Going Back to Basics at Canon PhotoSkwela with Aly Reyes!

04.14.2012 – I love photography. It has been probably in my DNA since I first pick up my first camera and took a photo when I was nine. Back in the day you spend a lot more and shoot less using a film camera. These days the advent of cutting edge technology gave us high resolution digital cameras. It gave birth to the next generations of shutter bugs and different kind of people that would be able to afford DSLRs (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras. There are type of people who never experienced learning first the very basic photography or have used a point & shoot camera. Some would make a DSLR as their jewelry strapped in there neck.

It’s been a year since I started using a DSLR after acquiring the Canon EOS 60D in February 2011. I’m still learning to use its complex settings and manual functions. You learn something new everyday and personally you try not to forget your beginnings.

Last March I personally enrolled to Canon Philippines’ “Photoskwela” conducted by the magnificent Aly Reyes. He has been running this program with Canon last March and I thought I won’t make the cut to be able to go to his class.


I just arrived from a 19-day vacation and it was timing to receive Canon’s email for this special training. It’s like going back to my roots and re-learning the basics in using a point & shoot camera and it was a treat to learn the ropes from Mr. Aly Reyes who does “Everyday Photography” coming from an amateur like me who does “Anything Photography” who does “Everyday Toy Photography.”

Definitely it was great meeting up with an expert like Aly sharing his love for photography which takes me back to my beginnings in familiarizing again using a point & shoot camera.


It was nice to learn again since I’m using my recently acquired Power Shot A800, that I won in a photography contest last November 2011. This camera replaces my Power Shot A480 that I bought back in February 2010. I get to see and meet with different people from all walks of life who are eager to learn basic photography.

Aly gave us the basics on how to set and use our point & shoot cameras. Some of them I have been familiar with but don’t have the proper training with the terminologies. Some of the topics covered were already in my usual routine in taking photos.


It was good to go back to the basics and it was a re-learning experience. Its basically the training is about photography regardless what kind of camera you used but for the last session with Canon’s Photoskwela it was strictly for point & shoot, which is a definite challenge. This would really give us learning experience unlike some of who would jump in using a DSLR and you call it their style of photography.

Then again it’s everyone’s way of learning how to take pictures. In photography there are no short cuts to have a better image taken it takes a long time before you get your perspective.

For me regardless what camera I use it’s not about the device and you tell me I make a career out of it? Who’s jumping in and started taking photos all of a sudden without starting from the very basic?


I guess some would call it… Just some who wants to be in a bandwagon? As my good friend Mach said you don’t get the skill until you learn from start, that’s what the experts say and I would agree with that. Photography now to me is just second nature and I’m just re-learning my beginnings… Where do you start from here newbie?

There are questions you have to back them up not just show of samples or try to be simple with your random postings in the social media. When you don’t know where you really started. Everyone has their own origins and I got mine good or bad for some who little know personally I’ve been there and back from start.

Special thanks to Canon Philippines and Mr. Aly Reyes for accommodating me and the rest who signed up for the last session for Canon Photoskwela. For more details the next sessions or news about Canon LIKE the official Facebook Page!