Since 1978

Another Chapter

2011-12-24T00:26:00.000-08:00

It has come to an end, not my career as a photojournalist, but my time with Zaobao. I have entered the profession as a young photographer, chasing dreams of seeing the world, hoping to photograph life as it plays out in front of me, knowing that a true photojournalist has to put his/her emotions to the test as he lifts the camera to his eye. I never thought about making it rich ever since I step into this field. I wanted not just to see the world, but to feel, to witness, to narrate, to make sense of, and to report on conflicts, catastrophes and to be in trying situations, to feel alive. Every day shall be a new adventure, no more Monday blues, no more paper work or meeting. I had enough of that for 2 years as an airport project engineer. I had decided that this will be my profession during my first year of undergraduate studies while on a scholarship. Thoughts of breaking my scholarship bond came to mind, but it was too expensive and I knew getting a staff position at a newspaper would be almost impossible.

2 months of serving tables at a cafe and 2 months of internship at The Straits Times allowed me buy my first film SLR, then Im off to Vietnam, my first backpacking trip with my Buddy, BT. It was an adventure, and the movie "The Motorcycle Diaries" also reminded me of that period of my life. I had a buddy, we shared a motorbike, and we love to take pictures. Little did I know that it is also the period that will have the greatest influence on my life, not just my career.

I completed my studies with a 2nd Upper class honours (Good enough to meet the scholarship requirement), without ever wanting to become an engineer. I just have to fulfill my obligations, and not make my parents pay for my education. It came as a shock, a pleasant one, when I was told that I as not required to serve my bond. The next day, I wrote to the Straits Times picture editor, hoping to get a staff position as a photojournalist. It was 2 years after 9/11 then, and apprarently the economy wasn't picking up, and there was no vacancy.

I had to get a job, and wait for the right time to try again. It was to be a 2 years wait (as an airport engineer), then I got another job as a project engineer, this time with JTC. Both will add up nicely to my resume, if I were to stay on as an engineer. I stayed 3 months at JTC and left once the offer from Zaobao came along. I was just trying my luck when I wrote in to enquire. A staff photographer, Bob had transfered out to another paper. Luck was on my side. I remembered that it was a Friday, and I was walking to a meeting with contractors with long-sleeved shirt and pants, when I received the call. I think I was smiling and half-listening throughout the meeting, and thinking that I would not have to wear sleeves and pants anymore.

From then, my 5.5 years with Zaobao began. I was still young, ambitious and full of drive. I got my first issued camera, a beat-up Canon Mark 2 (from Bob), but still does it job well. I was the youngest at Zaobao for 3 years, and took on more assignments and initiative, some self-initiated ones than others. I never doubted my performance and never screwed up once. It reaches the point when I look at the others around me, and thought, if my efforts are worthwhile. There was no competition, no pressure to excel. I became fairly comfortable with the pace, which was easy. Then I have too much time on my hands, and began looking at something else to do off-work. At the same time, I was dis-illusioned. This is not what I had wanted to do. One good, challenging assignment came around occasionally, but most time, we were shooting according to the requirements of the paper or the few decision-makers: simple, straight-forward, and don't rock the boat too much. We were assuming that our readers want that. We were not allowed to tease their brains a little.

Most time, when I had a great shot, which can only happen if I was assigned to an interesting assignment, got the shot, and passed through layers of scrutiny by my supervisors, photo-editor, sub-editors, and senior editor. To make it big and on the front page requires the story to be of page-one value. No great picture can make it to the front on its own, then there was the cropping, which can either enhance, or destroy the picture. Most time, I was disappointed. It became a job, and the passion was rekindled occasionally, when I was shooting for myself. I was overseas assignment twice, on my own accord, when I felt alive as a photographer. Both were sports event and made possible after some conflicts with my boss. I guess I was rocking the boat a little too much.

I made great friends at Zaobao, and grew "seasoned" as a news photographer, but there was no breakthrough. I got my monthly paycheck, but was looking for something more. At the back of my mind, I yearned to relive those moments, when photography was so much fun, when there was no formula to be followed. 5 years on, I still could not see eye to eye with my bosses. It had became a job to them, and they have stopped shooting altogether. They could not convince me with anything they said or demanded in terms of photography. My "education"in photojournalism, which were from books and magazines and a great deal from Magnum photographers, was considered unorthodox.

I am grateful that I was able to earn a living with a camera these 5 years, but I have stopped growing as a photographer, a photojournalist. Commitment, responsibility, decision-making etc were lacking, and the change which we young photographers hoped for seemed like an impossible dream. It was a paper that has fallen behind, and there was no motivation to change, to do it differently. Status quo was the best insurance and change was a dirty word. It became a locomotive running on steam, which can't go fast enough, but carry on its journey with a heavy load, on a track that bring it to the same destination. Nothing can stop it, and yet, nothing can move it off its track.

In a week's time, I will join The Straits Times. It may not be the same paper as 10 years ago, but I believe it is the right move. There will be competition and standards are high. The young and even some of the older photogs are a driven bunch, who produce photo-stories and multi-media week after week. It will be hard work, but I hope to get more satisfaction out if it. I know that some of the obstacles to having a good picture published will also be present at Straits Times, but there will be more room to explore, and more platform to showcase. I am grateful for the friendship and career-kickstart from Zaobao. I will end the same way as my letter to the editors, "I hope to be able to say proudly, that I came from ZBphoto".

General Election

2011-05-07T15:02:00.000-07:00

Its been quite a ride for the past 1 month. Politics and politicians go about showing their faces and garnering votes. A reservist in-camp training took me out of that mundane walkabouts for a weekend, and its top gear once I went back to work. Politician started verbal sparring, through us, the media and there were countless press conferences, staged events, walkabouts, new campaigns and initiatives, until I got a bit sick of seeing them.

The fun came when the rally starts. It was when I got to see what is politics all about, the people. Emotions run high during opposition rally speeches, and we, the media were often the target of criticism. There were a few sarcastic remarks, but it does not really bother me. The crescendo of these weeks of campaign was last night, or rather 4 hours ago. I am glad it came to an end, after nights of returning home at 1am. But most of all, Im glad we have progressed as a country. It is short of the 1980s people power revolution in Philippines, but the people of Aljunied, and most of Singapore, has make ourselves heard. We want a good government, not a dominant one. The fact that the ruling PAP apologises and admitted its mistakes made in the past 3 years, has changed people's perception of our leaders. There were seemed to be faultless, but not anymore.

Im glad that Workers Party managed to win a GRC and 1 SMC to put 6 of them into parliament. I hope this augurs well for us, Singaporeans, as we have matured and we want to be involved in bringing our country forward.

As I write this, the 6am national anthem is showing on TV.

Family Trip

2010-12-17T10:01:00.000-08:00

It was our 2nd, but the furthest yet. The first was when to Bangkok when she was only 4 months old. We skipped those mid-range ones and headed all the way to Copenhagen, then Paris.

It was only 8 days as we were worried that the cold weather would affect Jiaxin. It was snowing in Copenhagen and 0-5 degrees in Paris. In fact, I was not really keen on the trip because of that, but Thao had to go for a conference. The 12 hour flight was tiring, as we hardly slept, trying to make sure she does not make too much noise or went hungry. It was certainly a relieve once we reached the apartment in Copenhagen. Seeing her running around and playing with the owner's iMac was a wonderful moment. We planned our time according to her routine, and cooked for all our meals. It was totally different from our honeymoon or any other trip as a couple. This time, I couldn't help but keep checking if she is warm and comfortable. Previously, we headed out as much as we could. But now, even time spent in the warmed-up apartment are beautiful moments.

It was only then that I realised we had all of her to ourselves and all of ourselves for her. There was no work, no errands, just time with our daughter. We went to Tivoli, 2nd oldest amusement park in the world (opened in 1843), but it was to cold. I hope the pics I took and the musical box we bought for her will remind her of this intimate time we had in Copenhagen and Paris.

Before the trip, she was away from me for a few days and our distance grew apart. You can feel it from babies, quantity is what matters to them, not quality time. Im glad this trip made up for it. We had to be together for a few hours as Thao went for her conference in Copenhagen, and I was afraid that she would not be comforted by Papa's presence, but she turned out fine and we had a really nice afternoon in the apartment.

Paris weather was slightly warmer, but chilly nevertheless. It was a nice city, even better without the crowd. I cooked my first dish, Sichuan duck soup in Paris. It was edible and Im proud of it. I was more a housewife, and Thao a nanny for this trip.

My family only had 1 trip together to Malaysia when I was in Pri 3 I think. Our finances were tight, and that was all we can afford. Still, it meant alot for me. I guess its the only time we can spend days just being together as a family.

Home-cooked meal in Copenhagen

Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen.

Lunch at Printemps rooftop, Paris. Jiaxin got the only junk food which we allowed.

Papa and Mama had a similar pic taken 3 yrs ago during their honeymoon. Jiaxin is sleeping like a baby kangaroo.

Catch Me If You Can

2010-10-04T18:14:00.000-07:00

That's the name of a movie by Leonardo Di Caprio. Did not watch it, but the name is catchy and best depict my current situation. Trying to catch up on readings and can't believe the stacks of paper piling up on my bookshelf. Thought its going to be manageable and squeezed in 3 modules for this semester, now I catching up everyday. The course is interesting though, but to truly enjoy and learn from it, I should take it easy, starting from next sem. For now, this blog has to undergo maintenance work for the next 2 months, and will start writing when exams are over.

Thoughts on Sports

2010-08-15T20:26:00.000-07:00

Skepticism prevents enthusiasm. That is the personal lesson I have learnt now that the Youth Olympics Games has started. Before this opening ceremony, I was one of those who was not too enthusiastic about the coming of the YOG into Singapore, for a few reasons. The inconvenience like traffic delays, longer working hours in covering the games, being the host of a game and producing no winners of our own, post-NDP fatigue etc.

The moment that change all this perception is the lighting up of the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony. Seeing athletes whom I have photographed carrying the torch and running on floating bridges before the beautiful "running-on-water" by World Sailing champion Darren Choy fills me with pride. It was devoid of grandeur, yet creative and beautiful. And most of all, those were my countrymen.

The torch relay that spans across the whole island a week leading up to the Opening could have prepared me for this. Logistically, it was an achievement, and it really brought the spirit of the games to each and every corner of Singapore, and every uncle and auntie sitting at the coffeeshop or hanging out their laundry could have seen or heard the flame passing up. I follwed it for half a day and the story of the 12 yrs old boy chasing the flame for 2.5 hrs and 15km touches our hearts. That was the pure determination and innocence of a child, who does not need motivation in other forms that even professional athletes desire. It was a simple story that carries an undelying message to Singaporean what sports is about.

Sidenote: I have never considered F1 to be a sport. It is a show, of fast cars, and women. Drivers are stars only because we made them out to be. Will they be as good if more people have access to racing cars? How much does it take to form a F1 racing team, as compared to a football team or a pair of running shoes?

I covered the first event of the Games, the girls triathlon. After covering games overseas, its a nice feeling to be wearing the photog vest at home, and I can go home to take a shower right after it ends.

The IOC has decided not have a medal tally, for the YOG to allow sportsmanship and the spirit of sports to prevail. That is a good move, but the media has started to maintain a medal tally of their own.

Being a sportsman myself in my schooldays, I am able to feel the tension, ecstatic, the lump in your throat beside the start of the race, or the goosebumps as the crowd cheered you, while shooting from the sidelines. Sports has benefitted me for life, the sacrifices made and the pain endured prepares you for life's challenges, and I will be supportive if my kids chose to be an athlete. I think Jiaxin is developing well for a runner....but its tough sport. Maybe a fencer will be fine.

There is a tinge of regret for pulling out of the YOG team due to my studies, but the Games will pass, and the next one will come along (not in Singapore though), but an opportunity for an education should not be missed. I will not be involved too much in this one, the most I can do is to catch the highlights every night. Organizing a Games of such scale is not small feat, and we have done it in 2 years. So, bask in the glory while it last.

The Insensitive Media Personnel

2010-06-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

The mood was one of grief and shock. A 24 year old Malay youth, Mohamed Asrul has drowned at the Singapore River. He had been drinking with his buddies at the waterfront next to Central Mall after watching the World Cup. At about 7am, he fell into the water and lost consciousness, 2 of his buddies tried to pull him up but failed, as they were not strong swimmers themselves.

Together with my reporter, we arrived to find his 3 buddies sitting in daze and shock outside the cordon which the police has set up around the body of Asrul. I had to work quickly and sensitively, hence, I tried to keep my distance and take a few shots, rather than fire off randomly. The chinese reporters were already interviewing the 3 buddies and had got most of the info. It is always easier to talk to Malays in such circumstances. I can be sure that if it the group is Chinese, we would get nothing and might get chased away.

A female reporter from the English papers appeared and asked me "is he dead?", "He drown?"
I was trying not to be sarcastic and wished she was using a softer tone considering the fact that we were 15 metres away from the buddies and the dead man. I replied "yes" with a slight smile, thinking what the hell is this young lady doing??? Even if the technique of interviewing was not taught in school, she should have some common sense and sensitivity for things that are right before her eyes. She proceed to join in the "questioning" of the buddies, asking them "Can you tell me what happen?"

She was lucky they were Malays and very accomodating. The have been through enough and were still recovering from the shock of losing a childhood friend right before their eyes only hours before. It would have been better she were to sit beside them and ask tactfully. The other reporters had already backed off, and she was still standing right in from of the buddies asking and writing on her note book. The "questioning" was interrupted more than once by calls from her bosses back in office wanting to know what happened. I know how this works, and it is perfectly alright to ignore the calls and report back later, given the fact that the persons involved in such situation are willing to talk.

Reflecting back on what happened throughout, I was guilty of insensitivity too. I took shots of the buddies without making much eye contact with them. The heart breaking moment was when the 3 buddies have to help wrap of the body of Asrul before the undertaker took him away. They were still drinking and smoking before this moment, and I thought it might be their way of coping with the grief. With tatooed bodies and cigarette still on his lips, the closest friend who tried to save Asrul touch his friend's forehead and cried. I shot, stopped, shot and looked, forcing myself not to hide behind the camera.

We left with what we have gotten soon after the body was taken away. The media has gotten their stories and the only good they might have done is to remind the public of the dangers and probably pressure the authorities to take preventive measure, because Asrul's buddies are accomodating, but they are left with the guilt of failing to save their friend and may have to break the news to his family.

Back to School!

2010-06-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to it in August. I was accepted into the Master of Arts course, Southeast Asian studies at NUS. In fact, the day before I received the good news, I was at the Institute of SE Asian Studies for a job and had this thought that it would be nice to be here, given the nice bookstore and quiet ambience.

Looking forward to it, but not the lack of sleep which Im sure that will happen in the next 2 years. The scholarship did not materialise and I have to do it part-time, classes after work. That also means my baby girl, Jia Xin will be asleep when I get home after classes. Sacrifices have to be made in order to have more options in life, and complacency is the last thing I wish to happen to me.

Results and Reflection

2010-05-17T08:31:00.000-07:00

Still waiting for the results of my application. It should be out this week or next.

I can't wait to get a break from work, that is if I am allowed to go for full time studies. However, the thought of going back to school is quite daunting. I always thought it was much more stressful in University than my current job.

Im not sure if I will enjoy the course, but I definitely need a break from work. Daily assignments has become mundane and Im afraid it will be the start of decline in the quality of my work and the gradual erosion of my passion for photojournalism. I remember messaging my wife during my trip to China 2 months ago, when I have to interview, shoot and write for a story an NGO. I told her that I finally felt like a true photojournalist. I felt truly alive to be doing some "real" work.

An American photographer whom I got to know online went through the same path as I did. He was with a newspaper for 4 years and left to do free-lance work in Vietnam. It was a plunge he took after seeing the his own downfall as a photojournalist once he reached the 4th year. They have to go look for news pictures once in a while to fill up the pages like we do over here, and he realised that he kept going to the same place in the comfort of his car. And disagreements with editors and people who think they know what readers want to see, resulted in his departure from a comfortable news job.

That sounds so similar to my situation. I have given up trying to fight the system. Its not up to me to save the print media, especially the one I work for. One of my superiors at work once said that our paper will never close down, because we are the only mainstream chinese newspaper in Singapore. I was shocked to hear that, and I told myself never to fall into this "switch off" mode.

I need to feel alive everyday at work, that is why I left the engineering job. It certainly helps to work with and around people that feels the same. How much longer can I keep going? I probably can get the job done and get my paycheck every month. But Its a comfort zone which I need to pull myself out of.

Another Chance

2010-04-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

It was a story about prison inmates who was awarded with the Youth Achievement Award, for their reformative efforts in learning and education during their time behind bars. It was my first time in a prison, and all the security checks and emptying of pockets are did not piss me off this time. I had expected to see ex-convicts with bulging muscles and threatening looks after walking through corridor lined with metal fences and passing by numerous prison guards. We were led to a hall where the award ceremony would take place. As I entered, I saw the shaven heads of the inmates, and there was a row of female inmates wearing pyjamas-looking prison clothes. The male inmates looked like army recruits with shaved heads and black-rimmed spectacles. I could not comprehend what they have done previously to cause them to be in jail. The occasional tattooed arm reminded me of the fact that I these are people who have run afoul of the law. All of them looked young, in late teens or twenties. Some looked like they could just be any of my classmates in school.

