CONTRIBUTOR

Photography, a fairly easy thing to do. All you have to do is hold a camera, point on the subject,
then click on the button. But not all can push a camera to its full potential, not all can work
depending on their given situation, not all can operate on manual. I never aspired to be a
photographer, but here I am working under a media organization that used to be dead, as their
asst. Head Photographer. I am Miguel Sumalinog and this is a story on how a rejected applicant
turned out to be one of the vital members of one of the best media organizations in Marist School
to date.
School year ‘18-‘19 pretty much defined my current Marist life. All I know was this publication
called the Blue & Gold were holding their annual start of the schoolyear applications. Well, coming
from a guy who never really cared about the org I never bothered applying, but this friend of mine
who I always borrow his camera urged me to apply “kaya mo yan magaling ka naman kumuha
eh.” He kept on saying that to me which basically convinced me to apply. Applying was fairly an
easy task to do, and to be honest, I had high hopes for myself thinking that I would actually get
that membership in the org. When the results came out I was looking at the list, something was
missing, my name wasn’t there. I double checked it and confirmed it with the others but it wasn’t
there. Eventually I talked to my English teacher who is also the moderator of the said publication
and all he said to me was “work better next time” and boy did that hurt (no hard feelings sir). So
there I was a clubless dude who will do anything just to have something to do. Then one day
someone told me that they were needing photographers for the Miting De Avance, so of course I
instantly agreed and went ahead. The day of the program came and I was nervous, people were
staring at you as you stand in-front of the stage and the crowd “who’s that guy with the camera?”
pretty much what I think is going through their minds during the whole coverage, I was pressured,
really pressured but for some reason I managed to pull through and get the shots that I needed.
The English class after that became the start of what I would call my “Blue & Gold career”, my
English teacher called me and asked if I wanted to be a contributor for the organization, of course
I can’t say no to such an offer as it is better than nothing. So that was the start of my days as a
contributor.

Being a contributor was tough though. People tend to make fun of you for being the lowest of the
lows in terms of positions. “A contributor? What would he do?” pretty much most of the questions
I hear when they introduce me. But hearing that didn’t demoralize me with the quality of work I
put in to, once I got the offer I promised myself to pour everything that I can in helping the
organization, to push past the boundaries of what a contributor can do, to prove to others that not
just because you are a contributor doesn’t mean you can’t do shit. And so I did, I covered all the
events assigned to me, even the ones where they needed an emergency photographer, I was
there. I was that all around photographer that everyone can rely on.

Fast forward to the end of that school year the applications to the Editorial Board opened up. I
applied for the position of the Head Photographer in hopes to improve the content and things we
produce. The application itself was pretty easy, along with two other applicants for the same
position pretty much had a fun time answering the exam and the interview. When the results came
in I was tensed up to see the result I got, I couldn’t even bring myself to check the preview of the
message that I received. After a few moments of getting myself together I managed to open the
message and read it slowly, and there it was “Hello!
The Blue & Gold is appreciative of your willingness to apply for an editorial board position.
And so after a thorough evaluation, we would like to congratulate you for passing as the
ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHY HEAD for SY 2019-2020!” seeing that made my day and suddenly
all the visions that I have for the department came in. As schoolyear 2019-2020 started along with
Miggy Agcolicol the current editor in Chief, Jay Escolano the Features Editor, and my resident
video editor Simon Subong, promised to redefine the organization into what it is supposed to be.
And so from a rejected applicant to a humble contributor and now the asst. Head Photographer
of the Blue & Gold, I have learned a lot, I used to rely on using automatic only in fear of ruining
the images but now I am confident in my work and I am proud of what I have produced and what
I have made my department do. Once again I am Miguel Sumalinog and that is the story on how
someone who just takes pictures for fun ended up taking pictures for something important and
with passion.