MANILA, Philippines - If one were to liken Ramon Tan Mangila to a chef, then he would be the type who could put together a mean buffet of scrumptious treats from all over the world. Starting out as a party paparazzo shooting glitzbiz namedroppables, he would soon venture out into putting up his home studio, Pix Republic Studios, Supreme’s unofficial home away from home where most stars have gathered in the name of formation and transformation.
Our collaborations have ranged from the wild — where we made a model assume the position of a golden puma — to the willful, in which Supreme gathered more than 20 twentysomethings — youngsters with the kind of “it” factor we’re always on the look out for. Ramon is always the first one to shoot them, from would-be supermodels to superstars in training. Upstarts would have to pass muster and see if their luster can shine through Ramon’s lenses. Our Supreme spread on the scene’s Creative A-Z list is a good example of this.
Most creative individuals have only a singular way of looking at things — ”my way or the highway” — but truth be told, it is the ones that can approach things with different solutions and strategies that win the war. Ramon’s armor is built on a strong foundation of working closely with people, from party photography to wedding photography. He knows that even when he ventures out into art and fashion photography, it is the team’s vision that achieves victory.
Look into the body of his work. The variety as I’ve said, can be likened to a buffet of treats — treats that call out your name — each one with a different taste, appeal and nutritional value — all concocted by a master chef, photographer Ramon Tan Mangila.