Michie Marie Zamora
Photographer/Lay-out Artist
Not an Ordinary Girl
By Yugel Losorata
September 13, 2007, 8:00am
To follow the footsteps of one’s dad is not unusual, especially if he’s the achiever type or someone who has established a name in a particular field.
Some are challenged to equal or at least get somewhat close to what their fathers have attained. Others would rather craft their own names even if they choose to dabble in the same arena as their parents.
Twenty four-year-old Michie Marie Zamora feels she’s destined to take the path treaded by his dad Chie who has made a name for himself in the world of photography. While it is normal to feel the pressure of working under her dad’s shadow, she knows how to see the bright side of things and make the right moves through such perspective.
"For me it’s not about if I can be as good as Chie Zamora , it’s about building my own identity," she expressed.
Michie is the only daughter of Chie, co-founder of Shutterbugs Camera Club and who’s a respected veteran lensman. Though her tag as a daughter of a high-stature photographer naturally keeps her from easily earning the respect that a self-made big-time gets, people in the know see her as a talent beyond her bloodline. She has leaned herself towards portraiture and glamour, having developed a love for capturing the innocent smiles and irresistible cuteness of children.
"I’m playful and a kid at heart kaya din siguro I have my way sa mga kids. I’m patient and pag may tantrums yung bata nabobola ko," Michie shared.
As evident of her knack for kids, she won the internationally acclaimed Okamoto Prize at a UNESCO photo contest called "Children At Play." Just two Filipinos have won the prize, the works of both later got published in a book.
According to the lady photographer, kids fascinate her and their emotions make her want to be kid once more. She doesn’t want to be known as strictly a kid photographer, though, for every little thing can be an interesting subject for her. Things we often ignore like coin, paper clips, and figurines become subjects coming to life through her camera.
Her father’s deep knowledge and respect for old school photography have helped her understand more that going digital is not the end-all and be-all of the craft, and that she needed to learn how to manually operate a camera.
"Aside from those technical aspects such as right exposure, good lighting, composition, etc., for me an effective photograph is something which tells a story, it must be something that conveys the artist’s feelings and emotions," she said when asked to describe the kind of photograph that essentially gets through the eyes.
Michie grew up surrounded with lensmen, tagging along with his dad during the latter’s photo club meetings then. She was just 9 years old when she first held a camera. One time, her dad brought her to Manila City Jail and before she knew it she was already clicking the camera, with her exposure settings done by his father. She later realized that Chie, definitely seeing she has that eye for photography, submitted the photos she took to an on-the-spot contest called "Brigadahan." She won the photo tiff, the youngest to have won in any contest at that time.
Not surprisingly, her winning photo is now being used in the Philippine Jesuit Prisoner Service website.
That fateful triumph as a kid saw the birth of a girl photographer who for a time thought she didn’t fit in the photographer’s turf peopled usually by the arguably stronger gender. It was another close kin, her uncle Carlo, who encouraged her to go deep into it.
"The best thing about being a photographer is that I get to meet a lot of people who share the same interest and passion," she reflected. "I get to go to places I’ve never been before. I can express what’s on my mind through my photos and I can capture moments which we can never, ever bring back."
It also helped that Michie’s family has a custom printing business, which made it extra easy for her to deal with the intricacies of the trade. Now, the petite, jolly person is about to open her own studio as she is bent on continuing to the best of her efforts the legacy put up by his father in the name of photography.
Photography has likewise become a medium for members of her family to be closer with each other. "I’m close to my family at naging bonding moments na din namin ‘yung mga pagtuturuan and other stuff which involves cameras. Coming from a family of photography lovers, this gives me the feeling that I’m not alone sa interest ko."
Her father Chie, mother Amie, and brothers Archie and Chie Jr., can’t help but be proud of having a Michie in the household. The fact she loves colored photos projects her colorful sense of being. She may look like too small to carry camera equipment but she does, as she feels she has to.
She symbolizes a woman’s big heart in achieving something beyond what is expected of her. She strongly stressed out, "I’m happy being in photography and making myself known in a field populated by men. I want to prove that girls can do it better in photography at kahit girl ako and petite at that, I can be as competitive as any other male photographers. I’m more than just a girl."
