The Eyes of Rhonson Ng

By Michael Ebro Dakudao

 (article published in Mindanao Times)

     They are chinky eyes alright but they see more than what we ordinary mortals can even imagine.  There’s a quality to Rhonson Samson Ng’s photographs that speaks of the man himself: real, untamed and slightly philosophical.  That’s because Rhonson started out photographing nature, the type where so little has changed, which reminds him of our gentler past he is fearful of forgetting.  And his work reveals his strong ties and passion for the conservation and preservation of our natural environment.

     Although he works hard to make enduring photos, those that he hopes “will last beyond the shelf life of a magazine,” he takes only a portion of the credit.  “To me a great picture has nothing to do with the photographer,” he says.  “The camera creates its own thing.  Water is stopped or it’s moving, clouds are stopped or they’re moving; the focus of an eye, a look, a glance---no one sees it the same way a camera does.”

     But no one sees it the same way Rhonson does.  When he’s shooting lumads, he photographs people, not subjects.  “They’re not just glossy pictures for travel magazines or brochures,” he says.  “I see them as portraits.  They have to have a soul.”

     Rhonson Ng possesses a free spirit so typical in passionate and committed artists.  This was immediately evident the first time I interviewed him at a popular café after waiting for four hours that day of the previously scheduled appointment.  Rhonson’s cut from a different cloth, no doubt.  The kind of cloth that allows him to resist today’s ‘moi-moi’ philosophy and materialism that it would make you wonder how he survives.  He is a naturally good and generous person, and a talented one, really, which was what prevented me from walking out despite the long delay in the scheduled interview.  And I am glad I did as it was worth the wait for Davao’s most hip photographer.

     Rhonson’s a man that pushed away all forms of social pressures.  You know, all these ideas about how you should marry, how you should have a family, how you should earn a steady income to lead a stable life---here’s somebody that really invented a life that is just his for his art’s sake.

A Photographer at Heart

     The 30-year-old photographer was born in Quezon City on September 15 to a now retired NBI employee, Robert Ng, and his wife Leony Samson of  Nueva Ecija.  Rhonson is the youngest among the Ng couple’s four children; and the only child who got involved with the arts.  He took a course in BS Psychology at the Trinity College of Quezon City “just to graduate, really.”

     It was while in college when Rhonson developed the love for mountain climbing while being a member of the Trinity Outdoor Club which he headed as President later on.  “We got a faculty member teaching photography in our school, Mr. Manolo Araneta, as adviser of our club as the guy was an avid mountain climber as well,” explains Rhonson.  It was Araneta who served as Rhonson’s inspiration and first mentor to get into photography as well.  He learned the basics of photography while sitting-in in Araneta’s classes.  The aspiring photographer would do all of Araneta’s required assignments and projects for his students even if Rhonson was not officially enrolled in his class.   “My first photos were of nature and landscapes all done in black and white prints,” Rhonson recalls.

     Realizing Rhonson’s real love and dedication for photography, Araneta decided to give the budding photographer his first professional camera, an expensive Nikon F2, without strings attached at that.

     After graduation, Rhonson took on odd jobs such as salesman for Toyota (Alabang) and then moved to Camera World in SM City along EDSA.  Rhonson got his real start in 1999, working as an assistant photographer for the respected Ramon Montifar who owns an advertising firm in Makati; and is presently the national President of the Camera Club of the Philippines.  Montifar hired Rhonson based on the merits of the photos he submitted to him.  “That was a great leap of faith.  And I learned a lot from the working experience.  I just kept my mouth closed and let my knowledge accumulate.  I also learned the art of pleasing and satisfying the clients from Montifar’s advertising firm,” says Rhonson.

     “I have always viewed photography as my hobby and not something to earn money from.  To sustain my material needs, I worked for years as a manager in bar and billiard establishments to save money.  The money I earned would be spent traveling around the Philippines for mountain climbing, caving and scuba diving activities,” Rhonson reveals.

 Rhonson’s Davao Interlude

     Rhonson first planned, along with his college friends, to climb Mt. Apo in 1998. It was his dream ever since of climbing the country’s King of Peaks.  He went to Davao City for the first time on his own in June, 2002.  Rhonson sought the help of the mountaineering club called Tribung Mindanao which was then headed by Jun Bacus.  The daughter of the late Datu Joseph Sibu of Kidapawan also gave him able assistance to realize his dream of climbing the country’s highest mountain at a time when the public, viewed as a serious threat in the protection of Mt. Apo, was not allowed entry by government agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.  But Rhonson was so determined not to go back to Manila without conquering Mt. Apo.  After all, he had already spent a lot of money in making his first trip to Mindanao.

     “Climbing Mt. Apo was no ordinary experience for me.  It is truly the best mountain in the entire Philippines I have ever climbed.  It was one amazing experience and awesome discovery; and such an inspiring journey it proved to be.  The majestic spectacle of wild forests and lakes and boulder terrains is breathtaking that it is honestly a paradise for a photographer. All these gifts of nature in Mt. Apo reminds one of God’s brilliant creation and we must do our best to conserve and preserve them,” Rhonson states with conviction.

     The mountain climber cum photographer also traveled to popular destinations in Davao del Sur and Sta. Cruz which was a fascinating experience according to Rhonson.  He stayed for a month.  Rhonson was so excited to go back to the highly urbanized Manila he calls his home only to tell his friends of his wonderful Davao sojourn. 

     It was four months after when Rhonson accompanied two friends from Manila to climb Mt. Apo again.  Rhonson’s friends stayed for only a week but the budding photographer was already decided on moving out of Manila for a much healthier environment to suit his taste and lifestyle.  It was definitely Davao for him. 

     Rhonson applied for a job with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and fortunately, Mr. Roger G. Layson hired him as the DOT Region XI’s official photographer.  The job afforded Rhonson the wonderful opportunity to travel from highlands to islands, underwater explorations, waterfalls, caves, tribal villages, and mountains.  It was a photographer’s delightful mosaic for the senses; and an ideal job for the adventurous Rhonson.

     Rhonson’s works soon appeared in local publications like Madayaw Magazine, Your Guide Travel Magazine, Hue Lifestyle, Mindanao Times, Sunstar, Daily Mirror, to mention some.  “Working for the DOT opened doors for me for joint collaborations with both the national and international publications as well.  I took pictures for such popular magazines like Mabuhay Magazine, Action Asia, Compaq, Metro, Lifestyle Asia, Experience Philippines, Heografiya, and others more,” Rhonson happily reveals.

     With much prodding from the DOT, Rhonson joined several photo contests and has won major awards such as in the Dagway sa Kadayawan Photo Contest (2003), Araw ng Dabaw Kodakan Photo Contest (2004) and the Epson Photo Imaging Expo ’05 National Photo Contest.  He has held successful one man photo exhibitions in Davao from 2004 to 2006; but the “Dabaw”---Landscapes, Lifescapes and Lumads” photo exhibit held at the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Manila in 2005 remains his most important to date.

     Rhonson has since moved on from his job at the DOT and now considers himself a freelance professional photographer.  He has been working hard lately as he will open his own photo studio at the Matina Town Square by next month.  There is also a plan for launching another photo exhibit to raise funds for abused children.  I can only wish this fine photographer with a conscience the very best of luck in all his endeavors.

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