Reflecting Q3 2023 and Plans for Q4 2023 (Photography and Travel)

At the start of a new week in the first week of October 2023, this marks the start of the final quarter of 2023. This is the final sprint to the end of YR2023. As I embarked on my final quarter sprint, I would do a regular feature of reflecting and planning. Sharing both professional and personal thoughts and views from my Reflecting Q3 2023 and Plans for Q4 2023 (Photography and Travel).

Photography

Photography business

I am not going to sugar coat, paint a rosy picture, or show off. The business side of photography hasn’t been easy, just like any other business industries, it’s competitive and saturated. Building new partnerships and collaborations take time as well, existing networks are sometimes dependent on economic conditions, demand and need for professional services.

Q4 2023 would be used for re-strategising and planning, while working on finishing existing projects and assignments. What lies ahead in YR2024? What could be my new strategies and directions?

Any business can be cut-throat and brutal. This a very harsh reality that we live in. Market and economic uncertainties are still looming in YR2024 for the world economy, coupled with shrinking market share and opportunities locally. All these are definitely a lot more to think and strategise ahead in the very near future.

Personal photography

Beyond my commercial photography sectors, I still have my personal/leisure photography that I actively go for. From wildlife photography, history and heritage documentation, featuring creative artists works from other creative industries, personal projects, exploring locally etc.

I don’t share my photographs as fast as some others out there, the fear of missing out (FOMO) is indeed strong, not just in the photography community, in some aspects, quite a lot of human beings can be quite FOMO on social media.

There are critics and commentators on not posting my best photographs. I have make certain decisions and workflow in my photography, on how I want to post my photographs. While my rule might be an outdated rule of thumb in this media crazy digital/social media world, I still decide not to overdo things such as oversharing of photographs, let alone my best photographs.

My curated best photographs would be on my portfolio website TGH Photography, next set of curated nice photographs would be on Flickr, followed by Instagram.

Educator/Trainer in photography and return of taking in disciples

In between my ongoing plans to take in photography disciples again, after years since I last took in a very small group of photographers under me, I am going to conduct a short camera / photography training again soon, part of my photography training and consultancy services.

Over my years of photography, I discovered one of the ways to improve my skills and knowledge further is to teach/train others, passing down my photography skills and knowledge.

Taking on an educator/trainer role, even in a field that I am experienced and skilled in, it wasn’t smooth sailing and straight forward. This journey itself is a new set of steep learning curve, striving to improve and become a better educator/trainer.

A subject matter expert may not necessarily mean they can teach/train well. This also brought me back to the notion, “Train the trainer”.

Therefore, I have to rethink and replan on the different approaches, style and likely a set of teaching curriculum, for people who are just starting out in their photography, that doesn’t know too much about photography and the basics, versus those who already have some basic knowledge and experience, and those who are on the advanced level, that requires another different approach.

This new photography educator/trainer role adventure is now in its version 3.0. Time to bring it on!

Moved On

In the last quarter, there was a matter that got me really disappointed. It’s buried, placed aside and I have moved on. I have nothing much more to say, I am touched by some of my friends support.

Travel

Travel photography/Travel visual storytelling/Travel content creation

Along with my travel wanderlust, travel visual storytelling / content creation, I am making a comeback with more travel visual storytelling and travel photography content. It’s been a few years since my last trip overseas, the global pandemic situation doesn’t help.

I wasn’t successful in my attempts to enter those travel related sectors, I met with a number of obstacles that I would not go into detail. I am working on my travel visual storytelling and travel photography content again, finding my own travel journey, building up networks and opportunities.

Some discussions and plans are the still on the table, ongoing for some time, it might bear some fruits soon, keeping my fingers crossed. There is the possibility of new opportunity in the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors that my travel visual storytelling and content creation segments, could come into play.

I have also been working on my travel networks, from my co-host role as #TTOT Travel Talk on Twitter community chat, learning and chatting with travellers , writers, travel, tourism and hospitality operators from different parts of the world.

My travel writing style has evolved as well, it’s time for a new era of TGH Travel Visual Storytelling version 2.0.

Travel (International) destination plans

I previously spoke about travelling out for a holiday in Q2 or Q3, i didn’t get down to take action to plan my short travel holidays. It’s probably time to plan a getaway from Singapore since my last trips to Thailand and Vietnam in 2018, Malaysia in 2019.

Time to finally give myself a break away from Singapore, I am not going to be too ambitious, a short haul destination would be just fine. Shortlisting my travel destinations to Indonesia (Bali), Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand.

Exploring Locally

Even though I haven’t been actively travelling overseas, I am exploring locally over the years, especially re-discovering places that I used to photograph, document and share, that I haven’t been visiting for quite a while.

No doubt Singapore is a small country by land size, there are some developments that I would work further on, heritage trails that I have a strong interest in, and the Singapore’s park connector networks that connects the various parks and nature reserves in Singapore together.

A TGH Photography x Canon EOS R6 Mark II Explorer Series Production

I have been using the Canon EOS R6 Mark II for about six months (from late May 2023 till now), it had been a great camera for me over the past six months. After going through some fine tuning of personal photography settings, and getting used to a new camera, I am ready to write my review article and share more about this amazing, versatile and powerful workhorse Canon mirrorless camera EOS R6 Mark II.

Of both photography and travel

Sometimes, I do think quite a lot and deep into both my photography and travel since both are closely related deep inside my heart and soul, I write down quite a fair bit, although I might not publish all of them out in my article.

I am for long form writing, publishing my thoughts and views into articles on my websites than posting them on my social media platforms. I don’t know exactly who reads my articles as website analytics can only give you quantitative data. With the current digital and social media consumption turning humans with a goldfish memory.