Elena Taeza : Fever-Pitch Passion

We've seen this story many times before : someone picks up a hobby, enjoys it and decides to pursue it with blazing enthusiasm, only to lose steam somewhere along the way. We all know someone who has trodden that path.

On the other side of the story, we also know someone who did not follow the footsteps of the "ningas kugon" and our featured shooter is a prime example. Since being acquainted with photography years ago, she hasn't stopped striving. Absorbing every bit of knowledge she could, trying her luck and getting a fair share of triumph and failure in contests, or just going with the flow by shooting everytime she gets the chance,  she has definitely been one of the most active Focus members. In turn, her craft has improved leaps and bounds over the past year or two.

Ma. Elena "Jelens" Taeza is our featured Focus photographer of the month. This is her story and reason for sustaining the passion.

Q : So when exactly did the photography bug bite you?
E : Since elementary days pa lang hilig ko na humawak ng point-and-shoot camera kaya noong nagka-trabaho ako, isa sa mahal na nabili ko 'yung Sony Cybershot para may sarili na akong camera. Wala pa akong idea sa photography proper noon.  2011 nung binili ko 'yung Canon 1000D, sabi ko 'yung pinakamura lang, tapos nood lang ng mga tutorial sa Youtube kung paano gamitin 'yung mga settings. 'Yung mag-blur lang ang background masaya na ako, hahaha.  2014 noong in-introduce sakin ni Shauang (Bote, a fellow member - ed) 'yung Focus Bulacan, na may photography group pala sa Bulacan.  First photography workshop ko talaga 'yung sa BSU ng Focus, November 2014. After nun na-realize ko na gusto ko talaga matuto ng photography. December binili ko na 'yung Canon 60D ko.  Doon na nag-start 'yung eagerness ko at ni Shauang na makasali sa group.
 
Q : Tell us how it’s like to get started and what fueled your passion?
E : Masaya! Noong una gusto ko lang talaga po mag-shoot tuwing may okasyon sa pamilya.  After nung Basic Photography Workshop ng Focus, 'di lang pala 'yun ang pwede kong gawin sa DSLR ko.  'Yung makapag-produce ka ng photo na katulad ng mga nakikita ko lang sa internet dati at magawa ko 'yung mga nagagawa din ng iba, basta pag-aaralan mo lang, doon siguro ko masasabi na nagsimula 'yung hilig at kagustuhan ko na matuto ng photography.

Q : Along the way, who were influential mentors or photographers to you?
E : Sino nga ba? Isa na siguro 'yung mga photographers na nakakahalubilo ko sa Focus Bulacan tulad ni kuya Awel Dionisio. Siya 'yung nag-guide sa akin sa Salubong Festival kung paano mag-shoot at tignan ang tama ng araw at shadow sa mukha ng mga dancers.  At 'yung nakilala ko sa isang mobile photography group sa Facebook na matiyagang nagturo at nag-guide sa akin ng mga nalalaman nya at nag-encourage na din para mag take ng Basic Photography course sa FPPF. 
 
Q : If you compare and look back at your photos two or three years ago, what enters your mind?
E : Sayang, hehehe.  Kung sana noon pa ako nag-aral eh 'di sana mas maalam na ako.  Pwera-biro, masaya naman kasi, mainam-inam naman na ang mga kuha ko ngayon kumpara daw sa dati.
 
Q : We see you shooting a lot of different things. What genre fits you the most, and why?
E : Sabi po kasi ng kakilala ko, wala naman masamang subukan lahat. Sa huli makikita ko din kung anong genre ang pinakagusto ko.  Portrait and Landscape talaga kung tatanungin 'yung pinakagusto ko na matutunan, bukod sa Macro na pinagkakalibangan ko ngayon.

Q : What keeps you motivated in photography?
E : Siguro kasi ito talaga 'yung gusto kong gawin tsaka para sa akin, feeling ko ngayon pa lang ako nag-u-umpisa eh. Madami pa akong dapat at gustong matutunan.

Q : You’ve also taken mobile phone photography seriously, with the Huawei P9. Does it give you pause that you might start loving shooting with your phone and start shooting less and less with your DSLR?
E : Hindi naman siguro, iba pa din ang DSLR compared sa mobile para sa akin.  Sa mobile lang kasi lagi mo siyang dala, kung may makita o madaanan ka na interesting pwede mo na agad pitikan. Saka ang ganda ng P9. Haha.
 
Q : It seems like you shoot everyday. How do you usually schedule or decide your shoots? Does it happen spontaneously, or do you plan it ahead most of the time?
E : Hahaha, nakakahiya naman.  Spontaneous siguro na masasabi kasi sa umaga habang nakasakay ng tricycle 'pag maganda ung sikat ng araw ilalabas ko na ung phone ko para makapitik na at saka pag naglalakad pauwi papuntang sakayan ng FX, umiikot 'yung paningin ko sa mga nadadaanan ko. Titignan ko kung may maganda bang mapipitikan.  Sa akin kasi practice ko na sa sarili 'yun. 

Q : Doesn’t work get in the way of photography?
E : Hindi pa naman, hehehe. I still enjoy doing my job at the NLRC (National Labor Relations Commission where she works as a stenographic reporter - ed).
 
Q : What’s your favorite place to shoot?
E : Hagonoy, syempre. Walang katulad ang hometown ko.
 
Q : What would be your dream shoot?
E : Dream kong makapag-shoot ng wedding. Someday, sana.
 
Q : Do you have a frustration with a certain photography genre? The one you’ve really been challenged.
E : Challenged siguro, Portrait and Landscape pa rin kasi madami pa akong dapat matutunan. Sa Portrait dapat kong pag-aralan 'yung paggamit ng flash, 'yung tamang pag-bounce ng light sa subject, paggamit ng reflector at practice kung paano mo ipu-puwesto ang subject.  Sa Landscape naman after ko marinig 'yung photography talk ni sir Jay Jallorina, mas lalo ako na-inspire. Gusto ko i-apply 'yung mga pointers niya tulad ng paggamit ng filters at paano mag-long exposure.

Q : What’s your most favorite photo of all? And why?
E : 'Yung photo ng Divine Mercy altar (shown above).  Noong una kasi wala siya sa loob ko na gawing entry sa Larawang Bulakenyo. Noong processing at selection session ng Focus para sa mga gagawing entries sa contest, doon lang ako nakapag-decide, tapos siya pa 'yung napili sa Landmark Category noong mga judges ng PCCI kaya parang sobrang swerte.
 
Q : You’ve attended a lot of talks and workshops. What’s the one, most important thing that you’ve learned?
E: Know your gear! 'Yun talaga ang pinaka-importante eh, alamin mo paano gamitin ang meron ka.

Q : And what’s the most important thing you would like to tell those who are just getting into photography?
E : Cliché man pero shoot lang nang shoot. Kahit mobile pwede pang-practice lalo na sa composition, at hindi pwede ang pwede na.
 
Q : What's your message for Focus followers and fellow Focus members?
E : Sa mga ka-Focus at sa lahat ng mga sumusuporta, sobrang salamat sa experience na ito. More power sa ating lahat! Kitakits sa susunod na shoot.

Elena's Picks : Her favorite captures (click thumbnails to view photos in full)

The curious question is : how long will Elena be able to sustain her photographic fire? Or better yet, what would intensify it even more? With what she's showing us, our bet is that the second question is more likely to be definitively answered.

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