Hands down, one of the coolest moments ever was getting to watch my cousin Dave open for one of his biggest musical idols Zel Bautista of December Avenue.

Going by David Ursolo now, I remember first meeting him as a kid in the Philippines — both energetic and full of life, it was literally like he was bred to sing.

canada, photography, photoshoot, torontoUrvil James VillaruelNovember 27, 2025portraits, musicians, music

Dr. Tara - Toronto, ON, Canada.

The world is lucky to have you, Dr. Tara, and you’re just getting started! Can’t wait to witness the difference you will be making in the future (and I secretly can’t wait to have one of my photographs be used in a future magazine article about you)!

Future Naturopathic Doctor.

I always hear that I wear many hats, but that’s only because you get to see all of the things that I do (Marketer, remember?), but, personally, I think all of the hobbies I partake in pales in comparison to all of the unseen things that Tara Rawana does…

photoshoot, toronto, canadaUrvil James VillaruelApril 25, 2020naturopathic doctor, tara rawana

EMO LIVES!—in Bird Problems...

Taking on creative inspirations from classic bands, this band is what I’d consider to be the “budding” Kendrick Lamar of post-hardcore. Keeping strong to the roots of what once was, they carry the ethos and essence of what the genre once was on their backs.

photography, photoshoot, canadaUrvil James VillaruelFebruary 29, 2020music, musicians

Newton Mixed Martial Arts.

I’ve been to many different gyms and practiced many different styles over the years, and I can safely say that (in my experience) quality is an attribute that is hard to come by.

photoshoot, canadaUrvil James VillaruelSeptember 22, 2018martial arts, newton mma, carlos newton, the ronin

One 'SadTurnip'.

If all that didn't seem like enough already, while not studying, looking after first-years, or making entertaining (mostly) daily YouTube videos, Arvil likes to supplement his active leisure time by practicing yoga and undergoing lessons in the Filipino Martial Art of Arnis!

photoshoot, photographyUrvil James VillaruelJanuary 27, 2018sad turnips, portrait, portraits

Monochromatic Cuartz.

Definitely one of my more provocative shoots, the aim was to exemplify this idea and emotion of love, inspiration and materialism through the series. Again, it really takes a lot of courage and trust to create something so outspoken — something typically hard to achieve when working with other artists — but it's easily achieved here when shooting alongside other inspired visionaries like SoundsOfCuartz and EightSix:Media.

photoshootUrvil James VillaruelAugust 8, 2017materialism, love, inspiration

The Colour Cuartz.

There's nothing more rewarding than working with an artist who's not only open to new ideas, but is willing to trust you on your vision. Here are some of the colour shots from the SoundsOfCuartz photoshoot taken alongside EightSix:Media.

photoshoot, collective space mediaUrvil James VillaruelAugust 5, 2017portraits, nature