Wednesday, June 06, 2007
BUT ARE YOU CERTIFIED TO TAKE THIS PICTURE?
This soothing image of a sunset in Manila Bay I photographed with my Nikon D80 digital camera and monopad. A monopad helps me stabilize the camera while taking shots with a slow shutter speed; hence, avoid blurring due to camera shake. Unlike a tripod with three legs, a monopad is a single adjustable stick that doesn't require too much space to set up.
Ideally, I'd prefer using a tripod which is a lot more stable and will stand on its own without assistance. However, to avoid attracting the ire of security guards at Baywalk, I have been using the monopad instead. The last thing I need is to be asked to show a permit (which I do not have) while in the midst of composing a wonderful Manila Bay sunset shot.
As if a permit is not worrisome enough, a certification to shoot may become another added issue in the very near future.
You see, Tesda (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) whose sole mission is to provide direction, policies, programs and standards towards quality technical education and skills development here in the Philippines, has been approached by the FPPP (Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation) and some of Manila’s old time bigwigs in the professional photography community to develop a certification and qualification standards for all Filipino photographers.
What brought this about was supposedly the emergence of cheaper, better, and easier to use digital cameras, which is now breeding a new generation of wannabe photographers. I think this certification business is fine and dandy, BUT I wonder, does this certification apply to everyone, or only to those who had purchased a high-priced dSLR from the past year or so ago and now becoming very good at taking pictures.
As we all know, some of these wannabes have honed their skills so quickly that they are now dipping into the revenue stream once enjoyed only by a select group of local advertising and wedding photographers.
Now, if certification becomes a requirement to newbies only, won't this propagate a so-called ol' boys network in the local industry; thus, keeping the new talents outside hanging by the fringe and forever dependent upon the blessings of the old timers? In the process, will this hinder inchoate trailblazing perspectives associated with the young?
Now, some may argue that this proposed certification is voluntary.
Nonetheless, logic dictates that whether voluntary or mandatory, the certified gains psychological edge over the not-certified.
Taking a cue from the photography community, will this also inspire Tesda to someday require our composers to take certification examinations as well? Come to think of it, with the proliferation of affordable synthesizers, sequencers, drum machines and Mac laptops, anyone can basically write music. I'm not sure about the local music business, but in the States, I know of young people making substantial income from royalties derived from writing music for TV commercials and video games. None of these kids went to music school; they were simply driven by their intense desire to make music and now making incredible money from it.
How about our writers and poets? Available nowadays are computer programs to make writing novels and poetry easier. Will there be a Tesda-Palanca collaborative effort in the offing to certify our literary aspirants?
La Salle now offers a 4-year BA degree in Photography. Will those future graduates be required to be certified also? On the other hand, will there come a time when certified photographers be required to earn a 4-year degree from La Salle (or any of the expensive private colleges) as well, so as to be deemed a truly professional photographer? In that case, what about graduate school? A doctorate? A national board certification?
Personally, I just immensely enjoy taking pictures; however, I have seen upcoming local talents whose works with photography and photoshop can make any legendary wedding, advertising or travel photographer tremble with fear.
Neither am I afraid of taking certification tests, for I have taken many of them while involved in the high tech/computer industry back in the States; however, those certifications guaranteed and delivered hefty increases in income so, acquiring them were well worth the effort. But what about the photographer's certification? What do they guarantee a photographer in return? Paid apprenticeships, entry to the ol' boys' network, lucrative commission/project awards, or just bragging rights for having been certified?
Nevertheless, my main concern (in this whole certification issue for photographers) is this: In case I should get accosted someday by a security guard (for taking another picture of a Manila Bay sunset), will it give him the right to not only demand a permit or press card from me, but a photographer's certification as well?
posted by Señor Enrique at 6:50 AM
71 Comments:
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Photo Cache said... 4-year degree in photography? sounds fishy to me. kidding aside, i think this is too much. i agree with you about the certification.
btw, certified or not, this photograph is CERTIFIABLY perfect. great job. you keep getting better.-
said... I don't see the point of this certification thingy. What is the legality of such?
