Photography

Photography Competitions/Contests

The last few photography competitions leading up to the end of 2025. Here are the ones that I am working on in November 2025 till December 2025 

Concrete in Life 2526

A global photography competition that I found out last year or so, I would be joining and participating in Concrete in Life 2526. While I am not really an architectural photographer, I regularly take cityscapes and travel photography, where concrete plays an important role in the building of a country and society, from roads, bridges, to the homes in the cities that we live in. 

Sony World Photography Awards 2025

A worldwide photography contest that I have been regularly participating in over the years. I am in the process of curating and selecting my photographs for submission to Sony World Photography Awards 2025 in December 2025 before the closing date. If you are keen to participate in Sony World Photography Awards 2025, do check them out!

Civic District in Focus 2025

I recently joined a night photography event, Civic District in Focus 2025 by Arts House Group. It was more of a fun photo night walk, exploring Civic District in a new light, views and perspectives, even though I had been photographing events and heritage buildings in the Civic District over past two decades. 

There is a photography contest, it’s a public voting contest and winners stand a chance to win Fujifilm X Half Cameras. I am excited to share my 4 photography entires featuring:

• The Arts House at The Old Parliament 
• Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall
• Asian Civilisations Museum 
• National Gallery Singapore

Please show some love and support for my entires! Vote here -> https://artshousegroup.sg/civic-district/cvd-in-focus-2025/voting?searchName=GengHui 

Thank you for your support! 

Exhibitions 

1st National Photography Art Exhibition (NPAE) 2025 9th to 12th October 2025

The 1st National Photography Art Exhibition (NPAE) 2025 was held from 9th to 12th October 2025 at The Art Space SG. I have a photograph selected for display at NPAE 2025, it’s a great honour and I would like to thank the panel for selecting my photograph to be part of 1st National Photography Art Exhibition celebrating SG60.

Visual Storytelling / Content Creation

Still Working on my SG60 Visual Storytelling Personal Project 

I am still working on my SG60 visual storytelling personal project, consolidation of my photos shot in 2025 as part of SG60, curation of photographs shot over the decades for consideration that would be selected for SG60 my personal project.

Given my current progress, the constraints on hand, I am most likely to start on my SG60 visual storytelling project after the year 2025 has ended.

Travel Photography and Content Creation

It’s time to finally give myself a short overseas travel break, and to finally revive my travel photography and content creation. I don’t have to necessarily do long distance travel, a short and mid haul travel would be just perfect. 

Started Migratory Bird Photography Season Q3 2025 to Q1 2026

Although my migratory bird photography season started a bit earlier in September 2025, I have gradually picked up my pace, planning more visits to different locations, from nature reserves, parks, park connector networks/rivers and coastlines in the coming months. 

I would also continue to keep a lookout for other wildlife in Singapore too during my photo walks, looking forward to adding more birding and wildlife photography to my Bird/Wildlife Photography in Singapore collection on Flickr.

Heritage, Culture, Arts, Performing Arts and Creative Sectors

While I am continuing to work on curating and uploading more photos into my Flickr photography collections and writing my visual stories here on my TGH Photography and Travel website, I am looking at potential areas to work on, partnerships and collaborations, and hopefully commissioned/long term projects with artists, creatives and organisations in the arts, performing arts, heritage and culture sectors. 

There is Secrets Behind the Artisan event organised by Chinatown Heritage Centre, uncovering the untold stories, history, heritage, culture, traditions, and passions behind highly skilled and experienced artisans in Singapore. I attended 2 of them, it was really enjoyable, learned so much more about our intangible cultural heritage, catching up with fellow friends in the history, heritage, culture and preservation sectors. 

Of Other Thoughts and Views

SG60 photography competitions and exhibitions journey till date 

This year 2025 has been significant in its own way for Singapore and also for us photographers here, there were a number of SG60 theme photography competitions and exhibitions. I participated in a number of those photography competitions and exhibitions, here’s a quick round up till date.

I didn’t win any prizes for those SG60 photography competitions (till date for this year 2025), I have 2 photographs selected for exhibition, 20th Ngee Ann Photographic Exhibition and 1st National Photography Art Exhibition, I have a photograph printed on display, shortlisted for the top 20 entries in the NUSPS Montage 2025 photography competition. 

