In conversation with ...... jiro

[Donald]

©Image, Steve (Wirefox)

Name: Willie Bau (jiro)

Location: Texas

CiC: Willie, thanks very much for taking the time to talk to us today.

It's an honour to be interviewed by CiC, Donald. Usually I'm only being interviewed when I am applying for a job. LOL!

Perhaps we can start by you telling us something about your general back-ground. What about your work history – anything interesting?

I'm not sure if it's interesting. I can't seem to stay in one job for a time. During younger days, I earned extra money drawing stuff for others and making T-shirt print designs for kids in our block when the early Japanese cartoons like Voltes V and Mazinger Z are still the hit on TV. I drew these Japanese robots on their T-shirts and they paid me.

During college, I worked as a helper to one of my Engineering Professors, doing the corrections on some post-graduate student papers in electronic math. My first actual job after college was as a copier technician. Loved the experience, learned a lot about actual circuits compared to theory and design in college.

After college I went abroad and worked in Saudi Arabia as an electronics technician. I only stayed there for less than 3 years and then moved back to Manila, Philippines, my hometown.


The most enjoyable job for me was after returning from Saudi Arabia. I got hired as a probationary employee in a speaker design and manufacturing company in Manila. The reason I was hired with a probationary status was that I did not fully qualify for the job I am applying for - a Speaker Design Engineer. LOL! When the president of the company interviewed me, he said "On all points you have no qualifications whatsoever. So, why would I hire you for this job?" The only reply I told him was "I am a fast learner!" Hahaha.

I have no idea what came over me to say that but it worked. He hired me for one month with a condition - he wanted me to work on software that they can't seem to fully utilize in simulating circuit design for speaker crossover circuits.

During that time, everything was done manually. A foreign consultant from Germany designed the circuit and the speaker systems for them. Unfortunately, he was not familiar with the software that came from the U.S. So, for one month all I did was to study with pay! Isn't that great? … Fast forward … So, I was able to operate the simulation software and on my last week of probation and I was able to build a circuit prototype using the software.

The consultant designed a circuit design with 17 components and I made a circuit using 8 components. When we did a side by side subjective listening test on our small acoustic testing room, the performance was something they did not expect... the circuit I designed sounded more "airy" and with clearer midrange. In short - I got hired! I worked for them for 3 years streamlining all the circuit designs and components.

After that, I worked for another company as a marketing guy selling Home Theater Systems equipment. I took the job and was able to travel to different countries looking for products to distribute in Manila. My next job was as a Hi-End Sales Specialist selling expensive audio equipment like the Mark Levinson Amplifiers, Classe tube amps, Eggleston Works Speaker and a lot of esoteric and very expensive audio cables and accessories. This was audio Nirvana for me!

This was also the time that I got really interested in Audio Acoustics. While working with them, I started venturing into Home Theater Systems Room Acoustical Treatment Design, designing audio rooms for 2 channel audio and 5- channel Home Theater Systems.

Later, I decided to quit my job and start up my own small company as a designer/installer. I did everything from 3D-rendering, presentation, cost analysis, product selection, room design, construction, installation, testing and calibration. The pay is not that good since it is on a per project basis (no project, no money), but enough to sustain my family. What more can I ask for? I was installing my dream audio system for my clients and at the same time designing the rooms where this expensive stuff will be installed. Then came the news that my wife got an offer to work here in the U.S. as an R.N. and I have to leave all those hard work behind. It was a sad day for me but I had to make the sacrifice so the family could go together to the U.S.

And what about your family life?

I got married at the age of 28. I am blessed with 3 kids, Kate, who's 13, Bryan, who's 12, and my youngest James, who's 8 right now.

Kate inherited my love for arts. She loves to draw. Bryan got my love for speed and computers. I can't beat this guy in NEED FOR SPEED in any level. LOL! James is the businessman type. He'll try to negotiate everything with you.

I met my wife during college days and I think she got interested in me because I can play the guitar well. Hahaha!

EDITOR'S PICK #1

If you were staying in tonight, what would you choose as one of your favourite books and/or films to keep you entertained, and what you be having as a favourite meal?