This is a free country, and we advocate free enterprise. I might be missing something here, but I see this as an infringement of right. It may be alright if we are dealing with something tangible and man-made, like a building or a park. But we are talking about the Manila bay sunset here - or just sunset in general. I think the FPPP might as well approach God, not TESDA. hehehe.-
Gita Asuncion said...
some people take pictures only because ithey feel like taking them. there is a sudden surge of desire to click away because they see something right before their eyes that they want to capture and keep for tehmselves. hobbyist lang siguro sila. ako din. :-)
p.s. ill be eagerly awaiting your upcoming blog on permits, senorE. being a hobbyist, dyan ako laging sumasabit. hahaha... with security guards and personnel. what to do!-
pusa said...
ano ba yan! tsk tsk tsk! bakit di na lang nila ipropose na gawing legal ang illegal drugs at corruption para kumita ang gobyerno, i think this is one of their evil schemes to earn.
what if i just love taking pictures to promote our country?
hay! so far naman sa lrt 2 pa lang ako napagbawalan kumuha ng pics... and i dread the thought when time comes that i have to take pictures secretly.-
said...
Good Lord!, what's next, a four-year degree in BS Automechanic with minor in Vulcanization and Autobody?, and need to be certified after that. Won't suprise me one iota if this happens in Pinas. Kaya yung nagme-mechanic dyan sa kalye-kalye, magpa-certify na kayo, hehe...
Imagine everyone entering the country w/any camera to pay camera fee? Hmmm..kinda scary.
Since we're in the photography subject, many years ago, this US based freelance photographer's pic was taken, him closely watching a few vultures shadowing a dying african child in Africa. I remember vividly this somber and eerie photograph
graced the cover of Time Magazine.
I hope you remembered this. I only raised this particular event as few years after that "photograph" was shown around the world, he (I could almost swear his name was Jack Carter, it's an educated guess) committed suicide: reason - he witnessed the consummation of the child by those deadly voltures and his claim of powerless to help led to extreme depression.
Any feedback if I slightly erred is much appreciated. Goodhealth..-
mgaputonimimi said...
wow.. grabe.. 4 years sa photography?
cant imagine..
by the way.. ganda ng pagka capture ng pic.. parang uulan na hindi.. parang didilim na hindi.. parang umaga rin..-
said...
what next, certification for blogging?
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sheilamarie said...
sigh... eric, i can't imagine having to go through all that trouble just to take some pictures.
Life is sure getting more and more complicated =P
p.s. great shot with the sun almost setting. is that the barge that tours people around the manila bay area? have u tried that already? =D-
carlotta1924 said...
heaven forbid they should implement a certification test in photography, or in any of the arts. it's only the artist (may it be a musician, writer, painter, photographer, etc) who can show the others what they can do.
great picture, btw. keep on shooting! =)-
said...
mahal ba ang monopad?
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Learning Team said...
hi eric,
ganda talaga ng manila bay sunset.
they may need a lot of security guards to police taking pictures of the sunset.-
Sidney said...
Greetings from sunny Belgium ! :-)
Wonderful sunset!
I agree you are getting better and better!
Certification? It doesn't make sense!-
Señor Enrique said...
Thank you very much, Photo Cache!
A 4-year degree in Photography isn't such a bad idea at all, especially for those considering Fine Arts but have no talent for drawing and painting. If I were much younger, I'd probably get into it just for the added learning experience. It's the proposed certification for local photographers that I think smells ... hehehe.-
Señor Enrique said...
The whole thing borders on absurdity, Rhoda. Plain and simple. Doesn't it make you wonder exactly who are they trying to protect here by implementing a certification program. The new photographers or the old photographers whose income is being threatened?
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Señor Enrique said...
Isn't that something, Gita? That we all share one common problem here -- inability to shoot at public places.
I don't know. I think the only recourse is to set up a party list for the marginalized photographers -- as Rhoda once suggested in jest.-
Señor Enrique said...
Saudi Arabia finally lifted their ban on photography, Pusa, when they realized that such prohibition was only hurting their tourism industry.
I one was accosted by a security guard for taking a picture of a balete tree with my point & shoot digicam behind the Philippine Stock Exchange in Ayala.
Crazy!-
Señor Enrique said...
