The One about Photographer, Nergene Arquelada and the Super No. 1 website

I need to take a few day break from the Mount Takao blog series, as I felt it important to write a blog about one of the people who made a major impact in my life as a writer.

A person who’s photography would reach people globally, his name is Nergene Arquelada (Super No. 1).

Nergene announced that he will be shutting down his blog/photography website as he doesn’t go to conventions these days and when he goes to events, he wants to enjoy them.

I understand where Nergene is coming from because like him, I don’t really go to conventions anymore unless it’s a type of event that I really, really, really want to cover, and to be truthful, having covered events and conventions over two decades, that while some people, they get burned out within their first few events, I kept at it.

It takes a discipline and patience to do this for a long time and you really have to be passionate about the work in order to continually do it.

But to be truthful, for me, it was always on the back of my mind of, “you know, the money I spent to attend these events, I could be traveling to another state or country and enjoying my life and what’s out there in the world”.

When we covered these events, a lot of people think, “Wow, press people get in for free.  They are so lucky!”.  Lucky?  I’m not sure if I would use that word at all.

Covering conventions or events is busy, exhausting work.  We work with a guest relations staff, our schedule is full of interviews (with an hour or less break between) for the day, we eat and rest (whenever there is time) and then we are covering a concert and the next day, it’s another repeat of busy work, interviews and we never really get to experience the event like an attendee and actually enjoy the event.

Not to say that we never did, but one of the reasons for our success is because we worked with a talent’s management or guest relations staff or PR company and did the interviews.  And typically our work eventually achieved a reach and high page views that it made it worthwhile.

But despite the page views, it work that was driven by passion, knowing there was no money in it.  Even today, for those who are product reviewers, a travel blogger, a freelance sports event writer/photographer, you may get a free product, a free or discounted ticket to another country or free entrance to an event.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t always translate to money in your pocket.

So, while many major entertainment sites have the bankroll to hire employees to do the work, a lot of sites that don’t have the continuous monetary funding rely on volunteers and is driven for pure passion or the way to get your name out there and get your work recognized.  While a few others just do it for the freebies and free attendance (and annoy the hell out of those who are actually doing the work).

But I can remember contacting Nergene through his Super No. 1 website back in March 2007 and asking if he would be willing to cover an event in Long Beach, California.

Sony Music Japan and other labels were bringing a few of their artists and it was pretty much us getting the exclusive to cover it.  Nergene was willing to cover the event and his first work would be his own personal photo feature which would lead to many years of working together.

When I worked with Nergene Arquelada, it was during the Japanese boom in the U.S.  Prior to the K-Pop success in America of today, the Japanese music industry were taking chances to bring their artists or music groups in America.  Conventions were willing to spend the money, the labels were willing to spend money and they wanted press coverage.  And we were fortunate to be in that position where we were among the top 3 websites that labels would contact for coverage.

I was primarily the writer and did the article layouts, but it was our photographers that I depended on the most.  Unlike today, where there are tons of convention and event photographers, back then, there weren’t as many.  In fact, it was typically us, another major website and major news press for entertainment magazines or news outlets.

But that was perfectly fine, as back then, it gave Nergene the space needed to work and get access to many positions around the stage to take a photo and just to see how his photos really captivate our readers, including our industry contacts, his photography was getting noticed.  His photography was so well-liked, to the point that I saw a few bands management using a photo of his and sending it to Japanese media in regards to their performance in the United States.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the early 2000’s, our cameras were point-and-shoots and there was one person who’s photos that I felt were awesome and it was the work of Nergene Arquelada.  I had to contact Nergene if he was willing to work with us by covering music events.  And I was very grateful that he was willing to join the team.

I was always impressed by his work and his work ethic and together, our work reached out to tens of thousands of people all over the world.

I felt the success of these articles were thankfully to his concert photography.

In fact, when our articles came out, I wanted his name on the credit byline, bold and big.  I know many publications tend to give their photographers a small byline under or near the photo but I felt that his concert or interview photography, should receive the same recognition as my written work.  For our interviews that his photos are showcased, if my name or other writers names are on the cover, his name will be on the cover.

That’s how important and how appreciative I was of his work.

With Nergene Arquelada’s website Super No. 1 closing down, it made me remember the first day I contacted him through his website, his first photos submitted to us and the many years of wonderful photography he had taken, not only for my interviews but also photos featured in his own special features.

Because of his website, I am forever grateful of having worked with one of the coolest and awesome photographers on this planet.

Thank you Nergene!

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