I have 2 books I am reading right now. One is "The Sayings of Zhuang Zi - The Music of Nature" by Tsai Chih Chung, a Chinese Zen book. The other book is David DuChemins' "Vision and Voice - Refining your Vision in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom." For film, I always want to watch "The Notebook" again or maybe "The Adjustment Bureau." It is a twisty movie but I like the plot a lot.

As for food, I can eat anything. I do love to cook (though they are very simple dishes) but I seem to have preference for Chinese food. Whenever I read something I just want to have a nice hot cup of coffee with me. I think I consume an average of 5 cups a day!

OK, photography is a given, but what about other hobbies or personal interests?

I don't usually stay that much in a hobby. I'm more into learning and then when I have learned the basics I tend to move along and learn a new one. However, there are some hobbies that tend to stick with me through these years. One is music. I love to play the guitar. I used to play competitive table tennis and darts. I was also into target shooting prior to photography. I recently sold some of my airguns stuff to buy my first DSLR. This was in November, 2010. I bought a Nikon D70 off eBay and that was the start of it.

Oh, before I forgot, I always love to read books on anything that catches my interest.

Let's get on to photography - how long have you been a photographer, and what got you interested in the first place?

I got my first exposure to photography during my college days. A friend has a kid's birthday party. The photographer did not come. He gave me his Canon A1 and told me just to take pictures of them. That was really a very funny. All I did was to put their faces in the center and click the shutter button.

When the shots came out he said "Hey buddy, you did OK." It did not happen again until after I got married. I bought myself a Nikon F70D with a lens kit. I bought it so I can take pictures of my first baby and the family. I joined a camera club hoping that I can learn something but I felt alienated. Maybe because my knowledge was so immature compared to what they can do with a camera. These guys had the latest and the best lenses that you could buy at that time. I guess I picked the wrong club to join.

Taking pictures of my family is what got me into photography.

What type of photography are you interested in, and why?

This is a hard question. I am still learning and new to photography so I'm still trying to find my niche. Maybe, due to my upbringing, I tend to be attached to anything that deals with the human emotion. If something shows an idea about loneliness or solitude I tend to try to convey that feeling on some of my shots. Lately, I seem to like shooting people and capturing their unguarded moments. I also love still life.

Any particular photographic influences?

Ansel Adams was a definite influence, not on the style but on his perspective on photography. I would equate him with Andres Segovia, a famous classical guitarist. The thing that he and Ansel Adam share is their same idea that life should be an explosion of freedom. A freedom that makes you, you. Not another Ansel Adams, but you.

Of course as a newbie, the easiest way to learn is to imitate others. But once you grasp where your image is leading you, you will move from imitating to evolving … to become you.

Another influence would be David DuChemin. I like his idea - developing your vision. There is something unusual about his work. His work will not shock you like the NG photographers does but his work has that special personal feel in it.

Developing your vision, sounds very unique to me. Not imitating, but developing your own.

Another major influence would be Henri Cartier Bresson. His photo-journalistic style is really something. I wish I could really learn how to master my lens and camera and take shots like him (sort of).

What do you hope to achieve through your photography - or what have you achieved already?

I don't know, literally. Right now, I am simply enjoying it to the point that I can express myself as I am on my images. Maybe, in a more intimate way, I just want to find out what my style would be and then probably be able to share it with others as well. I guess that's the reason why I tend to actively participate in every discussion here at CiC because I love to learn from other people as well.

EDITOR'S PICK #2

What you think of CiC? Any way it could be improved? Where should it go from here, in your opinion?

I think what makes CiC unique as a forum is the air of humbleness and open-mindedness that most members have. And of course the humor! The idea of the mini-comps is really great.

Where should it go from here? Hmmnnn... I am very enthusiastic about the idea of featuring a certain post-processing technique that some members are interested in and then doing a feature on that. More like the tutorial thing done by Sean but involves post-processing. An example would be dodging and burning. Much has been said about it, but what the heck is it really?

Lastly, to create some common ground, maybe CiC ccould create a monthly challenge, but with a definite subject. If it is landscape, then all entries would be landscape. If it is floral, then floral it is. It's a bit hard for me to select 3 bests among 10 entries from varied subjects. The emotion is too mixed for me. In the end, when I pick my top 3 in our mini-comps I tend to favor those that really excel in their post-processing and photographic skills. Why? Because for me that's the only way to push yourself to work harder on your image. It's not enough to simply have a good subject. You really have to work on your composition and contrast and everything.

