PURVEYR: Purveyr Instagramer: Herald Herrera

Instagram has become a powerful tool for one to freely express themselves through beautifully snapped photos and well thought of captions. It is a simple way to capture and share special moments, to see the world through the eyes of others, and to allow its users to experience other people's lives through photos as they happen. Because of this, we decided to do a series to showcase our favorite Filipino Instagramers.

The 9th #PurveyrInstagramer is Herald Herrera.

"My name is Herald Herrera and I'm an Instagram-holic. Working as a network engineer in Dubai for 7 years now, it became a personal obsession for me to share to the world how life is in the place where I am simply through photos."

If you've been to Dubai, lucky you because we hear (and see) it's beyond beautiful. But if you haven't yet, then you would just have to stick to looking at Herald's photos on Instagram and be envious of all the places he's been to, at least until that day comes you get to visit the UAE. But we all know it's the people that make up the place, and this is how Herald shows us the beauty of Dubai -- through its people. Whether it's a simple strideby, or people having a casual conversation, there's real and solid emotion in every photo.

We asked Herald about his love for Instagram, and here's what he has to say. (The photos below are a mix of photos taken from Dubai and the Philippines)

How long have you been using Instagram and what made you decide to give more effort in it?

I think it's been almost 3 years now that I'm in Instagram. It's the connection I establish with people especially to the city itself, personal and through photos, that makes me love the instagram community more and more.

How would you describe your approach (style) to photography?

I'd like to say that I want to freeze human moments, therefore I try to focus on street photography. As much as I can, I don't want it staged. Also, it's because everyone can take photos of a place over and over again without meaning but it's the human activity in the frame that makes it powerful and unique.

What are your usual subjects?

Homo sapiens. The viewer automatically visualize themselves in the photo and gives them a sense of scale when there's a human element in it.

What makes for a good Instagram shot?

It's an absolute must to always be wary of your composition. Everything you see inside your frame matters. Don't think you can get away with it after cropping and editing. It's how you visualize it first-hand that's important. Also, I think luck is a huge factor, especially when you're after those split-second moments.

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve done for an Instagram photo?

For another Instagrammer, a running, jump shot holding a flag that I did in the grandest mosque in the UAE, which left one of my foot badly sprained and I was not able to walk straight for more than a week.

Are your photos on Instagram solely taken from your phone, or do you use other devices, such as SLRs, digital cameras, etc? Do you think the equipment one uses is a big factor in producing stunning Instagram posts?

I moved into using an actual camera, a Fujifilm X100T, only because of an increase in requirement for me to produce high-resolution shots for exhibitions and projects. Otherwise, I would have still been iPhone-strict. No, it's NEVER about the camera.

What inspires you? And how does it influence your passion for photography?

Dubai. I'm in the most modern place in the planet and some say that the more a city advances, it slowly loses it's essence. This fuels me to capture moments that prove to myself that there's still organic, 'real' life and emotion in Dubai and from the people who call it their home. That culture is robust and intact in this place, and it will always be.

Who are your favorite Instagrammers?

@genyvb, my IGer-bestfriend, who keeps inspiring me ever since I started on Instagram, @sheiku because of his super-consistent feed, and @the.amran who is probably the most underrated Instagramer ever.