The winning entries of FCF's photographers as displayed at the Araneta Coliseum Red Gate lobby during the UAAP's closing ceremonies. Composite of photos taken by Diego de la Paz.
Two of Fullcourtfresh.com’s (FCF’s) photography team grabbed top spots from the UAAP Season 73 Photo Contest.
Managing partner and editor Roehl Niño Bautista and managing partner and photo editor Jenner Ong won 1st place and 2nd place respectively in the online media category, besting 28 photographers from websites and online magazines which covered the collegiate games.
Bautista topped the competition with his entry “Shaolin Soccer: Jumping Sidekick” which captured UST’s Ronald Batisla-Ong striking Ateneo’s Miguel Tuazon in a mad scramble near the Blue squad’s goal.
Ong, who is one of the founding duo of FCF, followed with his entry “Unstoppable” showing Ateneo’s Kirk charging a lay-up as a DLSU defender tries to stop the former’s attempt.
These awards add new entries to the two snapshooters’ already-long list of achievements within and outside photography.
Ong topped the chemical engineering licensure exams in 2010, leading 151 passers that year. During college, he was the photo editor of The La Sallian (TLS), the English-language student publication of De La Salle University – Manila, with expertise ranging from sports to photojournalism. Beyond TLS, his shots made it in various print and online publications such as UBelt.com and Spot.ph. When he’s not behind the viewfinder, he works for a geothermal energy company where he’s in charge with drilling and planning.
Bautista is a journalism cum laude graduate from the University of the Philippines-Diliman, where he served as Associate Editor for Tinig ng Plaridel, the College of Mass Communication’s student publication and had a stint with Probe Media Foundation Inc.’s Kabataan News Network. His articles and shots made it on print and online media such as the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Spot.ph. He currently works for a TV network, with plans of going full-time for his current graduate studies in UP.
Bautista (L) and Ong (R) during one of their UAAP football photo coverage
These two photographers have been working side-by-side at the UAAP courtside for the past 3 years after being introduced to one another by the late FCF founder Quincy Reyes, with then-newbie Bautista learning from the more-experienced Ong.
They are now part of FCF’s roster of snapshooters which include DLSU mainstays Justin de Jesus, Andrew Pamorada, and Ralph Samson.
Late last year, Ong was invited by sports congress In the Huddle to speak about Sports Photography in front of student delegates from all over the Philippines. Unable to come in person, Bautista and De Jesus presented in his behalf.
