Project Headshot Clinic Celebrates Pride Month with We Come Together
Two years after the pandemic, Project Headshot Clinic returns with a physical shoot in time for Pride Month.
In time for Pride Month, Project Headshot Clinic returned with its digital headshot project. Now in its 15th year, the group recently opened slots for its Pride Month project. Their theme this year is We Come Together. Celebrities, personalities, LGBTQ+ advocates, and allies participated.
Modern Parenting recently got to chat with photographer Niccolo Cosme. Niccolo is one of the founders of the project on the theme. He shared stories of how it has helped members of the LGBTQ+ with their respective communities.
We Come Together
For this year’s theme, Niccolo tells Modern Parenting that he was inspired by no less than the Pink Movement at the height of the national elections.
“This is inspired by the Pink Movement. Because I’m a big supporter of Leni,” he starts. “She gave me a very important message when I photographed her last December—which is tayo ang liwanag sa dilim.“
“So I thought that in this time where I feel like the truth can be twisted, it means that there’s a big challenge. There’s a big challenge for us to uphold the truth. I thought it would be a really good visual imagery to showcase the rainbow color as an emanating light.”
“I thought that would be amazing visual imagery; beautiful visual poetry. That when you see it, you can already feel and have a sense of what that possibly means to me and to the community.”
Rallying the community
It’s been two years since Project Headshot Clinic did a physical photo shoot. Although it has done digital ones, Niccolo said it’s still different when it’s done face to face—especially when it comes to sending a message.
“There is a level of sort of rallying the community again. There’s definitely a different feel and energy when you physically come together. Because the past two years, we were able to do our private events online and digital. That’s still beautiful. It gives people a lot of hope. And a lot of things to be busy with during that time. I still felt solidarity and community action.”
“But it’s still different when you come together. I think that’s the essence of the LGBTQ+ community—to really come together. That’s why our theme right now is we come together. It’s about time that we rally together again. That we raise our voices again.”
In a society that continues to discriminate against members of the LGBTQ+ community, Niccolo believes that projects like these are ways of enlightening people with the help of allies.
“Our projects will always be about opening up communication barriers, opening up venues for people to talk, to discuss the things that we think can further our causes,” he states. “To me, iyon lang naman. We continue to do these things para we won’t be set aside.”
He adds, “I honestly think that pride should be celebrated all throughout the year. But at least our legislators or lawmakers can hear our voices. That says that we are here and that we also need equality in terms of rights and opportunities.”
Different stories, different narratives
For 15 years since they’ve done the project, there are so many stories to share behind the photos including that of people who have talked about being part of the community and telling it to the people close to them. Niccolo said it would be hard to simply give just a few.
“There are so many beautiful narratives,” he says. “That’s why I’m so inspired to perhaps one day put all the narratives together in a book—together with all the beautiful headshots. Ang galing talaga the character developments of people that we have had in the many previous years.”
“We’ve had youths from our youth campaigns many years ago who are now young professionals. And they tell me how impactful their experience was,” he proudly states. “Not a lot of people probably know the power and strength of photography. Most especially when you’re given that short moment of time to be recognized. And recognizing your ability to change your community, yourself, the country, and the world. So I think that’s what they feel. A lot of people actually do have the same sentiments.”
When it comes to helping the community, listening is one way. “I firmly believe in the power of listening. Listening does result in a lot of positive things. Because it’s learning the struggles, learning the aspirations. These are key elements into understanding a cause.”
“But then, learning all these things, you can definitely check how in your own capacity, you can help a friend or family member, or even a whole community. It’s all about listening and finding out how you can help in your own way. Start with your own family and your own community, and see how you can do it. So whether it’s pushing legislation or ordinance in your city or town, or as simple as acknowledging equality and diversity in your own family. It doesn’t have to be that big.”
Happy Pride Month! Check out more stories on Modern Parenting:
Miel Pangilinan Opens Up About Being Part of the LGBTQ+ Community
