Stanley Ong’s photographs speak a lot about his desire to take pictures properly using the right equipment and exercising the basic rules of photography. Travel photography is fixed among his routines – whether with pay or without.

Photographing images is arguably the most appealing way to preserve a scene that can never be repeated. It somehow boils down, however, to how good that particular situation or panorama is captured.

Adventurous Stanley Ong had to realize the effect of missing good shots to make a vow that made him a certified lensman. Back in 1999 when he was at the peak of Mount Pulag, he found himself fascinated by the majestically looking cloud-covered landscape just before him. Then he realized he only had a ‘lousy’ point-and-shoot camera that he won’t be able to deliver the big shots.

To make it worse, he had to compare his pictures with that of his friend’s which were produced through an SLR equipment. There was no competition, period. Yet having produced mediocre photos of what was obviously a very good subject led him to climbing greater heights.

“I promised myself that I would learn how to capture once-in-a-lifetime scenes properly,” Stanley recalled having said after that climb. “All we have in life are memories and they deserve to be kept well,” he added.

This Ateneo de Manila graduate loves to travel and shoot because for him, doing so already includes all the other types of photography like portraiture, food, and fashion. This he achieves while at the same time experiences the excitement of being on the road discovering various places and cultures. Professionally, he’s much into glamour, child photography, and food while travel photography is fixed among his routines – whether with pay or without.

Stanley’s photographs speak a lot about his desire to take pictures properly using the right equipment and exercising the basic rules of photography. As his creativity empowers him to break rules in the name of artistry, he consistently aims to produce photos that deserve to be hung on the wall for at least forty years. Fascinated viewers of his images are one in saying they do.

For his preferences, he noted, “I love explosions of color and combinations of textures. I like to work with a variety of moods, from sultry to warm, to fun and quirky. I like black and white for certain scenes where color would be a distracting element.”

According to him, he also enjoys highlighting and saturating certain strong colors in certain types of photos.

Born in Cebu and spent high school at the Sacred Heart School for Boys in his hometown, Stanley knew then that photography was something he should be growing with. He soon became part of the Prize Photo Club and was able to develop his own style there through its monthly competitions and meetings.

At present, he is mostly collaborating with small groups of photographer-friends, designers, art directors, make-up artists, and others to share his passion.

Similar with other photographers, Stanley has acquired many of his clients through referrals, along with the immeasurable power of word-of-mouth. For him, it is his duty to bring out the beauty in his subjects, “whether it’s the innocence of a child, the vision of a fashion designer, or the humming energy of a bustling city.”

Apart from being a dependable photographer, the family man is also an avid diver and a dedicated, doting dad in which for him is his most significant trait. He is one to keep the atmosphere within his circle light and fun. This outlook must have contributed to his ability to make his shots appear enlightening.

“A photographer’s life is never boring because one is exposed to so many different people, places, and stories all the time. Again, it’s about unlocking the hidden beauty in each subject – and that’s what I always try to bring to each of my assignments,” he assured.

Some of Stanley Ong’s works have already been featured in publications and advertisements, both here and abroad. Still, fulfillment of the highest degree mainly lies on the satisfaction he gets from clients each time they would consider his images true works of art.