When A Man Loves THE Woman: The Raw and Honest Lens of Geomar Triño
Behind every successful pregnancy is a man who captures it so perfectly.
By Louise Monique Dullaghan (Manchester, UK)
February 18, 2022
Having known Geomar for a decade now, I’ve seen him grow and evolve into the man that he is today. When we were in college he was known as the photographer of our batch and you’re guaranteed to have a photo worthy to be a profile picture when he’s around. He brings his camera everywhere and treats it like his baby and now, ten years later…he still has his camera in one hand and the other one carrying his child.
Geomar Triño is a father of three and a photographer who’s found his niche capturing mothers in different phases of their journey. His photography wasn’t always about documenting women and their journey towards motherhood but his work always had a story to tell.
Shift in perspective
In our society, the father has always been portrayed as the financial provider but not so much as a provider of other integral needs such as emotional and mental support, that is as equally important as the physical work and monetary responsibilities in the household. And when Geomar had a family of his own, he wanted to do things differently as a father.
Even before he became a father, he’s always been a family man. He grew up close to his mother and his two sisters and with most Filipino families, their ties are deeply rooted and family always comes first.
But this man has always been liberal in his views and doesn’t just follow what society dictates. He and his wife Joy consciously decided that they want to be hands-on with their children and be close to them as much as possible, especially while they are young. They were both working in media before they had children which meant unpredictable and impossibly long hours of work. When their family grew, they looked for alternative options for their work so they can have the lifestyle that they wish to design for their family. It wasn’t always easy, especially in the beginning, but in one way or another, they managed to make it happen.
“Even though Geomar and his wife try to divide their responsibilities as parents equally, he will never see himself equal to her. For him, nothing could ever equate what women go through with the whole experience of motherhood - from the nine long months of enduring a pregnancy, to that culminating day of labor and giving birth, until the daily grind of the seemingly mundane yet a truly challenging task of breastfeeding.”
Even though Geomar and his wife try to divide their responsibilities as parents equally, he will never see himself equal to her. For him, nothing could ever equate what women go through with the whole experience of motherhood - from the nine long months of enduring a pregnancy, to that culminating day of labor and giving birth, until the daily grind of the seemingly mundane yet a truly challenging task of breastfeeding.
When his wife gave birth to their third child in the middle of the pandemic, he saw her struggle even more since everything was heightened. He could see that the mental and emotional stress of what this pandemic has brought to mothers are beyond what the eyes could see, not to mention the physical pain and changes to a woman’s body.
As a man, he was radically changed by that. As a photographer, he wanted to tell that story.
“During this pandemic, I’ve seen my wife struggle and strive. From her pregnancy to giving birth and now raising our third child – it’s more difficult now compared to pre-covid times. The mental stress is heavier, you can’t be complacent and treat fever as just a simple fever. We even wake up in the middle of the night to check their breathing. It made me think about first-time mothers [and] how much struggle and stress they must be going through during these times. It inspired me to document their journey and start motherhood portraits. I want to help mothers remember how strong they are and what they are capable of.”
Beautiful Bodies
When he started his motherhood portraits, there were a lot of mothers who were adamant in having their photos taken. A lot of them were uncomfortable in their new bodies and were waiting for their postpartum “bounce back”. He has also encountered some who were willing to have their photos taken but are afraid to be judged and picked apart in social media. At the beginning, he wasn’t sure if it will ever happen but he is very grateful to the first few mothers who trusted him and his art. Now, his photos are featured in Vogue’s website but more than that, more mothers are now seeing the beauty of their journey and their new bodies.
Since he started his motherhood portraits, he has been inspired by different artists from all over the world. He started looking at different platforms to submit his photographs so he could reach a wider audience. He tried his luck on Vogue Italia’s website and after several tries, his photo was featured. Since then, Vogue launched Photo Vogue and during its launch, his work was featured in the “Best Of” section.
“It was a validating to know that the most sought-after magazine in the world of art & fashion not just accepted my work but saw it as one of the best, it made me feel like I’m going in the right direction in terms of my art and my advocacy on highlighting women’s journeys towards motherhood.” says Triño.
“It made me think about first-time mothers [and] how much struggle and stress they must be going through during these times. It inspired me to document their journey and start motherhood portraits. I want to help mothers remember how strong they are and what they are capable of.”
He hopes that more mothers look at themselves in the mirror and embrace their stretch marks, loose skin, and everything that has changed in their body instead of refusing to see its evolution that tells a beautiful story of their womanhood.
Times are changing
There is a shift in perspective and how things are done with millennial parents. Before, the father is the one who was always expected to work and provide for the family. The mothers stay at home to look after the child and maintain the household. Now, even more so because of the pandemic, parenting roles have been redefined to whatever suits the family best.
Geomar’s ultimate goal is for his humble work to have an impact in changing society’s rigidity in gender roles and expectations. He knows that there is hope even during these hard times because this pandemic has forced us to be closer and focus on our families. A lot of fathers especially around his age are now seeing parenthood with fresh eyes because they now see what happens beneath the surface. Spending more time at home has made them realize the amount of work that has to be done around the house – dishes that need to be washed, the dust that’s collected on top of surfaces, the amount of time spent in the kitchen before there’s food on the table, and the list goes endlessly on – is just as hard as having a job or a career that pays the bills. And while one gets to clock in and out of a stressful work day, parenthood is a 24/7 job and a calling no one ever retires from.
“A lot of fathers especially around his age are now seeing parenthood with fresh eyes because they now see what happens beneath the surface.”
Redefining the Male Gaze
Often with artists, there is a certain treatment on how they do their art which is cultivated by gender conditioning and environment. Most if not all male photographers have the tendency to capture women in a sexualized manner even sans an intention to objectify. And it all the more becomes harder to find a flattering angle when there are rolls, bumps and stretch marks to hide. Oftentimes, the go-to solution is Photoshop or other apps that can blur, push and smoothen out every little insecurity women have which becomes problematic because it somewhat conditions women that what makes them strong should make them feel ashamed.
Not to brag about my friend though, but if I were to offer my perspective as a mother and a woman, that’s never the case with Geomar’s sincere photography in which it is perfectly clear that he never intends to alter and misrepresent something the Divine Feminine has already made so beautiful.
So whether or not you are male and an artist, we simply need more men who use that gaze with a conscious intention to highlight the power of a woman’s body. Yes, her breasts, and curves, and skin are indeed sensual… but it’s also strong. It doesn’t have to be one or the other because it is both.
It then gives me so much hope, that a Filipino young man like Geomar Triño can actually look at the female body not as a mere object but a sacred work of art.
