Eric’s Note: I got introduced to Robert Huibonhoa from talented photographer Geric Cruz. When I look at Robert’s work, I am taken back by the elegance and poetry of his images. Although many of his images are quite somber in feel, he still celebrates and highlights the joys of life through his images. Check out his soulful black and white images (and some of his thoughts on shooting) in the feature below.
Robert: I got started in photography by the influence of my friends. I never took any formal training or attended any workshop, but luckily have been surrounded by, in my opinion, the best image makers in my country. There’s so much to be learned from other photographers vision and style. Most photographers are innately teachers of their craft even if they don’t know it. I still continue to look to their work for inspiration.
Black and white is simpler. Not to say it can’t get complex, but most of the time, it’s easier to register in the brain. Grain is beautiful for me. Color has more information and when used properly, is more catchy. But there’s a meditative quality to black and white which draws me to it. At this point, it seems the possibilities with black and white are just as equal with color, it’s just a different medium with different quality all together.
It’s the process altogether which draws me to photograph. Before it used to be about taking pictures of everything, but now for me its more of selecting and forgetting over and over again and then at one go remembering once you see the negatives. But also it’s fun to be able to take pictures anytime and anywhere , without having to worry about your subject and without being limited by the finite quality of film, so I also recently started to do that. It’s a lot like writing and literature, but my attention span has shortened and I can’t seem to find the time to do those things anymore, and photography is the closest medium to doing so without having to sit yourself down.
In the end, it’s not about (but at the same time) everything about the final image. It’s just a way of looking at things. But that’s the whole point I guess.
Photos by Robert
