At the risk of sounding exagerrated, i think i just talked to a butterfly at the Botanical Garden of UST.


I needed mother nature shots for an MTV we're doing for an awards night. Our director lent me his camera and it was put to good use. I was a mediocre cameraman but my subject proved to be a superstar.


After shooting doves in cages and carps in the fishpond and turtles in their homes, i felt like a rejected National Geographic videographer. I am more like a wannabee filmmaker doing a highschool VHS project.


I need some challenge. I need an exclusive shot of something. I need to have some sort of a breaking story to push my career in handling the camera. So I tried to chase bees and dragonflies and some unknown lamok with my camera but to no avail.

They're like Sharon Cuneta and Kris Aquino who wouldn't want to be associated with a newbie documenatrist like me. Kung ayaw mo wag mo. That was my comfort consolation under pressure.

Then suddenly, i saw this beautiful butterfly. I actually pleaded for the butterfly to stay still so i can shoot her. And she did. Wow. The butterfly was a supermodel who knew the trades of posing for the camera. I was like a photographer who kept on pleasing the model with words like 'good' 'project'.


The butterfly did what she had to do, spread her colorful wings, go from flower to flower and get some pollens, close her wings to display her sideview design, flutter about with the flowers. I caught it on camera in full 6 minutes.

My boss texted that she liked the mats I gave. She even asked from what show I borrowed the videos.

Well...we have a Cindy Crawford in the house.

Lesson learned: Do not chase love. Love will come to you beautifully. Naks!


And for my case it was a 6-minute love affair.