MANILA -- When I met Raymond Saldaña at the set of his shoot on a Sunday morning in Ortigas, I couldn’t shake his hand.

With a closed right fist, he apologized he was resting his hand that was exhausted from an hours-long shoot the day before. That project was for the official portraits of this year’s batch of beauty queens which will be submitted to their respective international competitions. Those are important photos in the pageant world as they will set the tone on how pageant fans and watchers will see them.

Saldaña is the official photographer for Binibining Pilipinas, the country’s leading pageant. And while he’s been doing that for over a decade now, it’s interesting to note that it all began with a wishful thinking. Today, his work has become the standard in the industry and he is sought after by various pageant competitions abroad. He was flown in to the do the official photographs for the recent Miss Supermodel Worldwide in India, Miss Supranational in Japan, Mister International in Bangkok and Miss Filipinas International in Los Angeles.

I asked him 10 questions to find out more about his story.

1. In pageant photography everyone is wearing almost the same kind of hair and makeup. How do you bring out the best in each candidate?

Binibining Pilipinas candidates now are different. They come prepared and already know the distinct looks they want. But since there are 40 of them, it’s tough. Some candidates are really skilled. But for others who are new to posing for the camera, we show them pegs to guide them. It’s important for me to capture them at their best. I at least need just one good photo. You see, even if it is a competition, my goal is to make everyone look beautiful in their photos.

2. What's your favorite work so far?

I like shooting national costume because it’s very colorful and fashionable. It’s like doing a fashion editorial. The challenge for me is the swimsuit because we have to come out with new styles or new looks that haven’t been done.

Admittedly, I took inspiration from Miss Universe pageants. But now, I am happy because it seems like we are the peg now. One international pageant copied our looks, from the chunky earrings and background.

3. How do you think your work helps the girls and Philippine pageantry?

Before, the style of Bb. Pilipinas photos were very demure. But slowly I tried introducing poses inspired by Miss Universe pageant. And those fiercer looks ended up getting picked as the official portraits for the international competition. And because the Philippines is consistently on top recently, people are looking at every official photo from the Philippines. So if their photos are impressive, it starts a buzz. They get noticed so maybe that helps the girls too.

Maybe I am also able to help them in terms of posing. With our photoshoots here, they develop their skills in front of the camera so when they compete internationally, they already know what to do.

4. Do you have a muse? Or which beauty queens do you enjoy working with?

I like Rachel Peters, Mariel De Leon and, of course, Venus Raj. Venus, all her moves look great. I don’t even have to guide her much.

5. How is it different working here versus abroad?

With my experience in Japan, they hired me because they want to make their photos to look less demure and more on the fierce side like our photos in Binibining Pilipinas. It’s the same for this pageant in the U.S. for a Filipino community there. For my project in India, they are all supermodels, so it’s easier. Of course, there’s a language barrier issue but that’s solved with an interpreter.

It’s also flattering because some clients say they couldn’t recreate the kind of pictures I do. I guess here we have the passion and it translates with the work. So I am happy my work is getting noticed.

6. Did you envision yourself doing this kind of work?

I had a friend who was so fond of Bb. Pilipinas. And then I told her out loud that I hope one day I can take photos of these girls and put together a book. So just like that, it was just a wishful thinking. Two years after, I called her and said, “Guess where I am? -- I’m at Bb. Pilipinas, shooting with the girls.”

7. How did you get started with photography?

I was already 30 when I made the shift to professional photography. I joined a 4-weekend photography seminar. Then one friend asked me, “Don’t you think it’s too late?” About two years later, that same friend hired me as their wedding photographer.

8. So what were you doing before that?

Before that, I used to work in sales, marketing credit cards. In fact, my boss was trying to stop me, urging me to focus on sales instead. But my boss had a change of heart when her husband said, “You know, maybe Raymond would be a famous photographer, and you are stopping him from making his dreams come true.” So she slowly started encouraging my photography and until this day, she still likes my pictures on Facebook.

9. How do you sustain your relationship with Binibining Pilipinas?

Funny story because you know in Araneta Center they have a lot of photographers for different campaigns. I didn’t know about this at first but I found out later on that they considered other photographers for Bb. Pilipinas. They staged some kind of blind auditions. They asked me to do a photoshoot with the girls, and two other photographers to do the same separately. And then they presented the unnamed photographs to BPCI chair, Mrs. Stella Araneta. Luckily, she ended up choosing my photos. It happened again a year after that so they just decided to stay with me. I guess it’s also because I understand the look the brand is going for.

10. What’s your ultimate goal now?

I am happy where I am. But it would be a dream to reach Miss Universe and Miss international. And I’ve always believed in the power of prayer. I think whatever I have reached, these wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for God’s blessing.