myPhotography Stint: Meet the boy who invented selfie 46 years ago!

I was 13 years old when I was introduced to the fascinating world of photography. The year was 1970 when the hype were the black and white and sepia photography. It was still the hey day  of professional photographers, for they were the only ones who owned cameras –very different from today’s technological boom when everyone has their own gadgets equipped with cameras. 

Consequently, there seems to be lesser need for professional shooters anymore, for anyone can take pictures of themselves. Hence, the selfie!
I learned the rudiments of photography from a man named Jose Escuadro who I fondly called “Kuya Lugo”. He taught me how to shoot, develop negatives and pictures the organic way–in the dark room. 
Business was brisk at Golden Art Studio, Cabatuan City, Philippines. Rush ID and passport pictures were the daily cash generators and Kuya Lugo needed help. Our studio was the official photographer of the Governor’s office and therefore my boss had to attend to his shooting assignments. So, I was entrusted to man the studio. But I need to be trained to do the job. 
After teaching me the process-from loading films,shooting, developing negatives to enlarging/printing on photo paper, Kuya Lugo made me do a lot of practice. He gave me several rolls of 35 mm films and stacks of photo printing papers to practice with. The studio was all mine and I took the liberty to experiment. 

The Aha Moment!

That was when I discovered that I could shoot myself! I mounted the 35mm camera on a tripod and set it on a timer, I ran in front of the camera and sat for a pose ….5-4-3-2-1 and the shutter came off…..voila. 

I took my own picture. 

I did it all by myself,

just me and me alone. 

No help from anyone!

Isn’t that what you call selfie? 
On this self portrait, I was experimenting with lighting. I wanted to see how I look with one side of my face lit and the other shadowed like the photo of the then teen idol Tirso Cruz III I saw on the cover of Song Hits. I was quite happy with the result and my boss gave me two thumbs up for my work.

I was also Kuya Lugo’s photography assistant. He tagged me along in his shooting projects. We took pictures of graduation, capping ceremonies, ROTC programs, beauty pageants, school programs, government projects like the Pantabangan Dam, weddings, baptisms, funerals and many more. 
He said I was a fast learner. 

Once we had a wedding shoot. He gave me the camera to shoot the wedding ceremony. I was doing well until the groom who looked visibly worried came to my boss to inquire why in the world, a young tot is covering the most important event of his life-his wedding. 
My boss assured him that I was doing a good job. I was very elated by that gesture. I felt like a mature man for the first time.

I sat with Kuya Lugo many nights a week in the dark room developing negatives and pictures. I got used to the strong chemical odor of acetic acid and sulfates. In no time I mastered the use of the three-basin baths- developer, stop bath and fixer. 

Although photography did not become my profession, I grew up as an enthusiast. But there was a time I had a stint as a portrait photographer at Walmart studio. And while working there, I practiced what I discovered as a young photographer-shoot my self- aka selfie.

In Retrospect

I am very thankful that I’ve acquired a professional skill at a very young age of 13. I thought then that I was just playing alone…selfieying.