You are precisely correct, TruBlue. Don't know the name of the photographer but I have seen that particular photo -- very disturbing. I probably would have been devastated myself to have witnessed such macabre incident in person and not have been able to do anything about it.
God forbid that requiring our auto mechanics to earn a 4-year college degree becomes a reality.
Sadder still is the posibility that even if they conformed with such Tesda requirement, rest assured they'd be applying for a job abroad soonest.
Thanks, TruBlue!-
Señor Enrique said...
Many thanks, Mimi.
Wouldn't that be something? Getting a 4-year degree in photography just to be able to call yourself a "photographer."-
Señor Enrique said...
Hahaha ... I can see Abe Olandes disqualifying non-certified bloggers from his PinoyBlog.com, Dine!
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Señor Enrique said...
That boat, Sheilamarie is not the regular one that docks right along Baywalk.
My nephew and his wife had gone on a sunset cruise complete with dinner. He claims the P500/person charge was well worth it!
I will try it one of these days!-
Señor Enrique said...
Know what, Carla? This whole certificatiuon thing might only backfire; making us the laughing stock of other photographers from the other parts of the world!
I'm sure you didn't experience any ridiculous encounters with security guards while shooting away in the States this past summer.
Many thanks! I will for sure :)-
Señor Enrique said...
They can cost anywhere from a couple of hundred to about six thousand pesos, Rhodyl.
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Señor Enrique said...
I don't think they'll ever be able to police it, MM. Too beautiful to resist. One of the city's truest gems :)
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Señor Enrique said...
Hey Sidney!
Glad you landed safely in your old country :)
I'm sure you're already missing the Manila Bay sunset ... hehehe!
Not only does it not make any sense, Sidney, but I think it's completely laughable. A joke!-
said...
Certification for photographers to protect the old timers? Where did the FPPP get that stupid idea? The last time I checked this is still a free country.
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said...
For me this certification thing is 100 years going backward and to the ages.
Anyhow, this type of restriction sometimes create a new world, a new force who does not want to be under any forms of restriction. Like what happened to music, to other art forms and even in the IT industry, young people, creative people, create their own: the Alternative music, alternative art, the open source codes and etc...
Palagay ko mga dead woods na ang proponents ng certifications na yan o baka mga commisioners (nangungumisyon) ng mga mamahaling cameras kasi pwede nilang i-impose na ganito ang specs ng camera na kailangan mo to be certified.-
said...
i can understand the restrictions in museums, in private buildings, sometimes public buildings but with the Manila Bay sunset, I do not see any intelligent reason to have a permit to take a picture of it. Soon they will impose permits in taking a picture of the sky, the stars, the sun. Whoever thought of this permits/certificates is a moron.
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Amadeo said...
The South African photographer was named Kevin Carter and he filmed scenes from the Sudan famine.
Filipino painter Joey Velasco featured him in his painting, Hapag ng Pagasa.
In my opinion, a certification requirement for photographers would be reasonable if the intent is to regulate the income-generating activities of the profession of commercial photography.
But the hobby part of it should be left unregulated. But if commerce or business decides to tap from that source, then that entirely is their business, and government should have no business in it unless the public good is involved.-
NOYPETES said...
That certification bullcrap is typical of an elitist mentality!
WTF? DSLR vs: Snapshooters? Reminds me of what my mother used to tell me whenever I would ask her for more money to buy brand name pencils(Staedler), watercolor and paintbrushes, technical pens(Rotring)when I was in art school. "Anak, wala yan sa lapis, nasa galing ng kamay mo yan".
Aside from my personal stash of DSLR's and large format film cameras, I walked around and carry on my MC rides a Nikon 10MP CoolPix P5000, a small and compact pocket snapshooter to capture images or document a situation that suits my vision of a a good photograph. Only inadequately nurtured brains think of ideas such as a TESDA certification for pinoy photographers! During the martial law days in Manila, I went to the Foreign Affairs office for some paperwrok I needed for my cultural exchange trip to Germany to attend a 4 month workshop in low cost TV animation. I was required to attach 2X2 photos required for my red diplomatic passport, a standard then for govt. employees going on a mission abroad. I had to rush out of the FA office to get the photos done to catch the deadline. The nearest one I can get a photo from was a street photographer hanging out acroos the building. He took my head shot under a shaded portion of a white concrete wall, serving as my backdrop also. he goes in a make shift darkroom made of 2 big empty refrigirator boxes attached together. 15 minutes or more later he comes out with 12 2X2 B/W photos and I must say that it was shot and printed well for sidewalk deal photographed with a very old SLR camera with a pomade bottle cap as an exposure shutter and lens cap as well! I swear this is true!!-
Gita Asuncion said...
noypetes, very well said, bro. very well said.
oh, and i believe your story.-
NOYPETES said...