I was eager to hear their stories when we got to interview them after the boring award ceremony. I tried to make interesting pictures given the constraint that no faces should be visible. It was tough, but gave the task an added challenge. I treat it as an excuse to try out-of-the-norm angles.

The 2 guys we interviewed could be the best examples of bad-turned-good the prison authorities found for us. I was a little skeptical initially, but I sat down to listen as they got interviewed. Both were imprisoned 5-6 years for drug trafficking and possession. Both were in their late teens when imprisoned and managed to retake their O Levels in prison. They spoke good English, smiled and talked gently and patiently. Was it a character developed out of years in a cell, when one reflect on one's action? One of them even had his mother sit through the interview with us. The sad fact is that both came from broken families, with divorced parents.

They did not look a single bit like criminals. They looked and behaved like JC students who had shaven their heads in preparation for NS. The difference between myself and them is that while I spent my early twenties, which are among the best years of my life in University, where I pursue my passion and knew my wife, both of them were in prison.

They were deeply affected by their family situation and took the wrong step. If it was heroin instead of ice or ecstasy, they would not be around now. I thought they were unlucky to spent the best years in prison, but fortunate too, to be given another chance, to live and to lead a better life.

One will be released in a month's time. He intends to apply for a diploma course, having completed his O levels in prison. I do not think that either will commit the same mistake again, as they have too much to lose now. I wondered how many more young lives have been destroyed by drugs and crime.

They were lucky to be young offenders in Singapore, where there is a prison school for them to pursue their studies and learn new skills while serving time. Still, the 5 or 6 years of youth was lost and they may not be given equal opportunities in society again.

As a parent, I have seen for myself the long-term effects of our actions on the child.

Inmates waiting in line to receive their award from the Minister of Education.

Photo-Story: Ziyang City (Chengdu, China)

2010-04-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

It was almost midnight by the time we arrived in Chengdu for the last leg of the trip. The local Lien Aid staff, Yang Peng fetched us from the airport. It felt abit weird to be sitting in a luxurious car travelling on the wide boulevard in the city centre and checked in at a comfortable hotel. Later, I learned that Yang Peng borrowed the car and the hotel was not too ex. As a journalist travelling on stories about the rural peasants, I did not expect to have such luxury. But it was because a donor for the projects in Chengdu was travelling with us and the project that we are visiting the next day is different from the previous ones.
A Mr Khoo donated more than S$300,000 for the construction of new toilets for 5 schools in Ziyang City. The 2 schools that we visited had a opening ceremony for Mr Khoo where local government officials and media are invited. As a low-profile individual, Mr Khoo was willing to chat, but declined to be interviewed or quoted. I was told not to reveal my identity as a foreign journalist, and to say that I was a Lien Aid staff, as there was no approval for foreign journalist to cover this story and the restriction on foreign media arose from the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, during which there were bad press on the government relief efforts from foreign media. It was rather shocking to learn that the restrictions were still in place and even for a NGO community service project. I did not expect to gather much information or take many pictures from a official setting and hence would have no problem behaving like a Lien Aid staff. In fact, the story from this last leg is just not strong enough to make it the main piece.
We were welcomed by rows of children shouting "欢迎,欢迎,热烈欢迎"(Warmly welcome) in unison. I could see that even Mr Khoo was not used to the VIP reception. The ceremony followed a strict sequence of events, from speech to presenting of flowers and donated books. Frankly, all I had in mind was a photo-story of the first 2 villages we visited, and I just could not figure out how this is going to fit into the story. Plus the restriction placed on me was not very encouraging. I thought this "hidden identity" thing was not necessary if clarifications were made to the local officials prior to our visit. What damage could a journalist with no hidden agenda do on such "official" opening ceremonies? I was told not to give away namecards during lunch even though I was seated with the local media.
All was well and good during the 1st school that we visited. I just wondered around, taking unofficial shots for Lien Aid, and checking out the condition of a typical rural school. To make it a worthwhile trip, I asked for some quotes from teachers and students. At the 1st school, I had to bring them to a corner to ask my questions, whereas at the 2nd school, I was discovered by the official and a Lien Aid staff had to shield me from their view. Fortunately, these restrictions were non-existent in the villages, where I got the strongest stories.

The last night in Chengdu was spent eating the tongue-numbing Mala steamboat and foot massages. Luxuries before slogging to get the stories out in a few days. That was quite a feat given my limited ability in written chinese. I managed to finish half the story in 3 hours at the SPH library and it was published on a Sunday edition. Not too happy with the layout and size of photos though. I hope this will be the start of more such social stories to come. Even though the time spent on each place is short, I felt that I was doing what drew me into photojournalism years ago. Daily mundane jobs has taken its toil on the passion that I had, and Its refreshing to be able to feel it once again.

The toilet built by Lien Aid and funded by a Singaporean donor.

Primary school students at Ci Xiang Pri Sch (慈祥小学).

Students at Feng Yu Jiu Yi School (丰裕九义校) checking out the Chinese dictionaries donated to their school.

Students at Feng Yu Jiu Yi School (丰裕九义校) getting ready to present flowers to the Singaporean donor and guests.

Photo-Story: Man Bing village, Xishuangbanna Prefecture (Yunnan Province, China)

2010-03-31T01:02:00.000-07:00

One of Ken's contact, an elderly man with a beat-up van (the locals call it 面包车 too!) drove us to Kunming airport for our flight to Xishuangbanna where the 2nd story awaits. 7am in the morning, light traffic with motorist on electric bikes can be seen zooming through the early morning fog and cool air. We waited at KFC for Zhao Bin, at the same time eating the KFC version of porridge and sandwich for breakfast. There is even a You Tiao to go along. We chatted along thinking that Zhao Bin would come and look for us as agreed. It turned out that he had already checked in. We were rushing and queue-cutting to check in at 8:50am for our 9:10am flight. I was ready to spend a few more hours at the airport for the next flight when we were told that the flight has been delayed. Luck was on our side. They even served breakfast at the boarding area due to the delay. It was noodles served SAF-style in big pots. I would have tried it if not for the hearty KFC breakfast.

Xishuangbanna is located down South near to the border with Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. Weather was warm, but comfortable and the landscape resembled Mekong Delta in Vietnam. Lush greenery with banana and rubber plantations on both side of the dirt track as we took a 1.5 hrs ride on the formidable 4x4 vehicle. It took us through the bumpy tracks with ease, but at great discomfort to the 3 of us, the deputy county chief 副乡长 and a driver. The Lancang river was on our left as we travelled on the edge of a slope. It is the upper stream to the Mekong River and the water level was only at a third of its usual level due to the on-going drought in Yunnan which was a one in a century occurrence. We could see the river bed and boats that were said to ply the river all the way to Thailand were stucked at the river bed.

The water level in Lancang River has dropped to one-third of the normal level during the prolong drought.

The village, Man Bing 曼丙村 belongs to the Tai minority group. Their dialect sounds like Thai and even their traditional dress resembles Thai costumes. It was a newly-built village amidst mountains ranges and flanked by the Lancang river. Due to the rising water levels (during wet season) caused by the dams, the whole village was moved further up the hills. The government provided for basic infrastructure, while villages paid for their new homes. Richer ones built concrete houses while poorer ones used wood. But every single house looked like a village communal hall with its oversized structure and stilt support. It was obvious that the villagers were not as poor as those in Tang Zi Jiao village.

View from the hill overlooking the newly-built village.

The area is blessed with fertile land and abundant water source. Though I was told that water from the Lancang river is not potable due to contamination. But the villagers are able to get their water from the mountains. This is also what the story is about.

For years or even decades, the Tai people had been drinking water with high Calcium Oxide content absorbed from the soil. Its a natural cause, not due to man-made contamination. Hence, the villagers had no clue at all, until staff from the local water resources department and Lien Aid found out about the high number of villagers that suffered from kidney stones or bladder infection, and one had died from such illnesses. An obvious sign of the contaminated water, which villagers were not aware of was the thick layer of deposit that formed on the bottom of their kettles.

I got to interview the village chief, and a 42 yr old man 波温朋 who had an operation 17 yrs ago for bladder infection. Communication was a problem with the village chief, but the deputy county chief, Lu Chun 陆春 was the translator, though I realised that he was making alot of comments of his own. But I did get some hard facts from him, like the 6 other villages that are still using the water with high Calcium Oxide content. Can you imagine drinking the water that you know will cause harm to your health in the years to come? They did not have a choice as Lu mentioned that the County's priorities are on infrastructure and education. Without Lien Aid, there will not be enough funds to explore and channel clean water sources from higher up the mountains. Man Bin village new water source is 3.3km from the village.

42 yr old man 波温朋(left), a grandfather, with his family in their new wooden stilt house.

波温朋with the new tap that supplies clean drinking water from a source 3.3km. The RMB 25,000 cost of providing water taps to each of the 43 houses is jointly funded by the governement and Lien Aid.

Time was running short, and I had to get the pictures too. It was tough getting both text and pics in such a short time, as I realised information usually come out from conversation, not 1-to-1 interviews, and good pictures don't come by in minutes. Most of my shots were posed, as much as I didn't want it to.

On the way back, my attention was on Lu Chun. As the deputy county chief, he seems to be a busy man. He has not had a day off for the last 2 months, mainly due to the frequent forest fires that threatened to burn down the peasants' livelihood. His office was spartan, and I guess he spent more time driving around in his 4x4s to the villages under his charge than in his office. I was impressed with how hard officials like him work on the ground. Over dinner, I learned that he is not a university graduate and has been working with the county department for more than a decade. Probably one of the few officials who really understand the needs of the peasants. There was no time to chat more and to finish the local cuisine, which resembles Thai food, as we had to catch 2 domestic flights to get to Chengdu.

One thing which irked me during my 2 days in China is the amount of food wasted every meal. Zhao Bin mentioned that it was a way to show that one has been a good host in local context.

Photo-Story: Tang Zi Jiao Village, Kai Yuan City (Yunnan Province, China)

2010-03-21T07:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, it in the papers today. The photo-story which I wrote for the trip with Lien Aid last week. Was supposed to a out in 2 separate installments, but was told to complete it for 1 article. I had an afternoon to finish the last half and spent 3.5 hrs sitting in the library writing. Can't remember when was the last time I sat down and wrote for hours.

I shall split the stories into a few parts. The first village that I went to is also the poorest that I have seen. We set off early from Kunming after touching down the night before. Morning drive in the back streets of Kunming looking for bread was quite nice, cold weather with slight fog and the working class getting to work on their electric sccoters. It was not long before we hit the highway, and begin the long drive south-east. Our guide was a local Lien Aid staff, Zhao Bin. A pleasant guy who has no temper and totally committed to his work. Ken was the staff from Lien Aid and was with me throughout the whole trip. A 40 yr old guy running his own business and volunteering for Lien Aid. He is a humble guy and tried to show me as much of Kunming as he could in that 2 hrs of free time we had at night. It was supposed to be a 4 hrs drive to Tang Zi Jiao village 塘子脚村, but the endless stream of heavy trucks that plied the main highway to Vietnam made the drive tiring and harrowing at times for Zhao Bin. We stopped for toilet break and that was my 1st experience with the 50 cents public toilet in China. Try it just to get a feel of how bad it is, and you will remember it for life.

The accidents and vehicles breaking down along the way made our journey last 6 hours. The mud tracks during the last part of the journey was passable only because of the drought. Tang Zi Jiao would be inaccessible by car during the rainy season. It was dirt and dried-up fields along the way. Later, I learned that Yunnan Province is currently having the worst drought in 100 years.

Tang Zi Jiao is a village of the Miao tribe. They have moved to their current location more than 20 years ago, in search of arable land. They are not considered permanent settlers by the government, hence there is no basic infrastrature for them. A power line bypassed the village 1km away. To have power, the villagers will have to come up with RMB 100,000 (about S$20,000)

From afar, Tang Zi Jiao seemed to be made up of pockets of mud huts with straw roof and a few brick houses. The colour of the houses made it blend in with the mud-brown earth and yellow dried grass. It is not hard to imagine that water is a treasured currency. I walked the last hundred metres to the village and took some shots of the village to put it in perspective with the mountains surrounding it. 2 kids were walking past me, and I wondered where they are going. The nearest water source is 3 km away and the nearest town is 6km. Most of the children could not speak Chinese, and only 5 out of the 30 plus go to school. Some gave up after awhile due to the long walk they have to make everyday starting at 4am and reaching home only at 9pm.

There were livestocks running around and a small windmill which seems to be a rotary blade from an old aircraft. There was no water or electricity in Tang Zi Jiao, only low-yield crops like corn and peanuts can grow out of this dry mountains. Rain comes only from Apr to May every year. Therefore, Lien Aid donated close to S$20,000 for the construction of 2 water tanks to store water as it trickles down from the mountains. The men in Tang Zi Jiao helped in the construction. It is part of Lien Aid's objective to get villages involved in the projects to create a sense of ownership for the infrastructure built. I interviewd the village chief and 2 other men in one of their mud huts. The owner was smoking through a water pipe and little chicks were walking round my voice recorder. You can experience the setting just by listening to the voice memo. I had about 2.5 hrs to interview and take pictures before we have to head back to Kunming. The last 30 minutes were spent in the chief's house, drinking their beer and eating their specially-made dishes. I thought the chicken and beef on the table was not a daily treat. Ken and I tried so hard to eat as little as we could, giving the advance warning by Zhao Bin. He was worried we would have stomach upset and hence the bread for the trip. He was taking a well-deserved rest in his car as we dined with the men. They were all chain smokers, and I have to reject the offer of cigarette 3 times while taking small sips of beer everytime they offered a toast. I felt privileged though, in having a chance to eat with the peasants, and catch a glimpse of their life, if its only for 30 minutes.

塘子脚村坐落在云南的偏僻山区，村里没电和水源。在旱季时，远远望过去的村子和枯草、土地染成一色。

居住在云南山区的少数民族，村里没水和电源。塘子脚村的这位女孩得走3公里的路到最近的水源。尽管没过滤的水有多肮脏，小孩还是拿上就喝。

11岁的杨全英没上过学校，家里只用电池来点亮一盏灯泡。有了水源，村民希望将来村里能有一所学校，好让孩子们识字，也是脱贫的第一步。

30 years old Luo Bao Ling 罗保林 with his family in their mud huts (another daughter not in picture).

11 years old Yang Quanyin 杨全英 with her playmates.

The village chief is about to give one of the many toasts 敬酒.

A closer look at China

2010-03-17T01:08:00.000-07:00

Arrived back in Singapore on Sunday after a whirlwind 5 days trip to 2 villages and 2 schools in Kunming, Xishuangbanna and Chengu, China. It was as trip sponsored by Lien Aid, a Singapore-based NGO which provides clean water and sanitation for remote villages and hospitals in China and SE Asia region.

My first and only visit to China so far was the Paralympics in Beijing in 2008. I was always hesitant in telling people that I have been to China as that trip was all about work. I only ventured out of the Olympics area for 3 hours. And I guess the city was not what it really is during that period of time.

This time, I get to see how the rural people lives, even if its only for 2-3 hrs before we have to be on the road back to the city. Getting interviews done and pictures taken within that short span of time is challenging indeed. I enjoyed the 5 days there as it offered me an otherwise impossible way of seeing the country, even if its a backpacking trip.

This pic is sort of a teaser, for the stories to come. For now, Im cracking my head, trying to retrieve the Chinese vocab which has been stashed away since TJC days. How did I get A1 for Chinese that time??? I am writing a picture story for this Sunday and a feature story for next Sunday's Zaobao. Hope it works out.

Villagers outside the 丰裕九义校

Another Year. Same lovely routine.

2010-02-14T07:45:00.000-08:00

I love going to CNY eve flower market after reunion dinner with my family, just to be in the mood for CNY, without having to push and shove at Chinatown. Now that its so near my place, Isabelle will be part of this from next year.

Girl in Dire Straits

2010-02-08T08:11:00.000-08:00

I just finished my a 4 hour "marathon" assignment and was rushing for the next one when a chinese girl approaches me at Ang Mo Kio Central. She went on and on about her plight, and asked me if I understood her Chinese every now and then. From her distorted speech, I could figure out that she was asking for money. She looked young, dressed in an old t-shirt, bermudas and slippers. I could see that there are scars on her legs. They way she speak is not normal, and I suspect she may have some mental problems.

She has to feed her 3 siblings, and is looking for a waitress job. Her parents are separated and they are living alone in a rented place. She mentioned something about her illness which I could not hear. I offered $5, but she asked for $8 to buy a meal for her siblings. I obliged thinking that it must have been hard on the 28 years old girl, to come out and beg for money to feed her siblings. She kept saying that she will try to return me the money. Up till now, I was still abit doubtful, and probably caught by surprise.

As she walked away, I followed her, and thought that a few dollars could barely last them through a day. She seemed to be hurrying towards somewhere, to buy food for her siblings I guess. I called out to her:

"Where do you stay"?
(girl) "Its a rented place".
"Can I visit"?
(girl) "My 2 brothers and sister are studying, and I don't want them to know that Im doing this outside".
"Did you go to school"?
(girl) "No, Im Malaysian, I stopped at Primary Sch"
"Where are your parents and relatives"?
(girl) "They are in Malaysia, my parents are separated"
"Do you have a contact number"?
(girl) "No, my line has been cut off"
"How can I contact you"?
(girl) "You can give me your number, I will call you, and I won't call to disturb"

I wrote down my name as Mr Seah and mobile number on a piece of paper.

