Taking a break

The journey from wedding photographer to commercial portrait photographer that started about a year and a half ago is finally beginning to pay off. To be honest, every year since I became a photographer in 2000 has been an exciting year. But the last year has been particularly significant. The decision to stop shooting weddings, the internship with Paul Elledge in Chicago, the investment in photographic and computer equipment, the new team. All this has been the biggest leap of faith since I started out as a photographer. My nerves were sorely tested between the English New Year and Chinese New Year when the only job I had was a one hour shoot for NUS. Then I went in for two weeks reservists.

But things really changed when I came out. I have done work for NUS, NTUC, Deutsche Bank amongst other clients. I have been asked to be the resident photographer for Singapore Dance Theatre. In fact, I just did a series of Zo Cards for SDT to promote their entire year's programmes. And I am getting some interesting enquiries too. The important thing though, is that I have the confidence, equipment and team to do the work. Things are looking up.

And for the first time I will be promoting myself in a major way. I have put together a portfolio brochure which I will be sending out to agencies and magazines that I want to work with. I am quite excited about this and it should generate even more work.

However, the true icing on the cake is not that the career seems to be taking off. The true icing on the cake is that I now have time to do personal work and continue pushing my own personal photography. This was one thing that I was so sorely missing as a wedding photographer. The business was viable, but it was way too labour intensive for me to be a creative as well. Now I have been shooting a lot of dancers. I hope that my next solo exhibition will be a dance one in January next year. And if all possible, I will be publishing my first book, also on dancers.

The journey continues, but I am taking a weeks break. I will be leaving for Tokyo this Friday and I will be back next Sunday on the 8 April. I have an assignment on the 9 April.

This is turning out to be a really exciting year. I wonder what new adventures it will bring besides the ones I have already planned.