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‘To me, photography is a stress reliever. I forget all my worries when I’m out taking photographs.’ – Butch Alfane

Photography is my passion, my hobby, my lifeline. It is my current bread and butter. It helped me get over stress and depression when I was in Canada,” shares Butch Alfane, a registered portrait and wedding photographer in Canada and in the Philippines.

His interest in photography started during high school at the Bicol University High School where he was the school publication’s “unofficial photographer.” Shooting side by side with his father and mentor, then Fiscal Antonio Alfane, both set up a dark room in one of their bathrooms, and would skillfully develop black-and-white films and produce prints together.

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Butch did a short stint as a freelance photographer using a Minolta camera with a 45mm f/2 lens for the Bicol Chronicle, a regional newspaper circulating in the Bicol region. Then there came a long hiatus in his college days where his passion and hobby took a back seat and all he documented where family special events and field trips.

When the digital evolution of SLRs came, he bounced back trigger happy at about anything that his Canon G2 could capture. Results became instantaneous, with no more film processing.

“Internet was still in its infancy stage here in the Philippines so bragging rights for my shots were still shown through prints. Migrating to Canada in 2005, my passion for photography skyrocketed. In between breaks from my regular job at IBM and Bell Canada as proposal coordinator and proposal manager, respectively, I would explore the beauty of the Canadian outdoors shooting with a Nikon D300 attached with a Nikkor 18-200mm lens. It was the ultimate photo gear I ever wanted, or so I thought. Days later, I got afflicted with the disease called G.A.S. – Gear Acquisition Syndrome,” Butch relates his journey.

Butch specializes in flora and fauna photography, landscape, macro, bird photography, sports, portraiture (fashion, boudoir, nudes, glamour), travel, wedding, and events. He also confesses to being a die-hard strobist.

While in Toronto, Butch was actively involved as a member in several photo organizations: Toronto Digital Photography Club (TDPC), of which a majority is composed of world-class landscape photographers; CAST (Creative Artists Society of Toronto), a group of photography enthusiasts within Toronto area; SIPAT – an all Filipino photographer club in Toronto; Canadian Hotties, a group of Canadian models for cars, motorbikes shows; and calendars. He was also the official photographer for St. John Bosco Parish Church (Toronto, Ontario), Canadian Beauty College, and a registered and licensed wedding photographer in Toronto and all throughout Canada.

Back in Legazpi, Butch is currently an active member of the Mayon Photography Club, Inc. (MPCI) and also a registered and licensed photographer of Atburst Photography, catering to portraits, weddings, and events.

Preferring to shoot people over other genres because “of the thrill of fast-paced environment,” Butch treasures the interaction between the subject and photographer.

“Generally, if the photographer is in high spirit or inspired by what he sees or feels, it will reflect in the outcome of his shots. But in event photography, feeling high or low, a photographer has that obligation to deliver the best that the client deserves,” he says.

He strongly opts for color and details over black and white. If a client wants drama, he shoots in low key, and goes high key for celebrations and action shots. When clients leave appreciations, referrals and positive comments about his services, he considers these as his best recognitions.

For one who has never joined any photo contests and seldom submits his images to publications, he simply gets fulfillment and gratification just by taking pictures or be a lecturer in photography.

“I believe I have barely begun and I want to acquire more knowledge from fellow photographers. To me, photography is a stress reliever. I forget all my worries when I’m out taking photographs,” Butch states clearly.

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