Getting more personal if you don't mind...what keeps you awake at night, apart from Photoshop?

Books, books and books! Just kidding. I usually joggle between learning some more about Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3.4 and reading Philosophy and other Photography books.

I have to ask this…. What photographic gear do you own, and what software do you use for editing?

I have a used Nikon D70, an 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 lens, a 50mm f1.8D lens, a reversing ring, a homemade gray card, a $2 tripod from a garage sale, and 2 batteries. I have accumulated a lot of software over the years. I have Photoshop CS5, Photoshop Lightroom 3.4, Nik Software Silver Efex Pro 1.0, Vivesa, and Color Efex Pro 1.0. I also use Alien Skin Bokeh 1.0, Topaz Labs Denoise, ReMask.

Right now I really enjoy using Lightroom a lot. Most of my recent works are all being done solely on Lightroom.

It’s a tough one to answer, but how would you rate your photographic skills and ability?

On a scale of 1 to 10, maybe a 5.

What will the digital camera be like in 2020? And will you still own one?

I would like the digital camera of the future to have the ability to focus the camera by simply using the movement of the eyes while looking at the viewfinder! No more setting of the autofocus areas, no more fiddling with the control points. When your eye moves to look at the main subject the focus points follow along. How cool is that! Of course, I will still buy one, if my pocket can afford it.

Are you in a position to help or encourage others in their photography?

I hope so. I'd say being a newbie in photography and slowly learning, I would love to see others branching out of their shell and do the same. You can't learn anything without trying. Take some guts and ask questions. Soon, there would be some good guys here that will help us out.

Another tough one for you…do you consider photography to be art?

Photography is always an art for me. Aside from music, photography is the most influential medium right now to show yourself to the world.

How do you feel about having your own shot taken?

Uncomfortable. LOL!

What single piece of advice do you think is most useful to someone starting out with photography?

Keep an open mind, without restricting yourself to any possibilities. If you want to learn, find out first what you do not know. Find out your weaknesses. Take the time to learn your camera's features. If not start from there before being overwhelmed by the works of others. Try to have a grasp of what the 3 variables of exposure can do to help you get good photographs. Composition, learn to be aware of how you are framing and putting your main subject in the viewfinder before you click that shutter button. Things like that.

Can we see two of your shots that mean something special to you, and could you explain why.

Shot 1: The Lonely Chair

What made this shot very special to me is that this shot opened my eyes to collaboration. Before joining CiC, I became a member of another forum. When I submitted the first iteration of this shot, it was very rough and crude. Then somebody from that forum commented and it opened my eyes about composition. Then others came along until such time that minute changes in the image resulted on my last work that is exactly how I want to show it. I can't do it all by myself without the help of these guys.


Shot 2: Devotion

I was really lucky to get this shot. This is a one shot deal. What made this so special to me is the way that a loved one stays with you even if others finds you without use any more. I think the guy has some stroke causing his legs to be paralyzed and unable to walk. He can still feel but can't walk any more. What moved me literally is the devotion of the wife.

Finally, can you give us one interesting/weird/silly thing about you that we probably don’t know?

The first song that I composed won a consolation prize on a radio show. They only need 13 songs for the album and mine came 14th! In the end, they let us record the song and played it on the radio even if it did not make it on the album.

That's all we have time for, Willie. Thank you for taking the time to talk to CiC.

Thank you, too.

Thank you. It is my privilege to be a part of this great learning community in CiC. I am looking forward to learn more from you guys as well and luckily I could also share some of my knowledge to you all in the future.



Click here to access all previous interviews in this series

[rob marshall]

That's another contented, happy-sounding, at relative peace with the world, sorted guy. And why not! Good on you, Jiro, and a very interesting read.

PS: you forgot to mention your burger addiction...

[jiro]

That's another contented, happy-sounding, at relative peace with the world, sorted guy. And why not! Good on you, Jiro, and a very interesting read.

PS: you forgot to mention your burger addiction...

Thanks, Rob.