(girl) "Can you write in Chinese"?, "I cant read English".

I wrote down my Chinese name as asked her if she can read it. Not many people can read the character in my chinese name, and she read it with ease. I believed she is Malaysian and chinese educated.

(girl) "What do you work as?", "Can you find me a waitress job?", "I have experience"
"I don't know anyone who can hire you, but I can ask around".
(girl) "Can I call you in a few days to check?"
"Im not sure if I can get you a job so soon"
(girl) "Ok, I will call you after Chinese New Year"
(girl) "Thank you, I will try to return you the money"
"Its ok, go ahead and buy food for your siblings."

I gave her some more money and left her my mobile number. thinking that if this is really a family in such desperate situation, I can definitely do more than a few dollars. I almost believe what she said, until I saw her asking for money for 2 other men near the place where she approached me as I drove off.

TIll now, Im not sure if she is telling the truth. She definitely sounded like she wanted to get a job, and I hope she does. Maybe her weird behaviour comes from the hard-reality of having to ask for money from strangers to feed her brothers and sisters. Maybe this is her first time doing this, and she might as well ask as much as she could, so that she does not have to do this anytime soon.

Do you believe her?

Children with Cancer

2010-01-08T20:02:00.000-08:00

I heard about the story from Thao. Its a good story, and I wanted to take a look.

Her primary school teacher has been teaching at the Ho Chi Minh City Cancer Hospital children's ward twice a week. It is a project started by the local daily newspaper, Tuoi Tre (Youth Daily). 4 volunteer teachers and some youth volunteers have been teaching the children at this over-crowded hospital every Fri to Sun. The kids do not go to school, some have come from other province to South Vietnam's only hospital for cancer treatment. With accompanying family members, they stayed in the hospital for unknown periods of time, either till their condition stabilizes or till they pass away.

We were late in meeting up with Thao's teacher as we went to buy some stationary for the children, hence, we made our way to the hospital on our own. What greeted us outside the hospital was something like a preview of what we were to see. Sick elderly sat on the dusty roadside, amidst the suffocating fumes and never-ending flow of traffic in the hot afternoon heat. In the hospital grounds, patients sat on benches outdoors, waiting for their consultation or medicine. Families lay on straw mats at any corners they can find. It appears that some have been there for a long time, weeks or even months.

Thao's grandmother stayed in this hospital when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. I heard that 2 patients have to share a bed, and with the offer of cash, a single bed can be arranged. This is a government hospital, hence, staff are lowly-paid health care civil servants.

Today I got to see it for myself. To find the children's ward, we walked through the adult's ward. Each ward is no bigger than 5x5m and has about 4 beds. I could not see exactly how many beds there were as every single ward is filled with people. They were not visitors, but family members who came from faraway provinces and stayed at the hospital grounds. I saw 2 family members sleeping under a bed. The condition is appalling.

We could hear children crying as we were reaching our destination. I smiled as the sound is so similar to my daughter's cry. The smile soon disappeared as the sight of sick children on drips, many with bald heads due to chemotherapy appeared . It was heart-breaking. The ward is filled to the doors with patients and family members. Sick children lay on the thighs of their mothers as the IV drip hangs beside, piercing their little hands and sustaining their lives. Some were crying, others lay silently.

We reached a room which serves as a classroom for today. It was spacious and stocked with books. On others days, classes are held in the crowded wards. Any child can come and learn from the volunteers. We saw a few walked in with their backpacks, wearing a shy smile on their faces. They sat down on any space they can find on the table and started learning. At first, I could not determine whether they were boy or girl as most were bald. I noticed a kid, who is very serious with his work and attentive, and took pictures of him and he wrote on his notebook. I was told he is one of the most hardworking kid. His name is Phi Thuong (Its mean extraordinary in Chinese). 9 years old and he came from the southern-most province of Ca Mau with his mother. He has blood cancer and has been at the hospital for 2 years.

I did not want to ask more about his illness, as he seemed to be happy learning. Through Thao, I asked what is his ambition. His reply, "to be cured". This answer brought me to my senses. They are kids stricken with cancer, 6 of them has passed away since the teaching program started in Sep 2009. What else do I think they hope for?

As we left, Thao said to me "That girl was very cute". Her voice was shaky. I could see she was controlling her emotions. Throughout the shoot, looking at their attentive faces through the viewfinder, I have forgotten that each of them has been given a severe or even death sentence, at such a young age. They seem so ordinary, so keen and enthusiastic. But their only wish is to be given another chance to live.

62 year old Nguyen Thi Sam teaching the children Vietnamese.

9 year old Phi Thuong has been staying at the hospital for the last 2 years. His only wish is to be cured of Leukemia (blood cancer).

A girl sits alone, engrossed in a comic book. Chemotherapy results in the loss of hair.

Mothers accompany their sick child as they seek treatment in one of the most crowded hospital in the city.

A boy looks at the on-going class from the chidren's ward corridor

Social News

2009-12-21T08:49:00.000-08:00

Another job where I got to see and hear the real world. Not one but 2 in a day. This is what I consider the one of the perks of the job.

The Chinese Development & Assistance Council had a 2 day event for its members where free school bags and vouchers were given out to needy families to prepare the kids for the new school term. It was a carnival-like event with games, food, free hair-cut for kids, 2nd hand books for free etc. I did not expect the turnout to be so overwhelming. According to the press release, they hoped to give away the school bags to 9000 children and a family pack of basic necessities to about 4500 famiiles. From what I saw, they would have no problem surpassing that beneficiary figure.

A long queue was formed for the collection of free school bags and vouchers. I decided to "forgo" the VIP his offering of "photo opportunity" and stay put at where I thought the main story was, the collection point. I wanted to get a picture of kids turning around after they got their school bags with a big grin on their faces. Initially, as I lifted up my camera. I could see 1 or 2 parent turning away. This always happen, and I could understand that behaviour this time. Other that that, most did not seem to mind. I got my picture, but at the same time saw dozens of families walking past me. These are the Singaporeans which I can identify with.

Im not sure if some need the freebies given out as they showed no emotion after collecting it. But it sure made the children happy. The efforts by CDAC is definitely praise-worthy and the idea of giving out such gifts for children to go to school is a good initiative. Maybe it was my own preconception that Singaporeans are generally living a comfortable life that still makes it hard to take in the huge turnout right in front of my eyes. The other events later in the day knock some sense into my misconception.

I saw a 4 yr old girl with her mother and 11 yr old brother sifting through the used books. They are entitled to 2 books per coupon. The little girl caught my eye, with the way she held up the book she chose as though it was a brand new carton book right off the bookshelf. It touches my heart. A child does not differentiate between used and new.

4 yr old 林丽君 picks a 2nd-hand book. Together with her mother and 11 yr old brother, they got to take their pick of 6 books from the collection organised by NEA and CDAC.

I tried to talk to her mother to get their names. She could not write down their chinese names for me and showed my her IC. And she did not mind that I took their picture under such circumstances.

Soon after, I was eating at a foodcourt nearby, and a family of 3 kids and Mother sat down beside me. The eldest boy is a smart chap. Barely 11 years old, he went to buy food for the whole family. The 2nd daughter was helping her 3 yr old sister eat. She is about 10 yrs old. She ask her mum if she could buy a drink from the fast food outlet next door. Her mum said its too expensive at $1.50, the one at supermarket only cost 70 cents. The kids did not buy any drink from the foodcourt either, they ask for soup for their chicken rice. They were holding the free school bags from CDAC.

The next job was about parents who does not have the means to teach their 6 yr olds, who are progressing slower in Kindergarten. The weekly programme is provided free to teach the kids, together with their parents literary and numeracy before they go to Primary 1. They are from low-income families. One family of 4 which we interviewed have a monthly household income of $1800.

My job allows me to meet the rich and famous, and see how they live their lives. It could be an interview with a tycoon in the bungalow, followed by a house visit to a poor family later in the day. Most of the time, its the rich and famous that makes the news. Its sad but it is what I have come to realise. Once in a while, covering stories of people whom i can relate to brings back the emotions required to take "real" pictures, pictures which revealed what I saw and felt.

Just today, I was covering a press conference held by the company who is building our Marina Bay Sands. I have no objections against boosting our economy with such mega projects, but please don't package a social ill into a way of life. Gaming and Gambling are 2 different definitions used to define such social ills, depending on how you see it.

Aging

2009-12-05T08:34:00.000-08:00

This has always been a favourite subject of mine, in photographic projects. I did a photo story on a home for the elderly for my Photojournalism module in NTU, and I like talking to old folks, not those grumpy ones of course.

3 incidents, 2 of which happened in a day set me thinking about what I will be doing 20 years later.

I covered the story of a job fair for the elderly on a Saturday afternoon. It was organized for those above 50 years old. The turnout of over 500 in 4 hours was more than expected. I was among the aunties and uncles as they looked through the list of jobs on the board and enquired about the qualifications required. Types of jobs offered are mostly cleaning, security, fastfood outlets, hotel chambermaids. Not much of prestige, but Im glad there are such jobs left for our elderly.

20 years on, a job as a security guard might not seem as bad as it is now. I can see how expectations and one's arrogance can change with age. But that was not the case for a few. I overheard a man in his 50s saying to a staff who tried to help him on his job search, "I was a supervisor, do yo have any supervisory job?" The staff was patient and asked what type of job does he do as a supervisor?

I respect those who came and tried to find a job. I hope to be able to do that when my time comes.

The 2nd and 3rd incidents were more heart-wrenching. I just finished a job at Chinatown and was walking to the carpark when I saw that an old man has defecated in his pants. He was holding onto a piece of newspaper and trying to clean the floor and himself as he walked away. I watched him from a distance, and he seemed to be senile but knows what he should be doing. The packet of tissue in my pocket won't help much. He walked away along the backlane, trying to find a washing spot. All I could do was to try observe from a distance so that he would not feel embarrassed. I guess he must be feeling unwell.

The last incident happened about an hour later. I was buying food at a foodcourt when the cashier suddenly looked behind me in shock. I turned around to see an elderly man lying on the floor. He passed out for a moment and by the time a few of us around helped him to his seat, he had regained consciousness. The security was quick to take over the situation and called for medical help. The old man seems ok, he was alone this time, but I hope there will be others around should it happen again.

I thought about all 3 incidents together and how they are linked.

U there?

2009-12-01T08:40:00.000-08:00

Great. I was told that there is at least one other person out there reading my blog besides my wife. I had thought of stopping this ECA, but Thao told me not to. Probably because its a way for her to read things which I don't tell her in detail.

XL, thanks for taking the time to read. I shall keep writing... once in a while.

Going Overseas

2009-11-20T10:12:00.000-08:00

I was on a short Tiger Airways flight back to Singapore last evening, and as usual, I could not sleep much on such short flights.

A young Vietnamese lady seated next to me appears to be feeling the effects of motion sickness. She woke up once in a while to talk to her "friends" seated behind us. I noticed that there were 2 more Singaporean guys with this groups of 3 Vietnamese girls, and the fact that they were seated separately and only spoke a sentence with one of the girls who can speak Mandarin caused me to be suspicious.

I have seen enough of girls on such flights coming over for the maximum of a month stay, to work in one of the pubs In Geylang or Joo Chiat. Me and my wife used to frequent Joo Chiat for the Vietnamese food and you could definitely see and hear alot of the on-goings at the coffeshop. She met a Vietnamese girl who managed to escape from one of such pubs during her part-time job at the airport. We ended up spending the whole night trying to arrange for the girl's flight home and make sure she was safe at the airport. She was promised a job as a waitress, but was told to wear skimpy clothes and entertain patrons at a pub.

It was obvious that the girl seated next to me was on her first flight. She was pretty excited and kept looking over my shoulders at the lights as we flew over Johor. I am not sure if she knew what she was getting into. The flickering lights from the aircraft could turned into the glitzy night club lights for her soon. Her "friend" sounded more uninterested in the view from the window, and I assumed they have been on such trips before. I couldn't help but told the girl beside my that we were flying over Malaysia and have not reached Singapore in Vietnamese. We spoke a few sentences with my limited Vietnamese, and I asked "you going to Singapore for work?"

She appeared to think for a second before replying "for a month of holiday".

Her child-like excitement and her hesitation before answering me are contradictory to me.

As we disembarked, one of the young guys with them was speaking on his phone. From a few seats away, I could hear "I get less than a hundred dollars commission".

So I was right in my assumptions.

Together with my wife, we have provided the sad story of the girl we helped to the newspaper that I worked for and it was published. I hate to see the same thing happening to this girl, but I was not sure if she knew what awaits her on her first overseas trip.

I observed the group as the tried to clear immigration. They failed and I could see the 2 guys trying to argue with the officers, but in vain. I am sure the immigration officers knew about this type of activities.

I breathed a sign of relief, for the girl seated next to me. But it might well be the first of their attempt, and there is nothing I could do to stop it. The girls have learnt to dress decently to avoid immigration officers from questioning them, and now, there are even per trip "boyfriends" to bring them in.

I would not care if they know what they are here for, but it saddens me and my wife to know that we could only help one of hundreds of such victims.

The 3 girls being detained at the immigration.

Gift of My Life

2009-09-27T08:46:00.000-07:00

She arrived 2 weeks earlier than expected. I was unprepared, thinking that we have got 2 more weeks to go for movies and coffee. In fact, we were watching the documentary "War Dance" a few hours before the first signs of labour. At least, Isabelle gave us a last night out together before she came into our lives.

She was borne on 18 Sep 2009 at 12:53pm. Thao went through labour without painkillers, and Im very proud of her for that. She does not want any side effects caused by painkillers on our girl. I was with her throughout and the most I can do is to stay by her side and encourage her with every push. The contractions throughout the night has worn her down, but I know she would not give in easily. The doctor has to break the water bag as the contraction and dilation is taking too long. The last stage of labour was excruciating from her facial expression. She did not scream nor shout, but the wriggling of her body shows it all. I was standing beside the contraction monitor, and every time the number rises to more than 30, I gave her the gas, which seems to do little to reduce the pain, but that is all that she allows herself to take in. She is a heroine.

There were 3 nurses present, and I could see that they are getting ready for the last stage, with the surgery equipment. THe most senior midwife asked me to take a look at our baby's head, which is almost out. I was shocked at the sight of it, and almost could not believe that our little one was right there in front of me. I was afraid Thao will be too exhuasted to make the last push, hence, I keep saying "breath in and pushhhh". I did not see Isabelle came out, and only realised that she was borned when Thao shouted at me to take photographs. I thought about the photos earlier, but decided that it was more important to encourage her than go snapping away. I sprung into action, and could not take my eyes of Isabelle as she was weighed, wrapped and laid down on the plastic bed for newborns. Her eyes were big and bright, looking left and right. I guess she was already hearing the sounds despite being unable to see yet like all newborns. The pain was not over yet for Thao and the placenta was delivered and stiches had to be done. So I prance back and forth, making sure Thao was ok and alert, and admiring my daughter.

It was all very real and clear to me. I am glad we had a healthy baby and Thao had a smooth delivery. Isabelle is quite a charmer, and has already charmed some friends with her photos on facebook with her big eyes. I think she is starting to look alot llike me from a certain angle. I cant stop staring at her every day when i get home from work, and misses her at work. There is a saying that a daughter is your mistress in the previous life, maybe that is true. I have fallen in love with her, for she is the greatest gift that Thao can give me.

Isabelle minutes afer she was borned.

Irony

2009-08-23T06:34:00.000-07:00

I was at Suntec Convention centre yesterday to cover the Investment Fair 2009. A rather boring assignment, which only require face-cuts of financial analyst. I was greeted by sales staff holding brochures of the latest investment opportunities, and double up my speed so that I don't have to say "no thanks" too many times. If I have the means, I will probably take a look, but luckily, nobody stop me in my tracks, probably because of the camera dangling on my shoulders, which seem to announce that Im here for work, not to browse.

This has got to be the most boring fair I have been to, because I have zero investment knowledge. But the figures and graphs shown on projector screens and ken investors listening to the sales staff talk about the latest opportunities provided some interesting shots. I didn't stay there for too long, as people with money in their pockets and looking for ways to make more of it doesn't interest me. I was told there is a job and career fair going on at the adjacent hall. Hopped over and realised that its not open to the masses yet, hence, no long queues, but there were people walking in with print-outs, which I assumed could be their resume, and looking for a job. This is when I start to see the irony of having 2 very different fairs next to each other. I thought, its either here or there, or if Im here, I shouldn't be there. I guess you wouldn't see the obvious if you did not take a step back and look from afar, as well as take a look from the inside.

As a media representative, I was given a goodie bag. From past experience, goodie bags from business and financial events reall do have goodies inside. I was not wrong this time.

To sum it all up, I was in the lift on the way to the carpark with a middle-aged man who was pushing a trolley, and he looks like a delivery man. An elderly man with a white hair and nice crisp shirt and pants enter at the last moment, holding some brochures. He thanks the deliveryman for holding the door, then there was a moment of silence.

