Welcoming 2008 with a Bang!
A Burst of Fire in Makati
Happy New Year people! Thank you very much for still tagging along for the ride all this time. To make the start of the year more lively, here is Makati City’s Countdown to 2008 held at Ayala Corner Makati Avenue. Just in front of Manila Peninsula Makati, where the recent Trillanes Standoff happened. So a couple of hours before the strike of midnight I headed up to Makati, the nearest vicinity where I could shoot some fireworks and scenes from the event itself.
A Mime and a giant San Mig. Have a drink?
New years eve is usually spent with the family at home. For a slight change, I decided to make a quick segue to Makati to a more public celebration. It was a quick ride from our place especially without the traffic, so I was able to still catch the feast when I got home. The venue has a very festive mood with some bands playing, laser light shows, booths and of course the lively crowds.
A Disney cum samurai cosplayer
There were lots of interesting characters there. I was able to see a lot of foreigners watching the bands which isn’t surprising since this is Makati. Aside from the costumed mimes, I also saw an interesting guy like this one. I’m not sure if he’s a cosplayer since most of the time cosplay characters are Anime inspired. But this one seems to be a Micky Mouse fan donned in a Disney patterned Kimono with a Japanese umbrella. I disturbed the guy whose watching the band with his binoculars. When I asked if I could take his photo, he threw his umbrella up high and opened it and actually posed. hahaha. Amusing.
Ayala crowd
The crowd at the stage is quite manageable. I was able to squeeze in through since I’m meeting up with a fellow Olympus User here from OlyClub Philippines whose also there to shoot the fireworks. Since there are not that many Olympus users around here I spotted him with his camera held high. There are not too many Olympus SLRs here in the Phil yet so it’s easy to spot us in a crowd of Photographers.
More Ayala Crowd
I actually don’t like staying confined in a crowd like that so 30 minutes before midnight we headed out far from the crowd to have a larger view of the fireworks. It was a bit tricky trying to find a good spot here. Unlike Baywalk or Espalanade where there’s a wider field of view, Makati has a lot of buildings, trees and lamp post which can obstruct your view.
Fireworks Display set one
Not exactly knowing which direction the display would show, we positioned ourselves on top of a truck steady enough to use our tripods. Hoping we got a good view. Even before midnight there were already a number of fireworks in different directions. Colors just plashing along the skies. And when the clock struck 12, fireworks painted the sky of Makati. And we also realized the wind was blowing at our direction, bringing the smoke as well. Bad bad.
Mini spatters of fireworks
The fireworks display took around 10 minutes. And in those time, I tried experimenting on different setting. And I think I suck at shooting fireworks. hahaha. Some were too overexposed or just out of composition because of those buildings. Oh well, unlike last year’s World Pyro Olympics, you had several chance to shoot the fireworks.
Huge spiky fireworks
I didn’t stay long after the fireworks finished. I could still hear the band, Kamikaze playing at stage but I was already hungry. I enjoyed my brief stay there and bid farewell to my companion who decided to shoot more of the event. When I got home they were still eating and we have a feast on our table. Thank God for that and hope we stay this bountiful all throughout the year of 2008.
Tags: Celebration, City Beat, Fireworks, Makati
Posted on
Thursday, January 3rd, 2008 at 12:33 am 
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January 3rd, 2008 at 12:46 am
wow! beautiful pyrotechniques!! it looks like a fountain.
January 3rd, 2008 at 2:51 am
happy new year ferdz!!! your pics are always good
iba na ang may talent hehe 
January 3rd, 2008 at 3:17 am
quite a party huh! hope it was peaceful and people went home with their own wallets.
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:52 am
aba naman…ayos yung effect ng first shot. parang nasa ilalim ako nung shower of fireworks. tingin kong nagpasira sa mga shots mo yung mga ilaw sa lampost. kaya hindi masyadong naging even out yung spread ng light. tingnan mo yung last shot, masyadong naluto sa ilaw dahil dun sa mga bulbs. pero gaya nga ng sinabi sa mga naunang nag-comment, maganda pa rin, hehe. iba na talaga ang may talent (re-echoing)…talent, talent, talent!
pero sa totoo lang, i suck in night shots. big time! siguro mga 50 shots, less than 10 lang dun ang maayos. hehehe. Happy New Year, Ferdz!
January 3rd, 2008 at 10:19 am
hey bai, happy new year. if your shots are any indications, more great captures and interesting stories! this was also my idea if i was home for the new year’s eve fireworks display. btw, gamit mo na ang bagong zuiko mo?
January 3rd, 2008 at 11:11 am
been wanting to go there. pero family first
happy new year idol!
January 3rd, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Happy New Year Ferdz!
Great shots (as always) you got here! 
January 3rd, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Amazing pyrotechnics! I did not manage to catch the fireworks countdown this year because I decided to stay home … Haha!
But over there, it was a celebration nga!
January 3rd, 2008 at 6:25 pm
wow! walang ganyan samin! bawal e. on the good side, walang mga aksidente. pero minsan, nakakainggit din.hehe
happy new year!
January 4th, 2008 at 1:53 am
Nice night shots bro
At least the countdown in Makati didn’t have snow along with it hehe 
Here’s a toast for the NEw Year !
January 4th, 2008 at 3:36 am
thanks for the great pictures… i miss the noisy celebration. i called my brother around 11 pm philippine time on new year’s eve and i can hear the firecrackers….it was good enough. here, ours was VERY quiet.
January 4th, 2008 at 9:08 am
i love that disney/anime guy already
great shots of the fireworks!
have a happy and blessed new year ferdz! =)
January 4th, 2008 at 10:00 am
what’s that guy in white supposed to portray? was he really that tall? he dwarfs everyone in the photo. great find and great work!
January 4th, 2008 at 10:01 am
oh a mime. wahaha!
January 4th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Gone are the days when I hang out at public beer parties and get bruised. =)
January 5th, 2008 at 5:40 am
hAPPY nEW yEAR fERDZ! =)
January 5th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
ang saya! hapi new yir ferdz!
January 6th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Great photos. Looks like it was a blast!
January 6th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
galing ng pagka kuha ng fireworks!
a blessed new year po!!!! ^_^
January 6th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Wow..nice shot Ferdz…the fireworks looks like a shower of meteorites………the first pic was like a Big Bang….
January 6th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Happy New Year, Ferdz!
January 6th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Amazing photos. They are just so beautiful. Congrats for also being chosen as one of the Wikipinoys of the year for Geography and Travel. I wrote about it here:http://aboutmyrecovery.com/2008/01/06/wikipinoy-of-the-year-bloggers/
January 6th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
i like the shots with the fireworks, especially the second shot with the fireworks!
happy new year!!!!
January 8th, 2008 at 12:12 am
haayyy…the first time i saw your pictures it makes my flu go away..hehe..and honestly…nakakapawi ng lungkot at pagka-miss sa ating lupang sinilangan..more power and hoping to see more Philippines scenic pictures..more more more…..hehhehe…
January 28th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Wonderful fireworks pictures.
I love the first & last picture.