As one of the most renowned and highly awarded photographers with more than 20 years of experience, Pilar Trigo Bonnin from the Philippines is renowned for her expertise in weddings, portraits, fashion and even newborn photography. Pilar was the only Filipino photographer that tutored under the wing of the late Monte Zucker, a legendary name in Classical Portraiture and Lighting. As a result, Pilar worked with some of the biggest brands and names in the industry, with occasional involvement in her own workshops, teaching others to pick up the passion.  

Capturing Innocence 

When Pilar’s first child was born 21 years ago, it became Pilar’s first venture into newborn photography. This continued with her second son, and through the year, she extended this venture by capturing the first year of life of her children and the children of friends and family members. When her goddaughter, Anika, was born in December 2020, Pilar and her camera fell in love with newborn photography all over again, capturing Anika’s childlike innocence and newfound curiosity. 

A mother first, and a photographer second, Pilar says that newborn photography requires a lot of patience. “One must learn how to handle babies or hire someone who can do so. It is important to keep lighting as simple as possible, and not too garish. There are times when the babies will not cooperate, so it is always best to make a judgment call when to end the shoot,” said Pilar. 

Newborn photography is not new to Pilar, yet it is something that she finds a challenge even to seasoned photographers. “Photographing newborn babies can be onerous. Ideally, you want to photograph them within the first 14 days of birth, and make sure the room temperature is sufficiently warm. There are certain techniques to handle and pose babies, and some babies are overly sensitive to environmental stimulation, while others sleep soundly throughout the session. It is best to allocate about 2 hours for each session, as they will require feeding, nappy changes and coaxing them to sleep for poses,” added Pilar.

Pilar found herself coming over often to meet and document Anika’s monthly growth through portraiture. Come Christmas 2021, Pilar handed over an album book with all the photos as a gift to the family. Throughout the pandemic, Anika was Pilar’s muse to keep her creative side blooming, and as alive as ever. 

Powering Through Lockdowns 

Despite finding relief from Anika, Pilar found her portrait photography career affected when the Philippines started locking down in March 2020. “As a portrait photographer, you need to have a direct rapport with your subject, being able to pose their best angles, and adjusting their appearance. I like using the FE 85mm F1.4 GM or FE 135mm F1.8 GM lenses as they let me take breath-taking and beautiful portraits. However, over the last two years, people were afraid of catching a disease from close contacts, so I had to pivot to jobs that were more commercial and advertising in nature,” added Pilar. 

“Many photographers found their careers disrupted. While temporary, it mattered even more to stay healthy and sound in mind and spirit. Fortunately, there is always a glimmer of hope, and I found it in my humanitarian work on the island of Siargao,” Pilar added. 

Photojournalism, Photography with Purpose 

Her work in Siargao was in fact a tragedy turned opportunity. When a category five storm hit her trip to Siargao in December 2021, winds at speeds of 300km per hour completely ravaged 90 percent of the island. Surviving the ordeal, Pilar came face-to-face with the loss of utilities – cellular coverage, electricity and water; necessities that she felt many have taken for granted. Affected by the devastation to the island and the suffering of the people, Pilar decided to prolong her stay to help with relief efforts, while photographing the humans of Siargao in the crisis. 

“I took a step away from my career as a photographer and embraced purpose in my photography. I was motivated to help, and formed a team called Rise Siargao. With the aid of donors, volunteers, resilient locals and the private sector, we helped the less privileged citizens of the island, provided filtered water, solar lights and helped the island rebuilt their homes,” she said.  

With her trusty Alpha 7R IV camera and FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM lens, Pilar tells the story of the calamity through her lens. The images were shared on social media, with the intention of raising funds to further help in her cause. Through her Siargao images, she was inspired to bring hope, compassion, kindness and love to her fellow man. Her work served as a candle in the dark, shining a torch on the devastation in Siargao, and thus bringing light through donations and humanitarian efforts.   

Moving Purposefully Forward 

With all the good she did for the island, Pilar expressed her love and priority for her family. Missing her two sons when off on her humanitarian mission, she is grateful for their patience and understanding to help the less fortunate. Like everyone else, she is also hopeful that the fear of diseases will be lifted, and society will resume back where it left off. Keen on putting her creative juices to work, she’s even more excited for people to connect, trust and have their portraits taken again.