town Dubai

Old Dubai Part 2 - VR Night Photography

Location: Bastakiya Area, BurDubai,UAE

Date: Aug.25, 2010 9:00-10:30 PM

Camera & Gears: Nikon D300, Sigma Fisheye Lens,

Manfrotto Tripod, Phottix Remote Shutter

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This is the second leg of VR'ing the old dubai, this time

i went to Dubai Architectural Heritage Area "The Old Town Bastakiya".

It was 9:00 pm, Ramadan, Iftar hour...and the parking is

impossible here...and this is my 3rd time orbiting this area and after

half an hour i got my parking...and it is right inside the bastakiya

area...thank God.

Before i stepped down on my car, i saw local arabs outside

bastakiya old house, sipping their coffee.

Slowly i went out of the car and i notice that all of them are staring at me...

hhhmmmm....are they expecting me..?lol!

ohhh yes, they are expecting someone but not a filipino with camera & tripod...

I walk at the back of my car to get my bag and i saw this big 4x4

white armada next to me...hhhmmm...this is their guy...i took his

parking slot!!! sorry men...ang bagal mo eh!!!

Without looking,i walk fast towards mosque, sit down on the bench

and wait for the moist to get out of my lens...(init po kasi eh)

I start my first VR at the old wall of dubai...and it took

almost 2 hours to finish my 7 sets of VR and still images.

Below are my VR for your viewing & comments...Enjoy!!!

HOVER YOUR MOUSE INSIDE IMAGE

THE OLD WALL OF DUBAI

The Wall of Old Dubai 2 in Dubai

THE OLD WALL OF DUBAI 2

The Wall of Old Dubai in Dubai

THE OLD TOWN BASTAKIYA

Bastakiya Old Town Dubai in Dubai

THE OLD TOWN BASTAKIYA

Bastakiya Old Town Dubai in Dubai

Follow the link to view VR in Google Earth / 360 cities:
http://www.360cities.net/image/bastakiya-old-town-dubai-1#58.80,-4.40,70.0
http://www.360cities.net/image/the-wall-of-old-dubai#358.80,-6.80,70.0

Full Circle of Old Dubai I: The Dhow Station Plaza

STORY OUTSIDE FULL CIRCLE

Title: VR'ing the OLD DUBAI

Part 1 " Dhow Station Plaza" Bur Dubai

Camera: Nikon D40X, Nikon D300

Lens: Sigma 10mm & 4.5mm Fisheye Lens

Exposure: Manual

as i drove along jumeirah beach road going to dubai festival city,

i heard on the radio about the tourist destination in dubai "the old dubai"....

hmmmm...wait a minute..... i can shift my vr schedule to that area...bur dubai!!!

after 15 minutes...

i already parked my car behind ministry of finance bldg...yes! at old dubai...

"Old dubai originally is the deira area & bur dubai area.

old dubai is having an islamic & moorish architecture bldgs.,

a busy area, people are walking contineously,

chatting along the road, drinking tea,

offering carlift (not for free), playing cricket and you can

see people praying even in the middle of the road (of course during praying time).."

i've been here many times....

capturing the sunrise & sunset along the creek and doing night photography.

old dubai is a haven for photographers...walking along the creek side

you can choose your subject from architecture, landscape to macro....and of course VR.

i think....right now VR'ing the old dubai is exciting, first time and one of a kind....

i will start my VR tonight here infront Dhow Station Plaza - infront of Ministry of Finance

first i scan the place where i can set-up my gears...

as i walk along the plaza....i saw lovers hiding on the dark corners of the

traditional sheds...he-he-he...puro kabayan ang date ng mga pana...lol!!!

i wait for 10 minutes para mawala yung moist ng lens...

i shoot first the highlight of the plaza...

the Dome Round Gazebo using 10mm fisheye lens... next is the plaza area.

and after 1 hour i finished 3 sets of VR... The Dhow Station Plaza ,The Dhow Station
& The Dome Round Gazebo...'hope you like it....ENJOY!!!

HOVER YOUR MOUSE INSIDE THE IMAGE

Old Dubai: Dhow Station -Round Dome Gazebo in Dubai

Old Dubai: Dhow Station in Dubai

A LITTLE HISTORY:

Where does the name Dubai come from?

There are several theories as to how Dubai was named.

One theory is that the word Dubai is a combination of the Farsi words for two and brothers, the latter referring to Deira and Bur Dubai. Others believe that ‘Dubai’ was so named by people who considered its souq a smaller version of a thriving market named ‘Daba’.

Another possibility is that the name came from a word meaning money - people from Dubai were commonly believed to have money because it was a prosperous trading centre. It is worth mentioning that there is another town named Dubai in the Al Dahna' region of Saudi Arabia, between Riyadh and Ad Dammam.

Source:http://www.sheikhmohammed.co.ae

Full Circle of St.Mary's Dubai 2

The Story Outside Full Circle

Title: St.Mary's Catholic Church - Dubai

Interior Architectural VR Photography

Camera: Nikon D300

Lens: 10mm Sigma Fisheye Lens

Exposure: Manual - 16 Exposures at 35 & 217 degrees angle

Shutter Speed: 1 sec.

