A picture speaks a thousand words.
Sometimes, it is often easier to show something in a picture than to describe it with words.
In fact, some people would rather resort to photography to narrate stories and amplify social advocacies than write a novel or academic essay.
One of them is Gail Geriane, 28, a photographer from Samar who aims to empower women by narrating their struggles and aspirations through photos.
In a male-dominated photography industry, Gail never hesitates to capture all forms of beauty, challenging the fragile, unrealistic beauty standards imposed on women.
The birth of a woman in photography
Born and raised in the hilly and mountainous Samar, Gail began her liking for photography in high school—all thanks to a known microblogging website called Tumblr.
When she joined the site in 2008, Gail discovered what she called ‘a whole world of fashion, photography, and all sorts of sub-cultural art forms’ through blog posts.
“I was so enamored by all the blogs I was following that I eventually decided to put up my own photography blog, just for fun,” she said.
However, Gail could not pursue photography in college back then despite her intense desire to be a photographer.
“Back then kase sa province ko, wala talaga silang course na photography kundi sa city lang kaya simula noon pa man, nag-aaral lang talaga ako [on my own] sa photography,” she said.
Due to the lack of access to photography-related courses, she took up an IT degree at the University of Eastern Philippines, planning to become an electronics and communication engineer like her dad.
But she knew that she could not fool her heart for a long time.
“When I was studying IT, I did feel that this was not really for me. I guess the sciences were not really for me,” she shared.
When she graduated from college, Gail immediately flew to Cebu to finally pursue what her heart desires.
She enrolled herself in a photography course at the University of Visayas’ School of New Media and Design for six months.
This marked the starting point of her journey to becoming a professional photographer.
Bumps in the road
Every journey has its ups and downs. But pursuing your dream seems a lot harder when you are from the province.
This is what Gail felt when she first entered the world of the creative industry as a novice photographer.
She emphasized the lack of resources and opportunities as two of the biggest obstacles in her career.
“Growing up in the province, there were little to no resources when I was doing photo shoots. I’ve always had to improvise in terms of the location, styling, and set design,” she said.
Gail also elaborated on how hard it is for someone in the province to carve out an image in both the fashion and creative industries, given the lack of structural support and opportunities.
“I don’t really have roots here in the city, and it was and still is really a struggle for me and my work to be seen,” she said.
In fact, she had to travel miles away from her hometown just to pursue her passion in life and boost her career. Since 2017, Gail has gone back and forth between Manila and Samar to attend photoshoot projects and exhibits.
However, such a routine took a big toll on her financially and emotionally to the point that she had to make a crucial decision.
Last June this year, Gail decided to settle in Manila. “It was not easy leaving a comfortable home to pursue my dreams,” she said.
Despite all these struggles, she chose to move forward and be courageous. She knew by heart that doing photography could give more meaning to her life than anything else—she was right.
The need for more female representation
When talking about meaningful life, Gail believes that photography is more than just a field of art. It is also a field for social change.
If there is one thing that keeps Gail from being a photographer, it is her profound impulse to change the existing status quo of women in society.
Women empowerment has always been a big part of her art. She asserts that photography can be a driving force to echo the narratives and struggles of women.
“I want to show the nuances, the beauty, the struggles, and the strength of being a woman. It is an ever-present inspiration for me to keep creating,” she said.
In most of her works, Gail seeks to challenge the fragile patriarchal beauty standards in society by pointing her camera lens to all kinds of faces, showing the world that beauty could manifest in different forms.
“Physical beauty can be found everywhere, even in the most unexpected places and faces. I feel it is only right for me as an artist to direct my lens to underappreciated traits that we need to love more,” she said.
“This is the driving force behind my work, the need for more female representation,” she added.
When asked about the rationale behind her advocacy, Gail underscored the shared struggles women have experienced for many years.
“For who can better understand the plight of women but women themselves,” she said.
A long way to go
In her over twelve years in the industry, Gail has somehow achieved a big portion of her mission to empower women in her work.
She has been consistent in capturing local women, championing female representation in every work that she does.
She also worked with some of the most influential female celebrities in the country, including Heart Evangelista and Anne Curtis, who are also big advocates of empowering women.
Despite all these efforts and achievements, Gail believes she still has a long way to go.
She advises all aspiring photographers, particularly women photographers, to always use photography and art, in general, to echo social advocacies and commentaries.
Gail also mentioned the importance of building your own creative identity in the art scene and embracing criticisms for self-growth and improvement.
But if there is one thing that all photographers must always bear in mind, she said that it is to always have fun in what you are doing.
Gail recently worked as the official photographer in the September magazine issue of Nylon Manila and the October magazine issue of Republicasia.
