December 2014 : The Focus Portrait Project 2014

This year's Focus Portrait Project entries were finally revealed during our Christmas party last December 6. An on-the-spot voting was done to determine the winner. Before we reveal the top photos, here's the gallery of all the entries. For the uninitiated, the Focus Portrait Project is our annual shooting challenge that forms pairs of Focus members by random selection. Each tandem is tasked to photograph one another, with the concept up to their discretion. The portraits that they produce, in turn, will be given to their respective partners as Christmas presents (like an exchange gift), and also serve as entries to our contest. For more info : http://www.focusbulacan.com/schedule/focus-portrait-project-2014

Here are the FPP 2014 entries. To better appreciate the photos, click the thumbnails for the full view :

Julius Calzo by Mark Jayson Cruz

Mark Jayson Cruz by Julius Calzo

Jay Salvador by Melbourne Galvez

Melbourne Galvez by Jay Salvador

Josh Tamayo by Xaxa Torres

Xaxa Torres by Josh Tamayo

Don Almario by Brian Santos

Brian Santos by Don Almario

Jade Tesoro by Alih Viaje

Alih Viaje by Jade Tesoro

Rochelle Acosta by Lheo Halili

Lheo Halili by Rochelle Acosta

Gemmz Robles by Gilbert Fajardo

Gilbert Fajardo by Gemmz Robles

Mark Pascual by Tops Roque

Tops Roque by Mark Pascual

Marlo Bien by Chi Lopez

Chi Lopez by Marlo Bien

Kenneth Calzo by Don Victoria

Don Victoria by Kenneth Calzo

Jer Sandel by Erika Santos

Erika Santos by Jer Sandel

Dennis Santos by Kath Cruz

Kath Cruz by Dennis Santos

Jenice de Jesus by Kat Centeno

Kat Centeno by Jenice de Jesus

May Escol by Noel Crisostomo

Noel Crisostomo by May Escol

Pauline Antonio by Xav Castro

After a two-hour voting period which was done onsite and also made available online for Focus members who were not able to attend the event, using the standard points system of our contests, the winner was known. Here are the top photos of the Focus Portrait Project 2014 :

5th Place : 17 points (7 votes) / Tops Roque as photographed by MARK PASCUAL

4th Place : 18 points (11 votes) / Marlo Bien as photographed by CHI LOPEZ

3rd Place : 23 points (9 votes) / Kenneth Calzo as photographed by DON VICTORIA

2nd Place : 28 points (13 votes) / Chi Lopez as photographed by MARLO BIEN

1st Place : 32 points (14 votes) / Melbourne Galvez as photographed by JAY SALVADOR

Congratulations to our FPP 2014 winner, Jay Salvador! As reward, he gets a Canon PIXMA E510 all-in-one printer while his partner Melbourne Galvez gets a stainless steel Tomato watch.

1st Place gets an extra 10 points, 2nd Place gets 7, 3rd Place gets 5, 4th Place gets 3, and 5th Place gets 2 points for the Photographer Of The Year competition. Participants automatically get 3 points for submitting entries.

Props to everyone who joined. Your efforts and ideas are worth commendation. In the end, there will only be one winner, but all the participants benefited from the challenge in terms of their portrait-shooting execution, concept, styling, and even processing. Aside from the fact that doing the FPP was a great bonding activity with fellow members.

Cheers! We're sure to do this again next year! :)