Deliveryman commented with a smug smile "You go to Invest fair ah, not job fair?"

Elderly man replied "The job fair is open? I thought it starts from 1pm"

Deliveryman said "Yes, on the 4th floor, I just came from there".

Then there was silence.

I thought elderly man was too old to be going for a job and career fair. Deliveryman should give him a break. But I thought deliveryman was observant. Perhaps, some things can be more obvious, depending on which side you are looking from, or whether you are an outsider looking in.

How Will I Fare?

2009-08-16T08:11:00.000-07:00

She is growing very fast now. I believe her kicks can topple a coin placed on Thao's belly. From a small peanut-sized foetus to a 33 weeks baby in the womb, its amazing how fast she has grown. With less than 2 months before Isabelle is borne, I start to ask myself how good a father I will be. She will need almost 100% of our time and attention, and more than 100% of our love and care. "Life will never be the same again."

With that saying in mind, we begin to treasure the precious time we have together, just the 2 of us. Gone were the days of backpacking across 7 cities in 2 weeks and the long and memorable walk down Champs Elysees after 4 hours in Louvre, and the feel of my first European breeze as I step out of the metro in Berlin Zinnowitzer Strasse Station. We had our fun and memories from these budget travels, and was lucky not to get mugged throughout. We probably look like penniless students with backpacks and jeans.

A year later, we are becoming parents. Thats quite daunting if I think about it, but for now, I cant help buying more toys and clothes for my girl. At 2.4 kg and 34 weeks old, Im afraid she will be a tough little girl to deliver.

Isabelle at 34 weeks. Chubby with pouty lips....doesn't look like us...strange.

Thao enjoying the sea breeze while I shoot an assignment at Pasir Ris beach.
PS: Don't swim there, the water there contains high levels of bacteria...that's what my assignment is about.

Status Update

2009-07-31T06:32:00.000-07:00

It has been about her and will be about her mostly. My girl who will be born in 2 months time. It has come to a point that the wife is complaining that she is being demoted, even before Isabelle is born.

Thao is coping extremely well so far, being her usual cheerful mood most of the time even as Isabelle creates havoc inside with her kicks and punches throughout the day. I hope Isabelle will inherit this character of hers.

I had my share of disappointment and temper outbreak last week when I got news that my Masters application is unsuccessful. I guess its because I experienced few setbacks in life so far. That has to be brought under control once Isabelle is around. Thao bore the brunt of my short fuse, and got me out of that mode in no time. I heeded her advice and will try another programme next year.

After 3 years shooting for a local paper, the mundane and effort-wasting jobs just got to me. My passion for photography is not lost, and I hate to fall into the comfort zone. Put it simply, Im not at a crossroad, instead, Im looking for the direction that will lead me to the highway.

For now, I will keep trying to further my studies and anticipate anxiously for the arrival of our child. The cot is still in the box and the stroller is still unfixed. Can't wait to get my hands on them and let our girl warm the bed, or even wet it.

Update at 27-28 weeks

2009-06-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

She is kicking around real hard now. 3 more months to go and my baby girl will be born. Her name is Isabelle, the chinese name will come soon. Mum is still healthy and able to move around with ease, but slower than she used to be, which is something that I still could not get used to. Skin irritation and sleep disturbance are setting in on the last trimester. I guess that is normal. Its amazing how Isabelle can respond to my voice and touch at this time with the occasional kick and punch inside mum.

Mum and baby enjoy their weekly swim. Thanks to my cousin and auntie, both of whom stay at the same condominium near my place.

My face will be blocked soon.

Farewell Ah Der

2009-05-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

You left us all of a sudden, and I regret not keeping in touch with you more frequently. You were a childhood playmate, a leader of our gang of siblings and cousins, whose turf was at Blk 112 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4. We ran the whole block in our game of hide-and seek, and we did so bare-footed. We cheated while counting down from 100 to 0 as the rest ran away to hide. We hid outside the rubbish chute, and in any corners that we can squeeze our little bodies into. I loved reading your collection of "Lao Fu Zi" comic books and playing with your transformer toys and computer games, but these were usually done without you knowing as you didn't like us playing with your precious toys. I asked for grandma's permission while you were in school.

As we grew older, we were busy with our own lives and circle of friends. We only met during Chinese New Year or during visits to Grandmother's grave. You love the outdoors and participated in cycling events and water sports, particularly canoeing. I remembered going with you to a Runway Cycling event back in 1995. It was fun and I remembered it till now, also because we have to get up in the wee hours that morning.

We grew apart, and I heard of what you have been doing through our mums. In mid 2007, you asked me if I could photograph a round-island dragon boat expedition that you were involved in. I was busy and declined. You were having diabetes, but that did not stop you from rowing or canoeing. You cycled everywhere to the training venues. I guess that is your way of fighting back the disease and freedom to do what you love kept you going strong. The last time I saw you, you were cycling, and you lost your life doing what you love...coaching secondary school students in canoeing.

We cannot accept the fact that you were gone just like that, and I can never comprehend your mother's pain. The least I can do for you is to console her and let her know that we are still around for her. Your sister and brother are devastated by your sudden departure, but they have to be strong for your mum. Your aunties dote on you even though you were the most stubborn one among us.

I went to your room and photographed the little things that you left behind. I hope you don't mind as I left everything the way it is. You were always quiet and reserved everytime we visited, but there was always a smile on your face. You stayed true to you passion and pursued them as you fight you illness head-on. You will be missed, our son, our brother and our cousin.

I got this photo from my colleague who photographed the Round Singapore Dragonboat Challenge 2007. Your were holding the oar, I imagined it must have been quite a sight in front of you, and maybe that is why you love the sport so much. Farewell Ah Der Gor Gor.

Signs of Aging

2009-05-11T06:57:00.000-07:00

These are signs which are becoming more obvious to me now, and made me realize that Im no longer as invincible as before

1. The kilos continue to add on gradually.
2. My 2.4km timing remained stagnant after weeks of training, and I begin to realize Point No. 3.
3. IPPT gold is out of reach (due to 2.4km).
4. Its getting harder to maintain silver standard in IPPT.
5. I begin to sleep more instead of the 5 or 6 hrs i used to get, and leads to Point No. 7
7. I can never wake up on time.
6. It takes more than 1 day to recover from that flu or cough.
7. My shoulder and back ache after lugging the camera bag around on days when I take public transport.
8. Speeding on a jet ski in the open sea is scary, when nothing seems daunting in my younger days.
9. My friends and I couldn't finish a game of street soccer which requires either side to score 5 goals. we only managed 3-2 under the burning sun.
10. I couldn't carry the wife on my forearms for more than 10m. Piggy-back is still manageable.

After 10 bad signs....let the final one be something good about aging.

11. Becoming a father in less than 5 months time.

Waited for 5 weeks, now wait 5 more months.

2009-04-21T02:01:00.000-07:00

5 weeks from the last appointment and we visited our gynae today mainly to find out if our baby is a boy or a girl. Not that we have specific preference, but rather so that we can anticipate and buy baby stuff of the correct colour.

Our doctor first go through the results of the tests done on the last visit, and its all going well, which means Em Be is going to be a healthy, bouncy baby. He/she was not really cooperative, and the ultrasound machine used this time did not produce crisp and clear images for the doctor to confirm our baby's sex. He said it might be a girl. But we heard the extremely fast heartbeat and see some movement, indicating that baby's brain is developing well.

Whatever the case, we are glad that he/she is healthy and active, even when inside the womb, we can see the little hands moving up and down. Maybe Em Be is just saying hello to us.

The little one is facing us with his/her legs curl up and arms moving around.

The Passing of Popo.

2009-04-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

She was 93. I don't get to see her much the last couple of years, but her smile is etched in my memory.

Her adopted son, which we called "小舅" or youngest uncle holds her portrait as he leaves the crematorium.

She is my maternal grandma's sister-in-law. We called her Popo since young and her house was just next to grandma's at Jalan Kayu. I was too young to remember much before the house has to be torn down and semi-D houses now stood on the same plot.

Adoption was pretty common in those days when families couldn't afford to raise the children. She helped to save my mum from being given away as well.

She has always treated 小舅 as her own son despite having one son and 2 daughters of her own.

As the photographer of the family, I have photographed the funeral of relatives. I am not sure if I can do the same for a family member. Even for Popo, I hesitated, but realised that perhaps her family can look back at the pictures and recall those final memories. I am glad a distant relative took pictures of grandma's funeral, as I was too young to do that at 12 years old.

A Touching Moment

2009-03-26T19:31:00.001-07:00

I just sent my wife off at the airport, together with our little one (we don't know if Em Be is a boy or girl yet). I decided to take a look at the arrival for any pictures of "Happy" moments for our weekly photography column, a new feature in the paper that I work for. Spotted a Caucasian family of 3, made up of the mother and 2 cute girls of about 2-4 years old. From the looks of it, I expected them to be waiting for the father, and had my attention fixed on them as they peered through the glass excitedly and hope to catch a glimpse of daddy as he collect his luggage.

Fortunately, my prediction was right, but not exact. The grandparents arrived, and the girls shouted in unison "Poppy, Poppy". THey were dancing round each other, and I can see that there is going to be hugs and kisses flying around. Poppy, held each girl up and turned 360, kissing and hugging them, and the grown-up daughter has her share of it. It was a touching moment, and I can feel their love and longing for each other's company. I stopped after I got my pics and Poppy brought out a toy horse so that the younger girl can sit on it as Poppy pull it along. Its a heart-warming moment, and I can truly feel it just by putting my camera down. Having a job that allows me to see what others could not, its worthwhile to put camera down sometimes and feel it besides recording it. I have learned that only by doing that can one allow the emotions to reveal itself in pictures.

Our Growing Baby

2009-03-18T01:35:00.001-07:00

We were really excited on the 3rd appointment with our gynae, such that I forgot to lock my car and left the alarm screaming in the car park for 2 hours...

Its the ultrasound scan that we were excited about. This time round, the technician does the job and she does not have to probe too hard before we can see the little one. The feeling is magical, to see our baby sleeping comfortably in mommy's belly. They managed to zoom in closer and take pictures from different angles. We could see the nose, eyes, and head, which is still too big for the little body. The little one appears to be sucking his/her thumb. The view from another angle show his/her legs raised high up as he/she lay facing up.

I recopied the images and was shocked to make out an eye, which seems huge as well as the nose. I am not surprised as both of us have big noses.

Those are the little pair of legs pointing upwards.

You don't look very pretty or handsome now Em Be, but I am sure you will be. Just grow quickly so mommy and daddy can hold you in our arms.

NTU

2009-03-18T00:56:00.000-07:00

I graduated from there in 2003. There were wonderful experiences and memories from my 4 years there, mostly from the freshman year when I stayed in campus. Then I met my wife Thao during my 2nd year, and its courtship and relationship throughout. I was on scholarship during my undergraduate studies, hence I worked hard to maintain reasonably good grades. The workload was heavy, and mugging through exams was torturing. I could not agree with some of the methods of teaching now that I look back. Its been years since I graduated, and I have forgotten most of the technical knowledge from my Engineering course. The one thing which a University education has given me, and something which I still value greatly is to have an open mind and to believe that there is a solution to anything, if you try hard enough.

NTU has a place in our hearts as it was where we spent a great part of our youth. Thao is still doing her post-grad studies there and I still love going back and use the library as I waited for her to finish her classes, like what I am doing right now.

Recent experience with the school has put me off just when I am considering doing my master's study. My request in having a cross-faculty arrangement in my Sociology thesis was rejected, and my engineering degree proved to be an obstacle, rather than an asset in further studies, albeit in a unrestrictive field like Sociology. The teaching staff which I met from School of Art, Design and Media was willing to work with me on my thesis which includes social documentary in my sociology thesis, but the Sociology department thinks otherwise. I had such previous experiences when as an undergraduate engineering student, I had great difficulties in attending a photojournalism module in another school. It was with the help of a staff in the School of Communication Studies that I managed to "break the convention" and take the photojournalism module. Its seems like the same is happening now and the university is still not receptive of students who wishes to have multi-discipline modules and "custom-make" their university education to suit individual needs and interest.

I am trying for anther University now, which has told me that my work experience as a photojournalist is considered relevant in my application for Social Science studies.

Yes, I saw you, Em Be

2009-02-26T01:40:00.000-08:00

Its our 2nd visit to the gynae this morning, and we finally got to see the little fellow and his extraordinary fast heartbeat. From the ultra sound scan, we could only figure out where his/her head and body is. His height now....1.87....cm. That's cute, and I wish he could reach 1.87 one day. If it turns out to be a girl, then 1.67 is enough or else she will tower over most guys.

Due to Thao's small frame and the apparent lack of tummy protrusion, I still ask if she is really pregnant, until this morning. The little fellow is right there, waiting to grow up till he/she is ready to come out of mommy's womb. We have already started short-listing some possible names. I cant wait till the 4th month when we will know if its a boy or a girl, then we can reduce the list to half.

Coincidently, we started being together on this very day 8 years ago. 8 years later, we are having our little family, well almost. All this while, there was never any doubt that she is the one for me. The little fellow is a creation of our love and commitment for each other.

Here is the little fellow at 9 weeks old and sleeping soundly in mommy's womb. The head is at the lower part and his pulsating heart is nearer to the top of the cashew nut shape

She has got the Eye for Pictures

2009-02-09T22:47:00.000-08:00

I like this shot. Its just special. The wife has got talent.

A shot by Thao, of her father barbecuing some beef by the gate.

Chaos on the Streets of HCMC

2009-02-08T05:40:00.000-08:00

It was the wedding night of Bao and Phuong. I brought my camera to take some shots of them, as this is the first time I seen them together as a couple. They have been friends for ages.

Halfway through the banquet, the 2 big screens beside the stage was showing "Live" telecast of the AFF Suzuki Cup Final between Vietnam and Thailand. I wondered if they knew about this arrangement in advance, as I can imagine not many couples will be happy with that.

But the Vietnamese love their football, players and their coach, a Portuguese who stayed in the country long enough to gain the support of the locals.

The last minute goal by the Vietnam team brought loud cheers from the guest, just as the banquet is about to end. Minutes later, revelers were out in full force, speeding through the streets on their motorbikes with the Vietnam flag fluttering in the air. Huy wanted to see the celebrations, i hopped onto his bike and make our way to the city center. At every junction, traffic came to a standstill, we managed to squeeze through some, thanks to his aggressive riding skills. Meanwhile, I was happily taking pictures from the pillion seat. The atmosphere was electic, but suffocating at the same time. After about 2 hours, I was feeling giddy from carbon monoxide inhalation and decided to call it quits. That was enough pictures and fun for the night.

Last minute goal seen from the wedding banquet hall.

The last Kampong

2009-01-23T06:47:00.000-08:00

I was curious about the place, only passed by a few years ago, and never step foot into the last Kampong of urban Singapore. I wanted to see how life is like after sunrise, and went there after sending Thao off for her early morning flight back home.

Once I got out of the car, sounds of the rooster making its daily wake-up call greeted me. Standing at 60 metres away and separated by a small stretch of forest, I could hear the sound of women talking and cooking coming form the enclave. That is how crisp and clear the air and sound of a typical morning in a Kampong is. Devoid of noise and air pollution from peak hour traffic, it feels like another world, similar to the one I lived in during my childhood weekends. I was lucky enough to have the chance to stay in a Kampong when I was little, even if its only on some weekends. The memories are etched deeply, as the sights and sound of a kampong has disappeared from our land.

It was reported that this last enclave could be making way for urban development soon, and I have to go take a look and probably photograph it as well as its occupants. My expectation of the place being overly-photographed and visited by curious people like me turned out to be true. I met 3 Vietnamese students who were there as early as I am, and managed to make them think that Im Vietnamese with my limited but well-pronounced string of Vietnamese words, but only for a few seconds. It is good to know that people are interested in this way of life, which is how our parents or grandparents used to live, hand forms a part of our heritage. But this being the last one left, made it became sort of a "local attraction", and I can sense that the villagers are getting tired of strangers that come with cameras to record what could be history in a few years. I wanted to make a stronger connection, and tried talking to them, but met with little success because most of the old Malay villagers could not speak English and my Malay is worst than my Vietnamese. I figured alot of people must have tried chatting up with them and they must have repeated their stories and feelings way too many times.

Its a nice place, with lots of mosquitoes and fierce dogs at the Chinese houses. Hence, I spent most of the morning taking pictures at the Malay houses and chat up with a 77 year old Malay granny. We could not communicate much due to language barriers. It feels strange that this is happening to me in Singapore, where English, Mandarin and dialect allows for zero language barrier in any other parts of the island.

I watched her feed her pigeons, which seems like a daily affair, just that this time round, i scared away all her pigeons. So, I learnt that pigeons can recognize people. She looks very healthy, happy and beautiful for a 77 year old, and I thought it must be the way of life in a Kampong. I guess this is the first time that I told someone in her 70s that she is beautiful, and I mean it.

To get them to open up to me, I will have to make a few more trips, which is not a problem as it is very near my place. I went again in the afternoon hoping to see Muslim men coming out of the wooden hut mosque after Friday prayers, but was told by an auntie that they go to the bigger one nearer to my place. I always thought that Malays are more forthcoming and approachable than Chinese, and this time round, it feels the same. I also met 2 Indian men, who came to look for the landlord, hoping to rent a hut for $30 rent a month (something that they read from the newspaper article), and relived those good old kampong days. The younger guy is around my age, and he must have grown up in a kampong, and he tells me, "I like it, very nice place", not once, but twice, and with a glowing smile.

