The kids stay in the picture
October 1, 2006 | 12:00am
Photographer Isa Lorenzo’s career didn’t begin with an apprenticeship under an established photographer. In fact, right after graduation, she began studying for something else entirely – the medical board exams. She’d invested most of her post-high school years to taking up medicine. "As soon as I passed," says Isa, "I retired. And I’ve never looked back."
She’s made a name for herself instead with her fine art photography, often in black and white, debuting her work in a gallery she started, called Silverlens. Her latest exhibit, entitled "Filipina," featured portraits of 30 women, each achievers in their field, ranging in age from 65 to 90 years old.
Isa recently teamed up with Johann Espiritu, a photographer and childhood friend, to start a basic photography workshop for hobbyists and enthusiasts with no background in the field.
Like Isa, Johann, a lawyer and law professor at Ateneo, didn’t start out in the field of photography. Originally a painter, he ended up dropping it entirely when the rigorous hours of law school, and later work at the firm, ended up consuming most of his hours.
"One day I was walking in the mall," Johann says, "kind of frustrated with work, when I passed by a camera shop." He walked in and purchased one on the spot. "I thought it would satisfy a visual fix," he explains.
"It’s painting in a hurry," Isa quipped.
Johann took to photography when his wife Marga gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Lucia. "I was using almost six rolls a day," he says. "That’s when I got into it. I had a ready subject who was changing daily." He quickly became immersed in the art, slowly learning to adjust the manual settings of his camera and to compose better images. "Then I bought a scanner," he says, "because I wanted to e-mail everyone pictures of my daughter."
The self-taught photographer began his teaching career – in photography – at the Palms Country Club in Alabang. His first class was dominated by housewives who were eager to take better photographs of their children. "It was interesting to watch them critique each others’ work. None of them wanted to say anything negative."
After three classes at the club, Johann was thinking of starting a workshop in a different space. At the same time, Isa was thinking of moving her gallery from her apartment in Fort Bonifacio to a larger space. "It took me eight months to find a space that was big and cheap," she confesses.
But she found it. Tucked in Pasong Tamo Extension, Isa commissioned architect Anna Sy to transform the former piano factory into a space that looked like it was floating. "And she accomplished it," adds Isa. "The place is all white. Anna created amazing lighting effects – you can’t tell where the light is coming from."
The warehouse was divided into three separate sections, a main gallery where artists can exhibit their work, an auxiliary gallery to be utilized for exhibitions of student work and a function room/ multitasking space for workshops and discussions and everything in between.
The duo has decided to name their workshop Sense-i, a play on three meanings. "Well, it means teacher in Japanese," says Johann. "It refers to the senses, and the I stands for, well, the eye."
Classes consist of basic photography, one taught by Johann on Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. and another by Isa on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. "We’ll teach you everything from how to hold a camera to composing images," he explains. "It’s essentially a dummy’s guide."
The other class, taught by photographer Jason Tablante, is Photoshop One. Ideal for those who already have a basic knowledge of photography, the seminar educates students on the fine art of retouching.
"Our workshops aren’t just lectures," he says. "You’ll be assigned work every week. You’ll have to explain your photographs to the class and they’ll critique it. It’s very interactive."
"The only thing you need is a camera with manual settings," Isa says. "The most important thing about this class isn’t the equipment but what you want to say."
"It’s an exercise in self-expression," Johann adds. "Every week you put yourself out there and let other people judge your work. It’s kind of brutal."
"It’s not brutal," Isa interjects.
"I think it is. A little bit," he amends.
For four weeks (that’s one session per week), beginners get to learn from the photographers and at the end of the seminar they get a little graduation ceremony. "And a party," adds Isa with a laugh. "That’s included in the fee." The celebration includes an exhibit of the students’ work at the secondary gallery space.
"The idea is to take an art class in a gallery dedicated to whatever you’re creating," she explains. "That’s what’s so inspiring about it."
"I’m really interested in seeing the work of the students, in their progression," she says. Isa’s experience in teaching includes a stint as a teaching assistant at the International Center of Photography in New York. Her aim is to help students develop a point of view, a perspective.
Both are adamant that images shouldn’t just be pretty – they should have meaning. "We’re trying to move away from postcards," she says. "You have to teach people to be different, not force them but show them."
Next year, they plan to include more seminars like a documentary class and maybe an art appreciation class they’ve tentatively dubbed "the art of seeing."
For now, students can enjoy the enthusiasm that both Isa and Johann are bringing to the table in their photography 101 classes.
"People think I’m crazy for doing this," Isa shares, referring to the process of moving Silverlens to a larger space and starting photography classes. "But these classes, the gallery – they’re tools for inspiring others."
"You know, photography is like psychiatry," she says intently. "When you get lost in the moment and the whole world disappears, it’s the greatest feeling. That’s what I’d like to show others."
