Juniors

Time, chance, money – their presence or absence can break or make someone’s dreams. In the case of Larry Leong, photography was just a far-fetched dream then but fate found his artistic inclination towards it. An architect by profession, the hectic schedule of his work didn’t stop him to pursue his love for capturing precious moments. As a result, his works is profound power of interest from stylistic designs and dimensional architecture. He joined Imagine Nation as Batch 6 apprentice, driven by the motivation to prove his worth and the demand to take his craft seriously; he devoted his time in improving and perfecting his style until he got promoted as junior photographer. The challenge to deliver the perfect image is a continuous concern for him so as to remain competent. He is grateful to provide a service in this world as a creative human being. Pray, aim and shot, these he believes is what defines him as a photographer.

Special things happen when you look at life through the lens; just ask Madoka!

She has grown fond of creating art behind the scenes. Her passion has taken her to producing indie films, writing screenplays, directing, and shooting short films. Well rounded as she is, she also served as a wedding coordinator, too! Little did she know, someone up there was orchestrating her life to mold a purpose in everything she loves to do!

Her passion led her to Imagine Nation Photography apprenticeship and tried her luck. The moment she got in, she said to herself, “This is it, this is my calling.”

Finally, she has found a place where God wants her to be. For every click of the shutter, Madoka seeks to give glory to God–the giver of life, talents, and all things beautiful.

Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men.” Now, she lives and captures life through the lens of God’s call.

Chic, cinematic, moving… that is Madoka.

Madoka’s chic style beautifully reflects a bride’s priceless joy to be the star of her special day. This photographer makes sure that her bride’s captivating charm is truly captured in her photos.

Cinema is at the heart of Madoka’s style. She shoots with a narrative in mind. Her couples’ love stories are what inspire her to bring out the beauty of that special day.

Lastly, Madoka’s works move you, make you smile, look back, and treasure that moment captured in time. Emotions are powerfully captivated in her shots, giving you photos to cherish even after many years.

I love eating

I love music

I love God

I got my first camera when my wife gave it to me as a gift. She enrolled me in PDP Batch 8 where I met Jong. Jong helped me renew my faith in God and discover a newfound love in photography. I learned how amazing it is to be able to capture God’s wonderful creation!

When I realized that my passion was to see couples get married, and to catch their emotions, laughter and tears through my works, I made it my dream to be a pro photographer. And as Jong always tell us, “If you want to pursue your dreams, go all out!”

And so I did, and with Gods grace, I became an apprentice of Imagine Nation, and now a junior photographer!

Allow me to share my dream with you! I’m very excited to be used by God on your special day and to capture your memories that will last forever.

Someone beautiful can bring beauty out of anything, anywhere–may she be at a wedding, or even inside the classroom. Aika Guerrero is such a soul. And more.

Aika first found her groove at a class back in college; it was about black and white photography. She found a great thrill in shooting with her SLR and film, not knowing what awesome images she would come up with. The course turned into a major hobby. Aika bought her first DSLR and kept clicking, capturing memories of her trips and family events. Aika’s love for photography grew until she realized that she wanted to learn more. In 2010, Aika enrolled at INP’s Purpose Driven Photographer Workshop, and in 2011 became an Imagine Nation apprentice.

What’s a busy home-based teacher got to do with the equally busy demands of apprenticeship? Well, Aika shows us that it’s all heart. With every shoot she assisted , Aika made sure her couples get the best of her heart for God and her passion for love stories. Whether  bringing beauty out of a time-stopping moment of two lovers, or bringing the best out of her beloved students, Aika finds joy in capturing this privilege to live out her passion. And it shows through her works that show her natural, relaxed, adventurous style.

Who says a fulltime mommy cannot rock some serious gears? Kim Lim may be a shy and quiet soul but there’s no doubting the loads of kickass talent behind her bifocals.

Kim began to fall in love with photography as a kid when her parents brought home a Kodak Instamatic. Kim loved her first camera. She would pass the day wrapping up an entire roll of film just shooting clouds, trees, herself and everything that caught her eye. The camera followed her all the way to college when Kim had a chance to take up photography in one of her classes. She had wanted to pursue shooting then, if only she had the means to get the gears.

For years, Kim brushed photography aside. But as they say, ‘if it’s meant to be, it will be.’ The call of the shutter  stalked her even at her wedding day, when Kim was so  inspired by the photographers shooting at the event. One of which was Imagine Nation’s Jamie Lihan (who later on became Kim’s mentor). In no time, Kim applied for INP’s apprenticeship program, got her first DSLR camera, and the rest was history.