Why does everything have to go after 30 years? Without things that are older than us and reminds us of where we came from, there will be no common identity, only memories that fade and die together with those who cherished them deeply.

9 year old Kamarulzaman returns home from school. (I shot in slides from the whole morning, and this is the only digital picture I got in the afternoon). A picture to start the story.

Festive Season

2009-01-19T17:58:00.000-08:00

Its been about a month since I last blogged, but much happened from before Christmas till now. A memorable holiday trip with grandma and family to Ho Chi Minh city and Dalat ended the year on a high note. On the 2nd day of 2009, I was not working, and was opening the door to my house after running some errands when I received a call from office. I was to fly to Bangkok in 3 hours time, to follow up on the situation of the Santika Club fire, which left 1 Singaporean dead and 2 missing. We seldom get called up on last minute oversea assignments, and I was lucky to be at home and ready to go.

There was no lunch for the 4 days that I was there, except for one day when a mobile stall set up shop outside the Police General Hospital. I presumed the owner saw business potential from the media personnel gathered outside the mortuary. After day 1, I got used to standing outisde the area where they held bodies before families claim them. The smell is not as bad as I expected, and our job was made much easier with the accomodating Thai people and police. We could photograph almost anyone and anything, even inside a police station and getting a police colonel to bring out belongings of deceased for us to photograph. This amount of access is never possible in tightly-controlled Singapore. We could always check with the morturay staff for information and photograph in their office. Not to mention, photographing bodies from the Santika fire being laid inside coffins. Everything was just up-close and in-your-face. The tele-zoom was used only when I need to get a clean, tight shot, not to sneak a shot.

The all-too-familiar press censorship occurred once the Singaporean families and MFA officials came to claim the 2 missing victims who were confirmed dead. We were no allowed to talk to the families and blocked from taking photographs of them. We were made to feel like paparazzi, when the stories we were after is truly main-stream. I believed Singaporeans would want to know who perished in the fire, instead of just knowing the fact that 2 Singaporeans died. We are not a nation of billions, and any Singaporeans casualties in such mishap is going to be the talk of town. I came with the mission of finding out how many Singaporeans and who died, and bring this piece of news to the masses. It is understandable that families griefed over the death of their loved ones and be given space to do so (that is why we do not cross the line even if we could), but it is frustrating to be misunderstood and obstructed by our own officials who don't have a clue of our roles, as well as theirs.

Thai press staking out at the Morgue.

Free-for-all access inside Thonglor police station when a family learned the one of the charred bodies is identified as their daughter.

Grouses aside, its an exciting trip given the daily guessing game and stake-out, as well as the chinatown shopping mall fire myself and Mugi (from ST) went to photograph on our own. We went to cover it thinking that there might be Singaporeans in it. Fortunately there wasn't and it was an eye opener to see how the locals manage the scene. It was chaotic, with hundreds of fire fighters, and scores of water jets directed at all parts of the building. I got my shoes soaked as the whole street was flooded, and we didn't stay long due to the unbearable smoke that caused your eyes to tear.

Fire at Sua Pa Plaza, Bangkok Chinatown.

Thao came and join me on the 2nd day for 2 days of shopping while I worked. We stayed in a boutique hotel along Sukhumvit Soi 18, so there was no problem finding food after the day's work end at about 11pm. An eventful trip involving work and play, but I couldn't spend Thao's birthday with her.

Taste of Defeat

2008-12-22T07:53:00.000-08:00

I was sitting at the border, mostly Vietnamese fans with pockets of Singaporeans among them. Its was a hell of a game, and I had to stand up once the Vietnamese players attacked, not because I supported them, but the fans in front of me couldn't keep their butts on the bench once their players got the ball. They were just more passionate and expressive them the local fans.

The Kallang wave came back, but not for long. However, those moments brought back fond memories of the good old Malaysia Cup days, and it createed a moment of euphoria. I was never a great fan of the English Premier League. I do follow it sometimes, but the most important matches are the ones which my country played in. I remembered feeling disgusted when local fans supported Machester United instead of our own lads when the red devils were in town for an exhibition match. I ll stand by my own country no matter who the other side is, and not matter how slim their chances of winning are. The introduction of foreign players was not such a good idea to me. The problem is not that we don't have enough talent, but rather the environment that we live in and the support for our sportsmen. Sports can bring a nation together, I truly believe so.

We have tasted success before with our very own boys, and produced great players. Honestly, the reason why the other teams find us such a great threat is mainly due to our foreign players and the overall physique of the team, We are bigger, but not necessarily better. Yes, we have achieved more with this team ever before, but at what cost? I support this team because they represent my country, but I don't have a favourite player among them, unlike the likes of Fandi Ahmad, Sundramoorthy etc. Im just glad that our soccer team has not become like our table tennis team.

The Vietnamese are crazy over football. The fans pour out onto the streets and celebrate their team's victory (even though its a semi-final). Maybe they are going to have a public holiday if they win the Finals. Its impossible to imagine this happening in Singapore.

I still feel dejected with the loss, because we played a better game. I feel ashamed that fights broke out and we overheard that some local fans burnt the Vietnamese flag after the loss. However, its still peaceful at home with the wife. I couldn't bring myself to celebrate after the game, so I just took pictures of her jumping in joy.

Thao after the Vietnamese national anthem.

Vietnam fans

The Kallang wave as it went pass the Vietnamese contingent.

That Lovely Feeling.

2008-11-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

I have not talked about her in my posts for quite some time now. It is always about my work, my dog, my new toys etc. She is my wife, Thao.

We went to watch our first "Live" football match 2 days ago. I managed to get free tickets and its a friendly between Singapore and Vietnam...that explains why.

We were shocked to see so many Vietnamese students, who filled half the stadium and cheered louder that our Singapore fans. The Vietnamese are just crazier and more 热情 (able to express themselves freely). Their players throw the runner-up medals and their jerseys to shouting fans, and a group even waited outside the gate for their players to board the bus.

The fans will cheer the players by their name and there were even shouts of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh!

I support my team, but during the second half, half of the Singapore team is made up of foreign imports. The skills they displayed are not that impressive, and I remember feeling more excited when I watched Fandi Ahmad and team played in the early 90s.

I brought my camera, and was shooting from the stands. These are the pictures.

Watching her jump and shout is more entertaining that the action on field. I don't mind missing the action and penalty kicks. Right next to me is an ardent football fan and a patriot, whose eyes turned wet as the Vietnamese anthem is played. She, and the others sang their anthem out loud, She was "unrestrained" in her display of joy and anxiety, and she went along with the fans that tried to catch a piece of their players after the game. From that, I saw the little girl who chase her favourite super heroes among the other children, I saw a patriot who love her country like she love her family.

Through these moments, I saw the girl whom I fell for, once more.

The First One, a family affair with lots of fun

2008-11-03T07:01:00.000-08:00

The first "solo" exhibition (I did the setting up by myself) is now on, after a small-scale opening reception with family and friends, some "da bao" food and coffee mix. I don't think exhibitions can come any cheaper than this...as in, very little money is spent.

The place is free, and they only charge a commission for any sales made, which is zero so far, and I don't expect to make any. Even one sale is a bonus. So friends who have attended and is reading this (I think there is only a handful)... I will be sending emails soon to get you to donate, on your own accord. I hope that the pictures have shown you something which you would never have seen and moved you into doing that little bit to help.

I was moving the exhibition poster down to 1st level just now (to attract more people to go up and have a look), and this auntie who mans the cafe at the showroom came and told me how she was shocked by my pictures at first, but that changed to admiration for the athletes after viewing the whole series. I am encouraged by her words, and glad that the series can be understood by anyone, and the message conveyed to viewers.

Friends, Colleagues and my loved ones who made the effort to come for the "opening" cum gathering, I really appreciate that. Your mere presence gives me tremendous encouragement to carry on with this work and more.

Thanks for the words of encouragement.

Parents and Grandma.

The first autograph from Em Yeu.

I went for a run last night, and came back pretty excited, even though the pace is slow like hell. Strings of ideas just came along as I ran and was out searching for the next project at 1am in the morning. I was near Little India and remembered the recent murder case whereby a prostitute was knifed to death in her workplace. I was curious and drove to the Flanders Square, a little-known red-light area which Im sure most Singaporeans do not know of. The place is a single block of 3-storey post-war house, which is in a very sorry state. Its eerie and dark, with foreign workers staying on the upper levels and the 1st level is where the brothels are. There was not a soul when I found the place, and I could not imagine making a living in such an environment. Its another part of Singapore which few people know of, or would want to see for themselves.

To Dazel

2008-10-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

I made a trip to Sembawang park this morning after a job nearby. We brought you there when you were about 4 years old for a family BBQ, and that was also the 1st time my family met Thao. But you were too hyper active and brother had to bring you home so that we can have some peace. You were also so excited in the car and on trips to parks and reservoirs.

This evening, I went running around the neighbourhood. I have not done so for quite sometime. I ran pass the grounds where we used to walk every week. You used to chase the birds and cats there until you were too old to be bothered about them. And your possessive nature caused you to pee on every tree possible, till I don't see any pee coming out, but you still lifted your leg sideways as if there was an unlimited stockpile coming out of you. That was so typical of you.

I imagined you running towards me, with you tongue sticking out and tail wagging all around, your gallop loopsided until you jump onto my knees and splashes some saliva on my legs. You could never allow me to walk in front of you. To make you run, I just have to make a short dash, and you would always try to outrun me. That was so typical of you.

You liked to go around trees and got yourself untangled by the leash, but you were smart enough to free yourself. Only when the leash went around your tail and rubbed against your backside, then you would sit down and wait for me to rescue you. Somedays, when you were not feeling well, you like to chew on the grass. And you could go on doing that forever, until I had to pull you along. You always did your business on trees, I didn't know how you developed that habit, but it was good and helped the trees grow. Sometimes, you will suddenly jump on my legs and barked, as if telling me to walk faster, if only I could understand you.

You disliked big dogs, and barked fiercely when you saw one, especially our neighbour's. Other times, you didn't make a sound and tried to hide when the other smaller dog sniffed you. You got more hot tempered as you age, but I know you would not hurt a puppy. That was so typical of you.

I will not forget our weekly half hour walk, something which meant the world to you. You could always sense that I was about to bring you out and couldn't stop barking for me to get your leash. I forgo those walks when I was too busy, and you just waited for the next week, hoping that it will happen before your weekly bath. You hated baths, and never failed to hide when I went to get your towel. That was so typical of you.

Its been almost 2 months since you left us. I miss you.

Quotes that Happen in Real Life

2008-10-02T09:16:00.000-07:00

I saw this quote online and cant help thinking about what happened to me during the Beijing Paralympics, as well as on a daily basis in my work.

A Canadian writer and photojournalist, Finbarr O’Reilly’s words: “If we only provide images that people want, then we are pandering to an audience instead of challenging them and pushing them to think differently. That is why the best photojournalism is often discomforting to look at”.

Here's the story....I shot this picture which I thought is interesting as it shows the readers how a chinese man He Junquan 何军权 who lost both upper limbs in a childhood accident is able to swim and be a Paralympic champion. He finishes his race by hitting his head against the electronic timer board. He came in 2nd in this race that I photographed, probably due to the disadvantage in his finishing, as the 1st swimmer edged him out by fractions of a second with his hand.

Its a picture that suit the story which my reporter was writting (on how he finished his race and how he swims). Unfortunately, I was criticised for sending a lousy picture which doesn't show his face. I was pissed off by this comment from my boss, who obviously missed the point of the picture and did not read the captions which I wrote before dismissing the picture. Try arguing with your boss over a long distance call and explaining whatever was already written in the caption, and you know what I mean. I am not a trouble maker, but this was a point which I have to make so that they can get it right, for the fact that I was there to see how they swam through a window underwater. a facecut of a swimmer without 2 upper limbs just doesn't work in this case. But that was the picture published.

This incident brings me to the 1st sentence in the quote. A news picture does not have to tell you everything in one glance. It has to make you think, and caption can be used to provide more information on it. Do you know where the girl is from or what she has gone through in Steve McCurry's famous Afghan girl picture? Its a portrait that captures your attention and makes you want to know more about it.

One of the 4 windows that allowed photographers to get amazing underwater shots of the swimmers. I was either alone or with a student volunteer during my time down here. Had a good chat with whoever is present (friendly student volunteer and a Spanish photographer who brought along very nice chewing gums) while waiting for the race to start.

Beijing Paralympic Games

2008-09-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

It has been a whirlwind trip, right from getting the go ahead till now, and its still going on probably till the last day on the 17 Sep.

First, I had a hard time getting approval from my boss. It was with much persistence that I managed to get it my way, which has guaranteed my name to be in the book of blacklist as the defiant one who does not fall in line and cross the boundary.

It is a sponsored trip, due to my involvement with disabled sports, and there is no reason to stop me from going. Its a once in a lifetime chance, and I don't know if I can get to go for any more Paralympics.

So here I am, in Beijing for more than 1 week and only have time to blog now. Not that we have that much athletes to report on, we only have 3 in Beijing, the other 3 are competing in Qingdao and Hong Kong. Its me that has been trying to capture as many sports as possible.

Every sport that I go to offer such an eye opener and you can get pretty emotional just by watching the athletes competing and putting in every effort they can. Imagine playing football with your eyes closed, and using your hearing to know where the ball is, crashing into opponents every now and then. That takes courage and a whole lot of concentration. I am glad to be here, and make the most out of whatever time I have to cover every sport. That explains why I have not been to anywhere in Beijing except competition venues and my hotel. But even the competition venues in university campus is an interesting sight. The hostel in Beijing University of Technology has a common bathroom! I wallk pass a bulding called 浴室 and saw female students walking out with wet hair and toiletries. Its nice to walk in campus, but not for long before reach the Goalball venue.

Im surprised that the whole Paralympics is so well organised and the Press is very well taken care of. I think China is trying very hard to impress and the best way to spread the word is to treat the press well. You have student volunteers at every corner, always ready to speak to you in English, and even the security check at every venue is done by students. That helps in providing a soft image, but you still see the armed guards at access gates and army personnel or police doing sentry duty. They seem to appear at alot of corners, but it hard to spot them at night, because they are in dark uniform, and standing very still. I suspect the guys wearing the same t-shirt as students as soldiers. You can see them marching along the streets at night. But the point is, I am amazed at how much manpower and resources has been put in. To do this back home, we probably have to mobilise even the reservist personnel, and the auntie and ah peks in community centres. Even that may not be enough. The sheer size and numbers of China humbled me.

5-a-Side football between Spain and Brazil.

Our Dazel

2008-08-27T01:54:00.000-07:00

He left us with beautiful memories from the 11 years of his life. Right from the day he set his tiny paw into our house, he has become a part of our family. We watched him grow and age throughout the years, but his character and temper never changed. From a little fluffy puppy to a scrawny-looking adolescent with his baby hair shedding, he learned what not to do in the house, but the mischievious character still carried out his deeds when no one was at home, and suffered a beating when we came back. I remembered that brother hit him so hard once, that he hid under the sofa and shivered in fear. Our heart broke and we caressed him so gently, regretful of our fit of anger.

He bore no grudges, and expected nothing but love and attention from us. Any indication that I was about to bring him for his weekly 30 minute walk around the neighbourhood was enough to send him jumping around in joy, and if I delayed his outing for just a few minutes, he would bark in disapproval. He has got an emperor's appetitie, in the sense that he could starve for 2 days when not feeling well, or just because he got tired of the daily fare. But he never reject his tidbits. Many times, we had to "lure" him to finish his food.

He loved playing the fetching game at home and laid belly up whenever we caressed and stroke him gently. These were some of the luxuries which he longed for. He greeted us with joy whenever we came home from work and look on sadly when we left him alone at home.

We would have brought him out more often if he had learned to behave in the car. An outing to the reservoir or vet required 2 of us because of his hyper-activity in the car. He hated cats and love chasing after birds.

I watched him age as he stopped chasing after birds and could not be bothered to pick a fight with the cats. His hearing started to fail and sometimes, he did not greet us at the door because he could not hear us or was too sound asleep. Even as he age, he still looked good and passer-by mistook his as a cute-looking puppy.

Mum started calling him "Baby" when the responsibility of feeding him daily became hers. I bathed and bring him out for walks on my off days. He got birthday presents every year. We wrapped tidbits in paper and he tore at them to get to his birthday treats, which is complemented by a new toy. He was a possessive fellow who guarded his treats or things that he stole from the dustbin fiercely. But he never bite any of us. We often joked that he is bound to lose in any fight with other dog and even cats, as he was too gentle to do harm.

Dazel chewing on his 9th Birthday treat

He lost all appetite a week before he left us. From a 10kg beefy looking guy in his heydays, he maintained an 8kg weight for the last 2 years. In a week, his kidney and liver failed and he was reduced to skin and bones. We held the slightest hope that our dazel can recover and fed him fluid on the last few days. Brother and I brought him to Peirce Reservoir after his last visit to the vet. We knew his time has come, and wanted to perk him up just one last time. His eyes opened upon seeing the trees and canopy passing by outside the car. I don't know if he remembered how he sprinted across the open field during his younger days. But I could feel his heart beat faster as we carried him to the water edge and the grass which he used to run on. He was excited, but unable to walk or run. I could sense his happiness and this was the least we could do for all the happiness and laughter that he brought to the family. He has became a part of us and brought the family closer together.

