The Picture Story

I have moved

2008-07-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

I have moved to http://thepicturestory.wordpress.com

The Christian Faith - an ongoing documentation

2008-06-25T12:40:00.000-07:00

An ongoing documentation detailing healing services within the Christian community in Singapore. This audio slideshow chronicles a multitude of "broken people" turning towards the Christian faith as means to cope with despair and tragedy in their personal lives.

The adage "Ask and you shall be given, seek and you shall fine" rings true for some, as certain results can be miraculously instantaneous. Others cling onto their faith, in hope that eventually, God would come through for them.

Healing services, once considered "charismatic" and "new age" are now becoming more widely accepted as conservative Singaporeans evolve with the times.

NOT a crime

2008-06-17T05:44:00.000-07:00

Many times in Singapore, I've been accosted and hassled by public enforcers (read between the lines - privately hired security guards) who in their zeal to maintain the peace, try to stop me from doing my job photographing in public spaces.

I CANNOT emphasize this enough, photo-taking and video-shooting in public spaces is NOT a crime.

Too many people don’t understand they have a legal right to take photographs and record video in public places.

In the US, the practice of street photography has a long tradition in New York City and its purpose varies from hobby and artistic expression to memory making and journalistic documentation. But the freedom to photograph and film has long been taken for granted and challenged in the wake of 9/11. Since 9/11, there has been an increasing war on photography. Photographers have been harassed, questioned, detained, arrested or worse, and declared to be unwelcome. We've been repeatedly told to watch out for photographers, especially suspicious ones. Clearly any terrorist is going to first photograph his target, so vigilance is required.
Except that it's nonsense. The 9/11 terrorists didn't photograph anything. Nor did the London transport bombers, the Madrid bombers, Timothy McVeigh didn't photograph the Oklahoma City Federal Building. Yet day in, day out, you're bound to bump into law enforcement officials who are not even aware of the laws of state they've sworn to uphold.

In the UK, CCTV cameras are installed everywhere to monitor the streets and keep the public safe. But at what cost? London is almost entirely blanketed by a legion of CCTV cameras and the city is in danger of sinking into orwellian territory where Big Brother dominates. And if UK citizens can forfeit their liberty in the name of security, who's to stop an everyday joe from taking pictures in public spaces? This video below is taken in the UK where (irony upon ironies) a police officer of Asian descent (most likely a recent immigrant as he does not speak with a british accent) is harassing a British native from doing something well within legal boundaries. To top it all off, when confronted, the officer cannot provide a reason why as to why it is "illegal" to be filming in a public space. All he does is to insist that its wrong.

Here in land scarce Singapore, law enforcement officers are none the wiser. Except that it makes little difference when the mere crossing of the road means you're leaving one government / private / commercial property only to be entering into another. Even the press is guilty of flouting the law often times shooting in privately owned spaces without a permit. Over here, its more a case of pushing the envelope as much as possible without being caught.

Know your rights and what to do when approached by law enforcement.

Don't cede your right to photograph in public.

Shooting as Duo

2008-05-31T11:02:00.000-07:00

I've always enjoyed shooting with Mike. We've known each other for 8 years now. Like every relationship, we've had our share of ups & downs. (there was a brief period where we weren't on speaking terms because of a botched assignment both of us were working on) During then, he went to assist a well known commercial photographer while i went off shooting reportage. Since then i've went through various changes career wise & Mike.... Mike? He's still Mike. With him, things are always going to be the same, and why not?

Out-takes:

The old adage rings true. That "Two heads are better than one". So while you're busy engaging your subject, you have another dialing in the numbers on the strobes, moving props around, liaising with the art director. its tough to do this all on your own. Sadly, there are still instances when you just have to make do. But that's a story for another day.

Batam

2008-05-21T10:13:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, i visited the neighboring island of Batam, Indonesia. Tagged along with my aunt who happens to also be a lecturer at a tertiary institution in Singapore. Together with some 60-odd students in tow, we made the 45-min boat ride out of Singapore. It was madness having to look out for such a huge bunch i tell you. We met an ex-student of hers who now runs the entire gamut of businesses from solid fuel manufacturing to pubs, restaurants and private apartments.

