 |
 |
||||||||
|
 |
|
|
A painter by education, Bien literally fell into the photographic profession via a fortuitous event. Opting to explore the Philippine northern hinterlands on horseback, he followed the trail named after a top cigarette brand which brought him deep into the rarefied country of pine trees and rocky cliffs. The terrain was treacherous but the scene was breathtaking, intoxicating for the neophyte explorer. After an hour into the trail, his horse took the fast way down-not by choice-forty-five degrees downwards. Bien went down ahead of the horse into an old tree stump with the horse plummeting close behind. The pair ended up with broken bones-for Bien, his painting arm, for the horse, its neck. That fall forced Bien to turn to an old acquaintance--his toy when he was seven--a Diana camera. That reunion grew into a friendship that flowered into the creation of beautiful images. In the late 70s, the artist showed a black-and-white print of a column of carabaos crossing a knee-deep river to photographers Osmundo Esguerra and Johnny Cruz. "Itago ma yan, bata. Balang araw, pakikinabangan mo rin yan". (Keep that photograph, kid. Someday it will be of benefit to you, one way or another), said the two ranking members of the Camera Club of the Philippines. Prophetic words which inspired the aspiring photographer. With a new camera and a refreshed enthusiasm, Bien pursued his carabaos and landscapes. In time, he was winning assignments from in-flight magazines and other travel publications. These opened whole new vistas for him, seeing and discovering new places, new people, new horizons. Along the way--around the country and around the world--he was acquiring the education he needed to succeed as a visual communicator. He was learning to touch the souls of others through his photographic creations. He was mastering the step to reach his inner self. Fast forward to year 2001. The artist with the camera is now one among the top travel/advertising photographers in the country. The prophesy of Esguerra and Cruz is fulfilled- Bienvenido Santos Bautista is now a Master. The Camera Club of the Philippines Master Photographer of the year 2001! Life is good. Está Bien. by Jesus
Paul C. Yan |
||
| Next Page>> |