Thanks Gita!
Eric,
Rhoda had mentioned the legality of this whole certification crap!
Is this a Manila council decree or just another bully tactic of the govt.? Rhoda was right about the infringement of rights here. I think the photographers of the Philippines, pros and amateurs, hobbyist and anybody who appreciates a good photograph should get together with a photo exhibit showcasing the injustices of all this BS photo restrictions. make it surreal and avant garde to twist the brains of those city officials who encourages the suupression of people to express their artform. Nip it in the bud before it escalates into a more serious art censorship by the govt.-
said...
Photography is not just a course, or a career or whatever you want to call it. It's a skill, an art which comes from the eyes and heart of the artist, like all the painters and musicians. Certifications are bulshit! I think all we need is the permission of the person we are shooting or the person who owns the thing or place.
Beauty is art and art is everywhere. We need to show them, not to suppress or make it difficult for people to achieve what he/she wants to do. I hope our government will focus on the much needed issues, not on the things that can make someone a better person.
Thanks for sharing Eric and the picture is breathtaking. Very dramatic. :)-
said...
Was Ansell Adam certified when he took those immortal landscpae pictures of the west? One cant certified a talent that a person is born with.Dont mind those self serving and attention seeking certifying groups, just keep posting your idyllic pictures on line and we your fans will be the judge of your work.
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Señor Enrique said...
I think the impetus to this certification movement, Tommy, was this thread on Digital Photographer Philippines online forum, "Murdering the Photography Industry,"
http://www.digitalphotographer.com.ph/forum/showthread.php?t=3257&highlight=murdering
in which a particular project was given to someone charging a mere fraction of what it would normally cost. That someone was a new photographer trying to get into the business by charging extremely low fees. This was in the advertising field.
On the other hand, in the wedding business, many new photographers are usually not charging anything for their services just to accumulate experience and a decent portfolio. This has caused much animosity from established wedding photographers, of course.
I wouldn't be surprised if these newbies were graduates of seminars offered by FPPF. And now, it seems, FPPF, reigning them in through certification.-
Señor Enrique said...
Mostly ageing photographers being made to feel insecure by the the local new talents, Myepinoy!
It's not so much getting commissions from the sale of cameras, but from teaching/school fees -- that's where the money is. With 4 or 5 modules that one has to be certified in, that's assured mega profits for anyone planning on setting up a school to prepare the students for certification.-
Señor Enrique said...
Actually, Bernie, they may not be morons after all. There is actually a lot of money to be made by imposing permits and certifications.
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Señor Enrique said...
Thanks for the information, Amadeo. I appreciate it and I'm sure TruBlue will as well.
As for this certification madness, if indeed their intention is to regulate the income-generating activities of the profession of commercial photography, requiring the new photographers to be certified is not the right approach.
In i-Mag Magazine Issue 5, Jun Miranda, a member of its editorial board, a respected photographer, and also a teacher, wrote an editorial on what he thinks FPPF should be busy about.
Quote
Let's take for example advertising photographers. The only organization representing them is the Advertising Photographers of the Philippines. The APP is on the verge of extinction as it cannot even muster a meeting to elect its new set of officers. It has been that way for several years now. The organization's state of affairs is both a reflection of what is happening in the advertising photography industry and of the lack of mutual trust among its members.
Here the Federation (FPPF), as a neutral body, can play a more active role in reviving the association. There are also other problems that the industry faces that the Federation, as a national organization, can help solve. For instance, how about taking the cudgels to lobby for a law that will protect the interests of the local professional photographers against the incursion of foreign photographers?
