Stone Bird

Stone Bird  

Dr Abe V Rotor      

Your wings that everyday flap

     are now in surrender,

And the wind that carried you up
      has left you down under.

Majestic and lovely, oh bird,
     lord of the open skies,
Across the land were once heard,
      your pleading, helpless cries.

Would a monument suffice
      to enthrone your life and deed,
Bestow a posthumous prize,
      to hide man's folly and greed?

The stone bird does not answer,
      its world too, shall soon depart,
And man takes pride in his power
      of make-believe in his art.

Philippine Eagle Monument. Marcos Highway, Agoo, La Union.

Sentry Skippers

Dr Abe V Rotor

Your dainty wings spread shining,

sowing tiny dots in waning light;

if my evening is your morning,

would you be my sentry tonight?

Course Syllabus in Photography Today

We are in Photography Revolution!
Virtually everyone all over the world has access to the technology as photographer, photo editor, publisher, producer of documentaries, and even movies. Or, simply through selfie. Although its application has vastly expanded, the objective, art and discipline of photography remain, more so with the code of ethics of journalism to which photography is a principal medium. Here is a guide in preparing a teaching outline for photography in workshops and as an three-unit subject in college.

ABERCIO V. ROTOR, Ph.D.

Professor in photojournalism 

UST Faculty of rts and Letters. and 

St Paul University QC 
Description: This course is specifically designed to meet the needs of modern communication as well as creative writing, making use of conventional and modern tools and equipment which include advanced optical and digital technologies. 
(Photo by Reuters Photographer Damir Sagolj)
The course focuses on the application of photography in the various branches and forms of media. It explores the application of photography in publicity and promotions, newspapers, magazines, and electronic publications, education, photographic arts and other fields, with emphasis on Philippine situation.

Objectives: 

A. General Objective: To develop basic skill in the use of the camera – conventional and digital – combined with the development of journalism skills, as tools for effective communication in print, broadcast and the Internet.

B. Specific Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the student is expected to be able to

1. appreciate and identify the role and application of photography in the various fields of communication;

2. use the camera, principally digital, effectively and accurately;

3. use photography in creative composition, and other artistic expressions;

4. acquire the facility of choosing the right tools and equipment in photography, including those for editing, processing, organization & presentation;

5. prepare photo releases acceptable principally in Philippine newspapers and magazines;

6. develop discipline and cooperation through group work, adherence to the ethic of journalism; and

7. develop a healthy attitude of learning from experts the advances and movements of photography and journalism

8. keep abreast with the development of photography, and its current applications in print and digital media, particularly the Internet. 
 Photojournalist's full gear 

References: 

1. Photo-Journalism Stylebook (1991) - The Associated Press
2. Creative Photography (1991) – Michael Langford. The Reader’s Digest
3. More Joy of Photography (1988) - The Editors of Eastman Kodak Company
4. Digital Portrait Photography (new) – D. Evans
5. Digital Photography (new), Tom Ang and Michael Beazley
6. The Everything Photography Book (2000), Elliot Khuner and Sonie Weiss
7. Digital Camera 3rd edition, 2003, Dave Johnson
8. Black and White Photography (1988) 3rd edition, Henry Horenstein
9. An Illustrated A to Z Digital Photography (2000), Nigel Atherton and Steve Crabb
10. 100 Ways to Take Better Photographs (1998), Michael Busselle
11. Photographing Your Children (new), John Hedgecoe
12. Underwater Photography (new), Annemarie Danja Kohler
13. Secrets to Great Photographs, Zim Zucherman
14. Nature Photography, Learning from an Expert, Gilles Martin and D Boyard
15. People Shots That Sell, Tracy Tannenbaum and Kate Stevens
16. Beginners Guide to Digital Photography, (new) PC World
17. Close-up Photography, Michael Freeman
18. The Photo Book (1996), Phaidon
19. Complete Idiot’s Guide to Photography like a Pro (1997)
20. Through the Lens, National100 Photographs That Changed the World, Life, 2004
21. The World’s Top Photographers in Landscape (new), Terry Hope
22. Geographic Greatest Photographs, 2004
23. The Essentials of Underwater Photography Manual, Denise Nielsen Tachett and Larry Tachett
24. Portrait Photography, David Wilson
25. Philippine Journalism Handbook (1989), 3rd edition – Jaime Ramirez
26. Journalism for Filipinos (2003) - 3rd Edition, Alito Malinao
27. Handbook of Journalism (1994) Victoria Villanueva Sebastian
28. Light in the Woods, Photographs and Poems (1995), Abercio V. Rotor
29. Sunshine on Raindrops (1996), Abercio V. Rotor
30. Light of Dawn (1998), and Genevieve Andrada and Abercio V. Rotor
31. In His Presence, Praises (2003), Belen Tangco and Abercio V. Rotor
37. Rotor AV (2003) Living with Nature Handbook (2 volumes), UST Publishing House
38. Living with Nature Website avrotor.blogspot.com
39. Naturalism – the Eighth Sense - AV Rotor
40. Magnificent Nature - AVRotor (Series) avrotor-blogspot.com
Navy corpsman cradles an Iraqi child 
www.photojournalism.org
www.poynter.org/subject.asp?
www.fotophile.com/links/photojournalism.htm
www.blackstar.com/editorial
markhancock.blogspot.com/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography
www.photography.com/
www.pinoyphotography.org/
photography.nationalgeographic.com
www.photographytips.com/ photo.net/
www.masters-of-photography.com/ 
Viewings
Dying for the Story,
Shattered Glass,
Features in Photography
Reporters in War
Nature Photography (National Geographic)

Other references can be sourced from libraries,  International Newsmagazines (e.g. Time, Photography), newspapers, Internet and TV programs National Geographic and Discovery Channels, others.

Drip, drip, drip

Drip, drip, drip

Dr Abe V Rotor
Living with Nature - School on Blog

Lesson: Dirge, music for the dying and the dead. Can you make this poem the lyrics for your composition? Please try it . Refer to some requiem compositions by Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, our own Santiago, and other composers.


Drip, drip, drip, like tears,
too far out to meet the sea,
in dirge of a dying waterfall
once proud and full and free.

Drip, drip, drip, like rain,
too little to quench the land,
to make the fields green and alive,
and dewdrops to greet the sun.

Drip, drip, drip, the pipes run dry,
no longer music in the park;
behind white walls and rooftops,
and some forgotten arch. ~

Old Waterfall, in acrylic by AVRotor (c.1986)

Painying: Art of the Caterpillar

ART OF THE CATERPILLAR

Dr Abe V Rotor

                               Painting in acrylic (11” x 14”)

Caterpillar, when you are gone

two things come to mind:

the butterfly you have become,

and the damage you have done

and left behind.

Art, art, whatever way defined,

the subject on the wall,

or dripping on the floor,

art, art you aren't hard to find

after all. ~