Aperture: f/8

July 14, 2010

This VR is a long time plan on my mind...sometime 3 months ago...
Why?...'coz i want to record the interior & exterior of the church...
'coz till now no one is doing that...the..."St.Mary's in full circle"

After i drop ( hinatid po...ndi binagsak) my wife to her workplace
i rushed to the church and hoping that there's a sheduled mass...
but when i reach there...everything was closed...except the side door...

all lights are closed except on the main altar...
the place is very quiet, there is some parishoners praying...
....i sat infront of the altar & start to meter the light...
i feel everyone is looking at me everytime i press my shutter..
and it gives a loud sounds of clllliiiikkkk! i press my shutter once,
twice, thrice and even more....and after a while i heard someone
making a...psssssttt....!!! to me.

i pray and say sorry for what i have plan to do...i say sorry that i
will disturb the people...

anyways...i placed my tripod on the center of the aisle....
set up my panohead as fast as i can....
attached my camera and start my 16 exposures...
(everytime i press the shutter all eyes are with me - sorry po Lord!)

St.Mary's Catholic Church - Dubai (Interior) in Dubai

during my vr....lights open on the left wing of the church...
i saw kabayan wearing white...and parish priest pop out at the back of
wall and inviting the couple infront of him....
.....i realized that there is a small wedding on that corner....

hhmmm...
i rushed on that area and set up my camera near the altar...
again...everyone is looking at me....who the hell is this? we don't
know this photographer?- i know that is the questions on their mind...

i also wonder what i am doing here....but what to do....
i will do this for the couple for free....
after the blessing to the couple...
i approached them and introduce myself and i ask for their email address &
i will send them the image for free...

outside the church...i set up my gears for my last vr today ('hopefully)...

i stand infront of the church beside the grotto and start to shoot my last vr.

below is VR Image of St.Mary's Church Exterior:

St.Mary's Catholic Church - Dubai in Dubai

Full Circle of Mercato Mall - Dubai

STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO

Title: Mercato Mall - VR Architectural Photography

Location: Jumeirah Road, Jumeirah 1st,Dubai, UAE

Camera: Nikon D300

Lens: 10mm Sigma Fisheye Lens

Exposure: Manual Mode, 16 Exposures on 35 & 217 degrees angle

Shutter Speed: 1 sec.

Aperture: f/8

MY VR PLAN

still i am hesistant to bring out all my gears for tonights vr...
but....i planned this before ramadan...but still i am not confident for this vr....
looking all the security infront of the mall....i know they will stop me doing this vr.

one by one i bring out my camera...and put my fisheye lens on my pocket....
we sat down ( me & kiko ) infront of the fountain...hiding to all security guards....
i ask my son to get the bag & tripod...and there we go....

we set up our gears as fast as we can and after 16 exposures for 15 minutes...
thanks God we finish our first vr......

SECOND SET OF VR

without hesitation i placed my gears infornt of the main entrance of the mall...
all security guards are watching us but they didn't say anything...
and we finish our 2nd set of vr....and i am thinking that it is ok to them...-
what we are doing.....besides it is Ramadan Season....

INTERIOR VR & INTEROGATION

immediately after i finish my second set,
we proceed to the hightlight of this vr..."The Mercato Interior Bridge"
i told to my son that we sit first on balcony area
(far to the stationary guard) and set up again our gears...

after the set-up....
i start my 16 exposures....without knowing that the Mall Security Guard is
behind me and asking me...what is the photo for...?do i have permit to take photos inside the mall?
where you are working? what company? what newspaper or magazine you are working for?.....
and he touched my ID attached on my tripod.....all of this questions are spontaneous and fast...
and it seems that he want to view the image on my camera...he started to grab the camera and i shouted....
not know....! i'm on the middle of vr...i need 8 shots more....after that.... you can view the images....!

and i am not working to any newspaper or magazine company....
i am an architect and this is only my hobby...
...i think you are new here...i added.
i am a regular visitor here and i am always taking photos for my
souvenier only...ok?

and he left us with the last words...
"sorry sir...next time at least you tell us that you're going to take photos...
and you are most welcome..."

after that scene...i sit down and calm myself....
because this is not the first time happens to me here...
this is the third time...and i succesfully overcome their interogations...

ANOTHER VR...4TH SET

now i am relax and not nervous...as i went to the mall bridge (hightlight of the mall) and
took the last very important interior VR...(but all the guards are watching me....)

below image is one of my four vr's for your viewing...ENJOY!!!...

The Mercato Mall (Interior 1) in Dubai

Other Mercato Mall VR's:

http://www.360cities.net/image/the-mercato-mall-exterior-facade-2-dubai

http://www.360cities.net/image/the-mercato-mall-exterior-facade-1-dubai#0.30,-6.10,70.0

http://www.360cities.net/image/the-mercato-mall-interior-2-dubai#0.00,0.00,110.0