Originally from the Philippines, I lived in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Nepal. Exposed to different languages and lifestyles, I immersed myself in various social norms and cultures. In 2001, my work with Young Asia Television in Colombo, Sri Lanka, gave me a new opportunity to approach this cultural immersion. I helped produce television documentaries for international NGOs on issues relating to human rights, sustainable development, environmental conservation as well as cultures and lifestyles in Asia.
It was during my residence in Kathmandu in 2006 that I discovered photography. Poverty had been the central theme, and the bitter winter of Nepal gave it a more profound background. Photographing the local people, their situations and the environment they lived in, I attempted to combine photojournalism and fine art. My work was published in a 4-page spread at B & W Magazine in the fall of 2009. I believe that it is just as important for an image to have a compelling message as it is to be valued for its visual artistry as well.
I have no formal training in photography but hands-on experience. While some photographers strive for technical perfection, my primary focus is composition. I attempt to evoke emotions, to move people and introduce them to something unfamiliar, yet something they can relate to.
In 2007, I moved to California and continued experimenting with complex lighting, textures and various genres both in still and moving photography. In 2011, I had my first solo exhibit at Art Works Downtown in San Rafael. The collection, entitled “Familiar Stranger” highlighted my love for travel portraiture, focusing more specifically on monochrome photography.
My latest collection, “See Through”, a solo photo exhibition made a debut at Art People Gallery in downtown San Francisco. A celebration of beauty in the form of experiments involving digital image layering techniques and transparency elements. The highlight of this series is the four main pieces titled ‘Sun’, ‘Moon’, ‘Stars’ and ‘Clouds’ on which I collaborated with digital artist, Kush Amerasinghe, to interpret common celestial elements using human figures and translucent subject matter. I used my background in photography and video to capture human subtleties through portraiture.
I currently live in San Francisco and an enthusiast in bridging the gap between fine art and technology .
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