It’s the start of a brand New Year 2022, looking back at Year 2021, it was probably one of my most difficult and toughest years till date, those few lessons that tested my mental, emotional, as well as how to run a business in an ongoing pandemic world situation. Many life and business lessons were learnt through the hard ways, I would take note of them as I announce my Yearly Theme 2022 (Photography and Travel).

Inspired by Fernando GrosHow to choose a Yearly Theme”, this is my 3rd year writing a Yearly Theme (you can check out my 2020 Yearly Theme and 2021 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. I also published a Yearly Theme 2022 (Technology, Business and Personal) on my other website TGH Technology and Business Portal/Blog. 

Let me introduce my Yearly Theme 2022 for my photography and travel: “Onward”.

Theme for Year 2022 (Photography and Travel) – Onward

Onward – What is the reason behind this theme?

Why “Onward”? This is actually my alma mater school motto. Let me introduce my alma mater, Gan Eng Seng School (founded in 1885), I am also an old boy from the Gan Eng Seng Dragon Scout Group (founded in 1922) where I spent some of my best and fun years learning Scouting skills, knowledge, in the the great outdoors, life skills and camaraderie. 

Dragon Scout Group (DSG) is celebrating its centenary milestone in Year 2022, this is no mean feat! The DSG extended family is going to celebrate DSG100 Years in Scouting! 

Onward – Strive forward as we work our way out from this ongoing global pandemic mess, it’s not just an economic and financial crisis, the world is facing other crisis in the areas of healthcare, mental health, emotional health, psychological and sociological issues.

The whole world is trying its best to move forward, with setbacks and hiccups that are going to be a common sight for this year 2022. Hopefully, our lessons learnt in Year 2020 and 2021 would come in handy for us as the world move Onward in the journey to recovery. Let’s hope the world can really start to see the true light at the end of the tunnel. 

Photography – Goals and Plans

This is not the usual way of doing goal settings that you would normally learn or see in your job/training. What I am doing is a bit of a hybrid format sharing of my goals and plans for my photography segment. 

Photography (Business)

Year 2021 provided me huge business lessons, adapting, pivoting and changing my commercial photography services portfolio. It’s not immediate, taking a bit longer than I am expected. In this Year 2022, I hope to grow those few segments below in a very competitive field, through my networks and connections. 

– Portraiture: Individual / Family / Corporate 

– Pre-Wedding/AD wedding 

NFT/Digital Arts

A new segment that I am entering into, I mentioned about this in Q4 2021. This is a field that I would be threading with caution while optimistic on its potential and viability for creatives such as photographers like myself. 

Digital Marketing + Social Media Marketing + Photography + Videography 

A digital agency or social media agency format of doing business, going to work/pitch for campaigns/projects and commissioned work. Although I established TGH Digital Studio in 2021, I wasn’t able to kickstart it properly, the time is now.

Year 2022 also marks the start of TGH Digital Studio with a new gig in the food industry. Hope this paves the way for further opportunities in other industries such as travel, tourism and hospitality,  as well as heritage, history and culture.

Photography by Isaac Ong

Photography (Personal/Leisure)

Away from my business/commercial photography, I must, and I need my time and space for my personal photography and leisure/fun photography. In Year 2022, I have some ideas and plans for my personal photography, videography and creative projects.

New photographer profile photos as well as new photographer in action theme shoots are on my plans too. 

If you are not a good photographer or find something missing in your photos you can always rely on some travel photograph editing to enhance your photos.

Photography by Ryan Cheng

Personal projects 

– Complement and support my alma mater DSG100 Years in Scouting celebrations

– A new zine or a new photography book? Or both? 

– Building up my videography/filmmaking for both personal and commercial segments. Follow my YouTube channel for more updates on this segment!  

Travel – Goals and Plans

We all miss our travels, whether it’s to short-haul or long haul destinations. This ongoing global pandemic has thrown the world travel, tourism, hospitality and aviation industries under the bus for a very prolonged time, and maybe 1-2 more years of downtime. 

International 

I have no plans for now, I would review this in Q3 2022, keeping my fingers crossed. I am just being cautious, I am also not setting any expectations, I don’t wish to be badly disappointed  and get hurt again. 

When can we restart tourism, I am looking into this area, networking and chatting with travel and tourism networks of friends around the world, with a follow up on this area in my 3rd instalment article on the topic of “Restart Tourism”. 

This quote, shared with me by Sonja, one of the co-hosts of TTOT (Travel Talk on Twitter) Chat community every Tuesday, that “Travel can be a privilege”. During this ongoing global pandemic situation, it’s even more evident and true. 

Domestic / Local / Explore your own backyard 

Since traveling out for a holiday still has its challenges, fears, concerns and restrictions. This is actually a good time to explore your own backyard again for me. I am going to continue re-exploring my local neighbourhoods, with an emphasis on green spaces / places that might/will be gone soon.

I always have a strong interest and passion in those fields, documenting the changes and losses over time due to changes in national development, growth and renewal.  

Last but not least – Onward in Year 2022

Last but not least – Onward in Year 2022. After some harsh lessons from Year 2021, I decided to be cautious, not fearful, be brave, Be Prepared, ready to take on more challenges, hiccups and changes as I trek my way Onward in Year 2022. 

I really hope this Year 2022 would truly be the year where we can see some light at the end of the tunnel. 

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