Honorable Mention / 2024 / Fine Art / Nudes

Hope Abandoned

A physical manifestation when inner turmoil becomes bleak. The body becomes one with the darkness of his surroundings.

Model: JeanPaul Acocella

Patrick’s inclination towards the arts started when he was about 5 years old when he desired the idea of being a comic book illustrator when he grows up. What served as practice for him were sketches he did of his friends, eventually elevating to portraits of random models and celebrities. This continued on in college when he pursued a course in Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas where he graduated in 2003.

To stay focused with this inclination and remain true to who he is, he worked as a graphic designer for 9 years to enhance his artistic skills. Fueled by this same passion he bought his first digital camera in 2009 and took a huge leap of faith when he decided to be a photographer full time in 2013. Proof of this was going overseas to study at Spéos Paris Photographic Institute under the tutelage of renowned and respected names in the business Philippe Schlienger, Ambroise Tézenas and Marc Prüst to sharpen this new-found photography skill.

He graduated with the European Master Degree in Studio Photography in September 2014 while working on his own personal photography projects on the side. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.