A single photograph captures the right moment and portrays a thousand words: the pure victory painted across one’s face after receiving an award, love being shared at a fleeting glance between lovers and the agony of a person who experienced pain in a way. As for Judy Sultan, her life’s all about snapping at the moments worth remembering.
To be a photo journalist was far from what she ought to choose yet in third grade, photojournalism was the one to call upon her. “Sa totoo lang hindi ko pinili ang photojourn parang mismong ang category ang pumili na ako ang mag join para sakanya kasi ayon nga sabi ko hindi planado na maging photojourn ako biglaan lang nong mga gabi na kami nag pilian kong sino ang ilalaban,” Judy shared.
Only a beginner at the time, the aspiring photo journalist expected to have no position in the ranking and yet circumstances proved her wrong.
Judy stepped up to Division level after bagging third place at the district competition. “Ang tinetraining ko ay Photojourn at Editorial Cartooning. Halos halos 7 or 8 years na ako na nag joujournalism Garde 4, 5 and 6 nag cocompete akong editorial cartooning staka photojourn kaso lagi akong 5th,” she reminisced.
Switching from category to category, she tested out her skills and competed in each of them; experimenting with her capabalities to see where she exceled most. However, she decided that holding a camera was her strongest suit rather than a pen and paper in hand.
“Ang category na gusto ko talaga ay wala noon kasi hindi ko pa alam dati ang journalism as in parang biglaan lahat staka lang naging seryoso sakin ang lahat nong mga grade 5 na ako kasi nalalaman ko na sya paunti unti kong ano talaga ang Journalism,” stated Judy.
And so she decided to continue from there, clicking shutter at every moment whether good or bad and discovered her purpose along the way. The confused girl who knew nothing about capturing moments finally got the chance to seize her dreams with determination and perseverance, though there were times where she didn’t want to touch a camera at all.
“”Yung time na halos mag-give up na ako noong grade 8 kase hindi ako pinanglaban sa individual category na photojourn kase noong grade 7 ako hindi ako nakapag-NSPC, hanggang RSPC lang, nag-expect din ako na makakapag-NSPC ako ulit kaso hindi pinalad,” she recalled with distinct sadness.
Circumstance still tested her grip on photojournalism in having difficulties in having a camera to use, embarrassed and conflicted, Judy questioned whether she had it in her to quit. “Nong nalamn ko yong ganun pala yong tingin nila nalungkot ako tas nagdoubt nari ako sa sarili ko na ah “hindi ko pala kaya” ganun ganun baka hindi ako deserve sa ganito,” she said.
With renewed strength provided by those who trusted in her, she grew stronger with each click of the camera and dusted off the challenges that came her way. “Ayon, laban lang hanggang sa nakasanayan ko na naninilaban ako tapos nagiging competitive na ako iniisip ko yong mga training na ginawa namin staka tinatandaan ko nalng yong mga tinuturo ng spa ko kaya ayon kinakaya naman lahat kahit ganun,” stated Judy.
Capturing moments was her strongest suit and those moments were the ones she gathered strength from to form a steady photograph which would serve as the imprint of what she went through in her life and up until now, Judy still has the camera in hand and accepted the shutter of chances fate provided her in order to capture her dreams.
THE ECHOES 