We start today’s feature with an important appeal from Rachel Pantaleon, mother of Franz, a teen photographer who has twice contributed to this column. Franz has been diagnosed with Extra-Skeletal Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare bone malignancy. With the support of RockEd and the De La Salle Santiago Zobel Alumni Association, a fund-raising rock concert (Rock for a Reason) for Franz’s treatment will be held on Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 9:00 p.m. at the Café Saguijo in Makati.

Committed to play are top bands: Sandwich, Pedicab, Duster, Chillitees, Bagetsafonik, Gasolina, South Super Highway, Juan Lunar, Chubibo, and Rivermaya. Come, enjoy the music and help out a young and promising fellow photographer.

For all those who want to create that Polaroid effect on your digital images, Poladroid for Windows is now downloadable. While the software is still in its beta version, I have tried it out and got satisfactory results. Of course, the reader is advised to use it at his/her own risk. The MAC version has been around for a while and is more stable. Aside from getting that Polaroid effect, another fun thing about this software is it allows you to save images in different stages of processing. You can also choose between light and strong vignetting. See my examples on this column. Get Poladroid (5.4 mb download) from www.poladroid.net.

Avid pinhole photography enthusiast Vermont Coronel recently e-mailed in his latest experiment. Vermont did a solargraph made with a 0.2 mm pinhole in an aluminum can and photo paper for black-and-white printing. He also used plastic, rubber bands, and tape to seal the “camera” and protect the photo paper inside from rain. He then attached the can to a pipe with cable straps and left it there from March 6 to 8. He had planned on a 4-month exposure but found the “camera” lying on the grass just three days after starting the experiment. Vermont is inviting all those interested in solargraphy to visit www.solargraphy.com.

Readers are also invited to visit www.pinholeday.org and participate in the World Pinhole Photography Day on April 26, 2009.

And now to our featured reader-contributors.

More than a couple of years ago, Engineer Allan B. Cuya went on a river-rafting adventure in the Cagayan de Oro river. He said it was “hurriedly decided upon” during a side trip from Bukidnon. “The trip was unexpectedly unforgetable,” he writes. He went overseas soon after and only recently had a chance to share the image taken from the camera of a companion.

From Plaridel, Bulacan, Graham Russel Cruz writes: “Photography taught me how to appreciate the beauty of everything around us. The eyes are the windows of life, while photographs are the evidence of the beauty of life.” While he has been shooting for less than a year, Graham declares that photography has become his hobby. Today, he is a proud member of Bulacan Letratista (http://bulacanphotography..multiply.com), a club previously featured in this column. Graham also maintains a site at http://grahamphotography.multiply.com.

A 5th year (Graduating) ECE student at the University of St. La Salle Bacolod, John Kimwell Laluma says: “My passion for photography actually started when I first got a camera phone.” It eventually became a hobby when he joined their yearbook team. Last year, he finally acquired a DSLR which he takes along wherever he goes. Kimwell shares that he loves the way photography communicates with people. As he raises other’s awareness about the beauty of the world, he also hopes to impart a piece of himself to all those who see his photographs. Kimwell invites the readers to visit his photoblog at www.gunbladespecialist.blogspot.com.

Cyril Curtis M. Ponce, who describes himself as a newbie had a photo published in Picture Perfect as the Photo of the Week two weeks ago. Cyril, who works as a business system analyst says that he is currently taking up a Basic Photography Class on Sundays at FPPF. He writes: “As a newbie, I read a lot of photog magazines (usually the old issues, since they are much cheaper) and I always ask the advise of the pro photographers.” Cyril shares that he hopes to have his own studio someday or become a freelancer if time permits.

For comments, suggestions or just to share an idea or image, email rfyparedes@yahoo.com