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My reportage work has been featured in Nikon’s quarterly Focus magazine, issue 25. Below are excerpts downloaded from Nikon’s website.
At 12, entering River Valley High School for the first time alone to buy text books and school uniforms and holding tightly to the $100 (the biggest note you ever saw) your mother gave you, was a really scary experience. I had just received my secondary school posting and was lost yet excited. Then I met Pauline in front of the school auditorium. She was recruiting for the National Cadet Corps. I remember she had this smiley face and told me I could shoot air rifles if I joined the NCC. So, I signed-up. Pauline became in-charge of our Sec 1 platoon, and apart from shooting air rifles, we also got to shoot the M-16, climb some mountains, attend lots of horror camps and did a lot of push-ups in the scorching sun! I lost touch with Pauline for years after she graduated. One day, I saw her on a poster at the MRT station and found out she was a fitness instructor at Amore. Then, a few years later, I received an email from her, to shoot her wedding. So, we met again, not in our awkward nurse-like school uniforms, but she as a bride, and me as her photog. Incidentally, Pauline’s two sisters and her mother were all also from River Valley High. How lovely! What came out strongly during the wedding was Pauline’s moving speech, thanking her mother, for being first and foremost, her best friend, sharing her joys and supporting her in every little way. Some pictures to share.
The first time I met Jason and Regina, what I thought was coffee turned out to be dinner and by the end of the meal, they had decided to engage me as their photographer for the biggest day of their lives. They decided early on that photographic documentation was the only way they would want to look back at their wedding and there would be no videography. So I am honoured to be entrusted with this task, Regina was also a very easy-going bride to work with. I hope they will be proud to show these images to their children and grandchildren in a time to come. Gown: Tan Yoong, Venue: IL Lido, Sentosa
An overdue memo about the past year or so. I am writing this seated by the aisle in the last row of Qatar flight to Singapore. A long queue of passengers waiting for the toilets forms up beside me, their butts sticking up my face from time to time – Not the most ideal situation to be writing a reflection, but long-haul flights do have the effect of throwing me into solace and recluse, and thus I shall endeavour to complete this post before the word spree in my head dries up. I’d wanted to pen a memo at the close of 2008. But then, having left my job as a reporter and exploring a freelancer’s life for only six months, it felt pre-mature to look at a short journey that had yet to reveal its paths. Going with the flow was my approach. It still is now, I want to live where life takes me, not strangle it. I freed myself from the routine of the newsroom. No more answering the hungry demands of tomorrow’s stories, no more fire-fighting to fill pages on a day-to-day basis. The world became my oyster once again. It was also where the next chapter of my life began. Some noteworthies and highlights in the last year or so: -Having full access to the backstage at the Beijing Paralympics to watch athletes compete up-close. -Fighting for a place on the pool photographer’s lorry to shoot the wheelchair marathon, and finally getting on it, armed with turbo lenses. -Enduring 12 full-day street reportage assignments to: Seoul- getting chased out of an arcade by an owner who wanted me arrested, -Capsizing in a chilly rocky river in Laos after a strong swirl pushed me against some deadly weeds. My kayak, camping equipment, and camera all gushed downstream while I managed to get out of the skirting and surface for air without hitting any rocks. The most painful moment, was to pull the camera out of its water-filled drybag, to see water gushing out from the lens and card-slot and instantly feel my heart shatter. -The relief of seeing Huey return in one-piece to campsite in the cold and pitch-darkness, in his raptured and sinking kayak. -Entering a big dark and mysterious cave during the expedition. -Shooting many weddings, and hearing couple’s speeches. Meeting again, many friends and schoolmates through wedding shoots =) -Knowing KC from Greymatter, who unselfishly gave advice. -Travelling a lot (yay!) – Mumbai, Hong Kong, Shanghai x2, Beijing x2, Guangzhou, Hefei, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur x many, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Laos, Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Siem Reap, Bangkok, Adelaide, Berlin, Frankfurt, Sulz. -Yoga Retreat at Ashram in Rocklyn, Australia, with fantastic organic meals from the garden -Winning mentions at the IPA, and awards with WPJA. -Reporting a Singapore International Foundation cancer story in Vietnam, and was surprised readers came forward to donate generously. -Meeting president Obama, PM Lee, and MM Lee. -Adjusting PM Lee’s tie during a shoot! -And the horrors of getting an NKF interview for Al Jazeera. It’s been lots of fun, lots of hardwork and sometimes sleepless nights. If I’d stayed with the press, I would’ve probably scored more scoops, ring in more page ones and tally up with more bylines. There was the luxury of travel and time-off, with 21 days of annual leave plus off-days for working overtime and staking out on stories. Double that love with the occasional luxury-packed junkets, which are like holidays on assignments. I’d also be on my way to a promotion, a juicy bonus, more capital for investment, a nice car and perhaps an apartment – steps of a ladder of social constructs that make us feel normal and secure, such a Singaporean way of life. I loved that job, it was almost perfect. But I needed to sooth that voice inside for contentment. In 2004, ‘05 and ‘06 three friends took their lives. With each, I was jolted – to make my time count more than material accumulation. When work sent me to cover the freak deaths of 5 dragonboat rowers who drowned after a race in Cambodia, I felt pretty shaken after the reports. Two team coaches whom I respect dearly from my days in the dragonboat fraternity, were sort of, implicated. I had to interview them, approach former teammates and attend the rowers’ funerals. It was a very difficult time and position to be in. It’s stark. There’s only one life to live, why spend the youthful years wondering what if? My coach, Mr Yong, used to lend us this quote, the Olympic creed: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” It may be a weather catastrophe outside of Berlin, but where I am it’s winter wonderland in every park and open space.
It was refreshing to catch Christmas away from Singapore once in a while. Scrapes of images of my trip to share, some of them are experimentations with a very old, but just serviced Nikon 35mm F2.8 It belongs to my father and I dug it out of his drybox (he’s long forgotten it’s there), he’s also forgotten he owns TWO of the same lens, leading me to question why he spent money buying two of the same thing but he could not remember, he probably bought it when I was born, since the lens was produced around 1975 according to wikipedia checks. I absolutely love it the vignette it produces. Modern day digital lenses somehow score points for being able to capture an image without a vignette. But why? It’s unnatural and goes against how cameras, like the pin-hole originally works. There’s quite a mix of socialist architecture and some Baroque leftovers in Berlin. I can’t quite describe what it is – sometimes ugly, raw, confusing, but also beautiful. Days ago I spotted intricate graffiti (perplexing right) mural of a roman pillar, painted on the walls of a rather bland apartment block. Such a brilliant idea for a dingy corner of the neighbourhood. If this were ever “commited” in Singapore, the government and our dear Town Council would have had the walls white-washed in three working days. Anyways, here are some images:
Right: View from my apartment window at 4pm. The colors you see on the road are due to melting snow.
This winter shoot marks my first shoot of 2010 and I’m glad it went this way. We certainly weren’t working in comfortable temperatures so my mind was working ahead of locations all the time, who to shoot what, from where, and what expressions there was to capture. Because of the reflection of the snow, (and because I stubborn shoot only on manual), there was some getting used to with the camera readings, everything tends to be overexposed by one to two stops depending on the intensity of the sunlight. This trip to Berlin’s actually the first time I experienced snow up close and personal. Pictures below, and more on the main wedding site.
This was a shoot I’d been waiting for ever since meeting Kelvin and Ailin. Instead of a traditional pre-wedding shoot, they wanted to do family shoots for their album. When we were brainstorming locations, I got all excited and hyper. Kelvin and Ailin really did their homework, scouting around different prawn fishing farms in Singapore until they finally found this one. Super Rustic, Super Singapore in the 1980s, I just Love it!
