Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Meet Miguel De Guzman - Your "Picture" Perfect Pinoy!

Sir Miguel De Guzman, picture perfect Pinoy who gives so much soul in photography.
Oh, I am really hating my self for taking a very long time to post this blog. Honestly, I was supposed to publish this months ago, yet I was not able to do so due to so many circumstances beyond my control. But anyway, so much about that. I just feel so excited to share with you my very first issue on "Proud to be Pinoy!"

Of course, I have always been proud to be a Filipina... yet there are these people who make me more grateful for being one. Gentlemen, and (especially) ladies, I am proud to present to you Mr. Miguel De Guzman whose own love and talent for photography has made him dominate the world of soulful and wonderfully taken works of art in digital photography.

Born and raised as a pure Filipino who knows the value of family, he is known to his younger siblings to be a very sweet, loving and supportive kuya. He graduated from Lorma Colleges in San Fernando City La Union as one of the best students in their batch. He eventually landed great jobs and soon he was sent to Indonesia. He has gained so much achievements in his life and as of the moment, he is hailed as one of the most outstanding photographers who somehow has dominated one of the most best performing digital magazine in Asia - the IMag Photoworld Magazine. His image was chosen to hail the cover of the magazine on May 2012 and some of his other images won several awards to this date.

*Image taken by sir Miguel De Guzman gave glory on the cover of IMag Photography Magazine on May 2012.
So, let me share with you my little chit chat with this very talented Pinoy who made photography extraordinarily special for Filipinos.

Me: Good morning sir Mike! Thanks so much for giving me the chance for this online interview. We are just so proud to see a Pinoy Lormanian performing so well in photography. We see that the image on the cover of IMag for the May 2012 issue was taken by you. How was your photo discovered?

Miguel: I submitted some of my images to i-Mag website (www.imagphoto.com) hoping that one of my photographs would be published to their "Thousands Words" section. Luckily, one of my photo of Mount Fuji landed this column.The publisher notified me by email and asked if I have a "Star Trail" shot of the mountain. Luckily, I did...and so I made cover.

Me: Were you interested in photograpy as a child?

Miguel: No. As I child, I was more interested in music, dancing and science. As far as I can remember, I didn't have talent in visual arts…although I did try to learn how to draw.

Me:  What made you start taking phtos?

Miguel: Out of boredom, I guess. After four years of living in Indonesia, I had to adjust again to the life in the Philippines when I got transferred last 2010. I had nothing to do on weekends and so I tried all sorts of hobbies to keep me occupied.A friend invited me to try Landscape Photography. I did…and I fell in love with it!

Me:  Do yu have any professional trainings or seminars related to photography?

Miguel: Yes. I joined a group called "Guided by Light" which specializes in Landscape Photography. We had a two-day workshop last June of 2011 in Pangasinan. After that, I cannot stop myself from shooting landscapes. I got addicted with it so to speak.

Me:  What or who inspires you to take photos, and what images are your favorite to put into focus in your craft?

Miguel: When I got deeply involved in Landscape Photography, it became a way of life for me. Whenever I get the chance, I wake up early to shoot the sunrise, stay under the sun at noon to shoot Infrared photos, wait for the afternoon to shoot the sunset and even stay late to shoot the stars.Before, simple things like these that are with me everyday are almost unnoticed…just an everyday phenomenon. Now, I get excited for every sunset and sunrise because I won't know what Mother Nature will give me to visually enjoy. In the past, I don't like spending time under the sun for any reason. Now, I love it when the sun is high because it is favorable for my Infrared Photography. By the way, this is the flavor of Landscape Photography that I want to be good at.My point is that, I learned to appreciate the creation of God more as I take photographs. I don't get tired of witnessing His creation at the start and at the end on a particular day. It is a miracle to have such a beautiful world. I want to share the same passion to others. This is what inspires me.

Me:  Thanks so much sir Mike! I am so honored to have this chance to talk with you.

Miguel: Sure no problem.

So there you have it, guys! At the end of our conversation, I started to admire this very talented bachelor much more, not just because of his amzing photogrphy but also his ability to appreciate the gifts of life that we do not really have the heart to be thankful for everyday. Aside from that, this very talented Pinoy is so humble as I could see in our conversation, he's very simple and very down to earth despite the fact that he has so many things to be proud of.

Here are other images taken by sir Miguel which will simply melt your heart and will surely inspire other blooming photographers:









Sir Miguel will truly make us proud to be Pinoy! For more captivating images, feel free to visit the site of sir Migueal at MDG Landscape Photography. All images in this article are copyright of sir Miguel De Guzman. Image with * is the courtesy of IMag Photography Magazine.