Amidst impeccable photographs on display, hundreds of people stood still, listening to the photographer whose masterpieces are laid out for all to see. The photographer smiled, and the warmth in his voice made his presence on stage even more endearing.
“Please allow me to give you a short background, once again,” he once remaked in one of his photo exhibit openings..
“I would like you to know that I am really not a great artist. If you see my pictures from time to time, or if you hear me sing… I am not really a singer. But I still do these things even when I’m not that great at it.”
Daniel Razon claims that he is not great at photography. But his winning first place in The New Icon of Singapore – Night Category from the Singapore Flyer Official Opening Photography Contest, not to mention his highly successful photo exhibits are proof that he in fact is.
The Reluctant Artist’s Debut
Nephew of renowned Dean of Philippine Portraiture Pablo “Bob” Razon, Daniel Razon has grown up to become a visionary with a great eye for composition. And although gifted with the ability to capture light into beautiful photographs, Daniel has always been reluctant to show his works of art to the public.
But reluctance disappears in the face of great philanthropy. He has many public service projects to support.
He debuted his photos in the benefit group exhibit called “The Hands That Feed,” where artists and photographers collaborated for the benefit of feeding poverty-stricken areas in Manila.
Shown in the Manila-based Tala Gallery, Daniel’s photographs were a breath of fresh air – and the art industry took notice.
In My Eyes
Then came In My Eyes, Daniel Razon’s first solo photo exhibit on September 16, 2007 at the Tintero Art and Design Studio. This exhibit featured Daniel’s unique approach in letting people see familiar places and situations – through his eyes.
Like all his artistic endeavors, this one is no stranger to helping those in need. The proceeds of the successful exhibit went to the Kamanggagawa Foundation who shoulders numerous charitable acts. Turning this hit exhibit into a coffee table book, the proceeds of this also went to the foundation.
Looking Beyond
Looking Beyond — means beyond every photograph is a family that has been fed, an out of school youth sent to school, a transient sheltered, and a sick provided with medical care.
A successful follow-up to this photo exhibit is Looking Beyond, a photo exhibit launched at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel’s Garden Ballroom on February 26, 2009. Putting nature and animals on the limelight, Daniel’s photo exhibit invites the onlooker to look beyond what the eyes see and see the inevitable truth – the magnificence of God. The proceeds went to the Kamanggagawa Foundation’s Transient Home, the first ever free transient home in the Philippines. Apparently, the public was able to see beyond; the Looking Beyond photo exhibit outsold Daniel’s In My Eyes.
Brush and Shutter
Waving the flag of the Isang Araw Lang campaign in the art industry, Kuya Daniel collaborated with several talented artists for the Brush and Shutter: Photography and Painting Exhibit on September 28-30, 2009 at the Tala Gallery, Quezon City.
Fifty-six original photographs of Daniel Razon served as inspiration to beautiful pieces of art rendered on canvass by participating artists. The fusion exhibit was for the benefit of the free college education of the La Verdad Christian College scholars. As an added treat to supporters, each painting bought came with the original photograph it was based from.