Photographer of the Week

Jon Erick Dizon - Time Freeze-

by Yugel Losorata–

Time’s principle is to move forward without ever stopping. But photography has challenged that in a revolutionary way, with its capacity to freeze moments and make people kind of go back in time through the memories they evoke. It has all the time to remember the past and stop forever particular scenes in the name of visual art.

Young photographer Jon Erick Dizon puts in priceless category the value of freezing time through photographs. Each time he produces a picture, he takes pride at the accomplishment.

“I believe that everything is unique and it should be treasured because one can never take back time. That is the magic of photography, it captures priceless moments,” he says. “When people see the photos I took, they recall the moments that were captured.”

At 22, Jon has found his niche, covering weddings which he believes is the kind of occasion where a photographer gets to mix every photography type. His well-rounded personality has proven to be a perfect fit for the challenges a wedding photographer faces. Thus, his competence is reflected through the astounding shots he delivers on a regular basis.

Of course, he puts to heart the power of photography to capture time. He actually describes looking at a picture as the simplest, easiest way to time traveling, apart of course from daydreaming which is quite difficult to the unimaginative.

He takes note of his age and care for work which both deal with time. “With my age I know I can do so much more, which is why I am also taking advantage of it. I want to compete with myself everyday – that my photo tomorrow will beat my photo today.”

Age doesn’t matter but time does so he’s maximizing his youth to help the Olongapo Camerabugs Photography Club, Inc. where he is currently the group’s president. Separately, he is also the photography director of Soul Atelier which artistically provides with wedding needs. He thinks that the industry is “already saturated by uninspired artists” so his group is trying to offer a refreshing artistry to stakeholders.

Three years back he told his parents of his desire to pursue a career in photography. He was given the blessing, plus the advice to seek a heavy load of knowledge on the craft. He did, enrolling himself to formally study basic and advanced lessons, as well as cruise ship photography at the Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation (FPPF).

Winnings in contests followed. He won first place in the Subic Clicks competition, scoring three of the top ten entries out of 500 hopefuls. He likewise placed 3rd at Canon’s “Smile” contest in line with Photoworld Asia.

Then, this year he won the Flores De Mayo Photo Contest at SM Mall of Asia, taking home the grand prize in spite of having more than 900 photographers who joined the competition.

“I knew that joining these types of contests,” he points out, “will serve as my skill’s exam, test my technique and ability to adapt to various situations and develop that grace under pressure. The technical skills that I have acquired in the seminar, plus the coaching from my parents and mentors, my perseverance and enthusiasm, all led me to winning.”

This achiever from Olongapo began with a Kodak film camera and acted as a self-proclaimed official lensman back in high school, with all his classmates and friends posing as his subjects. His dentist, Dr. Johann Ong who is also a photographer, encouraged him to join the club where he is now heading.

He recalled being a probationary member for six months and finding his way in. It largely helped that Dr. Ong and the president at the time, Dr. Dodi Dominado, were willing to teach him, share tips and techniques.

“The best thing about being a photographer is the opportunity to get closer to the beauty of God’s creation,” shares the lensman who’s also into landscape and portraiture. “My principle in photography is to understand the basics first, then observe and understand different rules in photography.  You have to put a heart and tell a story in every picture.”

Time to shoot and say freeze.