WHO IS GEORGE TAPAN?
- Every region in the Philippines has been the subject of his camera. He has captured images all over South East Asia, China and Europe.
- Though there are many other travel photographers who outstrip his travel log, his accolades speak for themselves.
- George has won two Pacific Asia Tourism Association (PATA) Gold awards, an ASEAN Tourism Association award and first place in the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest
- He has worked for the Department of Tourism and Philippine Airlines and has published 5 travel photography books.
- George was not always a travel photographer. He tells me that he started out as a photographer for movie posters, shooting stills for 60s movies like Asiong Salonga. His subjects were Joseph Estrada, Fernando Poe Jr and Dolphy.
- After being Erap’s campaign photographer when he ran for San Juan mayor, George shot for advertising, sports and fashion until he found travel photography at the age of 24
- It all started when he submitted “Into the Green Zone” — a breathtaking shot of a rainbow on the horizon of the clear blue sea — to National Geographic and won.
HIS JOURNEY IN PHOTOGRAPHY
- Q: What inspired you to pursue your career in travel photography?
"To help the country, because the Philippines is a very nice country. We need to show the world through visuals that the Philippines is more than meets the eye."
Q: How do you get the subject that is in front of the camera onto the film, chip, or paper in just the way you want?
"All the pictures that I wanted to take, I’ve studied first. Whether it be through books or publications. I’m thinking of the future! Not only the present, because all pictures are part of history. Photos aren’t just for Facebook, that’s why my concept portrays beautiful and timeless shots — not the postcard type"
Q: What advice would you give to upcoming or young travel photographers who want to improve in travel photography?
"You must love your career or you must not think only about yourself but for your fellow countrymen. Cameras are only tools, you can take good pictures using good cameras but the important thing in photography is your concept — your idea. Just because you have a good camera doesn’t mean you’ll take good photos. You need to put your soul into the shots that you take."
Q: What message do you want your photographs to convey? And how do you get your photos to do that?
"I want the people who view my photos to feel something. I want people to feel the soul of each picture and be moved. A photo that will keep people thinking [about] how I was able to capture the subject without depending on the quality and price of a camera."
Q: What elements can add "personality" to a photo?
"If you’re taking a landscape of, for example, Palawan, the people who see your photo shouldn’t have to ask, “Where is this?” You can add something else to identify that it’s Palawan. You can include a person wearing native clothes in the picture. In all my pictures—even landscape photos—I put people. That’s where you see the relationship between the photographer and the place. There should be people"