P.S. I'm more into eating Tofu nowadays! Loved it fried and dipped in vinegar with hot chili in it. Hahaha!

[jeeperman]

Good read Willie! I am always fascinated by what drives individuals and how who they are comes out in their photos. Humble, intelligent and as said above....at peace. I would say, your photos....both quality, artistically and technically are far better than your short time in photography would suggest. It sounds as if threw you work history it has been a case of the young apprentice...quickly becomes the teacher. I think your photographic and PP ability is headed the same direction. Well done.

[abhi]

Very nice read, Jiro. It is remarkable what you have achieved in about 6 months

P.S. I'm more into eating Tofu nowadays! Loved it fried and dipped in vinegar with hot chili in it. Hahaha!

I miss claypot tofu

[absurd21]

It's good to read people's life especially when it's a success.

Very inspiring!




P.S. Glad to know that Manila is your Hometown...

[ilovelucydog]

Thanks, Jiro! I loved reading about you!

[ktuli]

I always read these 'In conversation with...' threads and never know what to post as a response... Half the time, my impulse is to post "It is nice to meet you!" but that just seems corny.

I can say that I wasn't overly surprised by anything here though, Willie. Your abilities with PP certainly speaks to your technical abilities from your engineering background, and your artistic abilities and your thoughtful/insightful responses speak to your interest in philosophy.

I do have one question though...

Unfortunately, he was not familiar with the software that came from the U.S. So, for one month all I did was to study with pay! Isn't that great? … Fast forward … So, I was able to operate the simulation software and on my last week of probation and I was able to build a circuit prototype using the software.

Do you happen to remember the name of that software? It wouldn't have happened to be one of the Cadence tools or even more specifically, one of the Neolinear tools (Neocell, Neocircuit)?

- Bill

[jiro]

Good read Willie! I am always fascinated by what drives individuals and how who they are comes out in their photos. Humble, intelligent and as said above....at peace. I would say, your photos....both quality, artistically and technically are far better than your short time in photography would suggest. It sounds as if threw you work history it has been a case of the young apprentice...quickly becomes the teacher. I think your photographic and PP ability is headed the same direction. Well done.

Thank you so much for the warm comment, Paul.

[jiro]

Very nice read, Jiro. It is remarkable what you have achieved in about 6 months

Thanks, Abhi. I'm still in the process of learning, and still has a long way to go.

[jiro]

It's good to read people's life especially when it's a success.

Very inspiring!

P.S. Glad to know that Manila is your Hometown...

I don't consider myself a success when it comes to financial stability, Leo. On a personal level, I would consider myself privileged and honored to have met some of the most wonderful individuals I know that shaped my philosophy and outlook in life.

I am happy that in some ways you find my life's journey inspirational. Yes, I'm from Manila as you do.

[jiro]

Thanks, Jiro! I loved reading about you!

Thank you so much, Mary.

[Wirefox]

An absorbing read Jiro. Its good to know some of the things that make others on CiC tick. I often think it explains a lot about their photographs. You sound like a very chilled person and I think that comes through in your images. I can't image ever seeing an angry image from you. I think you have converted the chill into your photography wonderfully. me, I want to get anger into mine....not too successful yet though

[jiro]

[QUOTE=ktuli;113225]

I always read these 'In conversation with...' threads and never know what to post as a response... Half the time, my impulse is to post "It is nice to meet you!" but that just seems corny.

I can say that I wasn't overly surprised by anything here though, Willie. Your abilities with PP certainly speaks to your technical abilities from your engineering background, and your artistic abilities and your thoughtful/insightful responses speak to your interest in philosophy.

Thanks, Bill.

I do have one question though...
Do you happen to remember the name of that software? It wouldn't have happened to be one of the Cadence tools or even more specifically, one of the Neolinear tools (Neocell, Neocircuit)?

