DISCLAIMER: Sorry to disappoint Dad, but this is not about the things you taught me. (yeah! my father’s Jim……Agsawa!) *grin* Not that I am, in anyway, ungrateful for all the lessons I’ve learned from you. It’s just that this is some kind of a different lesson (experience) for me. *wink!*

I used to write because I NEED to… until I started to write because I WANT to. Writing for me is a very passionate, intimate way of expressing my feelings, ideas, and experiences. It’s like pouring my heart’s content in every word and sharing a piece of me to whoever reads it.

My first few blogs were never published publicly. I held back because I was afraid that my posts were pertinent only to myself. But reading a lot of articles from the internet now, I realized that no matter how absurd or out of this world your opinions may be, there will always be (at least) one or two individuals who will relate with you.

“Blogging is all about CONTENT” and a good content ensures that readers get something from it. This is the first lesson I learned from Jaime “Jim” Paredes during our Training and Tutorials on Blogging and Producing High Impact Photos. And I couldn’t agree more! As a reader myself, I specially appreciate posts that open my eyes to new things, tickle my critical mind (naks!), and most of all: make me cry, laugh, and perceive life differently.

I want my posts to be like such. I want to make a difference, no matter how minute. I want to leave an imprint to people through my written works. I want to offer a taste of my life’s experiences through my words and photographs. And in doing so, I am incorporating something (or more) personal in my blogs. “The more you share of yourself, the more interesting your blog becomes.” This is the second lesson I learned from Jim Paredes.

Yes, I am a writer. But sometimes, there are feelings and moments that (cliché as it may sound) words cannot describe. Things that are better appreciated when seen. Emotions that only photographs can convey. And part of blogging is sharing some of these with the readers. “A blog must have a high visual appeal” – this is the third lesson I learned from Jim (Paredes). For a blog to be fascinating or reader-friendly, it should contain a lot of pictures.

I have a passion in capturing emotions and depicting experiences through photographs (as I mentioned in one of my previous blogs). Since I was a child, a have a deep appreciation of pictures (NO! absolutely not selfies!). I appreciate how powerful a single photo can be. How it can influence you in ways you can never explain. How it invokes different sensations. And how a single picture can mean differently to different individuals.

It’s not how fancy a photograph is, I believe it is more on the instance or the moment it forever encapsulate. And I want to do that! (Just like my brother who’s a street photographer) I want to take candid events that arouse awareness. Photographs that build curiosity. And photos that create an impact.

Luckily enough, I have the opportunity to hone my knack in capturing emotions through this training on blogging and photography. Which also means that I have yet to learn more from Jim Paredes. (Which also means that…yes! this post has a sequel *wink!*)