Various colleges’ student photogs teach in 'Oh, Shoot!'
Rose Marie G. Barroga
The Journalese
“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” ― Henri Cartier Bresson
So shared Carlos Benedick Arcayan, Photography Director of the Flame, to Journalism students in "Oh Shoot!: The 1st Photography Seminar for Students, by the Students."
Arcayan lectured on street photography and described the field as “visions of truth in terms of the normal sight.”
“Parang nandiyan siya sa labas pero hindi napapansin ng tao. Kasi ang trabaho ng street photographer, ipapakita mo sa kanila yung nangyayari at gagawin mo siyang kakaiba through your camera,” he said. “May mga pangyayaring normal na pwede mong gawing abnormal,” he teasingly quipped.
Accomplished blogger and photographer Iñigo Giosetti also graced the seminar. He taught portraiture and the basics to the specifics.
Giosetti, who worked for Folded & Hung, Zoo, and Team Manila, also gave tips on how to deal with models and professionals. He also shared his photography secrets and demonstrated how to achieve effects in photographs.
What started as a hobby became something he is passionate about today. “I got into photography because my
parents got me a Sony Alpha DSLR, and then I started playing around with it. I liked it a lot. Eventually, I kept on doing portraits,” he said.
However, the UST Journalism Society, which held the event last September 29 at the AB Lecture Hall, chose to invite more student photographers than professional ones as speakers.
“Sobrang nakakatuwa yung experience. Marami akong natutunan. Sana may mga sumunod pa na ganito,” sophomore Journalism student Christine Anne Paguirigan said.
Dyan Sheryl Carolino, a junior Journalism student said, “Maganda kasi mas naiintindihan mo dahil estudyante lang din sila. Alam mo na ka-level mo, kahit mas magaling sila. So, effective ito.”
Grace De Jesus, the Creative Director for promotion of Fotomasino, the official photography organization of
the University of Santo Tomas, shared her creative shots as well.
But not all speakers are from the University of Santo Tomas. Students from different universities also gave lectures.
The initiator of the forum, Yla Corotan from De La Salle College of St. Benilde, narrated some of her experiences as a fashion photographer.
Jude Valderrama, a photographer of neigboring Far Eastern University’s Advocate, gave tips on sports photography. He also handed his fellow students tips on covering sports events while he showed his best shots.
The speakers also told the students that the eye for occurrences and the courage to take a shot of those scenes, are significant things to remember.
“Expect the unexpected. Dapat laging nakatutok sa nangyayari. Kung may away, mas maganda kung makukuha mo,” Valderrama said, stressing they should never miss the decisive moments.
In photography, the decisive moment is that which a photographer must learn to recognize fast and capture.
The term was coined by Bresson, a French painter who turned photographer. He is now renowned as
the Father of Modern Photojournalism.
“Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever,” Bresson, who also developed street photography, said during his career.
“There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative,” he said.
Meanwhile, Arcayan challenged aspiring photographers to take risks, especially in street photography. “Isa ito sa mga controversial na form ng photography kasi maraming naiinis minsan. Kailangan mo maging matapang para makakuha ng magandang litrato. Walang mangyayari kung hindi ka magta-try,” he said.
Corotan, also the photo editor of The Benildean, encouraged the students to make use of their resources and capitalize on what they can do.
“Kung gusto mo talagang pumasok sa industry ng fashion photography, kahit wala na yung equipment at connections. Basta may skills ka lang,” she said and added, “Meron ka namang mga kaibigan na pwedeng mag-model para sayo. Kapag may skills ka at exposure, may mga lalapit at lalapit talaga.”
"Buy a camera, go outside your house, and start taking pictures. There is nothing better than real life experiences. Go to fashion events, talk to bloggers, talk to photographers. Get experience and sooner or later you’ll find your niche, what kind of photography you really like doing, and then you can concentrate on that,” Giosetti said. J
The Journalese
“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” ― Henri Cartier Bresson
So shared Carlos Benedick Arcayan, Photography Director of the Flame, to Journalism students in "Oh Shoot!: The 1st Photography Seminar for Students, by the Students."
Arcayan lectured on street photography and described the field as “visions of truth in terms of the normal sight.”
“Parang nandiyan siya sa labas pero hindi napapansin ng tao. Kasi ang trabaho ng street photographer, ipapakita mo sa kanila yung nangyayari at gagawin mo siyang kakaiba through your camera,” he said. “May mga pangyayaring normal na pwede mong gawing abnormal,” he teasingly quipped.
Accomplished blogger and photographer Iñigo Giosetti also graced the seminar. He taught portraiture and the basics to the specifics.
Giosetti, who worked for Folded & Hung, Zoo, and Team Manila, also gave tips on how to deal with models and professionals. He also shared his photography secrets and demonstrated how to achieve effects in photographs.
What started as a hobby became something he is passionate about today. “I got into photography because my
parents got me a Sony Alpha DSLR, and then I started playing around with it. I liked it a lot. Eventually, I kept on doing portraits,” he said.
However, the UST Journalism Society, which held the event last September 29 at the AB Lecture Hall, chose to invite more student photographers than professional ones as speakers.
“Sobrang nakakatuwa yung experience. Marami akong natutunan. Sana may mga sumunod pa na ganito,” sophomore Journalism student Christine Anne Paguirigan said.
Dyan Sheryl Carolino, a junior Journalism student said, “Maganda kasi mas naiintindihan mo dahil estudyante lang din sila. Alam mo na ka-level mo, kahit mas magaling sila. So, effective ito.”
Grace De Jesus, the Creative Director for promotion of Fotomasino, the official photography organization of
the University of Santo Tomas, shared her creative shots as well.
But not all speakers are from the University of Santo Tomas. Students from different universities also gave lectures.
The initiator of the forum, Yla Corotan from De La Salle College of St. Benilde, narrated some of her experiences as a fashion photographer.
Jude Valderrama, a photographer of neigboring Far Eastern University’s Advocate, gave tips on sports photography. He also handed his fellow students tips on covering sports events while he showed his best shots.
The speakers also told the students that the eye for occurrences and the courage to take a shot of those scenes, are significant things to remember.
“Expect the unexpected. Dapat laging nakatutok sa nangyayari. Kung may away, mas maganda kung makukuha mo,” Valderrama said, stressing they should never miss the decisive moments.
In photography, the decisive moment is that which a photographer must learn to recognize fast and capture.
The term was coined by Bresson, a French painter who turned photographer. He is now renowned as
the Father of Modern Photojournalism.
“Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever,” Bresson, who also developed street photography, said during his career.
“There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative,” he said.
Meanwhile, Arcayan challenged aspiring photographers to take risks, especially in street photography. “Isa ito sa mga controversial na form ng photography kasi maraming naiinis minsan. Kailangan mo maging matapang para makakuha ng magandang litrato. Walang mangyayari kung hindi ka magta-try,” he said.
Corotan, also the photo editor of The Benildean, encouraged the students to make use of their resources and capitalize on what they can do.
“Kung gusto mo talagang pumasok sa industry ng fashion photography, kahit wala na yung equipment at connections. Basta may skills ka lang,” she said and added, “Meron ka namang mga kaibigan na pwedeng mag-model para sayo. Kapag may skills ka at exposure, may mga lalapit at lalapit talaga.”
"Buy a camera, go outside your house, and start taking pictures. There is nothing better than real life experiences. Go to fashion events, talk to bloggers, talk to photographers. Get experience and sooner or later you’ll find your niche, what kind of photography you really like doing, and then you can concentrate on that,” Giosetti said. J