The Iconic Philippines CAMON 20 Pro Series Photography Content was held in July, in collaboration between TECNO and the Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation FPPF).

Photographers used the TECNO CAMON 20 Pro as their lens to capture images of Filipino culture.

Among over 300 participants, Froiland Rivera rose to the top with his dramatic portraits of Filipinos from the north and the south. His shots include a traditional Filipino breakfast, pan de sal and kape, he has also captured images of Filipino handicrafts and night shots of the Manila Central Post Office with the Binondo Bridge.

Froiland Rivera

“Using TECNO CAMON 20 Pro 5G was a great experience,” Rivera said. “I love how this smartphone’s camera produces lively colors. Using the TECNO CAMON 20 Pro 5G made my portrait work so easy that I wanted to shoot more and more!  Low light shooting is not a problem anymore because of the Super Night Mode. This is probably the best portrait smartphone/camera I have ever used. The effects like the smooth skin are superb. It produces life-like skin retouch and the skin texture is retained. TECNO CAMON 20 Pro 5G’s effects are so natural looking.”

Froiland Rivera

Froiland Rivera

The second and third place awards went to professional photographer Jay Vicencio and photojournalist Arnold Jumpay. 

“The AI camera is a game-changing feature,” said Vincencio. “It is good at detecting objects and what you want to capture and does its job properly at changing the scenery which is amazing. The quality of shadow, colors, and details is also noticeable while capturing in low-light and dark areas.”

Jay Vicencio’s photo of his mother while reading an old book

“My overall experience using TECNO’s CAMON 20 Pro 5G was exceptional,” said Jumpay. “The 64MP main camera delivered sharp details, vibrant colors and accurate exposure. The multi-skin tone imaging system worked well with the Filipino skin tone. The images I captured using this feature turned out to be true to life, with no color distortion or unnatural enhancements. The Portrait Master feature on the CAMON 20 Pro 5G greatly enhanced my portrait photography and fittingly captured the Filipino skin tone with precision and authenticity.”

Sa Bayan ni Juan May Bayanihan Para sa Hapag-kainan by Arnold Jumpay

Jack Guo, general manager of TECNO said: “TECNO has always seen portrait photography as an important opportunity to promote greater inclusivity in smartphone technology. With a consistent dedication to bridge the gap with global emerging markets through better technologies, our goal is to strengthen our technological capabilities in multi-skin tone imaging to better capture the essence of humanity in a way that represents everybody.”

The Iconic Philippines CAMON 20 Pro Series Photography Contest is open to Filipino amateurs, hobbyists, and professionals, with the aim of capturing the essence of Filipino culture. The contest was joined by 305 participants and received over 1,000 photo submissions. Entries were judged based on Creativity (40%), Impact (30%), and Adherence to the Theme (30%).

Five (5) finalists each received a TECNO CAMON 20 Pro 5G, which they used to take photos for the final round where they were required to submit two portrait photos, two still life photos, and 1 landscape photo under the theme ICONIC Philippines. Rivera received P50,000 in cash prize, while Vicencio and Jumpay received P30,000 and P20,000, respectively. The other two finalists were Jacqueline Hernandez and Heigen Villacarlos.

TECNO CAMON 20 Pro Series photography endorser and award-winning photographer Niccolo Cosme, TECNO PH Marketing Manager Mitze Abrio, USA-based multi-awarded photographer Edwin Loyola, and FPPF instructor and independent photography professional Victor Sison judged the photo contest. Cosme is also a member of FPPF and the creative director of Howwwl Digital, The Red Whistle, Headshot Clinic.

“Congratulations to all the winners! We all had a happy challenge – choosing the best of the best among all the worthy entries. Judging the finalists’ entries was also more challenging as all the photos are iconic. They capture different aspects of our beautiful country and its diverse people. The quality is also amazing. TECNO CAMON 20 Pro 5G’s camera features are quite impressive,” said Cosme.

“We are very happy with the outcome of the ICONIC Philippines CAMON 20 Pro Series Photography Contest. Our partnership with TECNO has given our photographers the opportunity to experience hands on using the TECNO CAMON 20 Pro 5G. TECNO’s inclusive multi-skin tone portrait technology helps our photographers show the perfection of true skin tones. Our photographers did not only get to showcase their talents, but also once again took pride in highlighting the rich culture of our country,” said Eduviges Huang, FPPF Chairperson.

The Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation is a non-profit, non-government organization, based in Intramuros Manila, advocating photography in the Philippines. It is the umbrella organization for photography and camera clubs in the country with around 2,000 members. FPPF organizes the “largest and longest-running photography event” in Southeast Asia, the annual PhotoWorld Asia Trade Show and Convention (PWA), which has been held continuously for more than 35 years. The upcoming PWA 2024 will be held on January 25 - 28, 2024 at Glorietta, Makati City. FPPF also conducts photography workshops, since 1993.

The CAMON 20 Pro Series uses a 64MP RGBW rear camera and 32MP Super Front Camera for selfies. One of its highlights is the ring flash to improve brightness. The Portrait Master feature is an algorithm that allows you to control blur, similar to DSLRs.