Kim faithfully apprenticed for Imagine Nation for more than a year. In the process, it was not just her skill that grew but also her heart. Today, this lovely young mommy proudly shares with you her heart for God’s love as captured in the eyes of her couples. Fall in love with her captivatingly chic style.

Games, girls, and yes, games. You could say those pretty much were the things that used to take up James’ time. He was a young boy at the very sense, not thinking there was any more to life than just his games and his hobbies. So when he began to click his camera at age 18, no one was expecting him to take something like this seriously.

But God does take our destinies seriously. And making James as one of the youngest (if not the youngest) Imagine Nation junior photographers ever, you could say God was not playing games.

Studying photography was like a huge step towards growing up. James needed the extra money to get his first camera so he took a loan from his mom and sold his videogames and gadgets. He also enrolled in Purpose Driven Photographer, a photography workshop headed by Imagine Nation. Being part of PDP launched James into a journey towards a whole new career. But there was more to just photography that James learned in PDP. He also found purpose. James found Christ.

Shortly after the PDP course, INP opened its doors for it’s 8th batch of apprentices. James felt led by God to send in his application. At first, he was doubtful, thinking–being a bum at age 18–he did not have what it takes. But he obeyed and eventually got in. At one of the group’s Bible studies, Sir John Ong shared about Christ and right then and there, James encountered the God who set him up for a bigger game, a better plan. James surrendered his life and prayed to receive Jesus in his heart. Everything was never the same since.

For months, James faithfully apprenticed under Imagine Nation, joining the team in blessing more and more couples with their hearts and skills. And the training paid off! After just barely six months of apprenticeship, James got promoted! One of the youngest junior photographers at 19 years old!

Young, fun, classically simple–James Valenzuela brings in his youthful vibe to your special day.

What do you get when you roll a fantastic cook, a restaurateur, a make-up artist, an interior decorator, a stylist, a stage mom, AND a talented photographer into one? You get Olive–a passionate Lagunenia whose heart beats for God and the joy of family.

Olive first found her heart for the still-frame in 2002 when she first got her very own point-and-shoot camera. The love sprung forth along with the birth of her daughters Bernice, Iya, and Andi. Olive loved to capture photos of her girls–photos of them as babies, photos of them growing up, photos of them pirouetting as ballerinas. Her family became Olive’s most favorite subjects to shoot. It wasn’t long until she bought her first DSLR, a Canon 350D. And just like that, Olive sealed her fate as being the “unofficial photographer” for virtually every occasion and family event.

The love for family echoed another love in Olive’s life: the love of feasting! She and her husband are huge fans of fine dining, which is why in 2010, the mommy also became an entrepreneur and Café Olivia in Laguna was opened. A year after that, her youngest daughter was born and Olive picked up her camera again, launching her into a new concentration: maternity and newborn photography! And that was when Olive finally shifted gears–it was time to take photography more seriously.

In 2012, Olive bought her second DSLR and studied online at New York Institute of Photography. She also attended several photography workshops, one of which was the Purpose-Driven Photographer workshop in Laguna. In PDP, Olive found a deeper purpose to why she shoots. Capturing beauty in her photos turned out to be one thing; making the beautiful God known through her photos was another. Months of apprenticeship under INP molded Olive’s heart towards a bigger calling of blessing more couples and families through the gift of photography.

After training as INP apprentice for months, Olive was blessed with a wonderful news. Just before the year ended, INP CEO John Ong proudly announced the names of the photographers who got promoted. The only lady in the list? None other than Olive!

This amazingly talented mommy brings to every shoot her eye for style, her touch for families, and her heart for God. She’s ready to capture your timeless moments and preserve amazing memories for the years to come. Classy, romantic, intimately-real–that’s the touch that Olive Desamero brings to your special day.

Liz Ranola is a wandering soul. She loves to travel and discover new places, and what’s more, she loves to take her camera along with her! Liz has this gift of capturing cultures and stories, and she shares what she sees through her photos. Looking at her images will certainly give you a feeling of being right there at the scene, like going on an adventure with her.