Although I didn’t win any prizes, with two photographs selected, printed and exhibited at two exhibitions, I am absolutely delighted, it’s an honour, a humbling experience, adding on to my list of photography achievements.

A Gentle Reminder to Everyone

I shared about AikBeng’s quotes inside this CNA Insider video, “There is beauty in imperfection”, “Don’t judge people”, “We Shouldn’t Compare”

A gentle reminder to everyone with those quotes, it hit me deep, time to stop chasing perfection, and be mindful of the comparisons and judgements that we faced on social media and what we might face from people from all walks of life.

Time to unleash my visual storytelling and creativity as I continue to work towards the finishing line of my final sprint to end of Year 2025.

The post Photography / Visual Storytelling / Content Creation Themes and Plans for November 2025 appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

A quiet and low key Year of Dragon Lunar New Year 2024 celebrations

Year of Dragon Lunar New Year 2024 celebration was quiet and low key, not showing much on social media platforms. I had a few small gatherings, not many Lou Hei tossing and Lunar New Year dinners. This is probably due to feeling jaded and not having too much of a festive feel for Lunar New Year over the years gone by.   

The slowdown in content creation and publishing articles 

Why is there a slowdown in content creation and publishing articles? A key part of it is the hustle and bustle establishing photography business partnerships/assignments for year 2024 in January and February 2024.  

The month of January 2024 was also a time of spring cleaning that started from November/December 2023, together with inevitable replacement of spoilt/old items with new ones. Year of Dragon 2024 Lunar New Year spring cleaning for me was one of my more extensive/intensive till date, it was somehow deeply satisfying and therapeutic. 

Time to “Ignite” the fire and kickstart Year of Dragon 2024 visual storytelling adventures 

My yearly theme 2024 for my photography, travel, creative and heritage is “Ignite”. The time is now to “Ignite” the fire and kickstart Year of Dragon 2024 visual storytelling adventures. From commercial/business photography, to personal photography projects and heritage projects, this might be a special year 2024 for me on bringing those projects or ideas to life.

Year of Dragon theme personal project ideas

Year 2024 is the Year of the Dragon. An idea came into my mind to do Year of Dragon theme personal projects, revisiting my Dragon related projects in the history and heritage fields, adding on a modern Year of Dragon theme with my Lunar New Year 2024 Dragon Lego. Here are some of my Year of Dragon theme personal project ideas: 

• Lunar New Year 2024 Dragon Lego
• Dragon Playgrounds (Toa Payoh x 2, Ang Mo Kio)
• Dragon fountain (Whampoa) 
• Fire Dragon at Sar Kong Mun San Fook Tuck Chee Temple
• Lunar New Year 2024 Dragon Lego with Jabra Elite 8
• Lunar New Year 2024 Dragon Lego with SteelSeries 
• Lunar New Year 2024 Dragon Lego + epic Sunset 
• Gan Eng Seng Dragon Scout Group

Personal heritage projects and ideas on the horizon

There are some personal heritage projects on my horizon, the first one is about tracing a segment of my extended maternal family tree history (maternal great grandparents era). I am unable to share more information and details as I need to do more research, understanding and interviews before I decide on my next course of action. 

I recently stumbled upon an interview video by Chronicles Research & Education on the history of Old Clementi. Through a short conversation with them since I had been staying in Clementi district for most of life, a Clementi Heritage Trail is a possibility, it would be nice to be involved or contribute to this project if it comes to life. 

Creative and cross-disciplinary projects 

I would love to produce more creative projects, one of my ideas is to bring out amateur writing, typing them out with typewriter on photographs from my collections, it can be post card style, 4R photo or notebook style.  

I am also exploring new zine / book projects for my visual storytelling adventures that I might undertake this year or from my ongoing personal projects. While I have some themes/ideas in mind, I might have to shortlist and choose 1-2 to work on, as much as I would love to publish more.

On the topic of cross-disciplinary projects with other creative artists from other fields, I always wanted to work on such projects since some years back. Let’s see whether the stars and ideas to align for this to come to life.

