It’s Monday 2nd of January 2023, the start of a brand week in a fresh New Year 2023,. Looking back at Year 2022, it was a mixed bag of an onward journey, results and outcomes, filled with its fair share of ups and downs. As the world economy reopens in 2022, reopening their borders and lifting of risk management measures, it’s a much awaited return that the world desires, the route to recovery was gradual as we return back to a more normal lifestyle.
Photography by Isaac Ong
Inspired by Fernando Gros “How to choose a Yearly Theme”, this is my 4th year writing and announcing a Yearly Theme, an approach that I personally feel that it’s more forward looking for a new future, a new era of working, thinking and how we connect as an individual, as a collective, society and the world. It’s not that goal settings or setting resolutions are no longer popular or useful, they still have a purpose and it still works for some people or industries
Recap of previous Yearly Themes
Before I announce my Yearly Theme 2023 for my photography and travel, let me bring you back into my previous Yearly Themes through a recap below:
Yearly Theme 2023 (Photography and Travel) – “Explore”
Now let me introduce and announce my Yearly Theme 2023 for photography and travel – “Explore”.
Why “Explore”?
The word “Explore” has always been part of my life, from my Scouting days in school, to my traveler explorer days, in both my professional/business and personal life. My photography themes/projects have always been on exploration, in both nature, wildlife, history, heritage and cultural areas.
Photography
In year 2023, I am going to explore new collaborations in both professional and personal capacities.
On the photography business sector, there would be changes and approaches to my portfolio of services or specialisation.
On my personal photography segment, there are a lot more plans, ideas, collaborations and new collaborations that I more than want to explore, the personal side of photography keeps my passion and fire burning in a commercial photography, content creation world.
If there is something deep inside me that I want to do, they would be along the lines of
- Back to basics, back to analogue
- Honing my craft and eye for creativity
- Collaborating with like-minded creatives for new projects
Some sectors that I would like to explore further are photography training/educator and consultancy. I made some progress and headways in the two sectors, I am going to continue building up from there.
Travel
I made a decision not to travel out during 2022 when borders reopened along with the lifting of risk management measures, even though my travel wanderlust was strong. In 2023, I am planning to re-explore my travel photography and travel writing again, after a 3 years hiatus due to the global pandemic situation.
I hope to explore new travel destinations (ASEAN, Japan, Europe) that I haven’t previously visited. Of course, I would still love to revisit some of my favourite travel destinations. I am also planning to explore the area on Sustainability further and wider in travel, tourism, hospitality industries, around the region before venturing further out.
Writing and Publishing Books and Zines
One of my new philosophy in photography, writing and creativity is “Bringing my projects to life”, into prints, zines or books. In a heavy social media usage and consumption world where everything is digital, maybe a return to analogue or old school, can spark us a revival in how we work and live.
Therefore, I am going to explore new personal visual storytelling projects, beyond my current ones. I want to explore further, wider and deeper as a content creator and visual storyteller.
Should I go for a photo book or a new travel visual storytelling project or new zine collection project? Or all of the above? Exploring new publishing projects for year 2023, I would share more in details when the time is ripe.
Complementing my photography training and consultancy, I am going to explore publishing photography guides for the modern creative and social media world.
New set of Uncertainties and Dark Clouds in 2023
In a period of uncertainties and crisis (hopefully it doesn’t reach that stage), there might be new opportunities. Time to explore other opportunities as a new set of dark clouds (challenges and uncertainties) looms over 2023. We are facing inflation, higher costs of living, economic slowdown (or even possibly world recession) and geo-political worldwide crisis in a worst worst case scenario.
In a period of uncertainties and political crisis in some regions (hopefully it doesn’t escalate beyond that stage into bigger crisis), there might be new opportunities. Time to explore other opportunities as a new set of dark clouds (challenges and uncertainties) looms over 2023.
Yearly Theme 2023 (Technology | Business | Personal)
In this year 2023, I decide to try something different again, I chose two themes, one for my TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog, one for my TGH Technology and Business Portal/Blog. What did I choose for my Yearly Theme 2023 (Technology | Business | Personal)?
Explore with me in my visual storytelling journeys in 2023
I would like to invite you and join me, come explore with me in my visual storytelling journeys in 2023.
Together we can and we might explore something new, heart warming and touching visual stories.