My name is Ronald Samonte and I am an intimate portrait photographer who is based in Manila, helping women to celebrate themselves with elegant, personal and confidence-building sessions.
My journey went back to 2017, the year I realised just how transformative these sessions could be; I noticed that women would arrive nervous, uncertain and usually critical of themselves but would leave standing taller, smiling in a different way and seeing themselves in a new light.
To me, that moment was more significant than the photographs themselves.
Since that time I have worked with women who come from all sorts of backgrounds, with different personalities and varying levels of comfort, including first-time participants who had never before walked in front of a camera, those marrying people who wanted to make a significant gift, mothers who were trying to reconnect with themselves, and women who just wanted to celebrate a particular phase of their lives and feel pleased with it.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned:
You do not need experience as a model.
A particular body type is not necessary.
There is no need for you to know how to pose.
You're not required to be "sexy enough".
All you have to do is turn up as you are.
A great many of my clients say that they were nervous at first, particularly when working with a male photographer. I completely realise this, and that is why setting up a respectful, comfortable and stress-free atmosphere is one of the most important aspects of my process when it comes to getting you to feel at ease.
You won't be asked to perform anything that seems unnatural or uncomfortable. I accompany you throughout the session with regard to the poses, expressions, your movements and all the other details so that you can relax and have fun. My aim goes beyond taking attractive photographs; it is to create an experience in which you feel safe and are able to be yourself genuinely.
In 2019 I obtained my TESDA certification via a scholarship from the Philippine Center for Creative Imaging, which helped to solidify my technical background and reinforced my dedication to following professional and ethical photography practices. To me, however, trust is most important.
Beautiful images occur when people are comfortable.
I concentrate on elegance, emotion, and authenticity, producing images that seem like them rather than a version of you posing as somebody else, so that your photographs show who you really are.
No matter whether your occasion is serving as a bridal gift, marking a personal milestone, involving a maternity experience, or merely a celebration of this moment in your life, I hope that when you look back on it in a few years' time you will remember not only how you looked but also how you felt—confident, powerful, beautiful, and completely yourself.
Confident.
Powerful.
Beautiful.
And fully yourself.
