Bokeh with a point and shoot camera

Green Elephant | By Romy Sollorano

Bokeh is a Japanese term meaning blur, or (when applied to a person) someone with a clouded state of mind.

In photography, bokeh keeps the main subject sharp while blurring other elements. This creates a beautiful effect used in portrait photography. Nowadays, almost everyone with an SLR (single lens reflex) camera can create the effect.

This macro shot of a small elephant figurine took a while for me to figure out using an instant camera, but it worked out well, in my amateurish attempt at bokeh. The blurred background focuses attention on the subject and removed distractions (a dirty kitchen didn't look nice for a background. Hahaha....).

There are many ways to create bokeh (even with a point and shoot camera). Try playing around with the controls and moving closer or farther away from the subject. For this shot, I tried a big aperture to defocus the background. The shallow depth of field created the bokeh effect. It's not going to win competitions but makes me happy to know that the effect can be done even with an old camera (Canon G3).

With that said, it might take time for newbies to learn how to create the bokeh effect, but with patience and perseverance, almost anything can be accomplished. And don't forget to have fun while doing it.
  

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Finding Two Vegetarian-friendly Restos and an Old Tower in Historical Dumaguete City

As a vegetarian traveling to and fro, food becomes a critical factor in choosing where to go. Only, sometimes, you just go without a clear idea of what awaits. And it's this drama of discovery that makes travel so exciting.

Recently, my wife and I went to Dumaguete City in Central Visayas and, surprisingly, found places with vegetarian options. Here are two of the city's well-kept vegetarian-on-the-menu secrets:

Coco Amigos

Coco Amigos, in Rizal Boulevard, serves vegetarian pizza (Php 160.00) and vegetarian curry with rice (Php 130.00). The curry is a little bland for my taste but I personally liked the pizza. Both servings were big enough for sharing. (Tip: we were so hungry when our order came, I wasn't able to take a snapshot of the food. So come before you are really hungry.). Extra rice (Php 25.00).

Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries

Photo by Romy Sollorano

This place has been a staple in the Dumaguete food scene for decades. The Sans Rival (Php26.00/slice), Sylvanas (Php15.00/pc, Php125.00/box of 10), and coffee (Php 40.00/cafe latte, Php55.00/cafe mocha) capped off our second day. It's dessert heaven.

In our last day, we went to the main store at San Jose Street to buy pasalubong (gifts) for friends and family back home. Much to our surprise, there are two vegetarian dishes on their menu: pesto lasagna (Php130.00) and spaghetti with tomato sauce (Php120.00). We enjoyed the treat and hired a tricycle to the airport for Php80.00 (special trip).

Moving on. Many factors add up to a great travel experience in the Philippines. For me, finding vegetarian picks in quirky tourist spots add pizzazz to an already popular historical and cultural destination. That the place has beautiful beaches and cool people deserves a must-visit ranking.

Traveling gives one an opportunity to learn about other people, languages, food, customs, and traditions. Dumaguete is one of those places that seems too good to be true: history, culture, beautiful beaches, waterfalls, lakes, gentle people, peace and order. To just settle down, unwind, and release stress makes it a worthwhile vacation spot.

An Old Tower

Belfry Tower | Photo by Romy Sollorano

History buffs who come for a visit should check out the Dumaguete Belfry Tower.

Pirates in olden times used to swoop down and snatch whatever they can from the townsfolk. Because of this, the Visayan word daggit (meaning "to snatch") came to represent the place. Spanish historians recorded it as Dumaguete .

Originally built as a watchtower to help protect local inhabitants, the Belfry Tower (circa 1760s) on Perdices Street is an architectural and historical landmark one shouldn't miss.