It was supposed to be an educational trip for the students and i was there to help. So, it wasn't exactly an assignment per se. But i decided to lug along gear just to maintain that discipline of being always intentional and purposeful. By being always ready, i am not worried about being caught out without gear when my next subject shows up.

Considering how little time i have to myself at the end of the day (not to mention how exhausted i was), i have no time to wander the streets on my own. Wandering around a foreign land gives me a sense of purpose. (read about my China trip) You just don't know what to expect. Just engaging people by communicating to them boggles my mind at how diverse and different one human being is from the other. When words and languages fail, even the simplest hand gestures could convey universal understanding.

Below, some kids from the local squatter settlement.

"So full of despair, but yet so full of life."

Nobody said that life was fair.

Shooting with your heart

2008-05-12T01:19:00.000-07:00

As news people, we are all invariably tied to the bottomline. Nevermind if you're a writer, editor, multimedia producer or photographer. The crux of how successful your career will turn out is linked to how your publisher runs the business. It will not matter how good you are at your job. In the end, the nuts and bolts of it will be whether the business model is profit - sustainable.

(read: i got laid off and I need a job)

But lets just put aside all that for a second, put away the business aspect of publishing a newspaper, put away the issues of revenue and overheads and 30% profit margins just for a moment. And lets talk about your craft and how that defines you as a person.

The Digital Journalist has always been a fantastic resource for forward thinking news people. They talk about putting feelings and emotions back into a business that has most recently, become nothing short of bleak.

(caution) This a photographic-centric post.

" Empathy is our ability to understand the emotions that others feel in response to circumstances and situations. The capacity to empathize allows the photojournalist to grasp the meaning that the story has for the story's key players, for the viewers and for the members of the larger society.

The photojournalist must try to recognize and understand a subject's emotion or lack of it. Emotional cues are often quite subtle.

The photojournalist must be able to capture those emotional cues. Technical expertise, including the knowledge of lighting, framing and shutter speed, enables the photojournalist to capture "the moment," but without the ability to recognize the cues, there will be no perceptible "moment" for the photographer." And without the ability to read, to understand and to capture emotion, a photojournalist might create pictures that are technically good. But the visual communication will never rise to the level of excellence.

To accomplish that, the aspiring photojournalist must "Shoot with your heart."

Read > Photojournalist: know thyself

Wedding Outtakes

2008-05-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

Been a tiring weekend for me. Haven't done a back to back 12 hour shoot for a while. On Labor Day this Thursday, Aaron & Pam finally tied the knot. I was just happy to be play a part.

View the out-takes on PDF here.

More from the Navy

2008-05-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

Days in the Navy

2008-04-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

While sifting through my archives in preparation for submission to The Eddie Adams Workshop, i've chanced upon the pictures taken during the course of my 2 and a half years with the Navy. Looking back, it was a significant period of my life no matter how often i bemoan the days. I didn't know it yet, but that was my introduction to photojournalism.

I was acutely aware that having a camera in hand, brings me places, shows me things i wouldn't normally have seen. From live firing in the South China Sea, to roaming the majestic Kittyhawk (and other Nimitz class carriers) when they docked. On hindsight, i should have appreciated the access given to me more.

I guess that's why they keep saying that "Life has to be lived forward, just so you can understand it backwards."

Landing ship tank returns from Iraq.

Returning from their tour-of-duty in Iraq, sailors from the Republic of Singapore Navy come home to a boisterous reception by family and loved ones.

Sea Expedition at the crack of dawn.

Grenade!

Base Defense. Troopers patrol the naval base 24/7.

Decontamination Point.

I won some awards with these pictures. Nothing major, just small time community awards. But then again, nobody got into photojournalism to get rich. Never happened, never will.

