when i look at pictures, i can clearly see how life had evolved and developed man's intellectual capacity to invent things. nostalgia always finds its way to my serene thoughts as i once again view moments imprinted on glossy paper.
then i came across http://totolozano.com/ and saw how dynamic and vibrant the world of photogrpahy is. i used to think photography is only the art and science of capturing an image with the use of a camera. but now, to add to tanya lopez's definition, it is action. it tells a story - of people, of occasions, of experiences, of society, of human condition, of the micro and macrocosmos.
it distinguishes the peculiar from the usual. it is hunting for verbs, not nouns. it is more than just mere lens focusing and clicking the shutter... it is also imparting information and the corelation of things. that by taking pictures, we take into account the struggle to face the adversities and complexities of life.
a photographer/photojourn/activist's blog: you'll never know whats in store for you. his blog description, also a description of himself, is one i have rarely seen - direct and simple yet, intriguing. ang maniniyot - the facade of life revolving in pictures and kuno - a humble way of self-acclaiming a profession and in some sense, leading the readers to discover the realities that bite. the background is minimalist in nature, contrasting the surrounding layout of the page. the other page elements such as the links list and archives are well laid out. one thing i like most is the flickr of several photos capturing the vastness of human emotions. the tags would also give you a hint on what you can read on the pages and the main themes of the posts are highlighted by using larger font sizes: Mindanao, photography and of course, his persona. even the ads are not domineering. his choice of green for highlighted items and his header were also great: it fits both for white and black backgrounds so there are only a few colors used enhancing the minimalism effect.
toto's homepage fuses passion with activism. he gives his self away through his love of the art and his calls for social change. his posts, though simple and not really writer-material, can "knock" some social sense especially with the photos speaking for themselves. truly, an image paints a thousand words and a million meanings. with this, i'd like to share Martin Muncaksi's (1963) words on being a photographer on toto's page:
"He, whose aim is the genre photographs,
must be somewhat of a poet in order
to lend his pictures a dash of poetry
and imagination.
and the portrait photographer
must be a bit of psychologist;
must be somewhat of a poet in order
to lend his pictures a dash of poetry
and imagination.
and the portrait photographer
must be a bit of psychologist;
the landscaper, a bit of an artist.
and they all must draw well,
to arrive at a perfect composition
with each of their subjects
to arrive at a perfect composition
with each of their subjects
and finally, the top of all:
news photography
– which requires
beyond all these qualities
the quality of a journalist,
news photography
– which requires
beyond all these qualities
the quality of a journalist,
with an instinct for news,
the knowledge of an all-around sportsman
who runs, jumps, climbs,
the knowledge of an all-around sportsman
who runs, jumps, climbs,
plus the tact and the wit of a diplomat
that is , to be able to emerge from the most
embarrassing situations with the
best possible shot already bagged."
that is , to be able to emerge from the most
embarrassing situations with the
best possible shot already bagged."
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1 comment:
okay na 'to...di naman ganun ka-strict ang review-a-blog. cguro, if you like, you can discuss more about the other aspects of toto lozano's blog...
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