By Raffy Paredes Since the Super Blue Blood Moon event, some readers may have become interested in moon photography. To help with moonrise and moonset photography, there are a number of apps that will allow you to utilize augmented reality to “see” the position of the moon via your smartphone. Photographer Matthew Saville of Nature TTL recommends three apps in particular: PhotoPills, Sun Surveyor, and The Photographer’s Ephemeris. Each of these apps will show you the precise positioning of the moon, allowing you to lineup a composition in advance so that you aren’t relying on “getting it right on the night.” Every month there is a full moon, and this is the perfect time to capture the moon on camera. The moon will rise and set perfectly with sunrise and sunset, meaning that you have (potentially) beautiful colors in the sky to make an impactful lunar image. Watch Saville’s five-minute video on the YouTube Nature TTL channel on How to Photograph a Moonrise to know more about composing a lunar landscape photo. (PetaPixel) The Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day is only a little over two months away on April 29, 2018. Take a pinhole photo on this day and submit it to http://pinholeday.org/ to be exhibited in their online gallery. Visit the site for details and links to resources on pinhole photography. If you want to try pinhole photography but are unfamiliar with using a film camera, Matt from Blue Mantle Films has a neat 1.5-minute video tutorial on making a pinhole for your DSLR. Visit the YouTube channel Blue Mantle Media to view the video (PetaPixel). In late 2016, more than 150 professionals sent a letter to camera makers requesting that they add encryption to their camera products. This encryption, as it does with other devices like smartphones, would help protect content on the camera and its media cards. “Without encryption capabilities,” the letter explained, “photographs and footage that we take can be examined and searched by the police, military, and border agents in countries where we operate and travel, and the consequences can be dire.” More than a year has passed since the letter was circulated, and major camera manufacturers have largely failed to introduce encryption-based security on their camera products. Tech website ZDNet recently quizzed major camera manufacturers about potential plans to introduce encryption, and the response was underwhelming. While photographers and filmmakers aren’t entirely without encrypted options, those options (mainly smartphones) are far less capable than the professional gear they’d otherwise use. Apple and Samsung have both focused heavily on encryption-based security for their mobile products, and Android users in general have the ability to toggle on encryption in the OS’s settings. Is it time for camera makers to catch up? (DPReview.com) And now to our featured readers, all of whom are new contributors to the column. Fr. Andrew S. Bayal, CM of Adamson University shares his photo titled “Isang Lakas.” “I took this picture during the teambuilding activity and sports clinic of our women softball team in Zambales,” relates Fr. Andrew. “We just arrived from Anawangin cove and the boat operators were busy moving the boats to a safer area since the waves were so strong. So I told the players to help the boatmen and took the shot.” Fred Salvador Jr., a senior student of the ICCT Colleges Foundation Inc. and a member of Camera Club of Angono (CCA) sent in the untitled photo of the Rizal Park Open Air Auditorium with a water reflection. From Jan Mouell Francisco is an untitled silhouette sunset photo taken at a La Union beach resort while vacationing with his family. Shares Jan: “The colors of the sky that blends and reflects with the sand really caught my attention that time. It is very vibrant, colorful, and stunning. I waited for someone to come in my frame and was lucky to have one. One of the most beautiful sunsets I witnessed.” He took the photo with a smartphone. The untitled top shot showing elongated shadows comes from street photographer Jeoffrey Maro D.F. Nisperos of Laguna. Johnson Bernardo submitted the photo titled “Farewell Good Buddy,” a tribute to a friend who unexpectedly passed away. He shares: “Taken in the province of Sto. Tomas, Batangas, actual hometown of my dear friend who is the subject of the picture.  I never thought this would be the last moment of us being together as he passed away without any clue last 29th of December, 2017.The picture carried a big weight in my heart as perfectly as it was described with the hanging bridge as he was walking away from me, about to enter the gates of heaven as described by the wonderful greens surrounding the environment.  All I wish for him is to be in peace and I shall never forget our great moments and shall ever support all the things we have started.” Kurt Austin Tayong Garcia, 15 years old of Angono, Rizal contributed the untitled black-and-white photo of a cat staring at the photographer. “Nagsimula ako magkuha last year, dahil sa kahilingan ng tatay ko din sa photography,” writes Kurt. “Mabilis akong na-inlove sa photography dahil sa ability nito na magkwento ng storya sa isang simpleng litrato. Looking forward po ako para sa taong ito.” Photography newbie and proud house-husband Marlon P. Tebang shares an untitled photo taken from a lake at sunset with the silhouette of the city’s skyline in the background. He writes: “I really enjoy taking pictures especially in streets because I believe that everything we see has a story to tell.” From Baguio City, public high school teacher Nickcarter Gonzalo shares an untitled night photo portrait of a woman. He narrates a personal reason for his photography: “I started to seriously consider this craft two years ago but I just started taking photos of my family. When my daughter died last 2013, all we had were pictures to remind us of the life she lived. I guess it just developed out of a realization that life is fleeting and photography is a way to immortalize some moments that God allows us to experience and celebrate. I also attended some workshops for basic and advance photography at FPPF.” The composite photo of last month’s celestial spectacle the “Super Blue Blood Moon” comes from Raffy Morelos. He shares: “I’ve taken this photo due to curiosity of what a Super Blue Blood Moon is. I’ve taken a few moon shots before, and I admired the way the moon may take form and shape in the night sky, since it tends to be mystical and serene in its own way while the stars dance beside it, or even when it’s cloaked in a veil of clouds. When the blood moon came, from its pure color it displayed shades of crimson that is something you can only rarely come upon.” And from Ramil G. Valente, a newbie photography enthusiast is an untitled photo of men launching their bancas for the Regatta de Zamboanga in line with the celebration of Zamboanga Hermosa Festival last November 2017. Readers may now view issues of Picture Perfect including this column at www.mb.com.ph. For comments, suggestions or just to share an image or idea, email [email protected] or [email protected].