Actually, being tall in height is always a natural possibility. But being gentle is another story. It is a description that magnifies Bern’s burning passion for his craft and love for life and nature. It is what makes him more than a giant, but a photographer – as big as he is.

At six feet, Bern possesses an intimidating presence that could pass up as a dribbler. But this 42-year old father of three is no guard in the hardcourt. Rather, he is a vanguard of photography, currently sitting as vice president of the Wedding and Portrait Photographers of the Philippines (WPPP) whose goal is for his club to be recognized as an institution. He’s the chairman of the 2006 Photo Congress, a position where he gets to help aspiring photographers.

Of course, he specializes in weddings and portraits and his spontaneity and candidness in shooting have helped make his images appear powerful and personalized. A sociable guy and fun to be with, he speaks about the stability of doing weddings as business because, as he joked, "kahit may coup attempt may kinakasal." He explained, "I like wedding because it has a wider spectrum, meaning, there’s in it the product shot, then portraiture, then events, then travel, then lifestyle and architectural shots as well."

Bern started off as a photo critic and learned the ropes through self-study, research, and listening closely to what the critics and masters have to say. He calls his studio Philippine Wedding Pictures, while also sharing his talent for magazine shoots. Lately, he clicked for Lifestyle Asia, People Asia, Stop Over, and Sense and Style.

A multi-talented figure, Bern’s hardworking qualities have been evident ever since, having taken up Architecture at the Far Eastern University (FEU) as a working student. Interestingly, he plays the bass guitar and did play for a band, experienced doing records and worked abroad for a few years before settling down to concentrate on photography.

Asked what he likes best about wedding shoots, he replied, "Well, the chance to record and capture the most important part of a couple’s life and preserve it till they grow old."

With his schedule loaded with business-related work, he’s having a hard time joining photo contests which for him really boosts his confidence. He recalls winning in a creative imaging tiff and placing high for his shots detailing life in prison. "There is beauty in getting acknowledged when you win in a contest. Plus, it’s undeniably prestigious to get recognized."

Though this photo artist was born and raised in the sleepy island of Sibuyan, Romblon, Bern believes in the importance of moving fast, with professional precision. "There’s no such thing as "Filipino Time" in photography," he claimed. "If you can’t be on time, somebody else’s will."

Aside from weddings, the ‘walking tall’ also points his camera to products, food, and corporate events. His nature-tripping enables him to explore travel and landscape, while his college course- orientation takes him into the interior and architectural sanctum.

Ever concerned and wanting to help in any form he can, he hopes to stage soon a solo exhibit that would feature a socially aware theme, reflecting the moral obligations of people. Bern’s family must be real proud of their man who, apart from making good use of his talent for his home, thinks of the welfare of the world around him. His wife Daisy and kids Abbu, Mick, and Kai surely get to see his gentle side as an artist and as a person.

He shared, "One of my biggest achievements in photography is having taught a group of batang kalye aged 7 to 16 about the art of photography."

That simply says it all. Here’s a big man who shares his art to the young with fiery dedication, who sees art as a tool to attain world peace (if used in a rightful manner), and views that everything in this world is an art and everyone’s an artist, tall or not.