Photographer of the Week: Lindy Vivien Aldaba
By Maan D’Asis Pamaran
She deals with numbers and data in her daily life, as a Math major from the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) who is currently working with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) as an information security officer. But for Lindy Vivien S. Aldaba, her downtime is spent with images.
“Being able to capture a memory of something beautiful and meaningful led me to do photography,” shares Lindy.
She was more into words than visual arts, until she met her partner and mentor Froi Rivera. “He is a multi-awarded photographer, who made me realize that I can also take photos. He inspired me to take photos and gave me pointers. I started with mobile photography then he gave me a bridge camera and eventually a mirrorless camera to work on. He also encouraged me to enrol in a basic photography course at the Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation (FPPF).”
Her interest in photography grew, and she joined the Framed Shots Camera Club, participating in monthly and on-the-spot contests despite being busy with her day job and being a parent to four kids. She gets so immersed in her picture-taking that she sometimes goes overboard – literally. “On one of my shoots for an urbanscape theme, I was shooting on a ladder and it folded in! I fell but I was still raising my hand that was holding the camera to keep it safe. Talk about a ‘buwis-buhay’ shot,” she laughs.
Her hard work and patience paid off with her eye-catching perspectives that include black-and-white structural contrasts, naturescapes, and even macro photography of insects. “I like nature, particularly sunsets, landscapes, and detailed photos of what makes our world so beautiful. I have varied subjects since we have themes for our camera club activities, though,” she explains. Like beauty, photography for her is more than “skin deep.” For her, an effective photograph “is able to convey a message to the viewer. It tells something beyond the beauty of the photo.”
A member of her photo club since 2016, Lindy became its chairman in 2019, in time for their 25th anniversary. “We regularly join the PhotoWorld Cup (PWC) of FPPF. I had been lucky enough to land on the 9th place, Photographer of the Year for 2018.”
Photography is another way to document her children’s growing years. “My children are my favorite subjects, of course, and taking their pictures makes me realize how time flies, especially as I see my little boy grow up through my photos.”
“For now, I may say that I can take photos but I still have a lot to learn. I had been lucky to have somebody appreciate my shots. But I need to work harder, practice and develop my style,” she adds.
Joke is on You 
Rawr
As she grows in her craft and develops her hallmark works, she wants to encourage other women to take up their cameras. “Taking photos gives you a beautiful means to express yourself so take the chance. It would also make you appreciate the little details around you – I think that when you are drawn to details, it boosts your creativity. You would get to look at things from different angles and perspectives. Just enjoy shooting and shoot while you can.”