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Suggested Title: “Sunday – Niccolo et al. – Monday!” or Dream, Believe, Animo La Salle!
By: William Kristoffer N. Eusores
Sunday.
I usually go home to my family every Sundays after six days of toiling school itineraries. At home I normally help with some household stuffs like washing our big pile of clothes, making the house spick and span, landscaping the garden, tending the orchids, our papaya tree and Bermuda grass.[rich kid? Not!]Along with this I enjoy watching noontime Sunday shows and stirring good conversations that regards to Philippine sociopolitical and showbizness issues with my typical structure of an extended middle class Filipino family.
But not the Sunday of January 30, 2005, I freed myself to any academic and TEATRO obligations and chose to focus with my Likha, Mukha, Potograpo (LMP) subject. I barely know this guy, though I know some facts about him. Firstly, he is one of the many outstanding graduates of AB Communication of this University Batch 2000 and secondly, he is highly recognized professional by the department because of his exquisite presentation of his art through Photography. Yes! Our subject for this Alumni Achiever’s corner is a Photographer that goes by the name of Niccolo Cosme.
A passionate, confident, musically talented and an on-the-go lad under the Sun sign Taurus. Niccolo definitely fits with this sign not just because his mom brought him out in this crazy world on the 15th of March, more so it suggests that personalities under this sign comes with a significant inclination for the Arts.
We met at SM Bacoor and headed on to The Fort, Makati, why? He was invited by his friends to take pictures for the Philippine Flag Football League women’s division. Actually he is not a sports photographer in nature, he exquisitely does fashion photography for model’s portfolio, editorials and commercial products. He wanted to be to be called not as a fashion photographer, rather as an Artist. “I don’t want to stagnate myself to one particular field” he added.
While traveling the smooth Sunday afternoon of EDSA I discovered some personal facts about Niccolo. He said “ I came from an Artistic family… not autistic ha [laugh]!”
He has a grandmother who was a president of Filipino Academy of Movie, Arts and Science (FAMAS), public relations of Mowel Fund, affiliated with the Designers Center of the Philippines and a writer for newspapers, he has aunts in Australia and San Francisco who are singers and actresses, an uncle like Noel Colet, a famous TV host, a cousin like Kaye Abad, a younger sister whose very good in Philippine Literature, a brother who is an Industrial Designer and a father who directs GMA sitcoms like “Idol ko si Kap” and “Bubble Gang”. His mother was a social worker but then later on focused to take care the three of them, which he is the eldest. Now look at that pedigree, very dynamic!
I asked him to tell me what pushed him for Photography. He told me that way back in his childhood days almost 21 years ago. He said “My father was a photographer himself and I think he is one of my greatest influence whether I like it or not, [laugh]”. Niccolo asked for a camera and was given a point and shoot type that goes with a long film. During his elementary days he already knew how to use the Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera of his father. So upon taking his photography class in DLSU-D obliviously everything was no sweat!
“I’m never studious, I excelled mostly in extra curricular activities, classroom presentations such as theater plays and video making.” He confessed. While in college he tried to branch out off the campus for trainings and experiences that definitely helped him after finishing the course and it did.
Before getting into Photography as a profession he ventured to events production, Magic 89.9 newsreader for “What’s on the Metro?” then became a part of GMA’s “S-file” production team. With Photography he started with a borrowed SLR camera from a friend. Soon after winning 1st place in Hello Kitty’s Annual Photo Contest 2003, which his subject was Ate Glow, he parted his winnings with him and bought himself a SONY Digital SLR Camera with a 55ml lens and named it “Srew” coined by his friend Minda Ponce.
Reaching the football field which was intentionally an open parking space in The Fort, I met his friends included into the team who were fish industry owner Izy Mariñas, a racer Gabby De La Merced and Minda Ponce a second course taker (Political and Administrative Science) in UP Diliman who is currently Niccolo’s apprentice in Photography.
