Capturing Untold Stories

Dana Krizia Mengote - Capturing Untold Stories
by Yugel Losorata

The best stories are yet to be told or captured. This is what motivates photographer Dana Krizia where she has produced beautiful photographs. The yearning to come out with images providing something new to the eye is at the core of her work, creating pictures that relay an artist’s crave in presenting faces and places in unusual forms.

Engrossed with travel photography, she takes her camera everywhere she goes and puts it out upon seeing “hidden beauties” for her portfolio. The various cultures she has experienced become stories she imparts through photography, with her penchant for details making each frame rich in information.

“Through photography, I try to share the stories and experiences I collect, hoping that through my photos, I could be able to change the life of someone,”

she tells Picture Perfect.

Her colleagues have been feeling such privilege while looking at her work as she regularly participates in the monthly contests of FPPF (Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation). Dana, a member of Framed Shots club, won in some of these competitions, including a first-place finish which one of her black-and-white shots bagged late last year.

She acknowledges the fact that she has developed special strength in doing colorless photographs. Her love for “simply yet strong” output pushed this to perfection, stressing the idea that drama is endlessly conveyed in black-and-white images.

She points out, “A good photograph may be simple, but must contain a powerful and strong message that beholds its viewer and sends a deep message. It does not need too many elements nor it be produced through technical highlights.”

A Broadcast Communication major from UP Diliman, Dana’s inclination to photography was evident. However, for some reason she could not get a slot in a photography class. She had to wait for the real world where work equals pay.

After receiving her first paycheck in 2008, she bought her first camera – a Nikon D80. That set her adventure on. At present, in her spare time as immigration officer at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, she makes sure she goes out, travel, and see different people and their way of life.

“I try my best to deliver stories that haven’t been told before, or try to reflect them in different angles,” she adds. Of course, like in music when most genres have been touched and one can only tweak those established styles to come out different, a lot of the times she brings out a common subject told in refreshing perspective.

It helps that she is influenced by the likes of Chito Cleofas, Edwin Loyola, and Gunther Deichmann. The way she mixes the artistry of these distinguished lensmen and her own style has generated quality output worth the admiration of some viewers.

The basic principle of love for work is no doubt the foundation of Dana’s craft. She believes that photography is her real “ID” to the world, identifying who she is deeper than just her name and looks. With it, she thinks, she delivers, and she shares.

“Love for work is most important in photography because you can never truly express art without investing emotionally in your photograph. Each shot carries a story, an emotion, and this can only be truly captured by a dedicated photographer who loves what he is doing,” discloses the lady shooter.

When asked about her deepest view on photography, she enthuses, “Photography captivates me in a way nothing else can. The opportunity to tell a story in a single frame leaves me shivering with excitement and delight.”

People who look at her work actually share the same feeling of thrill and satisfaction.