By Yugel Losorata
September 13, 2007, 8:00am
To follow the footsteps of one’s dad is not unusual, especially if he’s the achiever type or someone who has established a name in a particular field.
Some are challenged to equal or at least get somewhat close to what their fathers have attained. Others would rather craft their own names even if they choose to dabble in the same arena as their parents.
Twenty four-year-old Michie Marie Zamora feels she’s destined to take the path treaded by his dad Chie who has made a name for himself in the world of photography. While it is normal to feel the pressure of working under her dad’s shadow, she knows how to see the bright side of things and make the right moves through such perspective.
"For me it’s not about if I can be as good as Chie Zamora , it’s about building my own identity," she expressed.
Michie is the only daughter of Chie, co-founder of Shutterbugs Camera Club and who’s a respected veteran lensman. Though her tag as a daughter of a high-stature photographer naturally keeps her from easily earning the respect that a self-made big-time gets, people in the know see her as a talent beyond her bloodline. She has leaned herself towards portraiture and glamour, having developed a love for capturing the innocent smiles and irresistible cuteness of children.
"I’m playful and a kid at heart kaya din siguro I have my way sa mga kids. I’m patient and pag may tantrums yung bata nabobola ko," Michie shared.
As evident of her knack for kids, she won the internationally acclaimed Okamoto Prize at a UNESCO photo contest called "Children At Play." Just two Filipinos have won the prize, the works of both later got published in a book.
According to the lady photographer, kids fascinate her and their emotions make her want to be kid once more. She doesn’t want to be known as strictly a kid photographer, though, for every little thing can be an interesting subject for her. Things we often ignore like coin, paper clips, and figurines become subjects coming to life through her camera.
Her father’s deep knowledge and respect for old school photography have helped her understand more that going digital is not the end-all and be-all of the craft, and that she needed to learn how to manually operate a camera.
"Aside from those technical aspects such as right exposure, good lighting, composition, etc., for me an effective photograph is something which tells a story, it must be something that conveys the artist’s feelings and emotions," she said when asked to describe the kind of photograph that essentially gets through the eyes.
Michie grew up surrounded with lensmen, tagging along with his dad during the latter’s photo club meetings then. She was just 9 years old when she first held a camera. One time, her dad brought her to Manila City Jail and before she knew it she was already clicking the camera, with her exposure settings done by his father. She later realized that Chie, definitely seeing she has that eye for photography, submitted the photos she took to an on-the-spot contest called "Brigadahan." She won the photo tiff, the youngest to have won in any contest at that time.
Not surprisingly, her winning photo is now being used in the Philippine Jesuit Prisoner Service website.
That fateful triumph as a kid saw the birth of a girl photographer who for a time thought she didn’t fit in the photographer’s turf peopled usually by the arguably stronger gender. It was another close kin, her uncle Carlo, who encouraged her to go deep into it.
"The best thing about being a photographer is that I get to meet a lot of people who share the same interest and passion," she reflected. "I get to go to places I’ve never been before. I can express what’s on my mind through my photos and I can capture moments which we can never, ever bring back."
It also helped that Michie’s family has a custom printing business, which made it extra easy for her to deal with the intricacies of the trade. Now, the petite, jolly person is about to open her own studio as she is bent on continuing to the best of her efforts the legacy put up by his father in the name of photography.
Photography has likewise become a medium for members of her family to be closer with each other. "I’m close to my family at naging bonding moments na din namin ‘yung mga pagtuturuan and other stuff which involves cameras. Coming from a family of photography lovers, this gives me the feeling that I’m not alone sa interest ko."
Her father Chie, mother Amie, and brothers Archie and Chie Jr., can’t help but be proud of having a Michie in the household. The fact she loves colored photos projects her colorful sense of being. She may look like too small to carry camera equipment but she does, as she feels she has to.
She symbolizes a woman’s big heart in achieving something beyond what is expected of her. She strongly stressed out, "I’m happy being in photography and making myself known in a field populated by men. I want to prove that girls can do it better in photography at kahit girl ako and petite at that, I can be as competitive as any other male photographers. I’m more than just a girl."