A photo album of my father was the only one among the other family albums that remained in one piece. I remember browsing through it during my father’s wake and burial. I was very young when he passed away so I just have a few memories of him, and the pictures, no matter how sad, made him real.
I grew up writing poems, features and news and was active in school papers. If I weren’t a photographer I might have become a writer, since it was my first love.
I took photojournalism 101 in college, and when I was finishing my on-the-job training as a writer at a local newspaper, I went to the chief photographer and volunteered. The photographer gave me a camera and sent me out to shoot. I walked along Manila Bay and found this old man sleeping with his fishing equipment next to a "danger" sign. The next day, it was in the paper with my byline. I was elated and convinced that I wanted to be a photographer.
I get inspiration from the people who matter to me the most, my family and friends.
I respect every colleague I’ve worked with and those whose words of wisdom and life experiences have taught me to develop and become a better photographer.
I would like to grow as someone who not only takes photos and covers events but who has the depth to create meaningful pictures.
Knowing that someone somewhere is touched by the images I capture and demands change for the people in the photograph – that’s the best part of my job. The worst is being on the front line and witnessing tragedy unfolding in people's lives.
