While entering the photography industry is a choice by most photographers, it may also have been happy accident for others. Take the case (pun intended) of Atty. Raymond Fortun, known to most people as one of the premier lawyers in the Philippines. Raymond, the head honcho of Raymond Fortun Photography, reveals that to be involved in photography was the farthest from his mind back then. While attending a wedding in 2007, he was able to view the host couple's slideshow featuring photos of them growing up--that's when he realized the need to document his children's growth with good images that might be of future use. "I asked myself, 'What if my daughter will have her debut, or my sons get married, wouldn't it be cool to have really nice photos in their slideshow?'" Raymond narrates. The rest, as they say, is history.
Raymond thrives on challenges. As a lawyer, he enjoys handling the toughest cases, and so it doesn't come as a surprise then that he took on one of the toughest field of photography: wedding photography. The juicy challenge of this discipline--having skills in different photographic aspects, willingness to withstand long hours and physical rigors, and possessing great interpersonal skills--is just too much to pass up for this self-confessed romantic at heart. Weddings also appeal to his desire to produce works of art, timeless moments of couples in love. He draws inspiration from this desire--he feels the scene and taps his imagination for the best poses for his bride and groom depending on the location. "I do not have a de kahon set of images and poses. It all would depend on how the couple interacts with each other, and the scene they are in. Each wedding for me is, thus, unique--as different as the people who are in it," he says.
Raymond considers his poster shots as his trademark in the industry. He describes these as "shots that couples can blow up, and hang on their wall--that said shot/s would be representative of their entire wedding." He furthers, "These images need not be a picture of the couple. It can be a bouquet placed in a very picturesque spot, or a bridal shoe that has been artfully arranged. I think I caught the attention of people because of my creative wedding shoe shots. I started placing wedding shoes in places that you wouldn't normally see in wedding pictures," he divulges.
Raymond Fortun Photography prides itself in producing images that require very minimal post-processing with turnover of images done in a very short time. Raymond attributes this to his training with the Camera Club of the Philippines, of which he is a proud member. To consistently keep his skills sharp, Raymond keeps track of the latest in trends and equipment by reading photography magazines. He regularly participates in the monthly competitions hosted by the Camera Club of the Philippines, and browses through fashion and lifestyle magazines, always envisioning how to integrate the model's poses in his wedding shoots. Moreover, he continually hones his post-processing skills. "At the end of the day, each wedding shoot is a validation of one's skill, and an opportunity to improve on the same," he shares.
Currently, he has a pool of 12 photographers, who shoot for two teams. Raymond describes his teams as spirited and vivacious. "Team RF will never traipse around a wedding like zombies. We set the tone and provide a lot of energy during the shoot." This is in fact echoed in their entire body of work, the fun and joy in the wedding pictures are completely palpable. In this regard, Raymond promises that he and his team will continue to improve and innovate on their services. Coming from the man himself, he's not doing this for the money, but out of a passion to create a work of art.
To see sample photos and to learn more about Raymond Fortun Photography, click here.