Unquote
So why not tackle these issues instead of participating in the requirement of new photographers to be certified?
Since FPPF is also a school,could it be that they stand to make a lot of money by creating certification preparatory classes?-
Señor Enrique said...
Hi Noypetes!
Here are some names involved in this certification thing:
Quote
20 of the top photographers in their field were invited to take part in forming and setting the standards for TESDA. Photographers in the group invited included Ramond Isaac, Mark Floro, Allan Razo, Juluis Klar, Jay Javier, Sonny Yabao, John Chua (represented by wife Harvey), Toch Arellano, Bernard Mejias, Nes Santiago and Anton Sheker to name a few of the Photographers present. The Photographers reviewed, deliberated and revised technical data that will be used by TESDA in formulating their key competencies for the photography certification. It will take time since the results of the other regions will have to be collated and fused together as one.
This certification is voluntary but if all the ad agencies and photography related businesses adopt it, then everyone will eventually be forced to take it.
Unquote
Reminds of a budding Cosa Nostra within the Philippine photography community.-
Señor Enrique said...
I, too, believe, in what Noypete shared with us, Gita.
Have you seen those oldtimers in Luneta -- the cameramen? Their darkroom is nothing but a tiny shack inside the park. And yes, they take great pictures, too.-
Señor Enrique said...
Now, that a very good idea, Noypetes! But as you know here in the Philippines, everything takes longer to gel. But as long as there is movement, it will manifest as intended eventually.
The exhibition hall I have in mind for what you mentioned is the one underneath the Lacson pedestrian underpass in Quiapo. I had once attended an exhibit there and that would be the ideal place to hold such!
Better to get the attention and support of foreign photographers in this endeavor for a more dynamic impact :)
Thanks!-
said...
So, if you don't heed this certification thingy, will you be arrested, jailed? I don't think so. And I don't think there is a Manila ordinance to buff such. They can't pass any law for this because it's unconstitutional.
So, Eric, go ahead. Take the pics. Sagot kita... hehehe.-
Señor Enrique said...
Very well said, LAR. And thank you very much for sharing with us your thoughts. I couldn't have said it any better.
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Señor Enrique said...
Talk about coincidence, Leo. Yesterday, I found in the second hand bookstore in Manila's university belt area an autobiography book by Ansel Adams (for a mere 150 pesos!).
The first page alone echoes what you and LAR say about beauty and photography.
No, Ansel was never certified, but he took photographs that to this day we all appreciate.
Thank you very much, Leo.-
Señor Enrique said...
Hi Rhoda!
Sige. I will be feeling very confident and safe from now on, especially with you as my protector. Takot lang nila!
:)-
said...
a bachelor's degree in photography is a bit too much. Again in Pinas, what can you expect. They even offer masters degree in secretarial management :)
Why are certifications issued? It has more to do with safety and regulation to protect the public.
A car mechanic has to be certified so he doesn't jeopardize the safety of people. A programmer has to be certified so he can be trusted that he knows his trade and will not screw up the bank's systems. Why should a photographer be certified? I see no compelling reason whatsoever.-
Señor Enrique said...
That master's degree in secretarial management made me laugh, BW!
Supposedly, according to this certification proponent group's statement:
Quote:
The Philippines has become a pool for international markets for skilled workers and now even Photographers are needed abroad that is why, TESDA is setting the minimum skills and qualification standards for the photographer to get certified before he is allowed to venture into his new photography world, in this case photography on board cruise ships.
Unquote
Question is, how many people actually want to be cruise photographers? No one that I know of. I think they're merely protecting their revenue stream from the advertising and wedding arenas.-
said...
There are many wannabe(s) today due to the marketing strategies of a dSLR and everyone seems to think that holding a big camera means that one can turn to a professional instantly. But things do not work this way.
I have always believed in starting small; with a point-and-shoot then later on, advance towards the stages of handling a dSLR. That was how I started when I was 15.
In Malaysia, many people are following the dSLR craze and it's not really a beautiful scene because they seem to think that dSLR will produce beautiful photos. True, but it also depends on the skills that you have for example, the composition, lighting, et cetera. Also, most of them are venturing into wedding photography albeit they are just newbies. Wedding photography is not simple and it requires a lot of time, skills, and experience. Plus, it's not how powerful the camera is because the most important factor is the man behind the lens.
