Miguel Miranda: Braving New York to chase a photographic dream

Braving a foreign country to pursue a dream is exciting yet terrifying at the same time. Fear of failing, being rejected, discriminated, and underestimated are discouraging enough to even keep someone going. But for Filipino fashion photographer Miguel Miranda, his passion and dream of being a successful photographer in New York are greater than these.

Since 2005, Miranda has been a fashion photographer for major publications in the Philippines such as Metro, Metro Society Playboy, Preview, and Status Magazine. He has also won several awards like ‘Best Special Effects’ for his piece ‘Lord of the Rings’ in ABS-CBN’s Velvet Channel Exhibit in 2010 and was awarded 3^rd place for ‘Black Swan’ in 2011.

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He has also done multiple exhibits tied in with Philippine Fashion Week and even executed a Solo Exhibit called “Spotlight” in 2011.

Aside from being a fashion photographer, Miranda also taught Fashion Photography in La Salle College International. He also judged photo competitions, including the esteemed Henry Ford awards in 2012.

Even after gaining several achievements under his belt during his photography career in Manila, Miranda knows that he needs to pursue his ultimate dream so he mounted some courage, packed his bags, flew to New York, and took a leap of faith.

During our recent quick chat with him, Miranda talked about photography, his journey as a new photographer in the Big Apple, and more. Here are some of his answers:

How did you get involved in fashion photography?

My interest in photography sparked at a young age when I received a toy camera from my uncle. I got into fashion photography when one of my best friends, who was a fashion stylist (then) in Manila, asked me to be part of her team for a Philippine Fashion Week photo exhibit in 2005. I started booking jobs for Philippine fashion magazines from then on.

What kind of preparation do you do before a shoot?

Photo shoots always require team effort. Before a shoot, I usually brainstorm concepts and ideas with my team, which dictates the story of the shoot. Technical planning is also done which covers lighting execution, posing and composition. I try to carefully plan each shoot to leave zero room for error, but that does not always happen.

What is your most significant achievement as a fashion photographer?

Being able to pursue a photography career in New York has been one of my dreams come true.

What camera and equipment do you prefer to use during shoots?

For outdoor shoots, I like using the Nikon D850. It is an amazing camera that’s souped up with all the new tech. For my indoor studio work, I use my Hasselblad 503 for film and a H6 for digital.

What for you is the best part of being a fashion photographer?

I enjoy the rush of having an idea come to life through photographs and the energy of being part of a dynamic team. It’s a great feeling of accomplishment when you establish a strong connection with your viewer and are able to tell stories through still images.

You mentioned you worked for Steven Klein as a photo assistant, could you share with us your experience working with a renowned photographer like him? What’s your biggest takeaway during your tenure with him?

It was unbelievable and certainly something I never thought would be possible, especially because I am a big fan of his work! Of course I was very nervous coming in for my first day! His studio runs like a well-oiled machine and each person in the team has specific responsibilities. It kept me on my toes – double checking myself every time so I don’t mess things up. There were long hours, especially for big fashion editorials and cover shoots with celebrities, but it was all worthwhile. I am very lucky to have been able to work with Steven and his team. It is truly one of the best experiences in my career thus far.

As a new photographer desiring to be known in New York, what are the challenges you encounter and how do you overcome them?

Coming to New York, I learned that it did not matter who you are or where you are from – you really have to work hard and prove your abilities once you’re here. It’s a lot of patience, determination and most importantly, good work ethic that gets you to where you want to be. I sent out a lot of emails and did a lot of test shoots with models to update my portfolio as per the advice of my industry peers. It was difficult to make connections in the industry but I’m lucky to have friends who guided me and introduced me to important people who opened doors for me.

What would be a dream project for you?

I still dream about shooting a cover for Vogue with supermodels a la Peter Lindbergh and shoot an album cover for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.