Photography classes at Silverlens begin Oct. 11 (under Johann Espiritu) and Oct. 14 (under Isa Lorenzo), while the Photoshop seminar begins Oct. 12. The fee for each class is P6,500 inclusive of handouts and exclusive of film and equipment. Any camera with manual settings will do.
Silverlens is located at 2320 Pasong Tamo extension, Warehouse 2, Makati City. For inquiries, call 816-0044. Silverlens is open from Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 2 to 6 p.m.
She’s made a name for herself instead with her fine art photography, often in black and white, debuting her work in a gallery she started, called Silverlens. Her latest exhibit, entitled "Filipina," featured portraits of 30 women, each achievers in their field, ranging in age from 65 to 90 years old.
Isa recently teamed up with Johann Espiritu, a photographer and childhood friend, to start a basic photography workshop for hobbyists and enthusiasts with no background in the field.
Like Isa, Johann, a lawyer and law professor at Ateneo, didn’t start out in the field of photography. Originally a painter, he ended up dropping it entirely when the rigorous hours of law school, and later work at the firm, ended up consuming most of his hours.
"One day I was walking in the mall," Johann says, "kind of frustrated with work, when I passed by a camera shop." He walked in and purchased one on the spot. "I thought it would satisfy a visual fix," he explains.
"It’s painting in a hurry," Isa quipped.
Johann took to photography when his wife Marga gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Lucia. "I was using almost six rolls a day," he says. "That’s when I got into it. I had a ready subject who was changing daily." He quickly became immersed in the art, slowly learning to adjust the manual settings of his camera and to compose better images. "Then I bought a scanner," he says, "because I wanted to e-mail everyone pictures of my daughter."
The self-taught photographer began his teaching career – in photography – at the Palms Country Club in Alabang. His first class was dominated by housewives who were eager to take better photographs of their children. "It was interesting to watch them critique each others’ work. None of them wanted to say anything negative."
After three classes at the club, Johann was thinking of starting a workshop in a different space. At the same time, Isa was thinking of moving her gallery from her apartment in Fort Bonifacio to a larger space. "It took me eight months to find a space that was big and cheap," she confesses.
But she found it. Tucked in Pasong Tamo Extension, Isa commissioned architect Anna Sy to transform the former piano factory into a space that looked like it was floating. "And she accomplished it," adds Isa. "The place is all white. Anna created amazing lighting effects – you can’t tell where the light is coming from."
The warehouse was divided into three separate sections, a main gallery where artists can exhibit their work, an auxiliary gallery to be utilized for exhibitions of student work and a function room/ multitasking space for workshops and discussions and everything in between.
The duo has decided to name their workshop Sense-i, a play on three meanings. "Well, it means teacher in Japanese," says Johann. "It refers to the senses, and the I stands for, well, the eye."
Classes consist of basic photography, one taught by Johann on Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. and another by Isa on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. "We’ll teach you everything from how to hold a camera to composing images," he explains. "It’s essentially a dummy’s guide."
The other class, taught by photographer Jason Tablante, is Photoshop One. Ideal for those who already have a basic knowledge of photography, the seminar educates students on the fine art of retouching.
"Our workshops aren’t just lectures," he says. "You’ll be assigned work every week. You’ll have to explain your photographs to the class and they’ll critique it. It’s very interactive."
"The only thing you need is a camera with manual settings," Isa says. "The most important thing about this class isn’t the equipment but what you want to say."
"It’s an exercise in self-expression," Johann adds. "Every week you put yourself out there and let other people judge your work. It’s kind of brutal."
"It’s not brutal," Isa interjects.
"I think it is. A little bit," he amends.
For four weeks (that’s one session per week), beginners get to learn from the photographers and at the end of the seminar they get a little graduation ceremony. "And a party," adds Isa with a laugh. "That’s included in the fee." The celebration includes an exhibit of the students’ work at the secondary gallery space.
"The idea is to take an art class in a gallery dedicated to whatever you’re creating," she explains. "That’s what’s so inspiring about it."
"I’m really interested in seeing the work of the students, in their progression," she says. Isa’s experience in teaching includes a stint as a teaching assistant at the International Center of Photography in New York. Her aim is to help students develop a point of view, a perspective.
Both are adamant that images shouldn’t just be pretty – they should have meaning. "We’re trying to move away from postcards," she says. "You have to teach people to be different, not force them but show them."
Next year, they plan to include more seminars like a documentary class and maybe an art appreciation class they’ve tentatively dubbed "the art of seeing."
For now, students can enjoy the enthusiasm that both Isa and Johann are bringing to the table in their photography 101 classes.
"People think I’m crazy for doing this," Isa shares, referring to the process of moving Silverlens to a larger space and starting photography classes. "But these classes, the gallery – they’re tools for inspiring others."
"You know, photography is like psychiatry," she says intently. "When you get lost in the moment and the whole world disappears, it’s the greatest feeling. That’s what I’d like to show others."
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