A certification would be nice and it can also certify the skills that one has. It will help everyone strive for improvement in what they are doing.
[:
Just my humble opinion.-
said...
those photographers think they can get away with it by organizing some sort of a guild and dictating prices
as if they're not living in a free market world
such delusions!
seen that topic discussed for the nth time in some of my yahoogroups :(-
said...
It is not unusual for our govt officials to "make it difficult" for everyone when financial opporunities exist. I always thought of photography as art. How good are you ? Well, show me your portfolio ! This is how professional photography is being handled in other countries - your product speaks of your skills. If one is applying for a cruise photographer job he has to present his portfolio - photos, his photoblog, prefessional - anything that testifies to his photography skills.
If anything a certification would do should have nothing to do with skills but knowledge of privacy act, infringement of intellectual property and other legal implications.
The immaturity of our govt shows when they even proposed to have cell phone vendors selling bluetooth networking hire a licensed electronics and communications engineer JUST TO BE ABLE TO SELL THE PRODUCT. This is one of the most idiotic proposals I've ever heard, when bluetooth devices are being sold at Walmart and mall stands ! Not sure if this pushed through, but YOu get real shockers from the bureacratic govt every now and then.-
ipanema said...
This is way too much. Ano, may patent na ang sun? Itago na lang kaya nila ang sun para wala ng sunset.. :)
Gee FPPP, grow up.-
-= dave =- said...
Certification to ensure they don't mess up your portrait? Kidding aside, if it's the bottom line their after, why not regulate the price for professional services (different from artistry)? But even that is iffy. Yeah, the BS Photography course did raise my eyebrows.
It's quite a stir you've generated here, Señor E!-
said...
if ever this certification thing gets through, soon, scupltors, painters, novelists, poets, and actors will be required to have certificates. so to express your feelings and what you see through art in any form is now suppressed. if newbees can take good photographs with their dSLRs like the old timers and professionals with the film SLRs, so what? just like what Bernie wrote above, MORONS.
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said...
oh my gosh, hope this will not happen. that is so preposterous! i doubt if it will ever go through, it is totally insane! it will turn off lots and lots of tourist, like the Japanese who love to take pictures.
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Señor Enrique said...
I do understand your point, Kyels, but other chores like auto mechanics, photography is not wholly technical, therefore, how do you certify creativity?
I actually know someone so well-versed in the mechanics of dSLRs, as well as having top of the line gear, but he has yet to win a single prize in any photo contests including the ones given in school.
I also know someone who has marginal knowledge of the mechanism of his camera yet he has won several prizes.
Now, which one would you pick as more certifiable than the other?-
Señor Enrique said...
"seen that topic discussed for the nth time in some of my yahoogroups :("
I don't think so!-
Señor Enrique said...
"I always thought of photography as art. How good are you ? Well, show me your portfolio ! This is how professional photography is being handled in other countries - your product speaks of your skills. If one is applying for a cruise photographer job he has to present his portfolio - photos, his photoblog, prefessional - anything that testifies to his photography skills."
I completely agree with you, BW!-
Señor Enrique said...
The scariest part of this whole thing, Ipanema, is if Tesda approves this measure without at least entertaining the views of any opposing party. A one-sided affair might get them entangled in some legalities and perhaps, invite speculations from the press that "grease money" may be involved.
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Señor Enrique said...
It's quite a stir this certification thing generated in me, Dave ... hahaha! It really borders on absurdity. And to think that it seems to be cooked so surreptitiously.
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stip said...
I saw the certification announcement at the June issue of Digital Photography Philippines. I think its aimed towards professional photographers (or those wanting to be one).
On another topic, I was surprised to find out here that security guards at Baywalk prohibit taking pictures of the sunset there. Is it because you were handling a DSLR, senor e?
I've a similar experience at Bonifacio Highstreet recently. I and my lady friend were approached by the security guards there when we snapped shots of the area. They told us that what we're doing is prohibited, but I countered that there were other people snapping away in the area (point-and-shoots). So why single us out?