Took a long walk with Maddy today in a huge park in Steglitz in Berlin. We came across this lovely, luurrvely bridge hanging above a frozen lake, with with branches of bare trees draped beautifullly across the scene. The light was golden, and colours were oh- soooooo……!! Last month, Singapore played host to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings so I was there to shoot it. I can’t tell if I enjoy the pushing, shoving or sticking of lenses up each other’s heads and having to clamor for a spot all the time. But I suspect it’s the gathering of geek gears, seeing all these lenses and equipment all at one time is a bit like having lots of Pradas and Guccis displayed in front of you all at once. For most of the media covering APEC anyway, the treat really came at the end of the week when Barack Obama finally arrived. Favourite first lady vote goes to the with the very charismatic Miyuki Hatoyama of Japan.
Dear friends, as the year is closing, I’m really really hoping it will snow in Berlin! Will be heading there for Christmas and New Years, and inviting you to join me on a pre-wedding shoot for anyone looking for a white, wintry album. I’ve spent two summers there so this time, views will be different and I’m extremely excited.
November’s been such a big month for me. Just as I was choking up sympathy and heartache from the dire conditions in a Siem Reap orphanage and the flooded beaches of Sihanoukville, it was onto visiting a cancer hospital in Hanoi where patients so badly need proper beds and better treatments. I landed in the comparatively posh Changi Airport of Singapore and was into the next flight to the madness of Bangkok. Then back in Singapore, a string of APEC shoots await. I finally, finally saw dear Mr Obama, all the other white house guys and a whole string of Asian politicians. They aren’t worlds apart – The helpless and those in power – but never the twain shall meet. There is just some time alone to sit down now and pen some thoughts down. I shall start with simple, simple things that do not cause a headache, like wedding photography. The joyous occasion of Jit and Brell’s wedding, held at the Peony Jade and the wonderful garden of LaVilla.
Onward to Hanoi tomorrow, later on to Bangkok, back for a shoot, then hopefully off to more places before more shoots. It’s been a fairly exciting travel period and I’m looking forward! Then, comes the packing. Plus essential albeit peripheral items like batteries, battery charger, laptop charger, card reader, plug adaptor, external hard drive. All these add up. My hand carry weighs a cow, but I always put on a good show in front of customs in case they check and realize my pack’s over 10kgs. ok.. back to the marathon of more post-processing work before the trip/s! Article from PDN pulse: Veteran photojournalist James Nachtwey shared the stories behind images he’s shot throughout his career at the keynote address Saturday afternoon at PDN PhotoPlus Expo. It was a presentation of one photographer’s life’s work, but it was also a 30-year global history of armed conflict and critical social issues. Speaking before a standing-room-only crowd, Nachtwey explored the power the mass media can have in stirring people to action when it chooses to cover a humanitarian crisis. Nachtwey said he believes photojournalists are civil servants; the service they provide is awareness. Their work is part of the free flow of information that “is absolutely vital to a free and open society.” Nachtwey first worked as a conflict photographer in Northern Ireland. Showing images of Irish citizens carrying out their lives amid burning cars, he noted that the “front lines in contemporary war are not isolated battlefields, they are where people live.” He also showed images from conflicts in Central America, Lebanon, Eastern Uganda, Sri Lanka and Iraq. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Nachtwey said, he turned to documenting critical social issues. He had heard stories of an AIDS crisis in Romania’s orphanages and went there to report it, trading cigarettes, chocolate and brandy for access. In 1966, Romanian president Nicolai Ceausescu had banned birth control and abortion, and insisted that women under 40 bear five children apiece. Many families could not support five children, and the orphan population swelled. At the severely under-funded orphanages, sick children received injections of adult blood rather than medication, and AIDS quickly spread as needles were reused repeatedly. Witnessing what he called a “gulag of Romanian children” deeply shook his faith, Nachtwey said. “Knowing that the world would respond” urged him on, and fortunately the world did, he said. In 1992 he went to Somalia to document famine, which he called “the oldest and most primitive weapon of