This year I was on the faculty of Shooting Home, the Objectifs course for photographers hoping to turn professional. The course was less about technical things though than becoming more connected photographers. There were practical classes, but the core of the course was a self-proposed project and nightly critiques by the faculty. The faculty this year were Brian Van Der Beek, Francis Ng, CJ Sameer, Wee Kheng Li and me. Deanna Ng was a junior faculty. It was an intensive course and the faculty were brutally honest with the students. We were not trying to be nasty, but we tried to get participants to re-look at what it meant to make images as opposed to taking pretty photographs. I think most of the participants hit huge walls and managed to somehow break at least part of the walls down. It was a draining process for everyone. But the results were satisfying for me. A lot of participants learnt that photography is not just about technical craft, but personal investment in their work. And this is one thing I really would like more creative people in Singapore to understand, personal investment.
Congratulations to the participants for enduring the grueling course. The journey continues.
Joseph Nair, a past participant helping out on the course.
Deanna as a wandering ghost faculty ;)
Me just before a critique session.
Emmeline, Brian, preview guest, Ulla
Bee Hoon (in green) and her daughters
Jean hugging her mum who came for the slideshow
Mulyadi and daughter
A last chat after the course
It was a good interaction. Don't take photos, make images, be human. Peace.
