PORTFOLIOS
Creativity Using Design-Thinking
01
Photography
From candid street shots to environmental portraits, these are some of my best photos from the start of my photography career to the more recent commissioned work I did for the government and private agencies.
01
Curatorial
My curating style is based on my idea of what storytelling should be. I use my abilities in writing, photography, and design to create a central theme and an interconnected visual experience.
02
3-Dimensional
My interest in 3-dimensional objects and sculptures led me to design and conceptualize art pieces, which I learned from my community since I was a child, which continues the tradition.
02
New Media Art
I have previously developed projects that utilized unconventional methods of art making, my foray into New Media Art is relatively recent. At present, I have a number of items in my repertoire.
03
Moving Image
My passion for filmmaking stems from my photography, which sought to tell tales that were not being told in the media but nevertheless had a significant impact on people’s lives.
03
Visual Ethnography
The projects are the outcome of immersion, which enables me to comprehend the lifestyles of the people and the ways in which their attitudes have sustained them.
Click “Read More” to jump to the page.
BFA Art History/MA in Design
IMAGE MAKER, MOVING IMAGE PRODUCER, Writer
For the past 15 years in the industry, I have been able to combine, through an interdisciplinary approach, my ability to write, take photos, and create compelling documentary narratives intended to showcase the narratives of people we have barely heard of. My work highlights the unsung heroes in my community.
100+
Stories Shared
100+
Projects Completed
Projects
Explore some of my best portfolio
Photography
3-Dimensional
Moving Image
Curatorial
New Media
Testimonials
Quotes from renowned people in the industry
“I encountered Ruston on Broadway in New York City during the Lucie Awards celebration, where the Lucie Honorees convened.” We collaborate on numerous projects from that point forward, and we were even a part of the team that introduced the Lucie Technical Awards. I can confidently assert that he is gifted in a variety of areas, including photography, writing, and management.”
Hossein Farmani
The Farmani Group
“We worked together on a couple of films. I felt the passion for what he does and the talent he possesses when working as a cameraman in one of the indie films we made. And the great thing about him is that he is always open to collaborating on his ideas just to do them better.”
Note: Bing is Ruston’s mentor in filmmaking.
Armando “Bing” Lao
Award-Winning Screenwriter
“Ruston Banal is one of the young culinary champions who works tirelessly in writing and documenting his home province’s gastronomy culture. His book, which he recently published in 2024, is like no other.
Ruston is also the one who made great efforts for the Camera Club of the Philippines to get the Lucie Awards, first Filipino honorees of the prestigious title.”
Felice Sta.Maria
Culinary Historian
Visual Ethnography
The stories in this section are my years of doing research that highlights the culture of these indigenous people in order to send their message using contemporary platforms like social media. Using design thinking and a non-extractive approach, these visual stories do not have an ending as each of these communities continues to face the struggles of being marginalized.
Sea Gypsies in the Desert
Read the story of Datu Guzman, a Badjao who narrated how they were dispersed from their own community.
We are not artifacts
Read the story of Roy Bacani , an Aeta member who laments that his community is treated as a visual feast.
A Mangyan Portrait
Read the story of Leonardo Mangaba- a Mangyan who remains intact to his ethnic indentity.
Articles
Discover the workflow and approach that I take when working with commissioned work by delving into the projects that are currently being worked on as well as those that have been completed in the past and explaining them in the form of feature articles.
