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Keeping the Passion Alive

sneha — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 06:39:35 +0000

Keeping the Passion Alive

sneha Tue, 08/23/2022 - 12:09

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Many photographers saw their careers coming to a pause in recent years, but Nguyen Thanh Tung, a photographer from Vietnam, was able to navigate the challenge and kept his burning passion for photography through it all.

Hailing from Ho Chi Minh, Nguyen Thanh Tung spent most of his childhood in the countryside in his mother’s hometown in Rach Gia city in the Kien Gian province. His interest in photography stemmed from his time in university, and after graduation, he worked as a photographer for newspapers and magazines in Ho Chi Minh city. He was eventually hired by The Saigon Times and became one of their key photojournalists.

Alpha 7R III | FE 200-600mm F5.6 G OSS | 256mm | F5.6 | 1/250sec | ISO 500

In his spare time, he conducted professional photography training courses for young photographers, which further established his reputation in the photography community.

For Thanh Tung, photography is a special profession that requires one to take the first step into the world, absorb the sights and experiences, and be inspired creatively. "In the last 2 years, everything stopped. I could barely do anything, but I had never intended to stop or give up my passion. It was a time of unexpected upheaval and unprecedented experiences for many. I have faced constraints and limitations such as distance, frustrations and difficult times, but I know I will eventually get through them”.

Alpha 9 II | FE 85mm F1.4 GM | F1.4 | 1/250sec | ISO 160

Like the rest of us, the sudden pandemic-enforced isolation was tough on Thanh Tung. “Being constantly at home often made me feel useless. I could not let negativity fester forever, so I started occupying my mind with things like exercising, cleaning, growing plants on the balcony, taking care of the children and even watching movies to cope." On top of that, he also kept a habit of taking notes and commonplace photos of daily life from food, potted plants, and children reading books.

Eventually, everything became a subject for his photography. Photo-taking became a daily activity, which Thanh Tung shares on Facebook and with his circle of friends to endure the long days. To keep the negativities at bay, he would occupy himself by watching and learning from other photographers on YouTube.

RX10 II | 1/320sec | ISO 200

There are difficult days, but Thanh Tung discovered that by doing the little things, he is able to keep his passion aflame. "It is about observing, paying attention and staying sensitive to your surroundings. Creativity is all around us, happening in every moment. It is our role to witness and record them. This offers us perspective and an appreciation for things, which in turn motivates us to keep working. Passion is not doing it because you like it but having a goal and purpose for the work ⎯ be it from a short-term or long-term goal. Setbacks might slow me down; but eventually, I will achieve the outcome I set out for my photography projects," said an enthusiastic Thanh Tung.

No matter what challenges are thrown at him in his daily life, he soldiers on as work, to him, never ends. If he cannot work on compositions, he will pivot to other things such as building his portfolio, organising photos, or even managing his business' stock photos.

Although he remains as steadfast as ever, the lessons in the last few years are still fresh in his mind. Having learned from peers and drawing from years of professional experience, he is still as keen as ever to share his knowledge with others.

Alpha 7R II | FE 70-200mm F4 G | 70mm | F11 | 1/200sec | ISO 100

"Consider photography as a passion and hobby before turning it into a career. You should understand it well and equip yourself with knowledge and adapt to it according to your own abilities and capacity. Patience is what results in great work, and all it takes is the willingness to take photos of things happening around you every day," said Thanh Tung.

Upon reflection and with the world slowly opening up again, he has found life and health more precious than anything else. "To appreciate life, slow down, and live every day to the fullest is what I intend to do. I hope to travel to new places and record new experiences, as well as finish the projects I have placed on hold. I have two projects I am razor-focused on this year, and I plan to exhibit my "Wild Life In The City" and "Saigon Yesterday" soon," added a hopeful Thanh Tung.

Today, Thanh Tung is looking forward to sharing Vietnamese life through his photography. “I am excited to work on new projects on Vietnamese traditional culture, craft, villages and festivals soon, and I hope these projects – with their more graceful, meditative and simple tone – can help many find joy again after the hardships of the last couple of years,” he added.

For Thanh Tung, genuine emotions create masterpieces. He believes that a photograph should naturally capture the personality of the photographer.

