Time flies when you least expected it! Today is 1st April 2024, marking the start of Q2 2024, Q1 2024 is over in the blink of an eye, how is Q1 2024 for you? I would take this time to do a regular feature on my TGH Photography and Travel website, looking back and reflecting Reflecting Q1 2024 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage).
Photography
First up would be my photography sector, my regular and usual approach from both business and leisure/personal perspectives.
Photography (business)
On the business side of things for TGH Photography, Q1 got off on a not too bad start, taking into consideration the slower start in January 2024, followed by Chinese Lunar New Year festive season in February 2024. Although some deals faced some challenges and didn’t materialise, it’s an inevitable part of running and doing a business.
With the uncertainties and challenges in the economy ahead, hopefully the momentum and consistency built up in Q1 2024 can be carried forward into the rest of the year.
Photography (leisure/personal)
I continued to enjoy my leisure/personal photography in the midst of everything juggling a business and a few big hats concurrently. Bird photography/wildlife photography was fulfilling for this particular migratory bird season in Singapore from October 2023 to March 2024.
On my personal photography projects that I am planning to start, working on them and brining it to “life” via physical prints either in zines or photo books. Although I haven’t officially selected them, one would be on heritage sector, most likely it would be from an existing/ongoing heritage documentation project that I started some years back. Another project idea is on my travel visual storytelling, I would share more in the Travel sub-section below.
I am also exploring a photography collaboration with overseas photographer, it would really be a wonderful experience to publish a photography zine overseas with them. Let’s see how this would turn out for me, whether it comes to life.
Travel
An area that I have been working on before the global pandemic hits, from travel photography, visual storytelling and content creation. Although it’s not taking off as I would like to, I am going to continue working on this, from my personal travel visual storytelling to my networkings.
Travel content creation
I read about the challenges and impacts of AI on travel content creators. These would be of great interest to me as a travel content creator being part of my portfolio of works, as well as being a technology writer. I would share more of my findings when I had more insights from my research.
Together with my travel content creation and travel visual storytelling plans for 2024, I am thinking between a travel photo book or a travel storytelling style book that is always on my dreams and plans. Which should I choose?
Geo-politics and world economy
The geo-politics tensions across different parts of the world are a concern for world tourism and travel, let’s hope they would not escalate further hampering and derailing the world economy further. Current economic sentiments are not good even though we have been reading news on over-tourism in some countries such as Japan.
Last but not least on my travel, it’s really time to plan a short getaway soon, it’s been years since I left Singapore for an overseas trip due to the global pandemic (last trip was in 2019 to Malaysia).
Creative
On the creative side of things, I am kickstarting my TGH Research and Learning Series on Artificial (AI) in 2024, continuing where I left off in 2023. I have both professional and personal interests in Generative AI from various perspectives, as a photographer/creative, a technology writer and an end consumer. AI technology is huge, I am still learning, researching and understanding the potentials and impacts.
Through my ongoing research and learning series, I might experiment more with Generative AI on photography, videography and designs.
Heritage
Over the past decade (and still counting), I have embarked on history, heritage, culture and arts documentation via my photography and writing, the collection of photographs can be viewed here #OurSGHeritage on Flickr.
In 2024, I am planning to bring a current personal heritage project to life, and I am also looking to get more active and involved in heritage sector, contributing through my visual storytelling and writing with organisations involved in the history, heritage, culture and arts sector.
Moving Forward in Q2 and beyond in 2024
The uncertainties, poor economic sentiments and a slowdown in the world economy can and have already been felt on the ground level. The challenges and constraints would still be ever present, moving forward in Q2 and beyond in 2024, I would continue to work smart, be strategic and work extra hard, hopefully the momentum and consistency built up in Q1 2024 can be carried forward into the rest of the year, in the are of my photography/content creation business, amidst the uncertainties.
Q2 2024 has just begun, time to take on the challenges ahead, moving forward in Q2 and beyond on 2024.