Niccolo showed me his portfolio and as an artist myself I found it good and expressive. He explained that lately he assessed his works and through the feedback given by his colleagues, He affirms that his style is of Expressionism. Somewhat Surrealist because the technique of intensifying the attitude of the colors making it more vivid yet with the touch of darkness. “ I go beyond what I see because Photography is creating your image. I tend to exaggerate the colors, I love colors so I go for full digital enhancement.”
Working his way in the industry wasn’t that easy. He don’t have billboard saying “Hi I’m Niccolo Cosme, a Photographer Hire me!” So he often go and swing the night out off his bed seeing him in one of the hottest gigs and events in the metro meeting people, establishing rapport, familiarizing significant individuals and more importantly… to have fun!
He mentioned that he also loves Music. So much of loving it he spearheaded in forming a band called “Sais” last 2003 that was commissioned to represent Cavite for the Department of Tourism’s WOW Philippines held at Intramuros. Their focus : to prevent Jabacano from dying. He admitted that it was really a struggle but they are determined to the realization of their vision.
The afternoon went into night when we finished at The Fort. Accompanied by Minda Ponce, Niccolo let me tag along for his photo shoot at Intramuros for the Girl band “HAYLO” in a South Border Music Video shooting. I did not hesitate, because upon getting there I did not only meet the famous Cebuano origin band the South Border (minus Jay Durias. he went home earlier) but also the pretty and sexy girls of “HAYLO”. Their manager Jethro Cuenca, was Niccolo’s friend, who treated us for dinner (I was really starving then, because we only ate boiled nuts MANI! On the way to Intarmuros). I really didn’t got star-strucked but I lost track of time while watching him work and enjoying the on going location shoot scenery. Then I finally assesed that it was already Monday morning, very early in the morning.
Departing from Intramuros, We were still full of energy so we went to Ermita to have some Shawarma for a snack together with his friends. Then after getting really onion breath for the big shawarma. We went home.
On the way home, while in his car and Minda telling their adventures I came into contemplating for the whole opportunity of being with another artist and a fellow Lasallian. He mentioned some points to ponder as he answered my inquiry for him being a Lasallian graduate… Here it goes…
Me: How do think that you amplify the RELIGIO, MORES and CULTURA of our Alma Mater?
Him: “Are you sure with your question, [Laugh]”. He continued seriously “It’s more of a lifestyle that you could either live or live without. Right? I grew up in a religious family that taught me do deal with life. School in college was my best experience. It was here I found my self, what I wanted, what I really was, my personality, and what I want to specialize in. Moving out DLSU-D I realized that I wanted to bring back Jabacano the roots of a Caviteño, it might be a small interest to others but its a significant move for me through music and photography”.
Me: What did AB COMMUNICATION be of essential in Forming Niccolo Cosme?
‘AB COMM taught me how to handle conversation with people. It developed my skill in communication and actually trying to be a liaison, a bridge where in you try to look common interest and you try to make a bridge. I don’t have biases; I don’t care if you’re like this or like that. Whether you’re a cool person to hang out with, or a genuine person, or plastic or whatever. I really don’t mind.”
He dropped me off at SM Baccor, and the went on to Cavite City where he lives… He still has another photo shoot the afternoon of that day and an casting errand given by his father for “Bubble Gang”.
Me, another week has passed. I’m finishing all my obligations bestowed by my subjects, by my course, by my organizations, by my institution. After these four years of training and specialization, am I equipped to collide with the system outside DLSU-D? Seeing it with a Niccolo Cosme I know in one way or another I’m on the right track. How about you?
Monday.
FaCt You!
Expressionism is a style of art in which the intention is not to reproduce a subject accurately, but instead to portray it in such a way as to express the inner state of the artist. Abstract Expressionism is a form of art in which the artist expresses himself purely through the use of form and color. It is form of non-representational, or non-objective, art, which means that there are no concrete objects represented.
hapoyarih * 3/16/2005 09:57:00 AM
