This guy has got to be one of the most talented, underrated photographers around. He took a couple…read moreof shots for my cousin on her big day and I was so amazed at the turnout. His work is particularly memorable to me because he managed to capture a candid shot of me sobbing when my cousin walked down the aisle. Awesome! Haha. I highly recommend him for any type of event as his rates are reasonable and he's very easy to work with. Fun fact: he also moonlights as a graphic designer so if you need anything by way of graphic design, you know who to call.

Perhaps the best-looking photography and video studio for rent in the city; Shutterspace Studios is…read morea photographer's dream space. I myself had the pleasure of shooting a magazine editorial in one of Shutterspace's two studios and it was awesome. Not scrimping on quality at all, Shutterspace's roster of studio equipment comes with Profoto monolights and accessories, perhaps one of the best (and most expensive) in the world of photography equipment. A helpful staff is on-call to assist in moving around the heavy gear and to answer any sort of question when it comes to lighting techniques. As I mentioned earlier, the space has two studios - one studio is smaller, perfect for portraiture and editorial shoots. Another much bigger studio, complete with cyclorama and huge windows to let natural light in is also available for rent. It's got ample space for bigger productions like video and commercial shoots.

One of the more creative photography groups in the Philippines today is Bleach N' Stain (BNS). They…read moreused to hold open shoots called Washdays that had such unique concepts. I love the series they did on Alice in Wonderland, too bad I missed out on it. For a small fee, the photoshoot already included set-design, make up and a stylist. I love their style and the overall mood of the shoot -- everyone is fun, friendly and you don't feel pressured at all. It's more like playing than doing an actual shoot. You get the high-definition soft copies of the photos about a week after the shoot. And you will be amazed by the results, they could make anyone look awesome! Unfortunately they don't do much of those these days as they are more into wedding photography, pre-nup sessions and debutante shoots. Looking at their portfolio now, I still think they rock the photography world and are still among the most notable photographers in the industry.

If you'd like a photographer with a witty personality, check out Chris Yuhico. A Philippine Science…read moreHigh School graduate who suddenly found himself in the world of photography, Chris has done quite well for himself. He's done work for resorts and various magazines, and has done shoots for Ballet Philippines. I've worked with him on the film "Mananayaw"; he was our cinematographer. Aside from being one of the most talkative people I know, he's also got a great eye, especially when it comes to portraits and lighting. Mr. Yuhico himself would also like me to tell the world that he is "devastatingly talented as he is handsome." Uhhh... To see if that's accurate, do check out his works!

For budding photography enthusiasts who want to practice their lighting skills in a controlled…read morestudio environment, Artisano Studio would be a good place to start. At Php 850 an hour for photography shoots, you can use the studio's three available light strobes plus all the light modifiers (softboxes, snoots, octabox, etc.) that you might need. They've also got a wide range of different coloramas or paper backgrounds should you want to experiment with different background colors. If you're into portraiture or fashion photography, the studio also has a hair and make-up station where your shoot talents can get all dolled up, plus a changing room. A shoot assistant is also on-call should you need any assistance with the equipment. The studio is modestly sized with high-ceilings. They also have sitting areas for when you've invited a large group to cheer you on. For pro-photographers, it's also a good place to schedule your commercial shoots and invite clients over. Artisano Studio also accommodates video shoots at a higher cost per hour.

Camera Cart Studio is located in the famous Maginhawa Street in Quezon City. They offer photography…read moreworkshops, photography merchandise, studio rentals and photography equipment rentals. We reserved the studio for a photo shoot and we were all surprised to see how cool Maginhawa Street was. It was my first time there and I must admit that I found the place really cool. We rented the place for four (4) hours with a rate of 600 php per hour. We didn't find this rate too high because it includes the ff. along with the studio space: 3x 400W - Rimelight Fame E-4 1x Octabox (150 cm) 1x Large Softbox (36" x 48") 1x Small Softbox (10" x 20") 1x Strip Light Softbox 2x Sets 2-in-1 48" Umbrella (Reflective and Shoot Through) 1x Beauty Dish 1x Barn Door 1x Snoot 1x Honeycomb Grid 20 degrees 1x Honeycomb Grid 30 degrees 1x Barndoor with Color Gels 1x Wall - White 1x Background Canvass - Dark Gray 1x Background Canvass - Sky Blue 1x Background Canvass - Black 1x Background Canvass - Green 1x Background Canvass - Pink 3x Large Light stands 2x Medium Light stands 2x Bowl Reflector 1x Snoot 1x 5-in-1 Reflector 1x Benro Tripod with ballhead 1x Radio Trigger 1x Red Colored Gel 1x Blue Colored Gel 1x Yellow Colored Gel 1x Ladder The size of the whole studio is 20ft x 20ft. Wifi was free and it was really fast. The place also has a toilet room, dressing room, and free drinking water. It is also fully air-conditioned. The studio was just the right size for everyone to move around. The wide space was really good and both the model and photographer were comfortable with the set. We didn't have problems with anything and the whole shoot went by smoothly. I recommend Camera Cart to anyone looking for a good place to have a photo shoot. It's the perfect place!

Created by a bunch of talented and enterprising young photographers and visual & multimedia…read moreartists, Shutter Panda is that go-to wedding & events photography company you want at your side when you're looking for youthful and vibrant coverage of some of your most important life memories as they happen. This laidback yet professional team puts personality in their commissioned works and services done for you, so it's not that run of the mill, plain coverage of just whatever. They're into telling stories and they can capture the art in the routine, regular things that happen in your events. In the end, they produce gorgeous, fun, functional, yet dramatic-and-sentimental-when-need-be works that you'll just be happy to have with you after everything.

I first encountered Shutterpanda Photography when my org Kythe-Ateneo got it to be one of the…read morepartners for our event I Am Hope 2015, where we brought kids with chronic illnesses out of their hospitals for an afternoon of fun and play. The results were absolutely beautiful, with candid shots of kids and their buddies overflowing in the album. I dabble into some photography myself, and I noticed the photographer for that day had preferred lower F-stop settings that blurred the background, making every photo seem more personal. Every photo ended up being so colorful and full of life, and I don't think there was a single photo on their album that didn't have a smile on it. Granted, it wasn't exactly a common event like a debut, wedding reception, or party, but I really think that Shutterpanda did a great job of documenting our event and showcasing what our advocacy was through their photos.

When it comes to cosplay and photography, this guy is known as the master. Jay Tablante is a…read moresuperstar in the geek world, thanks to his amazingly rendered cosplay photos, bringing to life the characters we see on comic books, literature, TV, movies, or graphic novels. And it really does help that he can get top models and celebrities to be his subjects. His works feature big names such as local actress Marian Rivera, model/artist/host Solenn Heussaff, model Jinri Park, and of course, cosplay celebrity Alodia Gosiengfiao. Yup, he's that awesome. And of course, his works have called him to overseas conventions like the mother-of-all-geek-cons, the San Diego Comic Con. He's got 2 books out featuring some of his awesome cosplay photography, Geekology 1 and 2, which are available at National Bookstore. He also gives frequent talks and workshops, so don't miss a chance to catch him in action and see why he's one of the best in the business! :)