On 11 August 2008, Dazel left us. He died at home, on his towel and surrounded by everyone in the living room. I knew of his passing while in reservist training. There was no time to cry as I was on a mission. I imagined Dazel to be in the skies as I looked up from the top of the hill, and had a few seconds of peace to accept his passing on before carrying on with the mission. I am glad we did not have to make the decision which many pet owners have to make at the vet. We brought dazel home and he left us on the place where he used to play and sleep.

End of the 1st Show

2008-08-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

Its over before you know it. I have been awake for 20 hours now, been up from 6am yesterday for the setting up of the exhibition. Its a small set-up in a environment which is not conducive for viewers to ponder and look deep into every image on show, but Im glad I saw viewers move on to the next image after the first one, at least the series of photographs manage to catch their attention amidst the noise of the roadshow and hot temperature under the tentage. I dreamed of having another exhibition in an air-con environment and soothing music...etc. That will definitely help in the sale of the prints.

I am encouraged by words from friends and by observing the viewers response and hope to get a sponsor for the next exhibition. A big Thank You for those who came and brave the heat to catch a glimpse of my first exhibition. Time to rest my caffeine-filled body.

Exhibition

2008-08-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

Its going to be my first public exhibition, a small one and part of the Beijing Paralympic roadshow, but important to me nevertheless. I have decided to put the pictures on sale to raise funds for our disabled athletes. This is approriate given that the recognition and support for them is just starting to take off.

It has not been easy getting this done, due to cost and time constraint, but I will be happy if the public stop and ponder over the photos and captions. That will be enough for me, to get the message through to them.

It happens tomorrow. Will try to post the series online, for now, time to get some sleep.

Without a Clue

2008-07-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

This happen sometimes, especially when 2 languages are involved.

I was assigned to photograph the arrival of the Osbourne family (That is what I thought) at the airport. The assignment description was written in Chinese and it read "Au Si Mong". So I arrived early at the airport, expecting to see lots of young fans dressed up like rock stars , who watched the reality TV show of the Osbourne family. I had no clue about them and just knew that they are a weird family. So I was expecting to see weird fans dressed up in loud clothes.

I was confused when I saw less than 10 fans, of which 9 are middle age aunties carrying record and posters of The Osmond Family. What a blunder! But I had to recover fast, and found out more about the 50 year old family band form the fans behind they arrived.

It was a huge entourage and I had no clue how many members the band has or how they look like. I took my cue from the fans - whoever they surround for autographs is my target. Luckily, it not too messy and the Osmonds are nice enough to stop and talk to the few fans. So I have more than enough shots, and a free ticket to their concert....to learn more about The Osmonds, a very popular family band back in the 70s.

Interview With Jim Rogers

2008-06-24T01:16:00.001-07:00

A relaxed Sunday afternoon assignment brought me to a serviced apartment near Orchard Rd for an interview with Jim Rogers, an American investor, financial commentator, world traveler and cross-continental biker (in his younger days). He is co-founder, along with George Soros, of the Quantum Fund.

The interview was very insightful, and I found myself listening to his views once I got the pics. He had relocated his family to Singapore for various reasons, which was in a way due to the changing global economy in the 21st century. Watch the vodcast here.

His 4 yr old daughter was very cute. What impresses me was his humble nature. There was no time limit on our interview and photo shoot, and we had a good 2 hours doing that. Another perk of my job, to meet interesting people like him.

Random Shots

2008-06-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

Had a day off yesterday and walked around one of the little known park near Outram (not telling where it is), shooting film on a classic camera. Gives me so much joy to be shooting whatever I saw, much like what I did when I first started out learning photography on my own. Guess I had a hang-over, and can't help capturing this lovely play of lines and symmetry at the office carpark.

A Sweet Moment

2008-05-27T08:43:00.000-07:00

I was wrapping up a job on old residents and low-income families that visit a senior citizens corner for free Traditional Chinese Medicine consultation and medicine. I had my shots and was just waiting with my reporter to interview patients and doctors. An old lady who had finished her session was waiting outside for her friend. Her friend, who seemed to be in her 70s had an acupunture session. This kind lady waited for her older friend so that she could send her back, fearing that her legs were weak from the treatment. Then, she just held her friend's hand and both walked away slowly along the dimly-lit corridor. A really sweet moment of 2 old friends who have grown to be like sisters. (The person in charge of the free clinic tole me they are regulars)

Aftermath and Afterthought

2008-05-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

It has been more than a week since the Sichuan earthquake happened. It happened many mile from here, but the extensive press coverage and the significant Chinese population here made it feel nearer than it was. Last week, 3 days after the quake struck, I was sent to photograph a young Chinese couple who came here to work in restaurant and the wife had lost her mother and niece to the quake, and there was no news of the remaining 4 family members. We were informed of their plight by another girl who also lost contact with her family in Sichuan. When I arrived at the apartment in Golden Mile complex, I could see that it was occupied by no less than 10people. I was always curious about this building, being one of the oldest private apartment block in Singapore. Arrived there at about 10 pm, I had to wait with about 20 others for the 3 lifts that served the 30 floors. 90% of the people I saw were foreigners, mainly from China. Everything there looked so foreign to me.

I entered a room of 4 troubled souls, either depressed from the sad news or anxious about not having any news from home. For once, I was welcomed into someone's private space to witness their saddest moments and take pictures. They seemed to understand the role of the press and I worked while they broke down in tears. There was nothing much to say, but to record the scene and convey the emotions through my pictures. This was the closest I felt to the disaster, and I could not comprehend the devastation to lives and families that it brought.

Let's not forget the victims of Cyclone Nargis, whose plight is made worst by their government. If only the world was allowed to see the true effects of the disaster in Myanmar and hear the stories of the victims.

New Toys and the Little Joys in Life

2008-05-04T06:43:00.000-07:00

I feel like a kid again with my recent purchases. They burn a hole in my pocket, and I have to make sure they are well-utilised and worth every single cent (if not, at least most of it). The pics are teasers, taken with a nikon P50 (toy No. 1) bought in Chicago (the Nikons there are cheaper than Singapore!). Toy No. 2 is partially seen in the first pic, I have yet to give him a name. Will reveal his dashing looks when he has a name.

Pic 2 is something which I would love to have in between jobs, when there is time to spare. A cup of 'teh' or 'kopi' and some snacks. Allows you to take a breather and people-watch at the same time.

Back to Work

2008-04-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

It was a great trip. 4 countries and 7 cities in all. The travelling and navigating from cities to cities are quite exciting, a sort of whirlwind adventure that can only be attempted with our current age and energy levels. Our favourite cities are those smaller ones with a rich history and architecture, like Bruges in Belgium and Granada in Spain. We finally got to experience snow in Brussels, but it became quite miserable when we were caught with insufficient clothings. We entered shops just to get some warmth before moving on. We spent the longest time in Chicago and Spain, where we did most of our shopping in Chicago and eating local food in Spain. Amsterdam was a transit point, but I grew to like it for the cool weather, efficient transportation system, and of course, the photograpy museum and exhbition. The yearly World Press Photo competition is held in Amsterdam.

Self portrait while watching the sun set on the slope of Albaycin in Granada

My grandfather passed away when we were in Chicago. It was not unexpected, given his heart condition. I decided not to return for the funeral, and I hope my family can understand why. Perhaps, being absent from the funeral make it longer for me to realise the fact that he is gone. We did a photo-slideshow of his life, something for the younger grandchildren to know more about our grandfather, and for the adults to keep memories of their father alive. From what I heard about the events that happened when I was away, I think grandfather's passing on brought the family closer together. And for the first time, I saw my father wept a tear, after he watched the video.

Honeymoon

2008-03-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

Finally, its here, off to US and Europe in 2 days time...

Another Black Sheep

2008-02-19T01:19:00.000-08:00

A chinese photographer was found guilty of digitally manipulating an image, which even won him a news photography award in China. He admitted to the "crime", but claimed that it was meant to be an art image, as reported in Lianhe Zaobao.

My view is that either you are an art photographer or a photojournalist and one should abide by the rules and ethics for each trade. I am glad that actions are taken to safeguard the ethics of photojournalist, whose professionalism and credibility will be tainted if such acts are deemed to be acceptable.

View article here

The Awakening

2008-02-19T00:02:00.000-08:00

The newspaper industry of the 21st century is not what it used to be. Most are owned by corporations which are profit-driven, and this is alot of difference from a community-owned newspaper. Advertising dollars are keeping the publication afloat, and paid susbcription is a risky undertaking given the free flow of information on the web. Electronic media and online pages are introduced to maintain readership numbers. Some newspaper in the US have reduced their staff numbers as a desperate cost-cutting measure. Corporations and their diverse portfolio sustain the publications, and shareholders are the ones behind corporations.

Yesterday, I was assigned a job, which involved photographing a group of rich businessmen who are looking at new ways to increase their wealth by investing in a new industry. Its a business story, my reporter and I got stuck in an expensive restaurant with these rich guy swho wanted to do the interview over lunch followed by the photoshoot. I was not too fond of the shark's fin soup and delicacies that cost them more than S$1000, an amount which Im trying very hard to save monthly.

I enjoyed listening to these businessmen making comments on politics, investing, shares and even making some deals over lunch. One of them turned out to be a shareholder of my company (Mr A). While another (Mr B) had a good look and feel of my bulky camera, Mr A commented "be careful with that, its part of my investment." His comment drew some laughter from the rest, but I think its a lousy joke, if it was even meant to be one. An arrogant comment which reflects certain perceptions that has already affected the jounalism industry.

The day at work ended with an argument with my bosses. Not very smooth-sailing indeed.

Real Good Work of Photojournalism

2008-01-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

I chanced upon this site on the Digital Journalist online magazine. The story-telling abilities of the featured photographers are amazing and the audio recordings added another dimension to still-image journalism. Powerful work and worth every second of your time.

Mediastorm

Back from 4th Asean Para Games

2008-01-27T06:01:00.000-08:00

A whole lot of pictures and experiences make the trip worthwhile. Besides looking from behind the camera, I found myself putting it down and witness the show of determination from the athletes. It causes a sort of emotional upheaval in me, as I took it all in. I tried to be careful while shooting, such that not too much emphasis is placed on the disabilities of the athletes, but rather on their extraordinary abilities despite the odds against them. Not an easy task at all.

Behind every faces lay a tragedy of the past which makes them stronger, strong enough to expose their disabilities to everyone and compete like a true sportsman.

The colour of the medal does not matter in such circumstances. Many of the events have only one competitor, but the race goes on, and the spectators cheered for the lone figure running on the track and facing the head wind. Visually-hadicapped runners have their partners running alongside them, with a string tying both their arms together. Being a runner myself, I imagine how it is like to run a 400m or 800m without knowing how much longer I have to push myself as lactic acid sets in. It can be daunting and punishing to run without seeing. The bond between the athlete and his partner will touch anyone who witness how they went through the distance together and how the partner hands him the shoes and sets his starting block. The partner is always behind the athlete on the track, encouraging him and telling him the distance left. Even after crossing the finishing line, the partner hand him the shoes and guide him off the track.

I am glad to have made the trip, with the support of my wife.

Thai 100m runner Pansanae Suphadee at the finals with her partner.

A Thai swimmer at the 4x100m Medley Relay final.

Vietnam's Vu Van Soan in the Men's Doubles Table Tennis final.

Thailand's Nantaruck Matawadee (blue) being pinned down by her counterpart Aimthaisong Kannika in the Women's Under 70kg Judo match.

Back in Korat

2008-01-20T21:57:00.000-08:00

Thats right, I am back in Korat on my own for the Asean Para Games. The publication that I work for did not want to cover it, hence, I decided to head out on my own for some pictures of athletes with disabilities in action and a softer side to sports. I managed hitch a ride from a sports coucil staff and a press pass at the airport. Having been in Korat last month for the SEA Games certainly helps. I can imagine getting stranded at bangkok if not for the arrangements made with disablility sports coucil

I had problem finding my hotel yesterday, luckily my driver was quite a helpful fellow and we managed to find it after 45 minutes. Room is rather clean and spacious for slightly less than S$50 per day. Only problem is communication with the staff, who does not appear be well-versed in English. Sign language skills come into play in these circumstances and lots of smile, never get frustrated when people can't understand you.

My hotel is quite far off the main road, walkable, but lots of barking dogs along the way. About half an hour walk from "The Mall", apparently the biggest shopping mall in North-east Thailand.

My driver failed to show up this morning, but the hotel staff got me a beat up car with an elderly driver, not bad for 180 baht (S$8). His easy driving suits me. I headed straight for athletics and really enjoyed working alone, not having to cover prize presentation and produce the must-have shots of medallist posing with their wares. A dream for most photographers, including myself is to shoot what I want and tell the stories as how I see it. Hope I can keep going under the burning sun and achieve what I set out to do.

My driver and his beat-up car on the 1st day to the stadium.

Thailand's Wasan Khaofai grimaces in pain after finishing the 100m race-T20.

18 year old Tawachai Morapat from Thailand wins the Men's 100m-T42 event.

Indonesia's Hartanto Setiyo Budi on his way to wining the Men's Long Jump-F46 event. He also compete in the high jump.

20 year old Suthis Uansamut from Thailand after winning the Men's 100m-T44 final.

Morning Run in Saigon

2007-12-26T16:08:00.001-08:00

A pre-dawn run along the streets of Ho Chi Minh City is something I have not done despite the frequent visits to this city, where is full of surprises. I had an appointment with my father-in-law, Ba Thanh for a morning walk at 5am (6am Singapore time). I was up at 4am, because my alarm is still tuned to Singapore time. I had my lap-top on, and edited some SEA Games pictures rather than falling back into unconsciousness.

We began with a brisk walk around the neighbourhood, and I got to see the locals start their day. The absence of motorbikes allowed me to absorb the sights and sound of a typical pre-dawn scene along the streets. A woman sweeping her doorsteps, another burning incense for a morning prayer, and a young man catching up on sleep with seated on his bike and waiting for his partner. I can imagine the number of engines being cranked to life as the city awakes.

We passed by a market, where meat sellers were already displaying chunks of fresh meat and food carts are spewing steam and the fragrance of hot soup. Time to gear up for next week's In-camp training, and I started running on the second round. Took me about 9 minutes for the 2km route. Not bad, after not running for 1 month.

Now I understand why the locals need an after-lunch siesta, and I probably will have mine this afternoon. I ll be glad to receive some more surprises from this city, something like a crowded 2-storey barbeque restaurant hidden in the narrow streets, or a french style cafe operating out of a wooden villa, with live music to go along.

SEA Games-Thailand 2007

2007-12-25T00:48:00.001-08:00

It has come and gone, the 24th SEA Games in Thailand is my first Games assignment and could be the longest overseas assignment (3 weeks), until the next one comes along. Its not as punishing as I thought it would be, probably because of the unexpected events that happen daily. My reporter, Xiujing and I were the most well-travelled and longest-serving team among the Singapore Press. We covered all 3 places (Bangkok, Korat and Pattaya) and worked for 22 days. I had a great time except for the travelling time and the vomit-inducing ride out at sea while covering the sailing at Pattaya. Try getting a shot with a 600mm lens while sitting on a small speedboat in choppy sea.... 9 frames out of 10 will be off and the fishes will be well-fed with your breakfast.

I got a feel of the solidarity of photojournalist from various countries when we boycotted a swimming final. It happened after the organisers decided to ban us from the pool side, even after being allowed to shoot there for the past 2 days. We were told to shoot from the spectator stands. The shots from the stands will be crap, hence, we staged a boycott, except for a few.

Photographers boycotting the swimming finals by refusing to shoot from the spectators stands. (Left) My pal Trevor from TODAY.

I promise to put up pictures of SEA Games 2007-Unposed! A little tribute to sports photographers, who went to great lengths to capture the decisive moments in sports photography. I am beginning to love this unique trade. Till the next Games comes along...

Singapore's Peter Edward Gilchrist in the Men's Team Snooker Semi-Finals.

Sea Games 2007-Thailand

2007-12-08T23:57:00.000-08:00

I have been in Thailand for 2 weeks already, covering the Sea Games in Bangkok, and now in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat). Its a large rural province more than 3 hours by bus and 250 km northeast of Bangkok. Nothing much compared to the nightlife of Bangkok, but the sporting action make up for it.

Have been working more than 12 hours daily, rushing from venue to venue, with the help of our driver Kay (in picture). Tiring task, but a good break from the daily news assignments back home. The Thais love sports! While in Bangkok for the 1st week. youth can be seen playing football on pavement outside the stadium every night, there are no designated fields, just a pair of shoes as goal post and its play time. There could be hundreds of them playing on every empty space they can find around the stadium (see picture). As if to show their support for sports, the authority played music on outdoor speakers at these ad-hoc sport venue. As for the Sea Games, there are bound to have spectators in every sporting venue, and of course, the Thais are participating in almost every single event. Im writing this at the aquacentre while a water polo match is going (Thai vs Malaysia).

