Navo in New York

MANILA, Philippines –  Four years ago, Lope Navo packed his bags and decided to take his chances in New York. Now, he’s back for a two-week vacation that’s somehow morphed into two weeks of steadfast work  booking editorials and covers for some of the country’s top magazines.

And it’s no wonder the industry’s booking him to the hilt. Lope has made a mark on the New York scene with a defined aesthetic and his mastery of the male form. In the four years since we last saw him, he’s shot celebrities like Jared Leto, top male models like Taylor Fuchs and Josh Wald, an internationally-distributed photo book called Stark, and campaigns for brands like Mossimo. At just 29, he’s bound to shine brighter.

Supreme was lucky enough to nab Lope for this week’s Lovi Poe shoot. And as Lope took photos of Lovi, we took this opportunity to catch up with an industry staple and talk about art, photography, and where the industry is going.

Supreme: Out of all the mediums out there, why photography?

Lope Navo: It’s just evolution. I studied Fine Arts in college. When I graduated, I was doing some painting. I was a painter and then I became a graphic designer, a retoucher. I went to Singapore and Dubai as a graphic designer. After retouching other photographers’ pictures, I started using a camera and taking my own pictures.

Why did you decide to go to New York? I’m sure you were already comfortable here, booking jobs and making a name for yourself as a photographer. Why take the risk?

When I was in Dubai, I learned a lot. When I came back here, I thought we have a lot to learn. The industry of Dubai’s newer and yet they’re more advanced. I wanted to learn, but I didn’t want to go back to school. The only way I could learn is to take a risk.

Going to New York is really a risk because it could work or it could not work. You could penetrate it or you could not penetrate it. New York is really hard. If you’re a working photographer in New York, it’s definitely a compliment because there are a lot of photographers there. There are a lot of photographers who aren’t working, who aren’t booking jobs.

What are your projects now? What are you working on?

I’m working on my second book. My first book was called Stark. This one’s called Exotica. It’s bigger, thicker, and if in the first one I shot only men, I’m shooting women, too, now. The idea is what makes people exotic are the places where they live, not just their looks. I can’t sell my book here though, because it has nudity.

The playground here is small. It makes it smaller, too, because you can’t show boobs, can’t show religion… There’s no revolution, creativity, in Manila. It’s the opposite. It’s very dry, very commercial.

You’ve been booking a lot of jobs since you got here. As someone who’s worked in New York, what do you think of the local industry?

When I arrived, I made it a point to see the billboards and magazines. I bought all the magazines — Preview, Mega, Metro, Garage. Ang favorite ko yung Garage. I really like the Jake Cuenca cover. And the fact that it’s the only men’s fashion magazine? I think that means something.

Manila has grown. There are a lot of photographers and a lot of new ideas. Di parang dati na tatlo o apat na photographers lang.

But on the other hand, there are some weaknesses. There’s execution and there’s idea. Sometimes, you have the technique, but the concept is questionable. Sometimes, you have a great idea, but you cannot execute it.

[Young photographer] BJ [Pascual] really stands out. His technique is good. His editing is good and his ideas are fresh. I didn’t even know he studied in New York, but you can really see it. It’s all about the eye.