Photography is one thing that Liz feels passionate about, aside from her work as a freelance graphic designer. Liz first encountered photography back in college. What started as a class requirement turned into a hobby, and now Liz happily clicks the shutter as a career. Her biggest inspirations are travel and weddings. She is most fascinated with cultures, landscapes, portraits, and the sincere smiles of her subjects. And this is the same fascination that Liz takes to your special day.

Liz’s shooting style is very natural and down-to-earth. She shoots like an adventurer, as if unearthing her couples’ unique personalities whenever she captures their candid moments. Liz shoots to tell stories. She works to keep her subjects very present and her surroundings relevant at the scene, giving couples breathtaking images that they can relive after many years.

Wherever Liz goes, she takes her heart with her, and perhaps this is what makes this adventure-seeker shine whether in weddings or elsewhere in the world. Liz tells her couples, “Whether it’s a grand or simple wedding, know that your day is very special to me, and I would love to capture every bit of it the best that I can.”

To She, purpose was something she only discovered when she held her first DSLR camera. She was surprised to find a new love for photography when she started shooting as a hobby. Taking time off her entrepreneur duties, She enrolled herself in Purpose Driven Photographer workshop in Laguna. At first, photography just served as an outlet for She to relieve stress, but the more she learned, the deeper she fell in love with the craft. The next thing she knew, she was signing up to join the apprenticeship program in INP and the rest was history.

She shot along with INP’s photographers and developed her skill under the guidance of mentor Arlene Briones. Everyone and even She herself witnessed how her work and talent improved over time. Each wrong shot drove She to get that shot better next time. After a year of humble and faithful apprenticeship, She’s hardwork finally paid off, and with a uniquely honed talent to show for it.

She’s honed, she’s fired up, and she’s packed a whole lot of smiles to bring to your special day! She’s She and she’s our fresh Junior ready to take her art and heart right to your event.

Betty follows her heart in different forms. She’s a travel junkie, a blooming artist, a poet, a music-lover (or more like frustrated rockstar), a sports enthusiast, and a fan of all things yummy. But among her many passions, Betty had not quite found her real spot; the one thing she could truly be an ace in.

Little did she know, her ace spot was not something she had to find, but something she has always played with as a kid.

“For some reason I don’t know, I always wanted to take photos of people, though I was camera-shy as a kid and hated photos of myself,” teases Betty as she recalled how she fell in love with shooting.

“When I was in high school, my mom bought a digital camera that was about 2 megapixels. I was excited and kept shooting random things,” she continues, “But at my high school graduation, mom’s digicam got stolen and I was without camera for almost four years.”

But passion knows no goodbyes. Betty’s love for shooting never wore off even when she was in college. “Back at the university, I was surprised that people would lend me their expensive cameras to play with. I enjoyed it so much. I bought my very first DSLR from my savings right after I finished college, and it was a milestone for me.”

Betty kept her camera in handy wherever she went. She would shoot when she travels. She would shoot when she’s hanging out with friends. She would shoot whenever. Even when she was working in the corporate world, her heart kept beating for photography. As Betty would describe it, all the glamour and fun of the corporate life, “was good for a time, and thankfully God really had a better plan.” Betty decided to quit her job and was surprised when–like a move of heaven– INP’s Apprenticeship program opened only a few days after her resignation. “I immediately signed up with no second thoughts,” she shares.

Instantly, Betty became known as one of the most hardworking apprentices in INP. She signed up for VA slots and shot along with the photographers every chance she got. And as they say, practice makes permanent. But coupled with passion? Well, that’s what turns a pupil into a pro.

Pro-moted to Pro status is what we meant. Betty tearfully received her most-awaited love letter from Sir Jong in front of friends and colleagues. The feeling was beyond the joy of finally seeing all the hardwork pay off. It was more like, “I finally found my ‘spot’ and it’s time to shine on it for Jesus!”

“I’m so blessed, it was like God’s goodness showered upon me, even as I was waiting for this promotion. I experienced His faithfulness and sustaining grace,” Betty describes.

Betty’s ready to touch your sweet spots with her timeless photos. “I’m excited to capture your romance as it unfolds, to capture the love as you become your sweet selves and stare at each other like you’ll never stare at any man or woman in that same way again,” says Betty whose shooting style allows love stories to be told at their rawest.

“Whenever I go and shoot, I find myself more blessed by my couples than the other way around.” And to bless others with her many trades and aces–well, that’s how Betty aces her life’s purpose.

Turning your special day into a real ace is as simple as inviting Betty to share it with you. Cherish your moments as Betty captures your touching, timeless scenes.