This Construction Worker's Mobile Phone Pics Are Award-Winning
He continues to join competitions, never second-guessing himself.
(SPOT.ph) "Pitik lang nang pitik" is an advice self-taught photographer Jhundel Baldonaza Asunan takes to heart. And the Cadiz City-based construction worker has been doing just that in the last five years, capturing all kinds of images from the mundane to the meaningful and magical, using only his mobile phone camera.
Photography was never in the horizon for Jhundel but when the pandemic hit in early 2020, he began taking this creative path seriously. At that time, he was stationed as a security guard in Laguna, away from his wife and daughter who lived in Negros Occidental. To kill time and cure his homesickness, he started tinkering with his phone cam which he got on loan. He started clicking away, shooting what he can in the big vacant lot of the barracks he tended to. “Maraming damo at insekto doon,” he recalls. The damo and insekto became the subjects that would get him started on macro photography.
Self-taught photographer
That same year, a phone brand, the India-born realme, saw his photos on social media and featured them in their calendar. Eventually, the same phone brand invited Jhundel to be part of their Mastershot Mobile Photography event where—guess what—his photo won. He was then gifted with a new phone with sharper and better camera features which inspired him to expand to other photography genres such as street, landscape, and astrophotography—all while studying the fundamentals and basics of the art through the Internet and on his own.
After gaining more experience, he entered a realme pandemic-themed photo competition and got an award. His artistic shot of a syringe inserted into a Covid-19 suspension vial propped on a stick support (which he made himself) won the Excellence Award. The same photo was named Photo of the Year by Photo Nation International, an organization composed of photography enthusiasts around the world.
Today, Jhundel is back in Cadiz with his family and they live a close distance to the shore. He says his hometown offers him a wealth of subjects. “Tuwing clear yung sky, pupunta ako sa dalampasigan at kukuha ng litrato. Maganda rito at walang polusyon.”
Shooting everyday
Jhundel, who finished Consumer Electronics Servicing, shoots almost everyday after coming home from construction work. Scrolling through his photos on Facebook and Instagram, one sees a collection of storied, thoughtfully composed pictures that offer a peek into his everyday encounters and show a dedication to craft-refining.
His online album of minimalist images showcases his skill in capturing symmetry, contrasts, textures. His efforts to find color, beauty, and control in the chaos of the streets undeniable. A dilapidated orange tarpaulin peeking between a shabby wall and a wire fence becomes just the perfect subject. Rust stains bleeding from an old green gate manages to look more like art rather than something calling out for a fresh coat of paint.
His street shots are rich narratives of ordinary people in all kinds of moods and expressions—deep in thought, in mid-conversation, lost in their phones or caught in a hug. His landscapes, pictures of nature and the evening sky, reveal a gifted eye and keen sense or observation.
Keep joining
The 29-year old continues to join photo competitions, never hesitating or second-guessing himself. Through these contests, Jhundel’s photos not only get recognized but he is able to network with established photographers who get to teach him the tricks of the trade. “Nakaka-join ako ng photowalks para maka-gather ng ideas, tips, and techniques from other photographers,” he says.
Recently, his astrophotography shots were critiqued by seasoned photojournalist Veejay Villafranca during the Orange Project event in Bacolod organized by FotomotoPH, an organization composed of photographers, artists, curators, and writers dedicated to promoting Philippine photography around the Philippines.
“Jhundel’s images initially felt contrived and too salon at first glance,” Villafranca tells SPOT.ph. “Because our goal for Fotomoto Atelier is to support photographers in their pursuit of finding their vision/style, I asked him how he became interested in photography.
“His images became more interesting because of his perspective when everyone is locked down. He was a security guard and only saw the sky and the stars. His passion for photography came from his interest in light through astrophotography.
“His street photos from the workshop in Bacolod showed a deeper vista on people enveloped in shadows and sunlight. I think Jhundel’s interest in photography comes from countering the challenges that he’s facing, somewhat similar to the process of photography turning a negative into a positive.”
Jhundel recalls the positive response he got from the photojournalist. “Sobrang overwhelmed ako nung time na yun,” says Jhundel. “Sabi niya ipagpatuloy ko lang yung hilig ko.”
Through organizations like FotomotoPH, it is Jhundel’s hope to become one day a professional photographer, too.
‘Pitik lang nang pitik’
Apart from being his form of creative expression, photography has also been able to augment Jhundel’s income in his construction work. When his wife had to be amputated due to complications of diabetes, he was forced to sell some of his photos to help pay for the rising hospital bills. “Photography ang naging sandalan ko sa oras ng problema imbes na ika-depress ko. Sila ng anak ko”—meaning his wife and child—“ang naging rason bakit ako nag pupursige upang maisakatuparan ang pangarap ko,” says Jhundel. His wife continues to be his anchor in pursuing his craft. “Siya yung unang naniwala sa kakayahan ko bago ko pa man mai-share sa social media mga kuha ko.”
While taking care of his family, Jhundel continues to find ways to grow in photography. In fact, his perseverance has recently earned him an all expense paid trip to Shenzhen, China with 20 others. The trip is happening in August and while its main purpose is to gather top fans of a mobile phone brand, Jhundel sees it as a source of new things to shoot, and an opportunity to hear new perspectives in his chosen field. Currently, his big dream is to own a DSLR but with his current resources, his mobile phone will have to do at the moment. But the tool of choice seems a minor concern to the Negrense; Jhundel says he will continue to take photos wherever he’s planted, guided by one tried and tested mantra to better his skills: “Pitik lang nang pitik.”