A showbiz photographer’s softdrink passion

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Photographer Sany Chua has been in the entertainment scene since the early 1980s. He used to take photos on the movie set. Sexy, drama, action, comedy… he’s documented them all as a still photographer. In the pre-digital age, the shots he took were compiled in albums that were used as references for continuity, distributed to the print media as promotional material, and displayed in photos measuring 8 x 10 inches in the cinema lobbies.

“Bold pa n’un ang mga pelikula na uso,” Sany recalls with a chuckle.

He enjoyed the showbiz atmosphere and his friendly personality was at ease with everyone on the movie set, from the staff to the directors, to the actors and producers.

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After a few years, Sany had to shift to his family business. “Kailangang mag-give way ‘yung pagiging photographer ko, ‘yung pagiging artist ko para mag-manage ng piggery ng tatay ko.”

Sany became in charge of his family’s big piggery farm in Bulacan.

He returned to taking photos in the 1990s — the recent heyday of Philippine cinema when the major studios churned out around three movies per month.

Sany was not sure if he still had it in him to take photos. “Tina-test ‘yung kamay ko. Kasi ang tagal (kong nawala) ‘di ba? Parang baka kinakalawang ako,” he admits.

He adjusted quickly. Soon, he was doing work for the big companies like Mother Lily Monteverde’s Regal Films, Robbie Tan’s Seiko Films, Vic Sotto’s M-Zet Productions, Orly Ilacad’s OctoArts Films, and Vic Del Rosario’s Viva Films. Not only that, he occasionally appeared on camera, too. As, what else? But a photographer!

The 2000s saw the rise of glossy magazines and Sany’s byline became a common sight in ABS-CBN Publishing’s glossy titles like StarStudio, The Buzz, and Teleserye Magazine. This paved the way for Sany, or Kuya Sany as he is fondly called, to be closer to both the stars and the movie press who were also covering with him. To this day, Kuya Sany takes photos of his media friends and shares these shots with them.

Aside from showbiz, Kuya Sany’s other passion is collecting Coca-Cola bottles and merchandise. Covering an automobile brand’s event got him started in collecting Mini Cooper miniature die-cast cars. “I met a real Mini Cooper with an awesome driver,” recalls Kuya Sany. “After this, I became a die-cast Mini Cooper collector and then I started collecting Coca-Cola die-cast cars.”

So for almost 13 years now, Kuya Sany’s been building his collection, which includes bottles, cars, glasses and other merchandise. He acquires these by buying from the Internet, purchasing from other collectors, attending events, and directly shopping at souvenir stores during travels. Among his most expensive acquisitions are rare bottles that cost from Php 50,000 to almost Php 60,000 each. He is especially proud of owning a bottle that was released to commemorate the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana of Wales and the Coca-Cola Philippines Commemorative opening plant bottles.

There’s a big community of Coca-Cola collectors in the Philippines and in other countries. Kuya Sany is part of the Pinoy Coke Fanatic group and the Coca-Cola Collectors Club Philippines. Through these, he’s not only gained new stuff to add to his collection, he’s meeting other like-minded souls and making new friends. “Nakakatuwa rin malaman ‘yung history ng mga bote,” he adds.

He enjoys visiting what they call Coke Houses, the homes of Coca-Cola merchandise collectors to gaze at these collections. When Coca-Cola collectors from abroad visit Manila, Kuya Sany and collector- member tour the visitors to the Coke Houses in and around the city. “Meron sa Antipolo, Markina, Quezon City, Nuvali, Tondo, Angono at sa Tarlac, he enumerates.

When asked if there is any connection between showbiz and his hobby, he replies, “Wala. ‘Yung kinikita lang sa showbiz, ‘yun ang pambayad ko sa koleksiyon ko.”

Kuya Sany is now 62 years old and a mainstay photographer of push.abs-cbn.com. He and his wife Nimfa (who is also a showbiz photographer) have raised and sent their children to school through their profession. Like a bottle of ice-cold Coke, Kuya Sany can now afford to chill. He says, “Kung baga, napagtapos ko na ang mga anak namin. Parang itong pagiging collector ang kaligayahan ko ngayon.”

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