With an eye for photography, a heart for public relations, and the brains behind a business’ growth, Charisse Tinio combined all her skills to create a sought-after brand. Photo courtesy of Nice Print Photo
As the most followed photo and video enterprise (on social media) in the country, the Nice Print Photo founder always knew she could blend passion for the visual arts with business
Growing up with an analog camera in hand, Charisse Tinio was the sentimental archiver among her friends. As a 13-year-old high schooler at Assumption College, her affinity for preserving memories through photographs became her signature. “Every time we’d have a field trip or soirée, everyone’s just kampante (assured) that I had my camera with me,” Tinio recalls.
These photos will be developed in shops, their subjects cut from their background, and turned into collages pasted on scrapbooks or frames. Included at the back, according to Tinio, were “sentimental or cheesy messages” given as gifts to her friends. She declares, “I’ve always been in love with photos and memories.”
This also translated into school projects in which she’d also cut photos and letters from magazines, decorated in a style that was emblematic of the late 90s and early 2000s. Tinio would recall the finished product as the “OG Pinterest.”
Tinio’s passion for the medium laid down the foundation for what would become Nice Print Photo. Inspired by her mother, a fierce entrepreneur as Charisse would describe her would-be mentor, she knew early on that her path would always be in business. “That was something clear to my head at an early age,” she says.
What many misunderstood as just merely taking photos, Tinio combined her knack for public relations and her eye for photography, she established Nice Print Photo as a start-up. As with any business, there is also a caveat: she’s not the one behind the camera this time around.
“I created this studio, this whole company, without me being a photographer and videographer. That’s the irony of it all. I don’t shoot,” admits Tinio. In a candid reflection on the criticism that she’s not a true creative, the studio founder is unashamed about not being a professional lensman despite having formal photography training. “That never became a hindrance for me to pursue this dream because I felt like my calling was to manage people, to be on top of things, build teams, and let them fly.”
Instead of worrying about these criticisms, she focused on her strengths in promoting and uncovering talents who lacked the means to pursue their passion, and driving the company’s marketing to avenues where celebrities, high society, and even their social media followers would acquire their services from family photos, pre-nuptial sessions and weddings, and international shoots.
She recalls the three events that started their growth: “We started in 2006 and began photographing weddings. It was in 2010 when we did our first celebrity wedding with Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez’s wedding. I believe that placed us on the map.” Tinio also attributes the weddings of Zoren Legaspi and Carmina Villaroel and Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera to how they became known.
As of 2024, Nice Print Photo has garnered a million followers on Instagram and 2.3 million followers on Facebook, which Tinio proudly shares as all organic. Their reputation for following celebrity weddings and a myriad of their special occasions has drawn clients in but Tinio believes that it is beyond “having first dibs on celebrity milestones” but maintaining a relationship with new and long-time clients.
“As a woman, I bring empathy and understand the nuances of my client’s needs,” she states. This empathetic approach has helped build long-lasting relationships with patrons, many of whom have transitioned from brides to mothers of debutantes while staying loyal customers of the 18-year-old photography and videography studio. She has also expanded her portfolio with brands such as Print Divas, for invitation and stationery printing, Concept Space Manila, a multimedia production space, and Knotville Flavors, a party souvenir brand.
Tinio is adamant that passion is crucial. “It’s hard to get into something you don’t love. Find your passion and let it drive you,” she advises. Observational skills, eagerness, and the ability to pivot and adapt to changes, and a leadership style centered on compassion and genuine patron relations are also essential. Lastly, the Nice Print Photo founder emphasizes the importance of giving back, not just to the community but to her team. “Sustaining an industry presence is impossible without solid team support and acknowledging their hard work,” she says.
For more information, visit Nice Print Photo’s official website. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