- Bill

Yeah, of course I still remember it. How can I forget? That's the best job that I could possibly think of so far. Time simply passes by on me when I was designing circuits and making my own speaker systems for the company. It was a very expensive piece of software back then. Only the top speaker manufacturers in the U.S. uses them in the early 90's because at that time computers are also way expensive (though we are still using the early, early version of Microsoft Windows). The first software/hardware combo was called LMS or "Loudspeaker Measurement System" made by LinearX. It is, as the name of the product implies, a type of system that you can connect to a windows based computer to measure the electro-mechanical parameters of a raw drivers outside and inside a loudspeaker enclosure system. We use it to know how the voice-coil design that we're doing affects the Thiele-Small parameters we need to achieve the criteria provided by the German Speaker Designer Consultant that we have. He gives us the parameters and then we tweak the physical variables of a speaker to meet his criteria. Later on, after office hours, the president of the company allows me to stay for 2 more hours alone at the Engineering Lab doing a lot of experimentation and logging them on my notebook to understand how all these parameters relate to each other. It was really an eye-opener for me. First time I realized that a speaker system is really a closed system - You change one variable on the physical side (like changing the weight of the cone of the speaker) and then watch the electrical variables react accordingly to the changes. Unbelievable!

The next software was the L.E.A.P. - short for "Loudspeaker Enclosure Analysis Program". It is a hard-key type of a software system meaning you cannot operate it without the hard-key attached between the printer, and the computer. There's no way anyone at that time can pirated or hack a copy due to this hardware key. Pretty clever, huh. This is the simulation software that I fondly use to design the circuits. You enter all the data of the raw speaker driver you designed based on the LMS data and you tell this software what you want to do.

Let's say you want a cross-over system that would use a 4th order Linkwitz-Riley circuit design so that the phase would not rotate 180 degrees out of phase to each other on the cross-over point. The software can do that for you. The speed will now depend on your CPU and RAM capacity. One simple 2-way cross-over design can take us about 30 - 75 minutes before the system can print the resultant circuit component values! I think this was the time that I got hooked to drinking a lot of black coffees! Hahaha! What made this software so versatile was that any minute changes on the capacitor, resistor, and inductor values would affect the overall accuracy of the simulation process. This is where our German consultant was scratching his head a lot. What takes him weeks to design the circuits needed, LEAP can do the number calculations and iterations in less than a day! The only catch is... if you know where and at what component values to start! Enter a vague or very far capacitor value and the software can take 2 days to simulate the output for you. When the president of the company bought this during his US trip, the users manual for the 2 system was about a FOOT thick! Imagine me reading all of those in one month and trying to understand all of it. Hehehe. I miss those times.

[jiro]

An absorbing read Jiro. Its good to know some of the things that make others on CiC tick. I often think it explains a lot about their photographs. You sound like a very chilled person and I think that comes through in your images. I can't image ever seeing an angry image from you. I think you have converted the chill into your photography wonderfully. me, I want to get anger into mine....not too successful yet though

Thanks, Steve. Sometimes its better to be "cool". Hehehe. I can probably do some grungy type of images, too. I just don't have any models yet to pose for me. Hahaha!

[Donald]

Yeah, of course I still remember it. How can I forget?

I understood that bit. After that .........!!!!!

[ktuli]

Thanks for the additional background info there, Willie.

Honestly, a lot of it went right over my head! The Neolinear tools I mentioned were more modern than what you were working on, and weren't meant specific for speaker circuit design.

So I don't see it in the original "interview" - what are you doing for work these days? Are you still in the speaker/audio field?

- Bill

[Katy Noelle]

It's great to hear you "let your hair down" and just talk.(Isn't your hair short in 'real life', though?) I've wondered, before, if you're from the US and, also, how you know all those phrases in different languages. You've been around! And, as always, it's edifying to hear your views on life. Thanks for sharing yourself with us!

[jiro]

I understood that bit. After that .........!!!!!

You're really funny sometimes, Donald. Hehehe, and that's a good thing in life. Cheers.

[jiro]

Thanks for the additional background info there, Willie.

Honestly, a lot of it went right over my head! The Neolinear tools I mentioned were more modern than what you were working on, and weren't meant specific for speaker circuit design.

So I don't see it in the original "interview" - what are you doing for work these days? Are you still in the speaker/audio field?

- Bill

Well, a bit embarrassed to say... I'm a full time home dad, taking care of the 3 kids who goes to different schools for now. I wish I could go back to the audio business again. I missed all the fun designing an audio room from the ground up starting from the design of the room to actually building it with about 2 - 3 construction groups under your command.