Chris Calumberan – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

Chris Calumberan

Photographer & Entrepreneur

One of the Filipino pioneers in the photography industry, Chris Calumberan has earned respect in the field, not only for the quality of his work but also his level of professionalism and his long-standing good reputation in the market.

Providing stills and film production for a variety of clients from various industries including automotive, industrial, beauty, retail, corporate and food and beverage, he has worked for many prestigious brands including Audi, Saks Fifth Avenue, Philips, McDonalds, Hermes, Homes R Us, Paul, Bateel, Wafi Mall, Fifa, including designers Michael Cinco, Souhad Acouri, Adam Couture and many others.

A well-known advocate for the community for many years, Chris has always shared his art, not only to teach other aspiring photographers but also to utilize it in pursuit of advocacies he is passionate about.  He has facilitated photography workshops and courses and he has also been a featured speaker in several photography events including the Phototalks ExeLens event held at Queen Elizabeth 2 by Toshiba. He has mounted a solo exhibition – “Kumer Solo” the first photo/art exhibition held at the Philippine Consulate General – Dubai and the Northern Emirates – kicking off a series of creative events.  In recent years, he has also participated in an Alzheimer’s Awareness project and has initiated his own single plastic awareness initiative, utilizing his photography skills for even greater causes.

Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf is Supported by: Kaya Skin Clinic,  Emirates Airline, and Unilever.

Special Thanks to Michael Cinco, Ezra Couture , Giordano, Darcey Flowers, IKON Solutions, Victors Freight, MPQ Tourism, Asia Gulf Companies –La Carne & Filfood, WOL Water

Get a copy of Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf Legacy Edition

Chris Calumberan

Photographer

Being a photographer means having a deep connection with one’s surroundings and knowing how to make it come alive. Nowhere is this clearer than in the work of Chris Calumberan. Chris started working in Advertising in 2003. From there his career progressed to encompass other facets of media communications such as model booking and talent coordination. In 2008, he decided to pursue photography seriously. Now, he stands as one of the most accomplished Filipino commercial photographers in the Gulf.

Chris works closely with the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai in transforming the Consulate office in Dubai into a true hub for Filipino arts and culture. Marking the 118th Philippine Independence Day, Chris launched his ‘Kumer-Solo’ exhibit on the 12th of June. With a strong collection of compelling photographs, he used these images as representation of the never dying Filipino spirit – portraying that we are still talented and resilient in the face of adversity.

Bolstered by the success of his exhibitions and commercial work, Chris helped establish a non-profit organization called  4get Me Not – an advocacy group that aims to raise awareness on Alzheimer’s disease in the U.A.E.  This testifies of Chris strong moral philosophy: “Awareness and being now-centered helps advance the society.”

Photo by Alex Callueng; Photography Assistant – Bethoven Filomeno Special thanks to – Giordano, Nikon, Liali Jewellery, Lulu, Mitsubishi and Western Union.