Seminar Speakers

Prophetically, Niko Villegas was named after Nikon. With an elective in photography in college under his belt, he landed work in local dailies and websites, and as a columnist in the Mindanao Times, and later as Chief Photographer and Editor-in-Chief for aw2spec.com, Davao’s first online automotive magazine. Even after immersing himself in digital photography, Niko prefers to shoot traditionally, getting everything right in the viewfinder and not depending on post-production.

Don’s portraits blend classical techniques with contemporary aesthetics, characterized by a keen attention to the emotional aspects of the face and body. More than just “records” of his subjects, he weaves the background or setting into a compelling narrative behind the face, be it in a studio setting or natural environment.

It’s not easy to capture not just the story in a photograph, but also the emotion in the event—the pain, the joy, the exhilaration, the suffering. Ezra has done just that, and won many awards from world bodies: Pulitzer Prize (finalist), World Press Photo, Human Rights Press Awards, Istanbul Photo Awards. His work covering the country’s drug war has been exhibited at the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva for three straight years. His coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic bagged him a finalist Pulitzer.

Niccolo is a celebrated Filipino photographer and visual artist known for merging hyper-realism with surreal, imaginative themes in his portraits. He has advocated LGBTQ+ rights, HIV awareness, and environmental conservation, often using his work to spark dialogue on these critical social issues. Recently, Niccolo has expanded his horizons by blending traditional photography with AI-generated imagery.

Albert’s passion revolves around the genres of landscape, portrait, street, and black-and-white photography. He has visited 60 countries in an eternal pursuit of the perfect shot. He is a member of the Photographic Society of America (PSA), and has received 147 awards from 27 countries in PSA-sanctioned photo competitions. In 2023, he held three successful solo exhibitions in the Philippines, Singapore and Romania. He has served as judge in numerous international photography competitions, most notably at the 5th Golden Huabiao Photography Awards held in Guizhou, China, and the 4th “One Belt One Road” National Photography Golden Silk Road Award held in Anhui, China.