Kasi daw pang-professional yung cameras namin (Canon EOS 400D and Fuji Finepix S5).
Geeez... explaining to them that we're just hobbyists didn't work. Their reasoning is so lame.-
Señor Enrique said...
But come to think of it Observer, our scupltors, painters, novelists, poets, and actors might prove to be a "classier" bunch; not subject to conniptions when new blood comes dipping into their revenue stream.
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Señor Enrique said...
Okay, Stip how about this:
By some stroke of luck you're able to take a picture of one of President Bush's daughters enjoying the sun in Boracay with Prince William.
You take this picture to Inquirer and since you're not certified, only offers you minimal money for your pic. Yet, you're just as good if not better than the regular pro. How would you feel?
How many other "free" countries impose certifications on their photographers?-
Señor Enrique said...
Hi Belle,
The foreign media might start picking on us; worse, belittle our local pro photographers on account of this whole thing.-
Yam Manuel said...
This is outrageous! How about photo hobbyists who just want to post pics in their blogs? Think about the students who just want to appreciate the beauty of Manila Bay..
Screw these guys!-
Señor Enrique said...
I hear you, Yam! This whole thing is really questionable.
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INKBLOTS said...
I would understand if your were taking a photo of greenbelt 3, which has a copyright of the architectural design. Then the guards would have the right to accost you.
And photographing nature (i.e. Manila Bay sunset) is prohibited nowadays? That is weird! If they can show me a proof that Manila Bay Sunset is copyrighted, then by all means they can handcuff me.
That does not only show how silly and paranoid the authorities have become. The guards and those officers ordering them simply do not know the constitutional rights.
And the only difference is the camera that you are holding. Crazy!-
Señor Enrique said...
The saddest part, Inkblots, is for something of creative nature to be regarded as technical and made subject to certification.
BTW, I have received emails from university students to create a movement to "boycott" all products whose ad agency support certification in photography.-
grumpyurbanslacker said...
hey senor enrique,
4-year Photog course??? That's way crazy!! that school really knows how to milk its students dry :D
re this certification thing, while we are at it, should people running for public office be required to show a certification from an authorized institution that they are qualified?
congrats, btw, for winning at the Blog Awards! Your pics are the best!
GUS-
Señor Enrique said...
That's another issue attached to this certification thing, Gus -- photography students being treated as cows and milked for their money; however, once they become very good, they are now subjected to taking certification exams so as to be officially labeled, "Newbie."
Some of these local pro photographers who fuel this certification movement are ... get this ... actively teaching their craft to these unwitting photography enthusiasts for a substantial amount of money. Shameless, shameless, shameless!
Thanks, Gus!-
said...
i think there is nothing wrong in taking up a.b. photography which will cost you 4 years. ( i thought it was only 3 yrs in CSB-SDA). this is the start of a new photography era. way back,in history, most of the courses offered today are not considered to be have a formal education. Medicine started as a quack quack stuff hundred of centuries ago. haha the maestro-carpentero which we now called architects.. what are they if they did not go to study this disciplines? you think they will perform the same performance they now perform today if not for those education? lets not just conclude today that photography education is not as important as it is.. :)
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duke said...
hi. was jumping blogs when i chanced upon yours. been reading your entries backwards from the present and this entry just made me want to say something.
this is absurd! so now you need a permit and a certification to get pictures in manila? susme. yun lang. buwiset talaga o. wala na ba silang ibang magawa sa buhay? pagdiskitahan pa nila mga gusto mga pichure pichure lang. i will not be one to pay for a certification to photograph....ok..i might...but not without giving them a piece of my mind first.
i just bought my Nikon D80 and i'm one of those newbie wannabes. hehehe. buwiset sila.-
Señor Enrique said...
Welcome to the Nikon D80 shooter's club, Duke ... hehehe.
I'll give you a day or two and then I'll visit your site to check out the things that you do with you D80 :) I'm sure they'll be wonderful stuff.
Ay naku! Huwag na lamang pansinin at mawawala lang and creative focus mo ... hehehe. Sobra na ang mga pagbabawal na iyan.
Good luck with your new dSLR!
And thanks for dropping by :)
