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Lito Sy Photography:
Maintaining Success in Four Studios and Beyond
By Linda L. May
The Republic of the Philippines is a string of over 7000 islands located in the Pacific Ocean,
just off the coast of Southeast Asia. Situated just north of the equator, this lovely island
nation has a humid, tropical climate with little variation in temperatures year round. In
January it's about 75 degrees Fahrenheit; in June, it's 82 degrees--making the islands ideal
for outdoor photography. This tropical paradise stretches 1152 miles from north to south,
and boasts rugged mountains, rivers, thick jungles, and lush green plains perfect for
agriculture, as well as large bustling cities teeming with industry and commerce.
One popular photographer in the Philippines, Lito Sy, was first introduced to photography
in 1986 when he was still attending college at Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City,
majoring in electricity. While in college, Lito worked as a production assistant for his
brother-in-law who owned a wedding studio. Soon after, Lito discovered how much he loved
photography. He says he was hooked when he held his first camera. While he has no formal
photography education, he learned his craft through endless practice and experimentation
and by attending countless workshops and seminars. After 18 years in this industry, though,
Lito says he is still learning: "When one stops learning, one stops growing and improving."
In 1990, Lito opened Lito Sy Photography in his home, but business grew so fast that he soon
expanded to a building in Makati--the premier business district and high-end shopping area
of Manila--joining the ranks with other successful entrepreneurs in the Philippines. Lito's
original studio was so popular that he has since opened three other branches on the islands,
with a total of 50 employees. He has branches in the Shoe Mart Mall of Asia, (Shoe Mart, or
SM malls as the locals call them, are the largest shopping centers in the Philippines),
the Shoe Mart in Davao City, and the Gaisano Mall of Davao. All four locations are
tastefully decorated with modern contemporary furnishings. Clients enter the reception
rooms where a large-screen plasma television features Lito's award-winning images.
The gallery area displays a wide variety of large, framed prints.
Each studio location does the same type of work--weddings, portraits, fashion and food
photography. Lito personally shoots 150 weddings out of the 250 total weddings that he
books annually. Along with the 50 employees, Lito's wife, Anna Grazieli Fondevilla, also
works in the business. Anna acts as Lito's assistant for weddings and events and also
helps manage the day-to-day studio operations. His three main photographers are
Johannsen Trinidad, who has been with Lito for 13 years, Marlon Advincula and Jinky Sy.
Weddings are by far his greatest revenue generator. Lito contributes his success to
consistency--both with regard to his image quality and the way he treats clients.
For image capture, Lito Sy Photography relies on two Nikon DSLR models, the D3 and D300,
with a variety of focal length lenses. For weddings, he and his staff use 14-24mm f/2.8,
24-70mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8 zooms, along with a 105mm f/2.8 VR Nano, a 85mm f/1.4 and a
300mm f/2.8 lens. Lito depends on natural and available light whenever possible, accented
with reflectors and diffusers. According to Lito, Filipino weddings are grand, colorful
affairs. It's not uncommon for there to be 500-1500 guests present. He shoots a lot of
Chinese ceremonies, which have the most guests. Family portraits are a must-have part of
the coverage, requiring formal studio lighting setups. For these pictures, Lito uses two
to three Nikon SB-800 flash units triggered by PocketWizards. For studio and indoor
shooting, he uses Lowel video lights, and/or Broncolor Grafit units, with softboxes.
"Lighting is very important to me because it is the key to beautiful images. I believe
it should be natural and flattering, and I make sure my staff is well trained to meet
my high standards," says Lito.
Weddings in the Philippines are a booming business these days, but with the onslaught
of digital and many new wedding shooters flooding the industry, competition is stiff.
To stay a step ahead of the fierce competition in the Philippines, Lito is constantly
reinventing himself and his businesses by thinking of creative ways to set his studios
apart. One such popular promotion includes showing a slide show during the reception,
which he introduced in 2002.
"I was the first photographer in the Philippines to show all my work at the reception,
after the ceremony," says Lito. "The images are right out of the camera and unedited.
Not all photographers would dare to do that without editing first. My clients love this
instant viewing of their wedding pictures. They have spread the word and it has boosted
my business greatly."
Besides Lito's successful slide show promotion, which brings in many new clients, his
website is also a profitable marketing tool, especially for generating international
business and getting clients from other nations, like the United States. Lito also works
closely with wedding planners and coordinators in his market area. Regular ads in local
wedding magazines are also a good way to get out the word about his studios. However,
word-of-mouth is still his best method of advertising.
In 2005, Lito joined WPPI and has attended every WPPI Las Vegas convention to date, so
he is always on top of the latest technology, trends, albums and products. Much to his
delight, his first year at WPPI he won first place in both the Wedding Photojournalism
and the Group Portrait categories, as well as second place in the Bridal Party category.
Continuing his winning streak, in 2006 Lito won both first and third place in the
Wedding Photojournalism category, first place in the Illustrative category, second place
in the Bridal Party and a third place in the Wedding Details category. In 2007, he was
awarded second place in the Engagement category, second and third place in Wedding
Photojournalism and third place in the Bride and Groom Alone category. He feels that
WPPI has been very helpful with the growth of his business, and firmly believes that
"joining WPPI will enhance your photographic knowledge." Next year, in addition to
entering prints, Lito plans to enter the WPPI album competition for the first time.
He was also chosen as WPPP's (Wedding Portrait Photographers of the Philippines) Photographer
of the Year in both 2005 and 2006. In 2007, Lito served as the WPPP Photo Congress Chairman
in the Philippines. In addition, Lito is also very active in the Camera Club of Davao City.
In the future, he has plans to continue expanding and opening additional branch studios in
the Philippines as well as one in Los Angeles, CA. It's also a dream of his to start a
photography school and open a restaurant with his wife.
Lito concludes, "Based on my experience of shooting weddings for 18 years, photographers
have to be creative, passionate and have lots of patience. I give it my best shot at
every wedding and aim for perfection. I never stop learning, experimenting and improving
my craft, and I believe knowledge is the key to remaining successful."
Readers may view his website at www.litosy.com
or contact Lito Sy via email at litosy@mac.com.
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