Shooting Home 2008 - Tough Love

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.

Up to my eyeballs

Rehearsal for the Anderson Junior College Dance Show



Packing up after a shoot for Singapore Dance Theatre



Location shoot for People's association.

I am sorry that blog postings have been slow. I have simply swamped with work, which is good. Here is some behind the scenes shots.

Karel Veprik

Karel Veprik

Just blown away.

Professional Photographers Association (Singapore) Spotlight

I have an article on my photography at the Professional Photographers Association (Singapore). :) You can view it here.

The Book Delayed again

This is turning out to be more difficult than I anticipated. There were printing issues with the first print run of the Dance Me Through The Dark Book. The printing issues were solved in the second run but the pages were damaged. So I am now looking for a new printer and I am unable to estimate when the book will be out. I hope that it can be all sorted out within a month.

To all those people who have ordered the book, my apologies for the delay.

Exhibition Ended

The exhibition ended today and it has been taken down. Thank you everyone who visited the exhibition. I do hope that this exhibition will continue in some way though. I will have to see.

The books arrive this week. I will put up purchase details soon.

Start-up lets you fix focus after snapping the shutter | Underexposed - CNET News.com

Start-up lets you fix focus after snapping the shutter | Underexposed - CNET News.com

Dance Me Through The Dark closes on the 28

Yes. I am plugging my show. But it is the best exhibition I have ever done. So if you have not seen it, please see it before it closes on Thursday the 28. And if you have seen it and enjoyed, please ask your friends to go.

The books should be ready for sale by the end of the month. Thank you to all the people that have made orders of the books and images. You will get what you ordered.

Cheers!!

How to manage a crisis, any crisis | Steve Tobak's views on dysfunctional corporate behavior - CNET Blogs

How to manage a crisis, any crisis | Steve Tobak's views on dysfunctional corporate behavior - CNET Blogs

A good read for anyone.

Dance Me Through The Dark Book

There has been a delay in the printing of the book unfortunately. Copies of the book for sale should be ready by the end of the month.

However, if you place an order for the book at the exhibition gallery, there is a 10% discount of the regular retail price of $100. Payment is to be made in full by cheque. There is a browsing copy of the book at the exhibition.

I know that the books should have been launched on the 13 Feb. But if you already like the browsing copy, you can be sure that the print and bind quality will be even better when it is finally ready. :)

Dance Me Through The Dark Media Coverage

Interview on Dansing.org web site (Click here)

Interview with June Chong in the Straits Times (Click here)

Podcast of interview with Mabel at Lush 99.5 (Click here)

Interview with Shereena Sajeed of Radio Singapore International (Click here)

Interview with Mayo Martin (Click here)

Dance Me Through The Dark Opening

I am so very happy with the way my exhibition turned out. And the evening was a real celebration. Thanks to all the people who came and the others who sent their well wishes.




Chihiro, Na Ri and Hai Ying visiting the show.



Juliet Pang singing a fantastic jazz set for me.

I need to go sleep now. More in days to come.

Many Pathways One Mission

Many Pathways One Mission is a book published by the Ministry of Education. It has come out without much fanfare but to me it is a significant book for Singapore photography. The photography is produced by Wesley Loh, a very good friend on mine. In this book, the way the portraits are taken and the way the images are treated are intense. For once, in a government book, people are not make to put on fake plastic smiles for the readers. I think that the book comes across as more thoughtful and believable. As a nation, we have to get over superficial happiness and care enough to look seriously at what people are saying with their images.

If you have time, go to borders and look for this book and flip through it. think about why it does not look like other Singaporean publications? And see if you find this more believable than all those fake photographic smiles we get as propaganda.

Polaroid closing instant film factories - Yahoo! News

Polaroid closing instant film factories - Yahoo! News

Some of Paul Elledge's most memorable work was done on Poalaroid materials. Same with Paolo Roversi and Joyce Tennyson. Nothing quite looks like images shot on Polaroid material. And even though Polaroid film is a niche product, the writing is on the wall for film in general. I wonder how many more years before film passes on too?

Gong Xi Fa Cai

Ella and Zul says "Rats... Where?"

Happy Chinese New Year folks.

Chestnuts Virgin

I am sad to say that I did not watch the first ten installments of Jonathan Lim's spoof fest, Chestnuts. I have been really busy with the exhibition and work and did not make plans to watch Chesty Nutty Bang Bang. But I bumped into the production manger, Kheng Kiat at Bras Basah Complex and was reminded that the show was going on at the drama centre in the national library. I just happened to have time that evening and decided to loose my chestnuts virginity. And I never thought it could be soooo good. I must admit that at times it got long and a bit boring, just one bang after another bang. But there were many times I was in hysterical ecstasy. :) I have worked with almost all the actors on stage and have taken photographs for so many of the productions they spoofed. It was just hilarious.

Come on baby, do it to me one more time!! Waiting for the next big one Jonathan!

Do you feel like Dilbert? I know I do sometimes.

Le Petit Portraits part cinq

Portraits of Carmen Chan




Portraits of Eadwine Lay




Portraits of Juliet Pang

I have had so much fun this month with Le Petit Portrait. I think the best part is that at $100 a pop people were willing to come in and just have fun with me. Did I not say this already?

Anyway, I have decided to create a one hour portrait package that is exactly half of my usual family/portfolio package. For portraits I usually start at $500 for a two hours session. I am going to start at $250 for a one hour session. I hope that this will not be too steep for people to come and just have fun with me. I think I got some really nice portfolio shots from these sessions.

Thank you to all the people who took up the promotional package. :)

Aneta Bartos

Aneta Bartos

Beautiful textures. I like!

Le Petit Portraits part quatre - The boys

Kelvin



Kenneth



Vonn Jiet and wife Charlene