Today we’d like to introduce you to John Panganiban.
Hi John, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I first started photography when my family went to the Philippines back in 2019. I wanted to document the trip since it was my first time going back in 15 years. Through that trip, I became enamored with capturing and documenting memories for myself and others. Unfortunately, after the trip, the world began to shut down due to the pandemic. Subsequently, I would watch endless YouTube videos to learn more and more about the craft. I would practice taking pictures of things around the house since we couldn’t go out too much. As things died down and as the lockdown started to ease up, I began taking photos in more secluded/open areas- so many of my early photographs would be of landscapes and distant city views. Then, as normalcy started returning, I began venturing into different avenues, taking photography into my other interests. I delved into the entrepreneurial world by taking on gigs from local coffee shops and for my barbershop (Shout out to Rosewood Barber!) From there, I evolved into taking sports photos-capturing local events such as Venice Ball and Drew League. Traction started building and things got busy to the point where I was calling out of work to take photos of private workouts for NBA players and trainers.
Before I knew it, basketball took over my life, but in the best way possible. I am fortunate enough to have networked with the right people and have met some amazing people in the sports photography community. I eventually took the leap and left my career in health care. That was probably the scariest and most rewarding feeling. Coming from an immigrant family, taking a traditional career path was heavily emphasized during my upbringing. I went to a good college, received a great education, and was making decent money working in health care; that all changed after picking up a camera. Of course, my parents weren’t exactly thrilled with the idea of me transitioning into a full-time freelance photographer. This in turn has become one of the driving forces motivating me to succeed. I not only want to prove to them but also myself, that it wasn’t all for nothing. I am truly blessed to have been in the same room as guys like Lebron James and Klay Thompson. I have also shared the court with some heavy hitters in the photography community. I know in my gut that I am meant to be in these spaces, and will continue to work until Flow State Media is a recognized name in and out of the photographer community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. Freelance work for me comes in waves. There will be weeks where I’m extremely busy to weeks where I have no leads for client work at all. Those weeks are the ones that truly test people. During those times, I can’t help be question if I’m truly meant to do this-if I’m meant to be a photographer. I’ll begin to think that I’m not good enough, or that there are tons of photographers who are better than me and that I don’t have a chance. It also doesn’t help when my family, who I would hope were my biggest supporters, are actually my biggest doubters. Each time, I have to remind myself to work through the dips and that my next big opportunity might be around the corner.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a freelance photographer based out of the Los Angeles/Orange County area. I specialize in sports and fitness photography but have an emphasis in basketball. I am most known for documenting the journey of NBA player Stanley Johnson. I am most proud of capturing Lebron James in multiple settings- the Drew League and at Crypto.com Arena.
The thing that sets me apart from other photographers is my eye for candid moments. Anyone can capture a dunk or highlight, but I believe that the best storytelling comes from the small moments leading up to those highlights. The crowd, the small interactions between players and their families, and the reactions to those highlights are always my favorite photos.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Learn to be still.
After a sense of normalcy returned to the world, I experienced that I was always on the go. I told myself that hustling 24/7 was the only way to do things. This often leads to burnout and a lack of creativity. Scheduling time for myself has made a huge difference. Sometimes, it’s okay to do nothing. During the lockdown, I often got bored from not being able to do a lot of things. However, boredom tends to inspire creativity. A lot of my ideas have come from moments of being still-being bored.
Contact Info:
- Website: flowstatemedia.xyz
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowstatemedia.xyz/
Image Credits
Photos by: John Panganiban @flowstatemedia.xyz
