WPPP Photo Congress 2011: Promoting Skills, Tools And Professionalism In The Industry

Marking their 10 years in the Philippine wedding industry, Wedding & Portrait Photographers of the Philippines (WPPP) organized a Photo Congress last May 27-30, 2011 at the Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall.

The Photo Congress is held annually by the Wedding & Portrait Photographers of the Philippines in response to the need for advancement of photography and videography in the country.

This year’s Photo Congress was graced by eight professional and highly known personalities in Philippine wedding photography and videography: Edwin Tuyay, Jun Miranda, Bogs Ignacio of Vignette Photography, Raymund Marcelo, Lito Sy, Manny Librodo, Jason Magbanua and a Malaysian photographer, Keda Feng. They led the three-day seminars on various photography-related topics (see complete seminar schedule below):

Schedule Of Seminars:

There were also exhibits of the latest photo and video tools and gadgets, photo and video contests to learn and harness creative skills, and a forum to strengthen ties with industry professionals, studio owners, and traders. Canon Marketing (Philippines), one of the event’s major partners, has been supporting the WPPP Photo Congress ever since and until now they still see it helpful in promoting new innovations in the industry.

Events like this emerged not only to improve skills but also to foster professionalism in the industry. So what makes a photographer a professional?

Professionalism and WPPP
“Everybody can claim that they are professional photographers but if everybody else doesn’t recognize you as one, then it is useless.” added Robert Aliscad, WPPP Treasurer . He shared that there are many enthusiasts right now who claim to be professional photographers but still lack the necessary technical and creative skills to become one.

Mr. Keda Feng, a Malaysian professional photographer, mentioned that joining competitions, improving the quality of work, and continuous learning are ways to become a professional. “A photographer should learn to be inspired from others and from life in order to make their own way and style. They should enjoy life and create their own style,” Mr. Feng imparted.

Developing self means developing also relationship with other people, especially clients. All these professional photographers and videographers agreed that if one cannot make a client satisfied with his/her works then he/she is not a professional. Events like weddings are very critical to handle as more often than not, it only happens once in a couple’s life.

Nowadays, there are many tools for capturing and enhancing photos available for photographers to choose from. Unarguably, they are important in delivering the best service to clients.

Mr. Jason Magbanua, one of the known Filipino wedding videographers, cautioned that one should never rely on their camera’s auto focus. As he shared, “Your eyes are smarter than the camera’s eye.”

“These editing software programs can make a good photo better,” Mr. Edwin Hermoso, WPPP member, said. The judgment on what to take or how, however, will still be on the photographer or videographer. “It is not the gear that makes you a professional photographer, it is the picture that you take,” Mr. Hermoso explained.

To summarize, WPPP President Danny Ignacio shared, “being a professional photographer requires ethics, experience and enthusiasm.” A professional photographer must know how to conduct himself/herself not only with a client but also among industry peers. Continuous learning is necessary but “experience is the best teacher” so one should really devote time in practicing the craft. And while creating business is important, it has to be fueled by passion and commitment to create beautiful, moving images.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wedding & Portrait Photographers of the Philippines (WPPP) Photo Congress 2011 is supported by the following sponsors: Album Depot, Canon Marketing (Philippines), Inc., Hewlett-Packard Philippines Corp., JT Photoworld, Inc., Sony Philippines, Inc., and The Book By Creative USA, Inc.

WPPP 2011 trade exhibitors are as follows; Abacus Microcomputer, Aperture Trading Corp, Astech Pengson Distributors, Inc., Camera Haus, Click to Print Highstreet, Inc., Colent Marketing Philippines, Inc., Fans Digital Imaging Corporation, Multistiq, Inc., and Ynzal Marketing Corp. The event is also supported by the following partners; Digital Photographer Philippines, Ibarra’s Party Venues, i-mag photography, Josiah’s Catering, www.Kasal.com, Manila Bulletin’s Picture Perfect, Rupert James, SM Megamall and Megatrade Hall, Yes FM 101.1, and webdotcom.

Comments

comments