Never say Never

Dug these out from the archives a few months back.

For those who aren't aware, there can be 2 ways of going about doing an editorial shoot. The expensive way entails coughing up model's fees, location rental, equipment & lights rental and hiring of a producer / art director. And then, there is the DIY, rough it up, anything goes route. The one where you skimp on location by shooting in an abandoned colonial house awaiting demolition, hit on some old contacts to see if you can get help with models and makeup.

When i've made the decision going back to school, i knew that things may get a little dicey with cash flow. But with good friends, things are always going to be possible.

I like this one best, although its the least polished of the selects.

Access

The Digital Journalist has a brilliant and personal article about ACCESS, the eye contact and getting close.

" Your intention is what gets you close, not your camera and its lens. It's your basic humanity that does it – that and your curiosity. So, getting close to your subjects is not difficult, it's actually easier than getting close to our inner selves, but in the process of telling these stories, we may, just may, understand ourselves better, too.

This means, sharing yourself with others. "

Read all about it here

UPDATE: Chinatown mini-docu

An update on the mini-docu. Whatever that you see here are all pictures of actual day to day scenarios. From the elderly sparring over a game of chess to the road side cobbler to a recently retrenched man trawling through the classifieds in search of a job.

Although Singapore is a relatively sanitized country, if you look beyond the surface, you will most certainly still find interesting subjects to shoot. I like to think that what sets a PJ apart from just another casual shooter or an editorial/ fashion photographer is their intent. You set out shooting with a purpose. Sometimes, there isn't necessarily an issue to highlight, but what is most important is that you show up. You show up with a sense of purpose. You become more attuned to the surroundings around you and you observe. Then, the pictures will follow.

That of course is just my personal opinion.

There is no definite way of saying this, and every situation differs from another.

ARVC

Tentatively titled ARVC (short for Animal Recovery Veterinary Centre), this is another on-going reportage that i've decided to invest time upon in the midst of juggling between a gazillion other things at a go. Besides school, i now have to keep tabs on freelance gigs, the part-time gig and now these. But its all good. Its really not as tough as i make it sound.

Buddy, a Vet Tech from Philippines and a father of 2 has been with the clinic for a few months now. With the language barrier, he is finding the job a steep learning curve.

Caution.

The operating notice board at the veterinary centre keeps the nurses and vets on duty updated of their patients progress. 

Sage, a 1 year old kitten play bites.

Sage.

Stethoscope on the consult table.

A dog suffering from rectal failure is monitored throughout the night.

The ashes of a deceased pet rest in a urn behind a thank you card from the owner. Customers are usually deeply touched by the care and commitment from the staff at the centre. They erect a memorial at the veterinary centre as a means of expressing their gratitude. 

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As usual, with any piece of reportage, what is most crucial is the amount of access. Many a times, i've been guilty of rushing things, persistently eager to shoot. However, through my experiences, your subjects tend to actually be more receptive without you hovering around like a vulture. In an ideal situation, i've found it useful to not introduce the camera too early upon acquaintance. Time is better vested allowing your subject to be comfortable around your presence. But like i say, that only happens in the most ideal of situations. I've learnt that In photojournalism, everything else that surrounds making the picture is more important than the actual clicking of the shutter.

Anyhow, this should be interesting.

Save Polaroid

On February 8, 2008, Polaroid Corporation announced that it will discontinue production of all instant film. This site will document the aftermath of this announcement and will serve as a home-base for the effort to convince another company to begin producing the cherished technology that Polaroid has so carelessly abandoned.



Visit the site www.savepolaroid.com to save polaroid and save the world!

In the Presence of Giants

These pictures are from the upcoming documentary of Chinatown that i've decided to invest time and effort in. Chinatown is probably one of the last few "authentic" spots in Singapore that has culture and vibe oozing out of its back alley ways.

Some people beg to differ as did Andrew Yip. He feels that Chinatown is but a pale imitation of what it once were. "Everything that you see here is a commercial facade, designed for tourists. Nobody really lives here anymore, its all business."





Interviewing Andrew Yip for the documentary is by stroke of luck and serendipity. The son of master lensman - Yip Cheong Fun, Andrew Yip is an accomplished poet among other achievements. He maintains a small shop in Singapore’s Chinatown's Pagoda Street.

Into his late 70s, Andrew Yip is a semi-wealthy retiree. He used to sit on the board of the URA and now devotes his time to furthering the memory of his late father - Yip Cheong Fun. Surprisingly, he is looked down upon by the lesser part of Singaporeans because of the mere fact that he fronts a shop house business.






Most Singaporeans have no clue that the late Yip Cheong Fun was a revered figure in photography internationally. Yip Cheong Fun was one of Singapore's top pioneer photographers. He was the winner of more than 50 worldwide photography awards in his lifetime, identified as one of ten Honorary Outstanding Photographers of the Century by the Photographic Society of New York in 1980 and awarded the Cultural Medallion for photography in 1984.

Sadly, most locals don't even stop to glance at the photo prints. The shopfront is usually empty and devoid of locals, save for a handful of foreign tourists, who appear more excited than local Singaporeans. Such is the apathy around here.

Andrew, Marc (a friend who was assisting me in shooting the documentary) and I spent a fair amount of time chatting about culture, heritage and politics in Singapore. Way advanced in years and seniority than us both combined, we've learnt a lot just by opening our hearts and mind in honest conversation. In a cookie cutter society like Singapore, where people are encouraged to not have an opinion, Andrew's take on life is cynical and candid rolled into one.

We left his shop falling behind our shooting schedule but i think i speak for us both that we've benefitted in many other ways.

Stay tuned for updates on this documentary.

Anatomy of an illustrator

Anatomy of an illustrator.

The Coffee Connoisseur

I've seen this old man around Purvis street for a while now. He sleeps in his trishaw night after night and is probably without a proper home. You can find him at his favorite spot just besides the turn at Raffles Hotel.

* Side-note: Going up approaching someone off the streets for cutline info is probably one of the things i've taken a while to get used to. I guess people are generally wary when you're not exactly on "official capacity" shooting for a paper. Even when you are, it still takes some getting used to. In my observation, Singaporeans are quite the conservative lot and would rather not be in the centre of attention if they can help it.

So for now, doing it the Henri-Cartier Bresson way seems to work just fine for me. You move in close, find the decisive moment and before people can notice, you're already well on your way.

Wheels in motion

Having recently bought maps from the local Kino book store, i guess its become apparent that the process has been set in motion with tangible actions undertaken. I'm not so sure if things will work out with my venture to the great unknown, but we'll see. Everyday now, countless of hours are spent trawling the great WWW for more research details, forever plotting and figuring out the game plan when i hit the US of A next year.

Why can't i never be satisfied living the Singapore dream? The part where you graduate, job hop and rise through the ranks, get that promotion, get hitched and spawn a brood before you die? Its not rocket science and i've pondered the question countless times over. But i know that there is a bigger world out there and by being where i am now and not trying, seems almost a cop out.

I'll try to see how far i can take this and even if it doesn't work out, at least i can say that i've tried to kick-start my own little adventure. What's the worse that can happen? Losing a few good years mean nothing to me.