It’s now September 2025, the post birthday month for Singapore after major SG60 celebrations in the month of August 2025. For the month of September 2025, while we might be having a bit of a hangover from the SG60 celebrations in August 2025, we would be having a mix of heritage, cultural and arts events/festivities in September 2025, my photography/visual storytelling/content creations themes and plans for September 2025.
Photography
Photography Competitions/Contests
There are still a few ongoing photography competitions/contests in September 2025. Here are the ones that I am working on in September 2025.
Experience More with Capture SG60 by RSP & HONOR
HONOR recently launched a foldable smartphone, HONOR Magic V5, and this is Singapore’s SG60 birthday year, HONOR is celebrating this milestone by inviting the public to photograph Singapore’s city architectural journey, from iconic landmarks to everyday spaces.
This photography competition is jointly organised by HONOR and RSP Architects Planners & Engineers. If you are keen to know more and participate ,visit https://rsp.design/capturesg60/ and find out more information and details.
Alan Photo Competition – Catch the Moment
Alan Photo Singapore announced a photo completion titled, “Catch the Moment”, inviting photographers to show a side of Singapore that most people never notice. That sounds like a pretty nice theme to participate in, showcasing many different sights and views of Singapore that most people never notice.
The competition period is from 1 – 30 September 2025, if you are keen to participate or find out more information, you can check out Alan Photo social media pages. I am going to enter and see how it goes for me.
Exhibitions
NUSPS Montage 2025 Seminar – Not a winner | A Photograph on Display
The NUSPS Montage 2025 Seminar took place on 23rd August 2025, I attended the Montage 2025 seminar, listening to talks by professionals, photo exhibition and prize presentation.
The winning entries for NUSPS Montage 2025 were on display at Montage 2025 Seminar, together with the other top entries for this photo competition. Although I didn’t win any prizes at Montage 2025 photo competition, I did have a photograph printed on display at NUSPS Montage 2025 Seminar.
Overall, a small consolation and recognition, this was also a good experience for me participating in Montage 2025 photo competition, a great NUSPS Montage 2025 seminar lineup of speakers, and last but not least, catching up with friends from Canon Singapore and photographer friends from various photography groups in Singapore, friends from the former Canon EOS World community, KOMMUNITY, and SG Storm Trackers.
More personal insights and thoughts from NUSPS Montage 2025 photo competition and Montage 2025 seminar can be found in my article.
1st National Photography Art Exhibition (NPAE) 2025 in October 2025
I am still waiting for more information and details on the 1st National Photography Art Exhibition (NPAE) 2025 that is taking place in October 2025. Keep a lookout for their event!
Visual Storytelling / Content Creation
Working towards my SG60 Visual Storytelling Personal Project
I am working towards and closer to my SG60 visual storytelling personal project, writing down more ideas and inspirations. There are two ideas/plans in my mind as follows below:
1) Notebook A5 size
My first idea/plan to get an existing notebook A5 size, curating my 60 photographs to mark SG60 celebrations, this would more handicraft and hands on making a zine style photo book. Not likely to be in mass production, more of on a request/order basis for friends and supporters, whether based in Singapore or overseas.
2) Photography Zine with design and layout
The second would be designed with layout for printing and sale on ad-hoc basis or in bulk printing, along the A5 notebook size. This would allow me to have a discussion with publishers or photography printing houses, and also place my photography zine in their library.
Ready for Migratory Bird Photography Season Q3 2025 to Q1 2026
The early migratory birds have started arriving in Singapore, some are earlier than expected. I am ready for migratory bird photography season starting in September 2025 leading up to Q1 2026. Making plans to visit various nature reserves and parks for migratory bird photography, as well as nature, landscape, creating travel articles and my own nature and outdoors therapy with my photography.
Looking forward to add more birding and wildlife photography to my Bird/Wildlife Photography in Singapore collection on Flickr.
Heritage, Culture, Arts, Performing Arts and Creative Sectors
A fruitful month of August 2025 in the heritage, culture, arts and performing arts sector. At this moment, they are more of a personal visual storytelling and documentation. I do hope there would be some of renumeration/commissioned work would materialise down the road with some of those heritage, culture, arts and performing arts sector.
Discussions on doing more, collaborating with other like-minded heritage, culture and arts advocates in other fields are still ongoing. When it starts to gain more traction, I would share more details. Meanwhile, keep a lookout for more visual stories of my heritage, culture, arts and performing arts sector.
The State of the Heritage, Culture, Arts, Performing Arts and Creative Sectors in Singapore
In August 2025, The Projector suddenly announced its closure, sending shock waves, disappointments, a wake up call and a reality check for arts, culture, creatives, filmmakers, photographers, media production and those working in related industries.
From the costs of running a business in Singapore (let alone a business in the arts, creatives, cultural industry), changing media landscape, the types of entertainment and media we are consuming in today’s climate. Too many “things” that distract us, from toys to online streaming, what is our state of the arts, creative and culture sectors in Singapore?
Are we doing enough, or do we have to lose it before we start to appreciate, is it too late and too little? While I am not most immersed into independent films, their influence and impacts on the arts, culture and creatives have an impact on developing my creative aspects in my visual storytelling and writing.
Personally, it can be difficult to prioritise which areas of arts, creative and culture sectors that we want to be interested in and be a part of. Once we put our time and money into a few of them, others might get neglected, and when another bites the dust, we also feel the disappointment that we haven’t done enough to spend some time and our monetary support there.
There are also arts, culture and creative sectors that are getting the support and attendance. It’s such a mixed bag on two ends of the spectrum, some have it better, how many are struggling? How many more of those “another one bites the dust” before we wake up and support our local arts, creative, and culture sectors in Singapore better, with our time and wallet?
Of Many Thoughts and Views
Experiencing two different sides of the stories in the heritage, culture, arts, performing arts and creative sectors, I have many thoughts and views, I might write it down more personal and in-depth.
Reflecting deeply, where and how I could adapt, the delicate balance between revenue from photography work to personal visual storytelling and documentation? Where and how I can help and support each other in the heritage, culture, arts, performing arts and creative sectors in Singapore?
Many thoughts and views to ponder deeply, planning, changing and strategising ahead.