William Orsua: The Real Talent Behind the Lens

Photography is the story every photographer fails to put into words. When there are no words, photographs do the talking. Vancouver’s top and award-winning Filipino photographer, William Orsua is so passionate with photography that when he takes photos, he makes love to his chosen art!

William is a respiratory therapist at the Vancouver General Hospital by trade and turned his hobby into his second career. “My photography journey started about 11 years ago when I sold my car and my buyer was short of cash. He insisted on partly paying with his DSLR camera. I said yes, and the rest is history.”

“I basically fell in love with photography.  I started with taking pictures of my kids and eventually taking landscape photography. I was consistent and I was shooting relentlessly. I realized that I have to earn from photography in order to pursue it because I have a big family to feed too! I started doing portraits and weddings, then I also taught photography workshops. I kept doing this until I got good at it and eventually, I gained clients that love my work.”

“I also traveled a lot as a guide on photography tours. Photography is now one of my main sources of income; almost equivalent to what I earn as a health care worker, which I still do full time. Recently, I opened my official studio and office in Vancouver. My company is called Soul Mate Productions, it is a registered business and I get paid using an app called Honey Book, by cash, cheque or interac email transfer. I hope to continue to grow my photography and eventually become a full time photographer,” said William.

Regarding the varying techniques he uses in capturing his subject, “Personality and experience play a big role in having your clients allow you to do what you want and how you want them to pose in your image. In my case, I usually go through a certain process to build the trust and rapport of my clients.

“The first stage is when they inquire about my services and I get to interview them. We usually go for a coffee somewhere or they visit my studio. I show them my work and through that, they usually see how professional I do things. I meet a lot of people hence I get to read the personalities of my clients the moment I meet them.  Then, I adapt to their personalities accordingly. I explain the process of taking photos and how I would like them to pose. I tell them to just trust me and I’ll make them beautiful while I try to bring the best out of them.”

“At the start of the photoshoot, I make them laugh, relax, and let them enjoy the photo shoot. The most powerful way to get their trust is when you finally nailed some great shots of them and you show it to them…  the moment you hear them say the word “WOW ” and they get amazed by the photo you just showed them — you can almost get them to do whatever you want them to do. The most important thing is for your clients to enjoy the whole process so you can capture the best versions of them.”

“When it comes to shooting landscapes and travel photography,  I usually study the place before I even go to the actual place. I check the weather, the clouds and the wind on the day before that I’ll be shooting. Composition is the most important factor in your image, then the mood, and then your skills on how you can make everything blend in harmony. This means capturing the light given to you by nature, your skills in photography in full mode, the quality of your gears, and then the final stage is editing,” explained William.

Throughout his photography journey, William met talented photographers along the way — each one had a purpose in William’s life. They taught him valuable lessons to learn, not just in photography, but in real life as well. “My influences and inspirations in photography are Edwin Martinez, Oly Ruiz, Muse Chan, Dani Diamond, Dar Ramos and Noel Casaje. These are people that I have worked with — their work has inspired me a lot and reflects how I am today as a photographer.”

“I was partly trained by these friends of mine. I also get my inspirations from books, magazines, and also from prominent international photographers (so many of them to name) whose works I see on social media and from photography competitions. There is so much room to learn and improve in photography. I always challenge myself to do better than my last photoshoot,” shared William.

William is a firm believer in giving back. He received so much knowledge and guidance from his inspirational mentors and he wants to pay these forward to others. “In my photographs, I want to evoke emotions and beauty. I want to express good vibes, inspiration, and positivity to my viewers.  To capture people at their best version, I have to capture special moments during the shoot so they can cherish the photos with the next generation of their families.”

When asked about his gears, “I am a Canon Pro Shooter. All my cameras are Canon and from DSLR I now move to using their full frame mirrorless camera —  EOS R5 and EOS R. I have 4 lenses that I primarily use which are 15-35mm RF, 35 macro RF lens, 85 1.2 RF and 70-200 2.8 RF lens. I use Photoshop and Lightroom in processing my images,” William said.

Pray tell, what motivates William Orsua? “What motivates me to continue my photography is my LOVE and passion for it, I think I can’t live without photography now. It is part of my body system. I don’t do it for the money. Photography is also my stress reliever — it takes me away from the stress I get from a hectic world I live in, especially, during the pandemic.”

“I enjoy every bit of it and it brings out the best in me. I hope to inspire others and bring goodness and awareness through my photography. I aim to bring joy in every person’s life either by having a great portrait of them, or portraits of their family and friends, and by providing happiness through my landscape photographs.”

“Photography keeps me busy and active in life, there are no dull moments and when I am not doing photography, I am with my family or working at the hospital,” shared William.

“To see my work please visit my website www.soulmateproductions.ca or add me on Facebook or via instagram @soul_mate_productions and please also follow and subscribe to my YouTube channel William Orsua.”

Let’s indulge in William’s masterpieces!