NOT a crime

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.

Batam

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.

Selects

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.