SPOTLIGHT: Tonnette Jacinto

A Masterful Cocktail of the Art and Science of Photography

by Argyle Camacho

“A doctor can save a patient’s life for him to live another year; a photographer can capture him in a photograph for him to live another century.” No finer words could vividly capture it as quoted by my first female photography mentor – Ms. Ma. Lourdes Antonia Jacinto, or simply Tonnette.

From a friend to being the first female Zone V Camera Club President in 2006 and also being the first female 3-time Photographer of the Year. It was also during Tonnette’s presidency that the club launched its first ever all panoramic exhibit entitled: “WIDE: An Exhibit of Panoramic Proportions” in SM The Block, North EDSA.

Tonnette also had the opportunity to shoot for a number of book projects which include books on the Malacañang Palace, the province of Camarines Sur, the art and numismatic collections for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the rare books collection of the UST Main Library (Lumina Pandit), the Centennial books of DLSU and JRU; and the opportunity to cover weddings of high profile luminaries.

Outside photography her achievements include being selected to the INTARMED Program of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine Class 1991 (Integrated Arts and Medicine program which is the accelerated 7-year medical course of UPCM) wherein only the best and the brightest are admitted; Tonnette is truly one for the books.

Born on August 30, Tonnette started her passion with photography at a young age after seeing her mother snapping family pictures using the portable Kodak Instamatic.

This passion of hers blossomed as she matured as she convinced her mother to purchase a Kodak 110 in order for her to take snapshots and even the coveted Nikon EM as her high school graduation gift.

It was Bert Dimson, one of her mentors in Ph-Photo (who was a friend of the Club), who first encouraged Tonnette to join Zone V Camera Club.

Admittedly she was afraid to, at first, because of all the horror stories on how tough it was to become a Zombie. Eventually, she faced that fear and sat in to observe first, then she became a probee (probationary member) on the Club’s 25^th Year.

It was Eddie Boy Escudero who was Tonnette’s “padrino”. She became a full-fledged member in May of 2003, having completed her requisite points in the shortest amount of time possible. And with that, she became the only female active member at that time.

Although Tonnette is not practicing as a physician at the moment, the pandemic has brought her back to her roots as a doctor. She has engaged herself in continuing medical education by attending online certificate courses with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Harvard Medical School, Stanford Medical School as well as local institutions such as UP-PGH.

Since restrictions have eased up, she is back to shooting more weddings including destination gigs in Boracay, Palawan and Cebu.

When not shooting, she’s a fur mom to Helga, a 6-year old American Bully,

a dakilang Tita and Ninang to her nieces and nephews and a caring sister.

She also hopes to get back to biking long distances once again and fulfill her dream of doing a Sagada Loop.

Tonnette hopes that Zone V continues to be one big family that encourages the creative growth of its members in and out of photography. Tonnette also believes that it is a good idea for Zone V to share the learnings by sponsoring talks, photo walks and workshops not only for members but for the general public too.

Furthermore, we’d like to probe Tonnette’s thoughts about her being both a photographer and a medical doctor as we learn straight from her how she mixes the science and art of her chosen passion and the degree she completed.

We are sharing with you transcripts of what Tonnette wrote on the occasion of the 30^th anniversary of her graduation from the UP College of Medicine, as published at The Pearlbook.

Is There a Doctor in the House?

by Tonnette Jacinto

“Ay, doctor ka pala. sayang lang”

This is the comment I often hear from non-MDs I encounter in the course of my day as a photographer.

“Mabuti ka pa, you are doing what you love”

This is the comment I usually get from the MDs that I meet.

Yet everyone seems to have the same question: “babalik ka pa ba sa medisina?”

As far as I am concerned, I have never left…I am just practicing a different sub specialty.

A doctor can save a patient’s life for him to live another year; a photographer can capture him in a photograph for him to live another century.

Age can erase one’s memories; photographs can make them indelible.

Image on top taken in Siem Reap and the one immediately above taken in Batanes, both by Ms. Tonnette Jacinto

As a photographer, I’ve continued to practice medicine, only not the kind I went to school for. I’ve performed painless liposuctions and facelifts, done dermabrasion and tooth whitening, too! And brought the dearly departed to “life” from what remained as an old photograph.

Photography has made my life richer as I have become a silent witness to new beginnings as well as to the enduring legacy of the past.

Photos above courtesy of Ms. Tonnette Jacinto

I have been blessed with 2 mentors, who are the best at what they do. Just like me, both have college degrees but do not practice in their fields of study. This may be the reason I ended up working alongside them.

My “main” boss, Wig Tysmans, is an architect who started his career as a photographer while still at St. Louis University in Baguio, snapping the class pictures for his batch. He didn’t take his board exam anymore as he was already working as a stringer for the Associated Press.

Photo of Wig Tysmans and Tonnette Jacinto in Taj Mahal, taken by Cocoy Sarmenta

I work with Wig on corporate, editorial, advertising, and coffee table book projects as his “second pair of eyes”, as he would say.

My other boss, Pat Dy, was a percussion major from UP College of Music. He had his stint as a musician as the drummer of bands in college and of the Christian rock band, Battery. He is now a full time wedding and fashion photographer. Under his helm, I have had the privilege to document the unions of high-profile couples such as Mar Roxas and Korina Sanchez, Heart Evangelista and Chiz Escudero. I have been working with Pat exclusively for weddings and other events for the past 15 years (and counting!).

It is through photography that I have reconnected with Class 1991. The opportunity to do the portraits for The SilverBook has been one of the best experiences in my career.

It has also led to more personal projects with classmates (Gary and Melissa’s 25th, Leo and Eileen’s intimate renewal of vows). The most significant activity so far has been the UPCM Class Rounds Webinar I conducted on Therapeutic Photography entitled “Gratitude Snaps: The Healing Power of the Photograph”.

I am automatically the “medical consultant” of the photo team I am part of. If any medical emergencies arise during a shoot, I am often the first responder. During this pandemic, I’ve been active in educating my colleagues about health protocols at work, testing and quarantine, vaccination, etc. I have been a source of libreng konsulta during downtimes in wedding shoots for anything from chronic back pain to the common cold. My first piece of advice is always to consult with their primary care physicians, but I am more than happy to answer the questions they were afraid to ask their doctors.

Being a doctor has somehow helped me break the ice with many clients, particularly those in the medical fields. Rapport is quickly established and there is also less of the condescension photographers are often subjected to.

With all that have been said and done, 30 years after graduating from the UP College of Medicine, I am proud to say:

“Yes, this doctor is in the house”.