Fashion photography

Albert Pedrosa
Photo mania

EARLY last month, I attended the Christmas party of the Philippine Center for Creative Imaging (PCCI). Officially, it was also my introduction as one of the faculty members teaching Fashion Photography. There, I met icons in photography such as Mike Floro, Rommel Bundalian, and Jijo De Guzman, to name a few.

We didn’t discuss anything photography that night, but it only sh

ows that these photography heavyweights are already at the level that they don’t have to prove anything anymore. To be with the greats makes you feel one of them as well, but I know for sure that there’s so much to prove in my end than theirs.

My love for fashion photography has brought me to many situations that I never planned for. I wanted to be an engineer during my adolescent years and later decided to take on graphic design. I spent most of my career managing companies, but it was seven years ago when I decided to go back to photography and it was fashion photography that made me realize what I really wanted to do for life.

Like in any other genre in photography, much experience is necessary to at least gain an acceptable level of skills. It’s one-half photography and the other half is the type of genre you want to shoot. Along your journey, you will discover your learning curves and get a picture of what the genre is all about. This is when it gets complicated and confusing.

At this point, your love for a particular genre will push you to go through the difficult times and pursue your passion. The stages are unclear. There is no end point, just another set of environment for you to exist and deal with. In photography, there is no start and end, just the continuous shuffle of challenges thrown at you especially in times when you doubt yourself the most.

To be able to express myself and define my art through fashion photography is a huge part of who I am. It may not always be decorated with euphoric moments, but it is what keeps me hooked in this type of photography. When the desire becomes a passion, you’ll know that it is the direction that you’re headed.

Because life is all about the beautiful things around you, photography allows you to express your experience and what you see. It is an outlet of your imagination. It allows you to capture it and share it. Keep on shooting, everyone!

photomania.sunstar@gmail.com