I realized I had the privilege of witnessing many photographers and how they work. Specific details might be wrong but take this as my testimony. This is coming from a place of admiration. These are my first-hand accounts and I’m writing them as a way for me to remember how each of them use the medium.

Edwin Tuyay

Where: Bohol 

What: Street photographs and portraits (Corporate book project for a bank)

When: 2012

Street photography has always been about capturing moments. Observing Edwin Tuyay challenged that notion for me. I’ve seen amateurs move as if they are on the hunt. But for Edwin, he was basking in everything. 

I was the account executive at the time and he was the assigned photographer for a book project based in Bohol. Every destination we go to, he approaches it with joy and curiosity. I remember him conversing with everyone he met. He was asking about their job, their town, what they found interesting, and anything else. My favorite question of his is when he asks what they are most proud of. It was coming from a place of genuine interest in another human being.

In sittings, his way of conversing is not interrogative. He finds a way to disarm his subjects by finding what makes them laugh. He doesn’t seem like an authority or intimidating. He is being himself. When all else fails he makes them mirror his pose but he exaggerates it to the point that it makes the person laugh. Portraits are about power dynamics. Allowing himself to be vulnerable, makes the people feel like themselves. No wonder presidents from Cory, Erap, Duterte, and the biggest business people were comfortable to have their photographs taken by him. They feel he gives up the power that the camera gives back to the subject when all along, that is how he makes the shot.

That learning, humility, and curiosity fuels his enjoyment of walking in the streets. He’s not on the lookout for compositions, characters, and intent. It’s as if he is in it because he gets to interact with the world. Walking the streets of Tagbilaran with him was fun! It was the epitome of having fun with photography. What I remember the most from that work trip was when I asked how he didn’t seem disturbed by what he photographed in his journalism days, he told me “G, of course, you have to compartmentalize it but I just believe that people are good.” 

I guess that’s what makes Edwin Tuyay different. He savors each moment and has faith in the world.

Wawi Navarozza

Where: W Studio/Thousandfold Library, Taguig

What: Still Life/Self Portraiture

When: 2015(?)

I always admire Wawi because she knows how to present and carry herself. She embodies her work (I mean, her material is herself! So it checks out!) Like her tableaus, she makes it look effortless when in truth, there is so much work behind it. 

We were preparing for something (I think it was Art Dubai for her and the Cebu zine fair for me which occurred at the same time). She was already in the middle of the shoot when I walked in. The studio was not as chaotic. I remember the plants and fabrics are everywhere. Somebody not familiar may feel that this is a mess. 

She was fixing things, checking the angle, and arranging the set. So many things happened even before pressing the shutter. Her movement looked balletic.

If we take modern art standards, this can be performance art. Seeing all that made me realize that photography is a choice. The deliberateness of photography to get what is in front of it (even if staged) is a worthy pursuit. There is something about the still image that is compelling. It can pause the viewer from something taken from reality and make it linger. Joel Meyerowitz puts it, that photography is a vessel of an idea.

This all happened in less than 5 minutes. It was quick. I think it means that it was already in Wawi's head. It was about executing it while being open to the possibilities.

We want back to packing and preparing what we need for our respective conferences.

Joseph Pascual

Where: Various locations

What: Commissioned Portraits

When: 2020’s

My wife is a make-up artist and I tend to assist her with out-of-town clients. Usually, it happens in their vacation homes or a beautiful location. I’m always happy to see when Joseph Pascual arrives.

He never brings an army of assistants or a plethora of lights. He only brings what he needs. His lighting is simple but he looks and navigates the space well. 

His ultimate tool is calmness. He turns the space into his domain but it is welcoming. Everyone who sits in front of his camera is at ease. He has an amazing way of making his sitter comfortable. I remember watching YouTube tutorials and in how-to books saying you have to dial up the energy. I feel that it has its place but it isn’t how Joseph approaches portraiture. His calming presence is what makes the people open up. It’s as if the power dynamic is equally distributed to everyone on the set. The people he photographed never felt conscious. Watching him feels like listening to a 5-minute meditation video.

A notable moment for me was when one of the clients had a wall full of family pictures. Memories from vacations, life events, and beautiful moments. He placed the person in that space looking at the pictures they had. It was a way of acknowledging what that person has. Surely Joseph's new portrait will earn its place there. A full-circle moment of understanding that person. Looking at his portfolio, I think he does this often even on a location. He places his sitter in a space that feels like “them” to bring out who they are.

I feel there are many ways for a photographer to open up but Joseph’s approach is something I wish I could do on my own. A balance of craftsmanship and honoring the person sitting in front of his lens.

Kevin Kunishi

Where: Rappler office

What: Maria Ressa for Bloomberg Weekly

When: 2017

I remember lying in my bed at 6:00 am coming off a long all-nighter covering Poison Wednesdays. I got a text that Kevin needed a last-minute assistant to photograph Maria Ressa. I just got married and needed all the money I could get. I said yes. Being an admirer of his book on Sandinista rebels, I might as well see an opportunity to look at how he works.

I had to do the usual assistant stuff. I set up lights, prep the gear, mark spots, and stand in as the model. The particular interest why I am making this account is this: In the entire time we were scouting and I was setting up the lights, he was firing away. He was constantly looking and making changes. Dialing his settings. He filled up an entire card of compositions, lighting tests, and whatnot. It’s the first time I’ve ever experienced that. I can remember how he kept looking for angles and changing the position of the lights. At one point, he was partially covering the lens with his hand. It turns out it creates a subtle foreground effect. It looks weird and my description doesn’t do it justice (it works well with a telephoto lens so give it a try if you can). The meticulousness and the volume he was planning with no regard for storage space is something I haven't seen before. He wasn’t even in burst mode.

In retrospect, I should have asked why. I was half asleep at that point. I guess that we had the time and he maximised it. Maria was held up with prior appointments. Shoot should have been done by lunch but we started around 3 pm. At one point, I dozed off while standing in one of the spots. He laughed but I was annoyed at myself. I downed more coffee.

Finally, Maria was free for the shoot. Since we had everything dialed everything was ready. Kevin had a brief conversation with Maria about their common acquaintances and then went on to explain what he wanted. It was quick. 

As soon as Maria stood in our first spot (eventually became the cover) Kevin went into a zone. He gave quick and direct instructions. Nothing quirky or facade of “making it light” for the person like you see in YouTube tutorials. Direct and easy-to-digest instructions. It’s as if all the prep time we had was for pre-visualization and rehearsal. He knew what he wanted for each frame and layout. Sure there was occasional banter here and there but it was pure focus. I guess it got to me because I also went with the flow of things. We made many layouts in 35-40 minutes. And he made a lot of frames for each!

I was surprised because it was the first time I saw someone turn it on like that. Usually, there’s a warm-up period where you go slow and ramp it up especially if you are given the time. The thing is he was just in that mode already. It’s as if he didn’t care about anything else except the act of photographing. No care for storage space, distractions, and other things. The closest metaphor I can think of is in basketball when a player checks in the game, sinks 6 three-point shots in an absolute heater, and then leaves (Think Steph Curry). Game won. It felt something like that.

I crashed into my bed as soon as I got home.

The next day, I was digesting what I had seen and still can’t get over it to this day. I’m happy I’m finally putting the story into words.

Assignment-based photography is about delivering. Know what you want and make it so. Photography and basketball have one thing in common: shooters shoot.