An esteemed overseas Filipino photographer calls on aspiring artists to pursue their passion, and put their talent to good use especially during amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Jophel Botero Ybiosa, a master photographer at American cruise company Princess Cruise Lines, said that photography—like any other art—provides help during this crisis. One of which are the photography-related fund-raising projects that are being implemented worldwide to raise aid for frontliners and people affected by the effects of the disease.
He also said that it helps people cope with the mental challenges this collective trauma poses, and that shutterbugs should start cultivating their skills now that they have been given more time.
“Ang Photography ay may magandang tulong sa panahon ng COVID-19 crisis. Ang isang photo session ay makabuluhang bonding ng pamilya sa tahanan. Nakapagdudulot din ito ng pag-asa sa mga nakakaranas ng depression dahil mabuti rin itong aktibidad na nakapagbibigay ng kasiyahan,” he said.
He added that even if we are facing a global challenge, aspiring artists and photographers affected by the pandemic should never stop dreaming and striving to achieve their goals.
“Ang pagkabigo ay bahagi rin ng proseso ng tagumpay kaya huwag matakot magkamali o tumanggap ng kritisismo. Humanap ng inspirasyon upang maisulong ang iyong sining,” he said.
Ybiosa began pursuing photography at a very young age, after he was inspired by the photojournalists of the newspapers and magazines he was reading. When he was in college, he joined his university’s photo club, wherein he got exposed to more photo sessions, contests, and workshops—leading him to join the esteemed group of photographers in the Philippines, the Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation (FPPF). These opportunities landed him a photography scholarship in Thailand and the US.
“Para sa akin bukod sa maganda itong propesyon upang malaya mong maibahagi ang sining, natuklasan ko rin kung ano ang purpose ko sa buhay,” he said. “Malaki ang papel na ginagampanan ng photography sa ating komunidad. Bilang isang anyo ng sining, nagsisilbi itong repleksyon ng ating mga istorya, memorya at kaganapan. Mahalaga rin itong instrumento sa pagpapakita at pagpapalaganap ng ating kultura at pagkakakilanlan, pagbabahagi ng kasaysayan at paggising ng kamalayang panlipunan tungo sa positibong pagbabago.”
Since 2009, Ybiosa has received a total of 285 local and international awards, including being the first Filipino to win Events Photographer of the Year Award at Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA) and the Gold Award at Chromatic Photography Awards. He was also recognized for winning nine ‘Ani ng Dangal for Visual Arts’ accolades at National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
He said that he plans to make the Philippines known worldwide for photography, a reason he continues to inspire more photographers into pursuing the field.
“Bilang isang Pilipino naging panata ko na rin ang maipakilala at maipalaganap ang ating sining kasabay ng pag-ambag ng karangalan para sa bayan upang mailagay din ang Pilipinas sa mapa ng World Photography,” Ybiosa said.
