Dubbed as the "golden boy" of wedding photography, Lee Llamas is one of those professionals you get to hear about every so often; the who’s who of the industry, who can book clients and events by virtue of their name alone. For more than a decade now, Lee has consistently been one of the most sought-after photographers in both the fashion and wedding industry. He started out by training under one of the foremost photographers in the field, specializing at first in fine art photography and artwork reproduction before delving into the fields of fashion and weddings. Through his work, he has produced several coffee table books along with other colleagues and mentors and has helped launch the careers of many of today’s top models. For two years running (2001 & 2002), Lee has served as the official photographer for the Supermodel of the World Philippine Franchise. In 2001, he was awarded the title ‘Photographer of the Year’ from the Society of Portrait Photographers of the Philippines.

With all the accolades he’s already garnered, all this attention is probably nothing new to Lee. Yet I am pleasantly surprised by how humbly he answers each of the questions I ply him with. At the beginning of our interview, he is cautious, a little self-conscious even, as I ask him about start in photography (he was 11 and had started it as a hobby) and his studios (there are two: Lee Llamas Photography which is the more high-end option and Fenestra Studios which caters to budget weddings). When I ask him to recount the first moment he knew for certain that he was supposed to be shooting photos, he laughs and says it’s corny but good naturedly gives me the story anyway. "I was covering a wedding in Caleruega and the bride was dancing with her father; it was the first dance of the reception and that song, ‘Butterfly Kisses’ was playing. I was taking their picture and then just stopped because the scene made me think of my daughter, Chloe, and I felt this lump in my throat. And that’s when I knew that I was supposed to be in this field." It is a little bit corny, I joke, but then again, everyone should be so lucky to know what they’re meant to do for the rest of their lives. And if there’s anything Lee Llamas is meant to be doing, then it’s taking photos.

When I ask him to reflect on his career and what he counts as some of his greatest achievements he tells me that it’s earning the respect of his colleagues as a photographer and receiving the day-to-day testimonials from satisfied clients. He’s also quick to credit much of his success to the people who’ve helped him along his way—"my mentor, my colleagues and organizations such as the Federation of Philippine Photographers Association, the Society of Portrait Photographers of the Philippines, the Wedding and Portrait Photographers of the Philippines, and the Club Camera Digitale. Marami akong utang na loob sa kanila." What’s the one thing he’s learned in his career? "I’ve learned from my mentor na once na inisip mo na magaling ka na, yun na ang katapusan mo." What advice of his own would he give to aspiring photographers out there? "Dapat meron silang lakas ng loob. You really have to be willing to put yourself out there," he replies without a pause. Is natural skill a necessity? He says, "Not really. It’s just a plus. Talent can be developed. I believe there’s no skill that you can’t develop as long as your willing to work hard." Anything else? "If you get the opportunity to train old school, as in work with a manual SLR (single-lens reflex) camera, then you should take it. I was trained using an old manual Leica. We used film, had no electronic meter and had to learn to assess the lighting situation using just our eyes. It took a lot of discipline."

That discipline has obviously paid off. These days, Lee is best known for a style that is both elegant and relaxed; spontaneous and unobtrusive. It is a style he continues to cultivate through his studio, Lee Llamas Photography which is, incidentally, also celebrating its 11th anniversary this month. When I ask him what he hopes to accomplish with the studio in the coming years, his answer is simple. "I want to continue shooting weddings and portraits; continue to capture emotions. Gusto kong magbasa sa storya ng mga tao." And what is his own story? It takes some amount of prodding but eventually I get to find out a few things: for one, he hates having his picture taken ("I usually end up closing my eyes and I really don’t smile, not even in my own wedding photos!"); his favorite models are his kids ("You’ll never see me in any of their photos because I’m always the one taking them."); and his perfect camera is a Leica ("When I die I want to take God’s picture with a Leica."). It’s not a whole lot of information but when I end the interview, I think I understand at least one thing. Lee Llamas is really just an ordinary person—who knows how to take really extraordinary pictures.