I beginning to enjoy shooting sports. The excitement and electic atmosphere are addictive, and less posed picture are required. Sadly, posed picture are still the preferred front page photo in my publication. Isn't sports all about heart-stopping action, triumph and humans physical and mental prowess? As a reader, I wont rather see action pictures than the number and colour of medals we got for the day.

Fire

2007-11-09T09:03:00.000-08:00

I have just reached office and rest my butt for 2 seconds before being called to cover a warehouse fire. It started about 2 hours ago, hence, we only expected lots of smoke, which is usually the case in spot news coverage here. Well, indeed there were lots of smoke when we arrived and we still see firemen running about. Apparently, there were still pockets of fire in the warehouse on the 3rd storey. I made a detour to the other side of the building, which had less on-lookers, but it turned out to be a good spot for pictures, and the wind direction prevented a total smoke out.

Its quite interesting watching the firemen work up close, and I think it takes a fair amount of courage to head into a fire zone. It seemed hard to control the fire. Once a while, small pockets could be seen from the window, and it seemed like a cat and mouse game. They took turns to head into the building, and those that done their fair share could be seen emerging with soaked body, either from perspiration or due to the water jet. There was a small make-shift chart which the commanders used to sketch out the floor layout and planned their next course of action. We couldn't stay till the firemen called it a day, but I estimate it must have taken them at least 4 hours to douse every single flame. Tough job.

The Shy Jumbo and some Gripes

2007-10-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

She's finally here, sneaking a peep at us before the big fat dolphin (thats how the A380 jet looks like to me) comes close. Had a bad experience with PR personnel on this job, due to some coordination problems and limited access given. Security reasons and "photo-opportunity" (which means shoot what we want to show, and nothing else) seems to be my pet peeves recently.

Do we need 6 bodyguards or maybe more invisible ones on a tour around an already secured area with an entourage of government officials?

Spot news (unanticipated events) saves the day for me, something which gives us the kick while covering it, and not "set-up" for photographers.

First time in a Mosque

2007-10-15T01:15:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, I have never been in a mosque my whole life till last weekend. Despite having Malays friends in my school days, and training with my teammates when they were fasting, I have not set foot into any one of those places of worship.

Last Saturday, I was assigned to cover the Aidilfitri morning prayers at Ar-Raudhah Mosque at Bukit Batok. I arrived earlier than the 8am prayer time, but the mosque was already full, with some Muslim men waiting outside to get in. There were buses to take those who could not get in to other prayer locations nearby. The thousands of slippers left outside is quite an unusual sight. The Muslim men were very orderly, there were no pushing and shoving. When the prayer starts inside, they simply started praying on the floor outside, and I started working. I was a bit worried that the sound of my camera shutter would disrupt their prayers, but there were not disapproving faces through my viewfinder.

Once inside the prayer hall, I made my way through those who were seated on the carpet floor, to the front of the prayer hall. There was enough space for all to sit comfortably and I made pictures, without any protest from anyone. The ceiling was extricately decorated and the prayer hall had rooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors for prayers too. I had a grand view from the front.

We were one of the last to leave the mosque after the interviews and reception, I cant help taking a few shots of the interior, impressed with the cleanliness, serene ambience and well-organised crowd. On top of that, my sandals was left at the exact spot where I left them, after hundred or even thousands devotees had left with theirs. My initial worries about not able to find them was unfounded.

Burma

2007-09-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

After almost 20 years since the last military suppression, the monks and people of Burma are out on the streets again. Pent-up frustration, economic hardships, corruption and the iron-fist rule imposed by the junta are the main cause of this recent uprising, which had lasted 9 days without violence until today.

I watched the situation on CNA, which was either secretly shot or sent out by Burmese with cameras. The political situation in Burma has always caught my attention, especially the on-going war between the government soldiers and Karen guerillas. Few would believe that fighting are still taking place in this part of Asean.

Press black-out imposed by the junta is expected and carried out. But with modern technology and international media at work, we could get a glimpse of the situation on the ground. The power of the media is put to the test now. Wish I could be part of it.

Story on New York Times

To support the Burmese people, sign the online petition to UN Security Council

He's up and about

2007-09-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

Dazel seems like he is back to his usual self today. Thats good news as he has been hospitalised for 4 nights last week. It started with loss of appetite and he vomited 6 times in 4 hours. That was scary, and he was weak and silent on the way to the hospital at midnight. I have never seem him this way, as the car ride at any time of the day will get him excited . Instead, he just sat silently on my sister's lap with a towel wrap around his body which was colder than usual.

We still didn't know what went wrong, even after blood tests, scans and X-ray, and the 4 nights in a cage surrounding by other sick pets. He was pretty worked up when we visited him daily, I guess he was angry and wanted to go home. The surgery never went through as the vet was not too sure if they can find anything inside him, and the anaesthetic could pose a risk to his heart problems.

He started to eat gradually and I finally heard him bark this morning! Thats a good sign.

This is a picture of him playing with his favourite rubber bone toy after his bath. (An indication that he is fine, when he can play "fetch" with it)

At the age of 10 doggies years (human equivalent of 70), I guess we have to get used to it.

I watched the documentary Sicko yesterday, and was left speechless by the health care comparison between US and some parts of Europe. The evils of conspiracy and politics are revealed and the treatment some Americans received at the losing end are simply inhumane, considering that they are citizens of the richest nation in the world. Go watch it.

It will jolt you into thinking what health care treatment and the cost we have to bear when we reach Dazel's age. Personally, after weighing the pros and cons, I would prefer to be a retiree in France than here.

Looking Back and I Realise

2007-09-05T07:04:00.000-07:00

My website has been in cyberspace for years. I did it myself, everything from scanning the negatives (most of the pics are taken on negative film or slide film) to the page layout using Dreamweaver, image and text editing and uploading. Out of the blue, I decided to surf through my own website. I have not done that even since taking up the job of a full-time news photographer more than a year ago. I guess that is because its not so important anymore. I was wrong.

On looking back, with every click through the pages I have created, I realise how much it means to me. It defined my passion for photojournalism, for story telling. Those pages were created bit by bit, after my day job as an engineer. I learnt the webpage software from books borrowed from library, and started building up my online portfolio. It took me about a year to complete most of it. Then I stopped.

As an amateur, I worked as a waiter during university holidays to save for my first autofocus SLR (Digital cameras were for the pros during that time). Autofocus was good enough then. With that and a heart full of passion, I managed to do a story in Vietnam and Cambodia, without any press credentials or liasion personnel. And there was the solo bike ride up the hills of East Timor. I almost got stranded when the engine almost died on me. It was really fun. I was allowed to photograph my subjects freely, with no agenda or readers-oriented mindset. I even thought that I was getting a feel of what the photojournalism greats have experienced during the industry's heydays back in the 60s ad 70s. All that for building my portfolio, in the hope of getting a job to do that every day of my life.

Ironically, I have not felt that way for a long time. Daily assignments are mostly "on the surface" type of coverage. It keeps the mind sharp for new angles, but its nothing compared to doing my own story and going out to a foreign land and getting access to photograph the way I feel is the best way to tell the story.

Time to get back on track and keep the passion alive. Its entirely up to ourselves to do that.

Best of 2006-07

2007-09-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

Its the time of the year, when we select our best work from Sep last year to this Aug for appraisal.

I had them spread out on my bed, and pretend to be chief editor... I decide whats goes on the front page!

A fun exercise which brought back lots of memories of the time in the field. I have seen and experienced much for the year, a fruitful year which I managed to accomplished what I set out to do. But the goal is still far from reach. I need a horse whip to to go faster.

Happily married for a month already.

Gunfight and Bullet Train

2007-08-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

Looks like a scene from Iraq...except for the red scarf and Chinese face.

Its SAF troops doing an urban warfare show. I was there for the preview of Army Open house. Brings back good old memories of those days. Its been 10 years since I first got enlisted.

Sometimes, we look back for a moment, and then it hits us. Life is like a bullet train.

Centenarian

2007-08-25T06:44:00.000-07:00

I was assigned to cover a story on Centenarian with xl 2 days ago. We met 110 year old Teresa Hsu, founder of a non-profit charity organisation and possibly the oldest person in Singapore (We heard that there is a 114 yr old lady who has gone back to China). Mdm Hsu appeared stern at first, but she turned out to be a humorous centenarian who loves to read and has perfect eye sight. Some words from her struck a chord in me. She said someting like this: "people choose to see bad things and miss the beatiful scenes like the birds singing and the leaves on the tree". When asked how she manage to live longer than most people, she whispered: "Try not to have in-laws". I made some portraits of her in her living room which is filled with books (a perfect background which shows her thirst for knowledge), and left her house with much admiration for the oldest person I have met.

Mdm Teresa Hsu

Next, I was assigned (as another colleague couldn't make it back in time) to interview another 2 centenarians with xl for her feature story. I was pretty excited to be able to meet more of these amazing people who was either born in the 19th century, or been through 2 world wars.

Mdm Liow Hup (105 yrs old). Her feet was binded when she was 12, in China.

Mdm Heng Siak Chye (101 yrs old).

Countdown to the Party (Rewind to 5 Aug 07)

2007-08-08T01:10:00.001-07:00

Its been tiring since Thao's family arrived on Friday. But I figured that this may be the only time that all of them were here, and there were so much things to do that we just have to keep going till Sunday. Ferrying 20 people around town is no easy task and gathering them after late night shopping at Mustafa takes about half an hour. We just wanted them to have a good time prior to our wedding.

I checked into the Marriott Hotel bridal suite on Saturday (4 Aug 07), getting pretty excited over the whole thing. This is the first time I stayed in a local hotel, and a 5-star one indeed has a impressive suite. We packed food for everyone and ate on the floor of RELC hotel room, much like what her family did at home on special occasions. Cau Tuan, Cau Tien and Bac Danh helped to tie the bridal car flowers and I settled the final guest list. By the time I got to bed, its 2am. I couldn't sleep. I have not been so excited for years. the feeling is like what I had the night before my primay school class go for an excursion to the zoo. I finally fell asleep at 3am.

Felt like I just closed my eyes for a few seconds and it 545am. I got up fast and was ready in my suit (made my Thao's grandfather) waiting for my friends to arrive. Everything went on smoothly on this beautiful Sunday morning. I made my speech, telling the guests our story in english and thanking my family and her in Mandarin and Vietnamese respectively. When I finished, Thao started to speak in Vietnamese, and I was caught by surprise when she broke down in tears on the 1st sentence. It was an emotional moment, and this was the first time I saw her uncles and grandma in tears. I was lost for words. The little girl that in the family which all of them loves and adores so much is someone's wife now. We were officially married...in Singapore (on 5 Aug 07).

The fun was not over after the wedding. We went to Sentosa the next day with her whole family and had a great time. I couldn't believe her grandparents actually took the skyride. They are a very fun-loving family, and Im happy to be a part of them.

The day that the whole family flew back home, we felt a sense of emptiness. All those months of preparations have ended. Suddenly, there isn't much to plan or do. I felt a bit sad, but thats because we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Our family and friends have helped us a great deal for our wedding.I thank each and every one of them for it. The biggest day of our lives is indeed the happiest day of our lives too.

View our Wedding Pictures
Taken by my pal, Ray

Preparation for the Big Day (5 Aug 07)

2007-08-08T00:54:00.000-07:00

Its been hectic since I came back from my wedding in Ho Chi Minh city. Been trying to edit the video footage taken in Vietnam and include it into our slideshow at Marriott Hotel on our wedding this coming Sunday (5 Aug 07). Thao's uncle, Cau Tuan and make-up artist Cau Tien arrived on Tuesday for 2 days of outdoor shoot in Singapore before her whole contingent of 18 family members and friends arrive for the Wedding day. The weather was on our side on Wednesday and Thursday and we had a sightseeing (for them) cum photo shoot (for us) throughout the 2 days. We covered Fort Canning, Peirce Resevoir (one of our favourite places), Boat Quay, Botanical Gardens and Labrador Park. The pictures turned out very well. Cau Tuan is a master in background spotting and being a tourist with a fresh eye certainly helps. He is really good is setting up poetic and romantic shots, complimented by the master in model poses, Cau Tien, a perfect combination which beats most local wedding photographers, I must say. All this and alot of fun and jokes in the process makes for a very enjoyable and memorable shoot. I had wanted to do a relax shoot, just covering one or 2 places a day, but I think we enjoyed it so much that we were just went on and on till the sun sets.

See the shots at my Flickr page.

Newly Wed.. almost

2007-07-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

Reason for the title is that the second banquet is on this coming Sunday! We just had the first one in Ho Chi Minh city on 22 July 2007. Its great, with a big fanfare. "Cinderella" carriage, 20 restaurant staff as brides maid, huge party poppers, live video feed for guests as we alight from the carriage and do our march-in on red carpet. Reminds me of the Golden Horse award stars arrival when I watch the video now.

My family and friends were awe-struck. This could never have happened at home, unless Im loaded. I had a good time, no stress at all, and my family enjoyed it. The language barrier during the customary session turn out to be hilarious on video.

I had my bachelors' night last Friday. Going back to Zouk after a 9 year absence is a walk down memory lane. The 6 of us were reminiscing on which platform we used to dance on and which songs were played as we walked on the empty dance floor before the crowd arrived. Its like a group of retirees returing to their school compound. Its not that we spend lots of time dancing and drinking away during NS days. Its just that those were the things we can only do at that point of our lives and it feels good doing it with the same gang after all these years. And we met more of our unit mates at Velvet. I cant believe they are still chionging after all these years. Its a clean bachelors night out, no strippers or girls, but a night of recollections. A kind of "been there, done that" feeling.

Wedding in Vietnam was a bang, getting set for the Singapore version.

Go to my Flickr page to view the pics.

The Eve of our Wedding

2007-07-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

I am writing this from a hotel in Ho Chi Minh city, sharing a room with Chiong Hien, my army buddy. And we are going to fetch my bride tomorrow. Its been a tiring day, but happy and exciting. My whole family is here together with aunt, cousin and friends (17 of them). It will be the only time that so many of them come together....for my wedding. Not nervous yet, but guess I will be when there are more than 400 people attending our banquet at Sinh Doi restaurant. There is going to be a "Cinderella carriage" that brings us to the entrance of the banquet hall, with 20 or so waitresses lined up along the aisle, with emcee and sparklers...quite a big fanfare... and we have told them to cut it down. I hope it ll turn out well. Thao's extended family is huge, and I worry about going to 40 tables for toasting. I have never gotten drunk in my entire life, and do not wish to. There will be good drinkers backing me up, including my father. Every member of her family has done something for our day and all are excited for the 1st wedding of the 3rd generation. The pictures and decoration that Cau Tuan made are incredible. I am glad my family is here too.

Its been fun so far. I hope she will be the prettiest bride they have seen. Time to get some sleep before the biggest day of our lives.

On assignment in a foreign land

2007-06-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

Just came back from a crazy 3 days assignment in Brunei, covering the Prime Minister visit on my very first oversea assignment. It was non-stop action once he arrived in Bandar Seri Begawan. Luckily, we arrived the night before and got to enjoy the 6-star Empire Hotel for a few hours before the "party" begins. Transport and accomodation were well taken care of by the Bruneian officials. All I had to do was rush from one place to another ahead of the VIP convoy and get the shots. Its tiring, but pretty exciting. A luxury hotel with stable internet connection definitely helped. I had good shots on the most important event on the 1st day, with much luck. 1st lesson learned: never stick to the spot which the local official tell you to stand. If the local photographers start moving, start moving too. Once that is done, the rest of the day was more of an eye-opener, working inside the royal palace and surrounded by more gold-plated stuff than I could imagine. Crystal chandeliers, gold-plated pillars, chairs and silk-covered walls and gold cutlery are everywhere. Even the trash bin in my hotel room is gold-plated. So is this...

Day 2 proved to be physically-challenging. A 5 minute shot of the Sultan and PM Lee taking a morning walk turned out to be a 4 km fast-march with 2 sets of camera equipment dangling on my shoulders, plus I was dressed in long-sleeve shirt and pants (dark suits are required for all other events). The VVIPs were surrounded by at least 30 people, plus another 20 or so photographers and cameraman running in front of them, trying hard to stay ahead of to get the shots. Its quite a scene, and I was part of the running troop of photographers, except that most of them came prepared in running shoes, I was wearing dark leather shoes...

We were already half way through when I got a decent number of good-shots, and there was no turning back. I had to finish the march. Some Bruneian photogs have already fallen back, while others have colleagues taking over them. One cameraman who passed me said "2 mile more, abang". I hope those were encouraging words. It ended earlier than I expected. I sense a great sense of accomplishment. Back to hotel, download, edit, transmit, eating noodles, coffee and biscuit at the same time to last through the day. I finished transmitting just in time for check-out. Mission accomplished.

Back from Europe

2007-06-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

Actually been back for about 2 weeks already. Its my first time in Europe and our furthest trip away from home. Im not sure if its a honeymoon, since our wedding is 2 months away, but what the heck. We had the best time of our lives in that 15 days, half the time in Berlin, the other half in Paris, Rome and Florence. Weather was great, sunny but cool, and we didn't have any unpleasant experiences or fell victims to petty crimes despite the numerous subway trips we took. Now that we are back, the time we spent there has become a sort of time marker. Certain things are described as pre-Europe or post-Europe...another indication of how great the trip has been.