Alpha 7 III | FE 70-200mm | 194mm | F16 | 4sec | ISO 100

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From Newborns to Photojournalism – Finding Purpose in Photography

sneha — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 10:03:46 +0000

From Newborns to Photojournalism – Finding Purpose in Photography

sneha Wed, 06/01/2022 - 15:33

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As one of the most renowned and highly awarded photographers with more than 20 years of experience, Pilar Trigo Bonnin from the Philippines is renowned for her expertise in weddings, portraits, fashion and even newborn photography. Pilar was the only Filipino photographer that tutored under the wing of the late Monte Zucker, a legendary name in Classical Portraiture and Lighting. As a result, Pilar worked with some of the biggest brands and names in the industry, with occasional involvement in her own workshops, teaching others to pick up the passion.

Alpha 7R IV | FE 85mm F1.4 GM | 1/100 sec | F6.3 | ISO 50

Capturing Innocence

When Pilar’s first child was born 21 years ago, it became Pilar’s first venture into newborn photography. This continued with her second son, and through the year, she extended this venture by capturing the first year of life of her children and the children of friends and family members. When her goddaughter, Anika, was born in December 2020, Pilar and her camera fell in love with newborn photography all over again, capturing Anika’s childlike innocence and newfound curiosity.

A mother first, and a photographer second, Pilar says that newborn photography requires a lot of patience. “One must learn how to handle babies or hire someone who can do so. It is important to keep lighting as simple as possible, and not too garish. There are times when the babies will not cooperate, so it is always best to make a judgment call when to end the shoot,” said Pilar.

Alpha 7R IV | FE 85mm F1.4 GM | 1/10 sec | F1.6 | ISO 400

Newborn photography is not new to Pilar, yet it is something that she finds a challenge even to seasoned photographers. “Photographing newborn babies can be onerous. Ideally, you want to photograph them within the first 14 days of birth, and make sure the room temperature is sufficiently warm. There are certain techniques to handle and pose babies, and some babies are overly sensitive to environmental stimulation, while others sleep soundly throughout the session. It is best to allocate about 2 hours for each session, as they will require feeding, nappy changes and coaxing them to sleep for poses,” added Pilar.

Alpha 7R IV | FE 85mm F1.4 GM | 1/200 sec | F1.8 | ISO 250

Pilar found herself coming over often to meet and document Anika’s monthly growth through portraiture. Come Christmas 2021, Pilar handed over an album book with all the photos as a gift to the family. Throughout the pandemic, Anika was Pilar’s muse to keep her creative side blooming, and as alive as ever.

Powering Through Lockdowns

Despite finding relief from Anika, Pilar found her portrait photography career affected when the Philippines started locking down in March 2020. “As a portrait photographer, you need to have a direct rapport with your subject, being able to pose their best angles, and adjusting their appearance. I like using the FE 85mm F1.4 GM or FE 135mm F1.8 GM lenses as they let me take breath-taking and beautiful portraits. However, over the last two years, people were afraid of catching a disease from close contacts, so I had to pivot to jobs that were more commercial and advertising in nature,” added Pilar.

“Many photographers found their careers disrupted. While temporary, it mattered even more to stay healthy and sound in mind and spirit. Fortunately, there is always a glimmer of hope, and I found it in my humanitarian work on the island of Siargao,” Pilar added.

Photojournalism, Photography with Purpose

Her work in Siargao was in fact a tragedy turned opportunity. When a category five storm hit her trip to Siargao in December 2021, winds at speeds of 300km per hour completely ravaged 90 percent of the island. Surviving the ordeal, Pilar came face-to-face with the loss of utilities – cellular coverage, electricity and water; necessities that she felt many have taken for granted. Affected by the devastation to the island and the suffering of the people, Pilar decided to prolong her stay to help with relief efforts, while photographing the humans of Siargao in the crisis.

“I took a step away from my career as a photographer and embraced purpose in my photography. I was motivated to help, and formed a team called Rise Siargao. With the aid of donors, volunteers, resilient locals and the private sector, we helped the less privileged citizens of the island, provided filtered water, solar lights and helped the island rebuilt their homes,” she said.

With her trusty Alpha 7R IV camera and FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM lens, Pilar tells the story of the calamity through her lens. The images were shared on social media, with the intention of raising funds to further help in her cause. Through her Siargao images, she was inspired to bring hope, compassion, kindness and love to her fellow man. Her work served as a candle in the dark, shining a torch on the devastation in Siargao, and thus bringing light through donations and humanitarian efforts.

Moving Purposefully Forward

With all the good she did for the island, Pilar expressed her love and priority for her family. Missing her two sons when off on her humanitarian mission, she is grateful for their patience and understanding to help the less fortunate. Like everyone else, she is also hopeful that the fear of diseases will be lifted, and society will resume back where it left off. Keen on putting her creative juices to work, she’s even more excited for people to connect, trust and have their portraits taken again.

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