The Joy of Childhood by Edwin Loyola

By: Edwin S. Loyola

Biography: Multi-awarded photographer Edwin S. Loyola is hailed as the ‘Dark Artist’ for his penchant for dark tones. A veteran at staging exhibitions, Loyola is self-taught and embodies what passion for the craft involves— by relying on instincts to create a work of art. The range and dimension to which he expresses his creativity is evident in his portfolio, where one will find a spectrum of ordinary elements turned into extra-ordinary images. Loyola is a proponent and a staunch advocate of giving back what God has provided, using his talents to create art, whose main beneficiaries are the charities he supports.

Edwin says: I am a creator, who not only takes photos, but makes them.

With a clear mind and vision, with passion and heart coming together in one single moment such as the clicking of the camera, the good manifests itself. And by good, I don’t mean the literal good and bad. I mean — the vision that I see when I take a subject in its pure, unobstructed form; the vision I have that will hopefully encourage your interpretations.

Edwin continues: ‘In my work, the world becomes a wonderful display of perceptions, of expressions, of a realm of contemplative photography where people should become more available to the things all around us — free of any prejudice, free of any predispositions.

I intend to present, through this medium, a natural world made more beautiful by how it is interpreted.

For an inside look at Edwin’s depth of insight and breadth of perspective, it could perhaps help a little to reprise a description of his works from about 10 years ago:

‘Laughter is the child of surprise and a child’s face mirrors the innocence that the rest of the world has lost so early in life.

Indeed for a people long gripped by fear and uncertainty, where the seduction of greed and immediate gratification nurtures yet more distrust and desperation, the singular source of hope are the children.

We, the weary traveler could use some inspiration. Here, Edwin’s images offer us a merry mix of colors and hues painted by the innocence of youth. A sampling of his works is at once ‘a palette of sunny smiles and assured gaze’ that reflects the exuberant world of children. Who would fail to marvel at the simple message that his works evoke?

True, a little boy can put on a mask, paint a face, or a girl crown her hair with dainty flowers. But beyond all that, the only thing that a child can wear naturally is a smile.

One could surmise, perhaps correctly, that his works and those he curates betray Edwin’s predilection for children and everything that they stand for. Nonetheless, if there is anything he has achieved so far, it is that Edwin continues to echo the call to view the world through the eyes of a child.

Website – www.edwinloyola.com

Image Description – “There is no land like the land of your childhood.”
— Michael Powell

Location – Bolinao, Pangasinan, Philippines

Photographic Gear – Fujifinepix S602z

Image Editing Software Used – None