We never got to say goodbye

2008-04-23T04:28:00.000-07:00

Pension State is Gordon, Marcus, Dex, Adrain and Ted, a 5-piece local outfit who started playing punk rock during its hey days in the 1990s. After playing their 1st gig back in 1997 at the YMCA, their self-titled EP was sold out. After faithfully plying the local indie scene through the years, many numerous indefinite hiatus not with-standing, the band played their last show at Home Club in January 2008. "Musically we're a nightmare, all of us were headed separate directions, we listen to different kinds of stuff since when we 1st started. It's time for us to move on"

We never got to say goodbye

Soaking in the presence

2008-04-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

One voice. One spirit. Hundreds of Christians gather every last Friday of the month to pray for the affairs of the nation at a local Church in Singapore.

In the 2 hour session, believers worship, paint, dance, pray and soak in the presence of God.

Being raised in a conservative Christian home, this is part of an on-going articulation & exploration of the religious psyche that is a part of me. Or like they always say - the evidence of my existence.

For related postings, have a look at the archives on Inner Healing

Baybeats

2008-04-17T12:15:00.000-07:00

Since its inception in 2001, Baybeats has established itself as Singapore's premier annual indie music festival. Now into its 7th year, this massive festival still continues to pack in the crowd and best of all, still remain free to the festival goer. This year saw a record number of more than 50,000 throng the bayside of the Esplanade in search of a rolling good time. Baybeats has been a breath of fresh air for a nation increasingly weaned on popular mainstream music such as the likes of American Idol.

The festival conceived on the island of Singapore has been likened to the prestigious South by Southwest indie music festival famous in Austin, Texas.

Full Picture Set here

Selects

2008-04-15T09:45:00.000-07:00

Cross straits tension

2008-04-13T00:31:00.000-07:00

A fisherman dwarfed by docking warships cuts a lonesome figure along China's naval base in Xiamen. Naval crafts frequently patrol the straits of Taiwan as a show of force. Since taking power in May 2000, Chen Shui Bian has refused to embrace the one-China principle, which says that both Taiwan and the mainland are parts of China. Beijing insists on the principle as a precondition for jump-starting cross-Straits negotiations, which broke off in 1999 when former Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui said the relationship should be state-to-state. Cross straits tension between Taiwan and China continues to this day.

Picture Set here

mu'ouxi

2008-04-13T00:24:00.001-07:00

A dying art form, the Chinese Puppet Show is known as mu'ouxi (play of wooden dolls). I was able to appreciate the simple joy in puppetry in China last year.

Picture set here.

Tea Making

2008-04-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

Anxi County, in Fujian Province, China, is a county level city in the Quanzhou prefecture-level city. It is well-known for its ancient and famous Oolong tea, the Tieguanyin, which means Iron Goddess of Mercy in English. Anxi county supplies the entire nation's worth of Tieguanyin tea to the other parts of China and to the rest the world.

Picture set here.

Remnants of Xiamen

2008-04-06T10:26:00.001-07:00

Remnants of doing street photography in Xiamen. The following are excerpts from my personal journal which i struggle to find time to keep up with.

"The other night, i decided to venture down right the alley instead of the usual route left - which yields only shopping districts 1 after the other. Not unlike the streets of Mongkok, Hongkong, only less human traffic. Turning down right was a good call. Seeing the people of Xiamen live their lives. It's a vast difference from the "sanitized" point of view we've been exposed to in the short time we were here. For the people of Xiamen do not wine and dine in fine restaurants like we do. They survive on home made broth and simple dishes with rice and noodles. Even at 11pm in the night, i've walked past many a family congregating over dinner and a small TV screen. Male bachelors in pairs gambling and puffing on their cigarettes in the basement of their shop houses. Large billboards exhorting values and ideologies of the Chinese Communist Party reflect the pale light off street lamps.

Compared to Singapore, Hongkong or Beijing, Xiamen is not a vibrant city by far, but what it lacks in vibrancy, it makes up with soul. Maybe, it takes a foreigner who's far removed from its culture to be able to notice the intricate beauty in the mundane toll of everyday life. A foreigner like myself.

Late into the night walking alone in uncharted streets of downtown Xiamen, i decided against carrying along the MK-ii, my usual workhorse camera. Instead, i opted for the small plastic EOS 66, and a basic 50mm f1.8. Choosing stealth ahead of class has its advantages. It allowed me to be discreet, to hang around longer observing more than i will be able to, especially with the bulky MK-ii. Score one in the eternal debate for film over digital."

