For a 25-year-old cruise line photographer, third time, truly, is the charm as he took home the top spot in the Philippine leg of the biggest on-the-spot photography contest in Asia.
Luke Anthony Obusan Singson, on his third attempt, finally bested hundreds of participants in the Canon PhotoMarathon 2018. He is headed to the championship in Japan in 2019 to represent the Philippines.
Singson first joined Canon PhotoMarathon in 2014 after his father, who is also a photographer, influenced him to join the competition.
“My dad has always been a Canon user so he basically introduced me to the brand. I started shooting in high school and oftentimes, I would join him in his shoots and we would do a lot of photo walks. Canon PowerShot G2, which is a point-and-shoot camera, pa gamit ko nun,” he related.
With the theme “The World in the Eyes of the Next Generation,” Singson’s winning shot was taken using a Canon EOS 60D DSLR with an EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens.
“Upon hearing the theme, I knew I had to find a structure with eyes peeking at or looking into a moment,” said Singon.
He continued, “The first area my dad and I scouted didn’t work, so we continued to walk around the city and came across this interesting wall. I asked my dad to stand for by the wall for a test spot and told him, ‘I think this could work.’ Tapos nag-abang lang kami (then we waited) until I got the shot I wanted with the perfect subjects.”
According to this millennial photographer, he intended to capture somebody using a mobile phone, because “I wanted to show how today’s technology connects more with the youth and how in the years to come, the technology landscape will continue to evolve to cater to this younger, more agile generation.”
This year’s Canon PhotoMarathon Philippines challenged Filipino photographers to extend the power of their photographs to help create lasting impact for the future generation.
A portion of the registration fee of each participant, as well as proceeds generated from Canon’s CSR program called Print for Smiles, were dedicated to help raise funds for Canon’s local partner organization, Operation Smile Philippines. The non-government organization provides free reconstructive facial surgery to indigent children and young adults born with cleft lip and cleft palate deformity.
Singson took home a brand new Canon EOS R full-frame mirrorless camera worth P147,998 along with a ViewSonic VP2468 24’’ Professional Monitor, and a one-year membership at Celebrity Fitness in One Bonifacio High Street.