Meeting a photographer from the Philippines

The environment is a bit different then in a normal coffee shop. Jim Thompson Restaurant.

There were mirrors everywhere, at the ceiling, at the walls,...

only a few other highlights, like the painting. The room is mostly in green color.

This time I met a photographer from the Philippines. He is currently in Bangkok and we talked about photography, inspiration and street food.

Andrian, 25,  is sitting in this green and mirrored environment in opposite of me, wearing a wide open blue t-shirt and short beige trousers to his flip-flops. He is living in Makati, the CBD of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, which is the seventh biggest metropole region of the world.

As I am used to be a photographer too, we talked about how to prepare and arrange things before a shooting. One of the most important things is......"how to find a model".

Like in the real life, there are many ways to reach this goal. My preferred technic was to get in touch with them on amateur model sites at the internet. Adrian's way was different: "I went to a bar, drunk two tequillas and presented myself to the girls: Hey, I am a photographer. Do you want to be my model, Yeah, sometimes it worked and sometims not."

"Today I use not anymore this way to get in contact, because of my business contacts to model agencies. They know me and when I call them and ask for a model with my conceptions, I will get what I am looking for.
Normally there are more than enough newcomers who want to work with an agency. Normally they need further or new pictures for their sedcards and books. They offer their time and skills and I will make good pictures of them. That's the deal." (This kind of work is called "time for prints". Mostly the model receives not anymore prints, normally they get an digital picture.)


http://andrianjutba.wordpress.com/2010/06/30/models-and-books/


"The same way works with Make-Up-Artist and Hair-Stylists. They offer their service and will receive pictures in addition for their portfolio, what makes it more easy for them to acquire new customers."

"Mostly I prefer to shoot with less or nothing make-up, Depends on the job. Shooting women is different, they want to use make-up all the time. May be this is the reason while I shoot more men for my private collection. The good thing using Make-up is the less effort for retouching the picture in post production."

I am an fan of exraordinary make-ups like feathers and strange colors or other details. In opposite to me, Adrian likes to show uncovered skin and colors, espacially when shooting with men. This is part of his style and way taking pictures.

"Sometimes I am using special effects for a picture. I mean, not really retouching in the way of beauty-retouch, it is more like changing the background or adding an effect in a different color to have more kick in the picture. But doing this is really rare. I love black and white pictures."

"I am still using my five year old Samsung DSLR with no special lenses, only kit lenses. What camera and lenses are you using, Adrian?"

"Well, I am happy with a Canon Eos 6oD. And may be you are suprised, but I am using only one lense. This has a focal distance of 50mm (f 1,8). This is all I need. This camera allows me to take good pictures and video as well."

I was surprised: "But with this a lense you are limited for some shootings."

"Yes, correct, that's why I have to see the location first. For example, I can't shoot in a small hotelroom a full body picture. I know that and choose the job with thinking about this limitation."

Makati the financial district of Manila is for sure not the cheapest way for living. "Is it easy to be a photographer in Manila and stay in such an area?"

"It is definitely not easy to afford all I need for living, but......this is the way I want to live and I do everything for reaching this aim."

"Why did you come to Bangkok, what are you doing here?"

"You know, from time to time you need new inspirations and new ideas. Sometimes it is procreative to change the location and I have a friend here in Bangkok, so I am able to stay for free in an similar environment as in Manila. I did some shootings here and may be I can make new connections."

"Bangkok is an inspiring place, I got new impressions and I tried the tasty streetfood, which is totally different to the streetfood in Manila. Firstly we don't have so many of food-stalls in the streets and secondly it is not that good quality as in Bangkok."

"What can be an inspiration for you?"

"You will get inspiration everywhere, if you open your eyes, if you listen around. But more inspiring is
to love somebody."
"A relationship, or a love can be so inspiring as nothing else for me. I like to play with words, to talk in prose style and to realize this words in pictures."
"If you take a look at my website, you will find plenty of examples, where you can see this romantic side of myself."

Indeed, there are plenty of examples of the philosophic site of Andrian Jutba.

Have a look at Andrian's blog and website: http://andrianjutba.wordpress.com/


"Thank you Adrian, for taking time and this interesting conversation."

I saw this magnificiant Mercedes-Benz 280 SL on my way back from Jim Tompson Restaurant in Silom.