Dreadlocked Photographer

10 days ago

I am known as the Chi Fisher.

The dreaded photographer from indoor to outdoor, from food to people, culture, landscapes, sceneries, the best of events and just shoots everything that me and my camera are capable of.
I created my own photography line since 2017, doing photography services as a freelancer.

Photography took me to different places. It let me ride ships and planes, fed me fancy foods, gave me sponsorships that helped me save a lot in my wardrobe. Photography gave me families in different walks of life, around the country and taught me how to create a deeper connection with different kinds of soul I meet.

Photography made me humble. I have learned to appreciates different forms of art and photography per se. It gave my life a lot of meaning and it help rebuild myself. Taught me the value of myself and the things I can do.

Sooner, upon walking in this path, photography let me be free in graphic designing. After 10 years of playing to practicing, I have decided to make it formal. So I created my own graphic design branding that caters to business people who needed a jump start into their business ventures.

Aside from photography, I do graphic designing on the sides. Since my photography journey almost mainly tackled music and music festivals and events, my graphic journey now is currently making it wider in creating event material designs such as event logos, posters, stickers, shirts, band posters for tarpaulins.

Sharing my graphic designing journey, I started taking interests in designing stickers that are shirt material print designs that turns out into logo and branding creation. Until more and more energies are taking the time to dive into noticing my designs.

From the time that my designs are being noticed, that's the time that wisdom made me think of making this idea let me live.
In 2022, I officially launched my Mapagmahal Design Lab and Creatives thru online.

Then Mapagmahal is on it's way on creating not just stickers but everything that my non-photography mind thinks of when it comes to design and merchandise.

I am a sticker enthusiast. I collect stickers and chose it to be my life's wallflower.
Way back during high school (2002), I started collecting stickers and stick everything I collect on my room's door. I wasn't able to make my door full of stickers because I moved out after high school to pursue college in Baguio City.

So when I got back home after 4 years, the stickers were all gone! My mom had the house repainted and included my room's door!
The sticker wall art that I am creating was already gone.
My mom didn't know that it was an art that I am creating out from my life's journey.

I don't a choice but to start the sticker wall journey all over again.
And so did I.

In 2008-2009, graphic art designs attracted me and caught my attention.
During this time, I keep on asking my artist friend how to do it. I always watch him do designs for clients.
Eventually, upon the questioning answering season, I sneaked in one of his photo retouching jobs when he went to the comfort room.

I am really itching to try Adobe Photoshop that time!
I sooner confessed that I did some of the cleaning of the photo.
He didn't get mad, he just said "aaaah ok that is why its already clean!"

I was thinking, hey it was really fun. Can I already start hands on playing Photoshop so I can actually learn how to use it?

Fast forward, in 2011-2012, I had my own PC inside my room and installed a portable Adobe Photoshop in it thru my artist friend that gave me a copy of the installer.

I began practicing doing designs, concepts, brandings and logos endlessly, until the wee hours of the night cos I really am dreaming of becoming a graphic artist/designer.

7 years of practice, I started creating my own designs already.
Drawing, tracing, conceptualizing, researching, pantoning and swatching for selling purposes.
I have done lots of design of my own from spoofing logo brands to creating own distinct branding and logo designing.

From this, I started to create tons of stickers to sell.
Spoofed and self designs.

I am really fascinated how I make it to here.
I started as a sticker collector from market and cloth tags and sizing to artistic based designs.
And now, got inspired by art show hopping and travelling that has sticker giving in it.
I got to create lots of design not just for me but for others too.

My heart is really jumping happy every time I have a client that pays me.
It feels better for my art to let me live and survive.
Appreciation is good but its a whole lot better when I am being paid to create design.

Photography, stickers, graphic designing.
This are the components to describe me.
I am a long dreaded photographer in a water sign symbol.
I travel to shoot, to sell and create a connection thru arts, music and positive vibrations.

From the fuels of photography, my sticker business was financed to begin.
I thought of changing my vendor products from upcycled bags and wallets to waterproof stickers.
Thank you Universe for bringing me to the right place where I can get my quality stickers produced.

From an independent sticker lord, I then decided to make a branding for my stickers. So it was Mapagmahal Arts before it became Mapagmahal Design Lab and Creatives.

Aside from stickers, I also sell caps where it triggered me in creating a business page for my caps.
Mapagmahal Caps. Where I also included my sticker line and eventually turned it into my graphic design brand.

DESIGNING.
Lead me in this crazy thing called events organizing.

You see, everything is correlating in each other when you know how to create a strong connection in everything that is need to be connected.

God said, maximize the skill I gave you.
You watered it well and mixed it perfectly with photography.
Use it wisely if you don't want it to be taken away.