LENSES ARE MY EYES, PHOTOGRAPHY IS MY SOUL
This was me when I was three years old. My father wanted to take a photo of me but I wanted to hold a camera, so he handed me a broken camera as I cried. I never knew that I will hold a camera my whole life. I am Pedrito Ensomo, 59 years old and a photographer for over 45 years. I also own Saglit Lng Digital Imaging, the first ever digital imaging in Palawan. I am a father of 13 children. I also do motocross and I love to hike and travel, see the beauty of the world, see different stories, different faces. I let my camera capture its deepest stories. I’ll give you a rewind. My father is also a photographer. I was 13 years old when I became his assistant during shoots on weddings, Christening and other events. He also taught me how to mix chemicals and colors in developing photo. He taught me how to value an expensive film. He taught me how to capture smiles and freeze moments. However, he died when I was young. So, I continued his legacy. When I was in college, I took up an engineering course in University of Sto. Tomas, but I always visit the building next to us which is the building for Fine Arts. There, I self-studied different shots and angles. When I graduated, I pursued photography. I built a digital Imaging center. It was a risk; my number one enemy was money for the capital. Photography + Passion= Bread and butter Photography has gone beyond passion, it became my other half. It became my family’s bread and butter. The greatest part about it is that it doesn’t feel like a job to me anymore. Photography has become my chum, my treasure, my legacy. It will be a footprint I will leave in this world forever. Photography is not just a photo, it is also a penny on a shot. Some of my photos are sold in a decent amount. Photography can be a tool in sustaining a living but the key to it is passion. However, with the innovation of mobile phones, photography has become accessible. Everyone now can be a photographer with their phones. Enhancement of photos became instant with mobile phones. to this is the demand for community and commercial photographers like us paves it way down the alley. Being a photographer for a very long time and seeing how it transits from black and white to instantly enhanced photos, from films to flick away photos, I get to see and value my profession and passion more. Photography, a freeze of moment We have a group called “Time Freezers”. It is a group of photographers and other artists. True to its name, photography, for me, really has the ability to freeze times, seize moments as it captures smiles, as it captures emotions and stories. I am always amazed by how photography can be a box of memories and stories. It’s like a time traveller. That is why I always describe photograph as something that is timeless. I love taking photos of anything and everything; everything under the sun, beneath the ocean and other more, my camera lets me see the beauty of the world through a flick of it. One reason why I also travel is to capture different faces. I also capture Indigenous People and be amazed by the depth of the culture behind their smiles. I want my photos to be worth a million words; to be more than just a mere picture. I always believe that each photo is different: the sunset today is different from a sunset yesterday. I always believe how photo is truly an art. It taught me how to appreciate the beauty of everything in this world, and appreciate the beauty of even a droplet of water. As a lover of world’s beauty through photography, I also share my wisdom and knowledge to people through seminars, workshops, for other people to see the beauty of the world and capture good times. When Palawan Daily News asked me how long will I be doing photography, I replied, “Hanggat ako ay humihinga.” My advice to those who aspire to be a photographer, know the basic principles of photography. Work hard to know the basics, it is the most vital. Next, get yourself off your bed, get your camera, let the lens be your eyes, flick the capture button and go see the beauty of the world. Practice, practice and practice. Be patient. Let your camera’s lens be your eyes and see the beauty of the world. Seize and freeze the moment. Your camera is always your kaleidoscope, take a look into it and see different shapes, lines, figures and color. Let them be your travel buddy, collect and capture memories with it, let it be your heart. And once again, this is Pedrito Ensomo, a Palaweño photographer, the lenses are my eyes and the camera is my heart, photography is my soul.