Words by Patricia Yap
Photos by Alyssa Gabrielle Chen
Featured Image by Eunick Nobe
Nearing adulthood is never an easy step to take. The glory days of being a kid—not thinking about the world and not worrying about one’s inevitable future—oh, how I wish I could go back to those days.
With each year that passes by, I slowly grow closer and closer to a future that I know absolutely nothing of, yet somehow, I know it is a future that I rapidly grow more and more frightened of.
And one of those things I’m afraid of is pursuing my passion as a career.
Artist GIF | @upamanyubhattacharyya
Ever since the time of our grandparents, a career in the arts or the creatives has always been looked down upon. People say that pursuing one’s passion is silly and will only lead to a life of hunger and a life less lived. “Passion won’t put bread on the table,” they say. And as I grow older, the more these words come pounding at my door; and seemingly to my chest.
But doing what you love is not going to end your life; in fact, it might even make it better. To whoever is reading this, I know you’re unsure of the future, but let this local photographer tell you a little something about pursuing passion.
(ALSO READ: I’m So Tired of People Saying There’s No Money in Art)
Eunick Nobe, presenting what it’s like to work on the creatives industry during WIMTERNS Batch 8’s meeting
This is Eunick Nobe; a 20-something-year-old professional photographer in the Philippines, known for her striking neon street photography and story-telling stills. Though, she never started as such.
Prior to her successful photography career, Eunick worked in a call center—a job that she said “drained all of the creative juices” in her.
Ever since she could remember, she’d always loved taking photos. It started out with just her and her friends taking pictures of clouds and sharing them with each other. Until one day, she was given her first camera and decided to take up an intro to photography and photojournalism elective in college. And it became something she loved endlessly.
One of Eunick’s shoot entitled “Saan patungo?” | @eunicknobe
However, just like any of us, Eunick experienced pitfalls in her life. A few months after graduating, she didn’t know what to do anymore. She got a job in a call center, but was ultimately unhappy.
“I was really lost and didn’t know what to do in my life,” she said.
After a few years working day-to-day at her desk job, her friend came as a saving grace. This friend of hers asked her to help with a college photography project; and when Eunick got a hold of a camera for the first time in years, she remembered what she loved. She remembered what she was passionate about.
(ALSO READ: 13 Filipino Travel Photographers Who Will Inspire You to Explore)
Eunick Nobe, sharing some of her favorite concert photographs
Now, fast forward a bit to 2017, Eunick applied for When In Manila as an intern even though she graduated already. And this is what she called the “redemption year” of her life. “Since then, super laki nang naging growth ko. I never thought [that] I could use photography as an avenue to live and earn.”
And during her talk with us, she made sure to make everyone remember to never be afraid of taking risks and pursuing one’s passion despite the hearsay of others.
Some of the WIMTERNS Batch 8 interns listening to Eunick’s story
Taking that leap of faith during the hardest times of her life was the biggest “plot twist” of her journey. Since then, she has made connections and has grown her portfolio; ultimately landing her more opportunities and projects; such as work for We the Pvblic and Booky.
Who says pursuing the arts and working in the creative field wouldn’t be sustainable? Well, lots of people honestly. But, don’t let them get into your head and scare you like that. Take it from someone who’s been in the industry and really followed her heart. She’s now living a life that only some people could ever dream of.
(ALSO READ: ‘Write About Love’ Honors the Unsung Heroes of Film Making: the Scriptwriters)
Eunick said that by doing what you love and taking on tasks that you feel you were never good at before, you would be surprised at the even bigger things that could follow after. Before, she shared how she didn’t know how to do certain shots, and she just tried to learn as much as she could to become better.
Another one of Eunick’s shot during the Metro Manila Pride 2019 | @eunicknobe
“Explore every avenue. Kasi, you never know na magaling pala kayo dito. Stop doubting yourself. If you feel you can do it—do it!
Kahit an ounce of yourself lang that feels it.”
In the past, she only did street photography and focused on that. Now, she tries her best to explore and improve in portraits and travel photography. “Finding my own style was hard. I kind of wanted to go out of my comfort zone, but at the same time be connected with it.”
And if you’re thinking, “Well, siya matapang, pero ako hindi. Hindi ko kaya yan.” Stop. Believe it or not, we are all scared, even the people who are successful now have been, and will always be afraid in one way or another. It’s just a matter of braving that internal battle.
Eunick even shared, “I’m super takot magkamali.” Remember, just because someone made it, doesn’t mean they made it easy. And if you’re afraid of criticism, well it’s unavoidable she says. “Some clients will judge your work or for what gears you have. The best response is to prove them wrong. You can do great things even with the smallest equipment.”
If you’re still afraid and unsure of whether or not you should pursue a career that is in line with your passion, that’s perfectly understandable.
Fear isn’t something you can get rid of after reading one article, watching one movie, or hearing one speech. What’s good about experiencing these things is knowing that there are others out there that are just as unsure as you are—and that you have so many chances to change how your life is, or how you want your life to be.
(ALSO READ: UPD CUM Laude BA Film Graduate inspires others to chase passion in the Arts)
Eunick Nobe
If you want to follow Eunick’s work or talk to her, you can check the following:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Eunickorn
Instagram: @eunicknobe
We hope Eunick’s story and message inspired you. What’s your passion? We’d love to know about them!
