What makes meclick

My love for photography began when I was about eight years old. My mom had an Instamatic film camera with flashbulbs made of filament that could literally burn your fingers and actually melt its plastic casing upon firing it. She gave me the freedom and opportunity to explore how a camera works, allowing me to shoot whatever I thought looked good and/or would mean something to me.

I was able to buy my own camera when I was started working in 1987. It was a fully manual operating SLR (single lens reflex) model and the only battery-operating component was its built-in light meter. I also got addicted to buying and reading photography books and there was even a time when I set up my own darkroom at home.  There I developed and printed my own black and white photos. The hobby lasted a few good years but that had to take a backseat because my schedule had become incredibly tight.

My experience in taking pictures and all the information I absorbed from photography books became very useful to me when I studied at UP Masscom (Mass Communications department). We had photography courses where students were taught how to work with the camera, shoot with it, develop the film and print their own photos. It was basically the same as what I was doing at home, only more structured. We also had a cinematography class that I enjoyed so much it made me seriously want to become a cinematographer. I had so much passion for light and shadows, composition and framing, and telling stories with images.

It was not long before I found myself at New York University in 1993, to study directing and cinematography. When I came back I went on to direct a series of TV commercials for Duty-Free Philippines, Piattos, Cali, Lipton Iced Tea, Philip Morris and Bench.

In the back of my mind was the idea of someday holding a photo exhibit of shots I have taken and kept throughout the years. It was always something I knew I would do someday. I just never had the opportunity to do it because of my very hectic schedule, with both TV commitments and sports activities. I am thankful that Canon came to me and made that “someday” happen sooner than I had ever expected. They really helped me a lot in terms of giving me the manpower to help choose, edit and print my photos. In only a week’s time, we were able to choose 50 images from the hundreds — maybe even thousands — I have kept in storage. We have not even scratched the surface yet, and at the rate I am going, there will be so many new ones to file and keep before we even get there. It will be a lot of work, but it’s work I do not mind doing. 

I hope this will be the start of even more exhibits in the future.

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The author Richard Gomez, actor and photographer, recently exhibited 50 of the best photos he took. The exhibit was held at the NBC Tent last Sept. 25 and coincided with the launch of Canon’s latest products.