FORMER Varsitarian chief photographer Basilio Sepe was named “Photographer of the Year” in the International Photography Awards (IPA) Filipino last Oct. 4.
His winning entry, “The Enemy in the Dark,” depicted the repercussions of the “bloody drug war” in the Philippines. The photos included a dead man’s head wrapped with plastic and packaging tape, the aftermath of buy-bust operations and a deceased child surrounded by mourning family members.
Sepe, alumnus of the College of Fine Arts and Design, said the photo essay was his college thesis, which he continued after graduation.
“Immersing myself in photojournalism taught me that photography is not about showing off how good you are, how experienced you are, or how good your photos are. It is about inspiring change in your country,” Sepe told the Varsitarian.
Winning entries of the regional awards will be included in the Lucie Awards, the “Oscars of Photography,” in New York, where the “Global Photographer of the Year” will be chosen.
Sepe is a freelance photographer based in Manila and is an active member of the Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines.
