Eric Matias
photo by Benji Balmoris

When and how did you start photography
Photography started out when I was still in college back in the Philippines, bale part siya ng curriculum, pero it was an expensive hobby and branded for the rich kid, eh poor kid ako so ayun kahit meron akong slr na Nikon F601 hindi ko na-maximize kasi nga medyo mahal. Then I came to work in Singapore but it took me more than 2 years to buy a DSLR medyo namamahalan pa rin ako. But the urge to continue with taking photo is irresistible kaya ayun, I bought my first DSLR na Nikon D80 with 28-105mm lens nung Dec 2006.

Tell us more about your photography history
After I bought it nung Dec 06, hindi ko naman agad nagamit kasi tinatamad magshoot at walang kasama. Nakakabato mag-shoot mag-isa kasi walang ka-bolahan. Then si Tophy nagpag-isipan na bumili ng camera nung March 07 then we started shooting together every week. After that we met a lot of photo buddies along the way, I’ve also attended a lot of seminar/workshop to learn and ang pinakamahalaga is to be able to interact dun sa mga photographers para mas maintindihan ko kung pano sila mag-isip.

Basic body and lens setup
(name just one body and one lens that you always use)
I am always using my 18-200 with my Fuji. This is good combo for me and it does give me what I usually want sa mga photos ko.

Would you consider turning pro?
Syempre naman but not as a full time photographer but more of a photographer na teacher then kung merong mga photo assignments then bakit hindi.

Favorite subjects to capture:
As of now medyo confused pa din ako kung ano talaga ang gusto ko but I enjoyed taking photos of people, landscape, IR (infrared) and objects (texture o hindi).

Favorite photo captured to date:
This photo gave my first and only winning image:

My first time to win a photography competition and I am really proud and very very happy with it.
My shot was chosen as one of the five winners for the month of September. There are about 10 winners each month - 5 for day scene and 5 for the night scene category. My shot belong to the day scene category winners. The wife of my good friend TeeJay also won under the night scene category.

But nothing is more important than this 3 images – my family

My son M:

bunso ko, ABCD:

and finally, my wife Che

Name members whose photographs amaze you
I am always fascinated by the images of Genald Tungol, Parc Cruz, Richard Larrios & Ruel Tafalla. Most of my influence din kasi are pinoys. Meron din akong nakikitang images ng mga foreigner but I am drawn towards the style of the pinoys.

Do you have a visual on a dream image you want to capture?
I wanted to shoot portrait of famous people esp photographer/s then turn them into a digital painting.

Name one non-electric camera gear that you cannot live without.
Camera neck strap, mahirap ata na lagi mong bitbit ung camera mo…hehehe

Approximately, how many gb of photos do you have to date?
mga nasa 200GB na siguro kasama na dun mga psd files na ni-edit ko. Pag di ko kasi kailangan ung photo eh nide-delete ko na just to save up some space sa hard disk.

Ever experienced an embarrassing moment related related to photography?
I can’t remember anything but I guess pwede na to: I was the official photographer sa church anniversary naming last March 2009. Then meron isang presentation na dim lights. I had to go near to capture the event, then one of the usher stopped me from going near the stage kasi bawal daw dun sa area na yun so I had no choice but to tell him na I’m the official photographer. I felt embarrassed kasi simula pa lang nung event I was there taking photos on the stage and at the back area and I was stopped kung kelan malapit ng matapos.

Where can we see your portfolio?
my website is on it’s way konting modification na lang but I have my photosharing website:
My multiply
my flickr

How did you found out PinoyCSers?
I did not find it because WE founded it together with other pinoys na mahilig sa photography and we grew bigger ang better. WE founded it believing in one thing and that is “Harmony Through Photography”.

Give readers one tip to capture great photos
My good friend and the person I consider my mentor have always told me na to shoot with objective regardless kung ano man ung gusto mong i-shoot and I believed that. And the other thing is, you should enjoy what you are doing and do it for the sake of enjoying that moment and not to please or wait for sweet words to praise your work. Learn to accept criticism kahit na nasaktan ung pride mo. It would help you to improve your skill.