On your wedding day, I will make sure that both of you, as well as the people dearest to you, will enjoy every moment as you profess your love for each other.

I will capture your day in the most natural way possible. The moments of tenderness and silliness, waves of laughter, tears of joy — every possible emotion documented without the awkward poses.

Just enjoy the present and be in the moment.

EARLY DREAMER 

When I was about seven, my mom used to bring me to her work since there was no one to look after myself and my sister. My favourite things at her office were the globe by the telephone and the Encyclopedia Britannica in the study room. Yes, I grew up in times where Wikipedia didn’t exist yet!

I memorised the countries of the world and their capitals as I spun the globe countless times. In place of afternoon naps, I would open volume after volume of the encyclopedia, and I marvelled at the wealth of knowledge I found inside. Every time I see pictures of foreign places, I felt transported. 

My early years shaped my view of the world. I wanted to discover and visit the places I read. I never let money be an issue despite growing up in a middle-class family in a country like the Philippines. More than anything else, my situation inspired me to dream bigger and aim higher.

Country hopper

At 24, I left my country for the first time for a short work trip to Toronto. I felt the dream of exploring the world is slowly turning into reality. When I came back home, I told myself that I would migrate to Canada. I started learning French because it will boost my chances of getting in. That didn’t materialise, and other opportunities presented themselves. 

In 2011, I went to the US for five months for a developmental assignment. I came back to Manila and decided to leave my work to fulfil the dream of living and studying in Paris. My stay in Europe extended, and I spent the next 4.5 years in Belgium working (and indulging in chocolates and beer) and exploring the world. 

At the beginning of 2017, I found a career opportunity here in Melbourne, and I now consider this to be my new home. Someone once told me I am meant to move places. So, will this be the last place I live? Who knows what the future holds?

A BALANCING ACT

Summer of 2015, my wedding photography journey began when Gujel of Red Sheep Photo Cinema, asked me to be part of his team for a 3-day destination wedding in Venice. I was honoured to have earned his trust since he was well aware that I mostly do travel and street photography. 

I had so much pleasure with that first wedding photography experience because I saw how much joy we brought to the couple and their loved ones. That moment sparked my interest to explore a potential career on a part-time basis (well, at least for now). It seemed liked a great idea considering I love photography and being able to travel is a nice incentive.

But why not go all the way? I have an IT career that I do enjoy, so I thought of keeping the two instead. Born Libra, I like balancing a lot of things. Plus, I want wedding photography to be my creative outlet and not feel like it’s just another job purely driven by financial reasons. I want to be able to create lasting memories for others, where I can pour my creativity with all my heart and soul. That’s my legacy.