mass destruction.” On the night before his second trip to Somalia, he had a nightmare that nearly caused him to cancel his flight—what he had seen during his first trip had been so horrific. Somalia taught him the importance of having images “published in the mass media at the time conflict is happening.” When The New York Times Magazine ran the Somalia images as a cover story, the phone at the Times rang off the wall with people who wanted to help, Nachtwey said. Last year, Nachtwey learned from an International Committee of the Red Cross official, Jean-Daniel Tauxe, that the magazine story helped the ICRC mobilize the largest aid effort they had undertaken since World War II in Somalia, saving 1.5 million people. There has never been a scientific study of the impact of photojournalism, Nachtwey noted. “We all do what we do as an article of faith.” Learning of the effect of his Somalia photos made him feel his career had been worthwhile. Nachtwey shared some lessons he has learned over the years. As he showed images of famine in Sudan, Nachtwey said he has discovered that people who live in poverty are not without hope, that people who are suffering are not without dignity, and that people who are afraid do not lack courage. While showing an image of a Chechen boy who had lost both his legs during the war between Russia and Chechnya during the 1990s, Nachtwey noted that he had learned to channel his rage and “turn it into something that would clarify his vision instead of clouding it.” He also noted that “people open up to photographers who share risks with them.” After the attacks of September 11, 2001, he saw his coverage of the Islamic world throughout his career as a single story. He called the incident a failure of politics but also a failure of journalism. The Islamic world had been crying out, he said. “Why weren’t we listening?” His recent work covering AIDS in Africa and his TED Prize-supported project documenting Extensively Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (XDR-TB) globally were the final images in his presentation. In closing his talk, he again noted that photography, along with political will and science, is at the service of humanity. Photojournalists, he said, aim their pictures at people’s best instincts. — By Conor Risch The Wedding Photojournalist Association Q2 2009 contests results are out, Thank you Don (the groom)! We found those waterguns in the boot of his car, long story cut short, we were actually looking for an umbrella. CREATIVE PORTRAITS category, 2nd place:
JUDGES COMMENTS: Very nice! This was something unexpected and I really love that the photographer thought outside of the box to get this frame. It’s something unlike anything else I’ve seen in this competition, it’s unusual and it’s whimsical, which is really nice. It’s a refreshing break from the norm. It’s an image that stands out, and kudos to the photographer. JUDGES COMMENTS: The photographer captured great expressions, body language and environment that work well with the water gun in the bride’s hand and flowers in the groom’s hand. I wonder who will be the boss in this family? RING DETAILS category, 12th place:
JUDGES COMMENTS: “The rings in the trees” photo can be a tough one to pull off, but this is darn near perfect. The composition, use of color and effective use of f-stop make the rings jump out at you even though they are quite small. Poverty is many things. ~ Caryn Franklin
After a few mind-clearing jogs, it’s become clearer that any creative business needs to indulge in truly, the reasons why people like us choose to venture out on our own – the freedom to go creatively crazy, to create continuously, to try new styles and not be afraid it’ll backfire, to do things that clients say they don’t want, unless they have seen it! This is about soul, about exploration. Hence watch out for the main wedding site, a new section will be added really soon. The Hungry Ghost month generally means business is on the slow. My clients tell me it’s not just the wedding photography, but with bank servicing and investment. because nobody really wants to part with huge sums at this time of the year. Same with the property market. I’m also trying out new ways to light up subjects, and experimented at Shoegaze, organised by my former Theatre classmates. See what you think. It’s made me realise that as a photographer who’s set out to do pure journalistic documentary, my preference has really shifted to one that’s more stylistic and controlled.
While shooting quite a monotonous scene of joggers at the Army Half Marathon, this guy decides to take a leap, flying high in front of my camera. Caught me by surprise, because as he did he, he also went “Hoi!” Don’t understand the rationale behind it, but it turned out to be my favourite shot.
