My journey as a photographer began at the tender age of 10, when my parents gifted me a Kodak box camera. It was a significant gesture at such a young age, and the magic of photography immediately captivated me. Within a year, I was not only capturing images but also processing and printing them at the nearby Flash Studio. Despite the lingering smell of hypo on my clothes, my mother’s unwavering support served as my secret source of funding.

By the time I turned 12, my career in journalism had commenced, and I had already amassed a set of Bolex 8mm cameras, a Bell and Howell projector, and an editing console. My very first film was a documentary on our family’s gas station, a Caltex outlet. The film garnered attention, and the Caltex chief was so impressed that copies were made to be screened in all Caltex offices.