Will post the pics once I manage to sort them through. Gearing up for the big day which is less than 2 months away from now. Meanwhile, here is our favourite pic. Taken in Florence on a rainy night. We went to get 500gram (made up of 3 flavours of our choice) of Gelato from a ice cream store and was walking back to hotel when the rain got heavier. We stopped outside a fashion boutique that has a little bit of protruding roof that offered us shelter for a while. A styrofoam box full of gelato and umbrella on one hand, the other hand on her shoulder, we stood and time stood still for a moment. Our memories are made up of scenes that flashes by which are mentally recorded sub-consciously from our past, and this is one which both of us share.

A peep inside North Korea

2007-05-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

I have always been fascinated by what really goes on in this country, and how the North Koreans live their lives. One of the last remaining communist state in the world, it has been included under the axis of evil with several other "rogue" states, as the US would call them.

Under such isolation, how will the people react when the doors are open? Will that ever happen and when? Is it the last paradise or last isolated state on earth? I guess these questions will only be answered if we are allowed to live in the republic and ask questions without supervision, not as tourist.

Yannis Kontos work is remarkable, given the restrictions placed on photographers. It allows me to take a peep into North Korea and gives a human face to the nation we know so little of.

http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0704/kontos.html

Pulitzer Prize Winner

2007-04-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

Very touching pictures, taken when the photographer is allowed to witness personal and emotional moments and record it as it happened. I admire her composure while taking these pictures. If it makes you cry just by looking at it on your screen, imagine how it feels like to be shooting under such circumstances. She has fulfilled her role as a photojournalist.

http://www.pulitzer.org/year/2007/feature-photography/works/

News Hunting on a Rainy Day

2007-04-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

Seemed like it was going to be another wasted trip as I was on my way to the West. The instruction given was simple, "heavy rain in the west, go see if there is any flash floods etc". No exact location was given and I was ready to go rain-chasing. It pays to have the radio on in such circumstances. On hearing that traffic was affected on a street at Jurong, I headed straight for that. True enough, a tree had fallen right across the 2 lane road, probably up-rooted by the downpour. I shot a few frames before they started to bring in the chainsaws and dismembered the tree. I got to test the water-proofing of my shoes in 2 inch deep water. Job done, packed up and headed back to office. Listened to Dani California by Red Hot Chili Peppers on the way back. Felt like a victory song as I realized that this was the song I listened to when something gets accomplished for the day. Some songs just bring back certain feelings or is it the other way round...some songs come to mind when you feel a certain way. Never mind.

Quotes

2007-04-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

Some food for thought for those in the trade.

The Decline (and Maybe Demise) of the Professional Photojournalist
December 4th, 2006 by Dan Gillmor

"The percentage of REAL news published has decreased dramatically, and has been replaced with an endless stream of celebrity news and programming consisting of lame wannabes with an over-blown sense of entitlement.
Look at your news-stand any day, and see how many magazines even mention Darfur, and how many have the latest inane details of “Britney and FedEx”.
Corporate media wants to keep the general populace uninformed - distracted from anything that might reduce advertising dollars; and with the masses helping to create their own opiate - we are further distracted every day from the realities that good journalism helps bring to light."

Read the full article here

More from Trevor Butterworth:

"What is more important to the future of photography is that newspaper editors push their photographers to do better work and allow them to be creative. The number of dull photos that show up on a daily basis is unforgivable given the talent out there. Think about how the launch of the Independent in London blazed a path for some truly great photojournalism. The dramatic spot news event will take care of itself."

"Photography isn’t dead, but it’s dying due to a lack of leadership or imagination on the part of the people vested with the authority to shape the presentation of the news in tomorrow’s news products."

The Last Performance

2007-02-20T02:45:00.000-08:00

I was there to witness the very last performance by Golden Eagle Teochew Opera Troupe (金鹰潮剧团). Founded in 1980, it was one of the best troupe in this traditional performing art. With no successsor in sight and ageing members, the founder Mr Chua decided to close it down for good. Standing beside him just before the commencement of the last performance, he mumbled "完了，完了" (It's coming to an end). It was a photographer's dream to document such an event, the troupe members were so used to being photographed that they just let me get up close. Maybe they wanted this craft to be documented one last time.
During the half time interval, Mr Chua made a speech to the elderly crowd of about 30 audiences. He was composed, but an actress broke down in tears right beside me (I was at the back-stage). It was an emotional moment. I snapped away, holding my breath so that the camera wouldn't shake under low shutter speed.
I told my parents about this last performance of the troupe which enjoyed its heyday in the 80s. They came and witnessed it with me, I was busy at the back-stage, but when I went out to meet them, mum gave me a smile I would not forget. She seemed proud of the work Im doing. That matters alot.
I hope I have done justice to the troupe with my pictures by documenting it the best way I can, preserving this art form in the minds of its practitioners, and informing the younger generations of its existence.

Pictures of the Last performance

Chinese New Year's eve

2007-02-19T10:50:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I was an active participant of spring cleaning before the Chinese New Year. For the past few years, there were always other things to do, This year, I decided to make myself useful and took over some of the back-breaking work from mum. I got to clean the toilets. I always take pride in my work, including this. The tiles were scrubbed from matt to glossy with a toothbrush....of course not. Took me about half and hour to complete one, and before I moved on to the next, mum said she had already cleaned the other one and father had cleaned the wall tiles....Phew. Then I did other chores and had a nice afternoon nap before the reunion dinner. That makes it feels like Chinese New Year!

After steamboat, we made our way to a nearby flower market. It has been our practice for the past 2 years. Kind-of fun and you could see the prices being slashed by the hour. Parents really liked the purchases they made and I am in-charge of keeping their plants alive (while they travel in China). We didn't stay to witness the price-slashing, as we had to come home and prayed to Ti-Gong (Sky God). I wonder how Chinese New Year will feel like without all these practices, which are part of our childhood memories. I even took a picture of the items that parents offered to Ti-Gong, in case I am given the task of sourcing for them next time.

I have a good 4-day break during this period, hence, the new posts are coming up. Plus, I brought my camera out this time round for family shots.

The Results Are Out

2007-02-09T07:40:00.000-08:00

The 2006 World Press photo results is finally out. Nope, I didn't win any award in my debut entry of 3 pictures. Will definitely try again, but the works are mainly of war or conflict, which are non-existent here, not that I wish for it to happen here. The winning works are really good...I have no grouses.

See them here.World Press Photo 2006

Grand Ol' Dame, The National Stadium

2007-02-02T08:44:00.000-08:00

It holds lots of memories, not just for me, but for most of us. I ran lots of races on her rubber track, experienced triump and defeat from the races. Its one hell of an experience running in front of thousands during the yearly National Schools' Track & Field finals. You can hear the screams and cheers before the race starts, but once you are off, everything become silent. All you can hear is your breathing, and the deafening sound of the wind as you try to defy the natural forces of resistance and run like Forest Gump. In a 4X100m relay race, you can only hear your teammate coming right behind you and you wait for his command, before you reach out and grab the baton from him. All this in split second, at high speed. I fell once during a 4x400m finals. The sound of my spike hitting the metal barrier on the innermost lane must have echoed through the whole stadium. Luckily, I picked myself up quick enough to carry on without being overtaken. The final stretch of 120m is the most crucial. Thunderous cheers from the spectators will make the adrenalin rush through your body. Lack of oxygen to your muscles will also produce lactic acid and cause your limbs to stiffen up. You try to go faster, but couldn't. You try to swing your arms harder, but your legs just wouldn't follow the momentum, as if they weigh a hundred kilos. This is the point where races are won or lost. After you cross the line, you collapse in agony. Your butt ache like hell, and everything before your eyes seems to be spinning. You could puke anytime...now thats pain. I have always thought that all these training and races during my school days are tougher than army training, in another way. They were painful, but are usually over in minutes, not hours or days.

Those are the memories I have from our National Stadium from school days. While dating in Uni, I used to bring her there too. We climbed over the fences in the wee hours of the morning (I was impressed she can climb over the fences that were twice our height). Once inside, there is complete silence in this massive place that can hold 55,000 spectators. We watch ed the moon from inside. And now, I am going to marry her. Thanks alot Grand Ol' Dame!

The picture was taken on the last game to be played there, before she makes way for a new sports hub. This is the moment when Singapore score the first goal. I waited long for this shot, and was about to move to another place, when the moment occurred before my eyes. I didn't even know who scored at that point of time, and just fired a few frames before the fans in front of me stopped jumping. I knew I got the shot. I spend the whole match in the spectator stand, preferring not to go down to the pitch for action shots of the players. My colleagues are there to cover that. It was a right decision after all....to come down for this game on my off days even though Im tired from shooting almost everyday for the past few weeks.

Thanks alot for the memories.

SuperDog

2007-01-24T00:16:00.000-08:00

I had four of these plus 2 burgers in one shot. Not in my tummy, but in pictures.

Available now at Vivocity.

Our Photo Shoot

2007-01-19T08:36:00.000-08:00

No, I was not caught up with work. I was busy having the time of my life, thus, the long absence. A wedding photo shoot up in the hills of Vietnam, with temperatures at a cool 15 degrees. Best of all, I was not the one shooting. We hired a mini-bus for this road trip up north of Ho Chi Minh city for our wedding photo shoot with a crew of 7 including the lead actor (me) and actress (Thao). Her mum was the production manager, taking care of accomodation, logistics, food etc. Her uncle, Cau Tuan (photographer), Cau Tien (make-up artist), Tuan (photography assistant) and Thanh (driver) makes up the rest of the production crew. We stopped twice for shoots during the 6 hrs drive up to Dalat, and all these were unplanned. We just stopped for shoots whenever something nice caught Cau Tuan's eye. This includes a rubber plantation and an ancient tea house. We spent 3 days up in the hills for outdoor shoots and truly enjoyed all of it... the cool weather, scenery and the company. Nights were spent drinking warm soya bean milk on the streets, walking in the night market, and a singing session in a run-down karaoke joint. I have always wanted to take a look inside one of those karaoke places that can be seen all over the cities in Vietnam. Usually, all you can see is a small lighted sign on the streets that lead you to someone's home which has a few spare rooms equipped with a CRT TV, speakers and a simple karaoke system. For S$3, you can all squeeze into a room and scream your lungs out for an hour. My Vietnamese is still not good enough to understand all of what they say, but it was nice to see them having a great time, and utter a word or two of Vietnamese to be part of the fun. It was 3 full days of fun and modeling, with the crew taking care of almost everything, all I had to do was get changed and posed for shoots.

Our last night in Ho Chi Minh city, we brought the kids (Thao's cousin and sister) out for ice cream, They seem so excited and started to talk about their favourite cartoon characters during the ride where Hand sat in front and Tin behind me, 3 on a bike. For a while, I felt the same way as the boys, excited about going for a spin around town, in our 2-wheel convertible (also known as Honda Dream motorbike) and having ice cream. As an adult, Its not so often that I get excited about things, but with kids, anything can be great fun. Wish I could have this feeling more often, and never grow out of it.

The Weatherman says..."Wet Days Ahead"

2006-12-28T09:24:00.000-08:00

Her smile was gone, but not for long

2006-12-08T07:11:00.000-08:00

I am sorry that i slept like a pig while you were sick. I only realised how bad it was when I saw it in your eyes. I tried to tease you and make fun of you, but you were too tired to play along with me. The infectious smile of yours was gone, I tried hard to make you smile, and this was when i realised how much it meant to me. The candle flame of my life was flickering, not shining as bright as always. I received a call from brother, he sounded real bad and had difficulty breathing. I had to send him to A&E immediately. The jam at CTE didn't help and the first nurse I met was moving in slow-mo. Am I in A&E or not?. Wished I could put up a siren and honk at every damn car that slowed down to watch the accident vehicles at the road shoulder. I would have gone nuts if I am an ambulance driver. Hours passed before I could leave bro and take you to the doctor.

The sight of you getting your first bite of the day, followed by your smile brought everything back to normal and this is when the teasing and taunting will start....

Lesson of the day: Be there for your family when they need you, as they will be the first to respond when you need them.

Feast for Your Eyes

2006-12-06T22:47:00.000-08:00

Another picture that goes unpublished. It was taken at Sentosa Underwater World. Do not try this at home/sea as the barbs on these rays have been removed.

Destructive Forces

2006-11-21T19:27:00.000-08:00

The movie ' An Inconvenient Truth' really set me pondering about Earth's future and that of ours. I begin taking a look at how we, as a society and an individual has a hand in harming our environment. As I was looking through my personal image archive, I came across this picture taken about 3 years ago near my place. Its a simple image that reflects what we do in our neighbourhood and what we are capable of, if we have virgin forest on our land. I remembered driving past this plot of vacant land on which a pig farm used to be in the 70s (My father told me that when I was a kid) and I saw the few big trees lying on the ground. They must have be older than me and I used to hear that one particular tree is home to spirits (A rumour from those kampung days). So big in size that I imagine they must have been brought to their knees by machines and chopped to pieces. This plot of land is still vacant today, waiting for the next phase of development to start. An article I read recently in the papers shows that countries like China and India are on track in conserving the remaining forested lands they have and are able to reach an equilibrium between de-forestation and re-forestation. But there are also countries that are not. Go get the DVD of the movie if you missed it on the big screen. I cant help but wonder why didn't the former US Vice President, Al Gore win the last Election. Hopefully, he will in 2008.
Visit http://climatecrisis.org/ to know more about the movie

Mum's cat

2006-11-10T00:11:00.000-08:00

We call him fat fat. He was the biggest fellow among his 4 other siblings and mum did a good job in making sure that he was always bigger than the other strays. He was borned 4 years ago when his mother (a stray) came to our workshop and gave birth to 4 kittens. We didn't know why she came here, but it was a good choice as mum took care of them and all 4 babies survived. We gave away 2, but the smallest one and their mother died of illness subsequently. Fat was the only one left. He was a gentleman who often came back injured from fights, even with his size. But he has learned to use that to his advantage, and we no longer had to take him to the vet for injuries. Fat was overweight and noisy. He seems to be able to speak in different languages and reply in his kitty tone whenever someone speaks to him. Mum doted on him, making sure that he was fed twice a day even on Sundays and Holidays even when our shop is not open for business. And fat got to stay in pet hotel when my parents are away on short trips.
Fat passed away yesterday. Mum found him injured and his lower part of his body was paralysed. He could have been knocked down by a vehicle while chasing another cat across the road. The vet told us that he coudn't do much to save fat, and mum made the painful decision to put him to sleep. As she told me about it on the phone, I can hear buddhist chants in the background. Mum seeks solace in listening to them, having lost one of her adopted pets of 4 years.
There used to be 3 other dogs, and they died in accidents too. We could not keep them in and hope that they will learn the rules of mankind, of when to cross the road and to stay away from strangers, in order to stay alive.

Something That Brings People Together

2006-11-05T04:40:00.000-08:00

Spotted this events photographer striking an unusual pose from my angle. This was during a world reunion of the people with the surname, Lin (林). There were thousands of them from various Asian countries and even some from Canada. I was impressed with the turnout, which is about 3 thousand. Other common surnames and their association has been holding annual reunions in different countries every year, and the logistics involved is quite a feat. Having the same surname and ancestor is able to bring these people together from all over the world, generation after generation.

It used to be Home

2006-10-26T08:33:00.000-07:00

I just finish a job and was on my way to another when I passed this neigbourhood next to Kallang MRT station. The residents have moved out and the blocks are sealed and ready for demolition. People still walk pass this estate which used to be someone's home, and I remember that the Macdonalds was still open 2 months back. The carpark is still open to public though.

I grew up in an estate like this too. Nostalgia struck me eveytime I chanced upon one that is vacant and ready to be demolished. Soon, new blocks of apartment may take its place and all that remains are memories for a child, a newly-wed couple or an old couple who used to live there. It seems that in this fast-changing society, we can only hold on to memories, and everything else passes by. Some developments around us make no sense to me. If only we can leave things the way they are.

The Gown

2006-10-17T08:37:00.000-07:00

She sent me this picture of her trying the gown. I am lost for words...

Quality Time

2006-10-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

I am off from work the past 2 days. Finally, I get to sleep late on a Sunday morning, love to see the sunlight when I wake up, then sleep some more. I let this happen a few times. The Sunday spread was quite generous with our pictures and not much cropping was done to mine. Another reason to make my day.
Dazel has got an appointment with the groomer. He messed up my car, Im fine with it cos he rarely gets a ride.
I learnt a lesson, always tell the groomer how short you want it, if not they will go all the way....and thats how Dazel ended up like this.

He looks quite pathetic at first and does not want to be photographed. I steal a shot when he was hiding under the table. A game of fetch does the job and he is back to his usual self.

First 1 Out

2006-10-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

Taken on Saturday night at a Deepavali parade. The atmosphere was electrifying with Indian percussions, dances and a rowdy crowd. This was an accident. I pressed the shutter while I was running to find a good spot as the fireworks goes off. They always say that its going to be blasting for 7 mins thereabouts. I have learned to take it with a pinch of salt, and tried to get the shot during the first few blast. Always feel like less than 1 minute when its over.

I like the raw quality of this shot, and it makes my head spin.