And then there was this guy who borrowed the occasion for a surprise proposal. He ran with a card near the finish line, with the words “Xinyi, will you marry me?” The MC got his very bashful girlfriend to raise her hand. He got on bended knee, steady as a bee, she curled in part embarrassment, part elation, quickly slipping on the ring so that he could get up and ran past the finish line. How sweet and original! Most memorable, and costs nothing, kudos to the couple!
And then, there were also all other runners which were very inspiring, got me all psyched up for training!
By the time we arrived at our first location, storm was brewing. Atypical by last weeks’ standard. The wind almost, at once, ruined Eileen’s hair, I had mind to call off the shoot but we knew we didn’t have another date where both parties could make it. I decided to give it a go, let’s see how different the pictures can get. Alas, some rain, then drizzle, then clear skies.
Managed to sneak in this shot during Janelle and Tayling’s wedding today, isn’t he just adorable??
Shooting very important men at a conference yesterday, I learnt that they were intense. Very into their jobs, truly interested and passionate, and know the value of networking. Here are my favourite shots
The aboves taken at the Lasalle College of the Arts official opening last night. It was a grand affair with a minute-long light show as its inauguration, even the food was from Hilton hotel! As a former alumni who took a Graphic Design degree there, I can’t say enough how proud I felt to witness the event, to see how far the school has come. A magnificient building, a vibrant student community and commited teachers who have much power to dictate their syllabuses. I say this with confidence, having interacted with students and lecturers on a regular basis last year, as part of my commission to produce photographic spreads for the Lasalle 2008 Review, a first-ever effort, which would mark the new Lasalle College of the Arts, formerly known as Lasalle-SIA College of the Arts. Standing in the midst of that glass building smack beside little India would do little for one to understand how this school had grown. It was only 2003/04 when I received the Singapore Press Holdings Art scholarship to do a course at Lasalle, then located at its Goodman Road campus. It was, may I say, a tattered building, essentially an old primary school converted into a bigger institution. Fine Arts students were housed in containers. Then, there were the people who would bury themselves in their paintings so much, it touched my heart. I had chosen to study there largely for one person, painter Willy Tay, whom I assisted for 8 months while waiting to enter NUS after my A-levels. He has been largely influential -a stoic, purist approach to his work, not caring what the world thinks of it. Then, Willy was doing his Masters in Lasalle, he had part of the container across the grass patch from my block, I loved watching him drip paints down the canvas, waiting for the smell of linseed oil to consume me. As students, we’re always idealistic, art’s always for the sake of art. As adults, we have, to many extents, care what the client wants, even in producing personal work. That’s a natural progression, because art should always communicate to an audience. It can never please everyone, but it should have a purpose. I’ve heard and seen how lecturers craft their syllabuses in the new lasalle, how there is free play. There is more room for improvement. But at the state it is now, this sort of education is a far cry from what aspiring creatives used to receive. After the event, a post party saw one of its buildings transformed into a bar that sold alcohol. Music students took the stage with their tablas, others Dj-ed. Now we are beginning to understand why the school and the Ministry of Education had a fall-out. (I say this at the risk of losing clients. But more importantly, I say to them, way to go!) If substation and the Singapore Arts Fest isn’t going to showcase our own talents, then it’s only right their school is going to do it. Even the school’s president Alastair joined in. Vice-president and provost sat there watching too. How much more new-age can a Singer’s school get. Man, my former lecturers would be so proud. Marc and Bianca’s engagement shoot.
This could have been a torturous wait, if not for the camera
Oftentimes I am against blogging. I want to make this blog work to motivate at all levels, just as those who have inspired me have used their blogs to bolster new ideas for me. It should have a purpose more than act as diary. Pictures say a thousand words, so if words have it their way, then it should say something pictures cannot. |
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