* all pictures shot on Fujichrome Provia 400 X slides and Acros Neopan 100 b/w film and drum scanned.

Grandmother

2008-04-03T12:22:00.000-07:00

Never say Never

2008-03-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-29T03:50:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-23T04:49:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

2008-03-19T02:14:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

Anatomy of an illustrator.

The Coffee Connoisseur

2008-03-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-02T09:35:00.000-08:00

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.

Ubin

2008-02-20T06:55:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, i headed north-east to Pulau Ubin, also described as the last standing Kampung of Singapore. Since the girlfriend has her original roots there, what better way to explore the island than having a native islander by your side?

Weekend trekkers foray into the Ubin wilderness.

Mei walks Oscar, a retriever mix.

Food on the island of Pulau Ubin is provided by the surrounding seas. With a fresh supply of fishes, prawns, and crabs, seafood is plentiful and fresh. An occasional slaughter of a wild boar feeds a small sized family for a week. With the exception of buying fresh vegetables, the islanders have little need to leave the island for food.

Mr Lee Fut Ngau, 65 scrubs the freshly caught fish and rid it of scales in preparation for dinner.

Mdm Kuan Yoke Ying, 63 prepares what she describes as "simple fare" for us, her unexpected visitors. Originally from Malaysia, she has been married to Mr Le Fut Ngau and has lived in Pulau Ubin for the past 40 years.

Mdm Kuan prepares to clean up the 2 fresh groupa caught barely half an hour ago by Mr Lee.

The idyllic island life is fast becoming a thing of the past with the Singapore government's efforts at "preservation".

>> Entire picture set here >>

Chinese New Year

2008-02-13T21:59:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year has been largely important to the island city - Singapore because of the large ethnic chinese community. Shops start to close as early as the eve of the new year and the streets remain deserted for a good 3 days. The festivities that precedes the holiday include the mad rush to buy Chinese food and goodies with shows and bright lights put up across the island, illuminating one and all with a hue of red.

According to legend, in ancient China, the Nián (年) was a man-eating beast from the mountains (in other versions from under the sea), which came out every 12 months somewhere close to winter to prey on humans. The people later believed that the Nian was sensitive to loud noises and the colour red, so they scared it away with explosions, fireworks and the liberal use of the colour red. These customs led to the first New Year celebrations. Guò nián (simplified Chinese: 过年; traditional Chinese: 過年), which means to celebrate the new year, literally means the passover of the Nian.

Senior citizens, retirees and tourists stand enthralled at the chinese community performance put up for free as a way to bless the less fortunate.

2 young boys mesmerized by the show.

Kids run amok in front of the stage while their parents sat transfixed. Many would turn up for the free performance at Chinatown, Singapore the night before the eve of Chinese New Year.

Locals and tourist sit side by side, enjoying the show on stage.

Inner Healing

2008-02-13T04:13:00.000-08:00

http://www.now-i-see.net/healing

Healing services in Church of Our Saviour, Singapore usually draw a throng of devout worshippers together to seek God's divine healing.

A service of prayer for healing and wholeness is not a new activity for Christianity as a religion. Healing services are an ancient and accepted practice and has spread to the far-reaches of Asia.

Numerous prayers for healing are as old as the Bible itself.

The disciples, following Jesus's example, anointed the sick and prayed for healing. The book of James, states that: "If anyone is sick, call the elders and pray for that person and anoint that person with oil in the name of the Lord."

1st blood

2008-02-09T10:14:00.000-08:00

This photo story follows a group of teenagers barely out of their adolescence. Thomas 24 and Ah Bao 21. Both are ex-convicts whose tough talk belies their youthful exterior. In city state Singapore, where every individual born is being put through school, college and then university, everyone follows a almost totalitarian uniform regime of doing things. Theirs is a story of unconventionality. These are the people who have fallen through the cracks. Both Ah Bao and Thomas sells plastic pens on the streets of Orchard to make enough for pocket money. They get to keep half the amount for every $2 pen sold.

http://now-i-see.net/convict/