Photography has never ceased to be very interesting. From days long gone until the present time, photography is an art that has continually evolved, yet unchanging in its glory for all time. To some, photography is a matter of just being able to click snapshots. But for some other still, it is a lifeline–the medium for self-expression and great artistry.
Meet Reny Pampolina, a photographer who has claimed his niche among the world’s best and most renowned photographers. His roots go back to a mother from the town of Valencia, Negros Oriental and a father who was from Alaminos, Laguna. Reny served as a photojournalist of the Manila Times Newspaper; he was also a news photographer for the Reuters News Agency. He worked at Malacañang Palace as a Photo Editor/Photographer VI of the Office of the President of the Philippines. At present, he is making us all proud to be Filipinos by working as a Production Photographer at Picture Perfect Network, Miami, Florida, USA.
Today, Metropost interviews the Catholic Mass Media awardee in 2000 for Photograph of the Year, and Best News Photographer of the Year, Reny Pampolina.
METROPOST: What for you is photography?
RENY: For me photography is both an art and a form of media. It is an art because every picture conveys its own message and meaning. It is also a form of media because it makes you capture a passing memorable moment and turn it into a lasting memory, while giving you the option to pass it on as a form of information to other people through the use of the latest internet technologies.
METROPOST: What fields of photography are you more involved in?
RENY: As a son of a photo studio owner, I was initially trained to do the coverage for various important occasions such as weddings, debuts, baptisms and in the process I got to also do portrait shoots.
Eventually, I got involved with news photography, which I found to be very challenging and exciting in as much as I have to compete with photographers with other leading newspapers in taking the best possible pictures that were intended for publication.
The thrill of waking up the following morning and seeing your photo landing in the front pages of your paper is immeasurable both in terms of joy and satisfaction.
In short, news photography pushes you to excel and be good at your job because of the competition that it offers.
METROPOST: How did your interest in photography evolve?
RENY: My interest in photography thoroughly evolved after my editors started to notice the quality of pictures that I was submitting to them and my photos were landing in the front pages of both national and international papers.
I involved myself in different photo organizations during which I met and also befriended my fellow photographers and their respective bosses and it was also then that I started joining photo contests, and luckily for me I somehow always managed to win awards.
As a result, I get to be invited to act as judge in many photo contests and speak in photojournalism seminars, which I believe was a testament to their trust and confidence on my photography skills.
METROPOST: What draws your interest to your subjects?
RENY: Anything that catches your attention and interest could be a potential material or subject of photography. There is no such thing as boring or dull subject. I worked as a presidential photographer for seven years, so I have to take her photos almost every day. But there was never a dull moment because I have to be very imaginative to capture the best possible angles, and luckily most of my shots landed in the front pages of national and international papers.
METROPOST: To what degree do your emotions influence your work?
RENY: Emotions do play a lot in my pictures. When I have to take photos depicting sad or emotional scenes, those who were looking at my end products could immediately discern them but when the subjects are light and easy, people could also feel them. Somehow, my emotions transcend on the subjects of my photos.
METROPOST: What is your most memorable subject and photo shoot?
RENY: It was the photo that won for me the prestigious Catholic Mass Media Award and at the same time Photo of the Year. It was special because it came barely a year after I tried my hand at photojournalism. It was an accidental photo because I took it after I noticed that there was an ongoing fire. Instinctively I grabbed my camera and took the photos of a young boy who was a victim of fire being rushed and carried on by another young boy while their other relatives were frantically trying to assist them. After taking those shots, I rushed to our office and submitted them on the same day and landed as front page photo of the Manila Times the following day.
METROPOST: What equipment do you recommend for budding photography hobbyists?
RENY: I used to recommend to amateurs and hobbyists the importance of cameras using films but because of the advent of digital technology, amateurs could use a DSLR camera, with one normal lens or 24-70 mm and a flash.
After learning the basics of photography, the next logical step is to add equipment that should vary depending on the field of photography that you would want to pursue.
METROPOST: What tips can you share with amateurs so they can engage in this passion as professionals?
RENY: The most important thing is you should be friendly and approachable, because you have to talk with a lot of people who could provide assistance especially when you are looking for best possible subjects and angles.
Second is you should always bring your camera with you. You’ll never know what might happen that would place you at the right time and right situation of taking photos.
Third, try to access various publications so that you can have an outlet where you can submit your photos for publication.
Thus far, have the thought of being a photographer enticed you? For some of Reny Pampolina’s work, please visit www.renypampolina.com and www.flickr.com/renypampolina/sets/ and see the wonders seen through the lense of a camera.