More updates along the way

Yes, I have kick-started my Year of Dragon 2024 visual storytelling adventures, that might be some ideas/thoughts that I didn’t manage to write and publish inside this article at that point in time. There would also be updates along the way as and when possible on the developments and stages of my visual storytelling adventures. 

I am also kickstarting Year of Dragon 2024 Technology and Personal Writing Adventures! Have a great Year of the Dragon 2024 ahead!   

The post Kickstarting Year of Dragon 2024 Visual Storytelling Adventures appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Photography 

Photography (Business)

Running a small business is really very tough and challenging, let alone running a small size photography business in an ever-changing media/social media landscape that is already going towards video consumption over photography, coupled by smaller budgets, a shrinking pie to share in the market, filled with a pretty saturated pool on the supply side of things.

Fellow competitors in the same industry (whether photography or other industries) would not easily give up their share of their pie for you, it’s a cruel and harsh capitalist world out there. My photography business is still impacted and affected, there were many a times when it was so stressful and pressuring to run a small business.

The future of the creative industry, whether you are a photographer, videographer, artist etc etc, modern technology in Artificial Intelligence (AI) is going to make you stand up and pay close attention to them. AI can help us creatives, it can also possibly replace part of our creative work. Do check out and read my interview article, “Q&A on the impacts of AI on photography and creative industries”.   

Having contacts and networks with agencies doesn’t give you guarantees in business, sometimes there were opportunities, sometimes there weren’t. Disappointments are part and parcel of my business operations. 

Building up more contacts and networks have always been on my business plan and agenda. As I am reviewing my Year 2023, moving from Q4 2023 to Q1 2024, I am also strategising new directions and plans, that I would share a bit more without going into too much details in my Yearly Theme 2024. 

Photography (Personal) 

On my personal/leisure photography sector, I had been active in the creative, arts, history, heritage, culture, conservation and preservation sectors, enjoying the visual storytelling and writing time that gives a deep fulfilment and accomplishment. Down the road, I hope that they would also help to bring in another source of business revenue as well. 

My personal visual storytelling/photography projects were still mainly digital and social media, written, published and uploaded for the world to see, read and view. I didn’t plan any of my personal projects to bring it to life as a physical tangible showcase, in the form of a zine, book, prints or exhibition.

Travel 

International travel 

For this segment, it’s disappointing for me, I haven’t begun to explore travel again as I didn’t travel out of Singapore. The high cost of travelling and pent-up frustrations around the world have not subsided yet. Therefore, I am practicing patience even though my travel wanderlust went up a few notches higher. 

Travel Content Creation 

There were some travel content creation opportunities that didn’t materialise, coupled with zero international travel trips in Year 2023, it can come across as double disappointments. Nevertheless, I am biding my time, preparing and actively networking with travellers around the world during regular co-hosting of #TTOT Travel Talk on Twitter community chats.  

Creative (Arts and Writing)

In the creative fields of arts and writing, Year 2023 was a very interesting year of creative exploration and writing that brought me into a new dimension, style and artistic direction. Thanks to local creative artist Wei of House of VSE/Very Small Exhibition/Bring Love Everywhere with his local artists and international artists collaborations that opened up my creative world to view and approach arts and creativity in different ways to immerse, interact and connect with the audience. Check out my visual story, “Tension by House of VSE”.

Another local creative artist that I followed and supported in Year 2023 (and still doing so) was Yip Yew Chong. His “I Paint my Singapore” – Familiar scenes of home was very heartwarming, nostalgic, connecting and bringing me back in time. Yew Chong’s visual storytelling via his paintings serves as an inspiration to me, in my own heritage, history and culture visual storytelling and documentation. 

Experiencing a major cross cultural performance between Korea traditional music and Nanyin music – “The Origins Cipher: A traditional Nanyin and Korean cross-cultural musical journey” in October 2023 also opened up my eyes to the international world of traditional arts and music coming together with the elements of history, heritage, culture, conservation and preservation, combining together to show that it can be done, in such a beautiful and soothing manner. 

Heritage (History, Heritage, Culture, Conservation and Preservation)

I have always been covering the areas of history, heritage, culture, conservation and preservation through the various museums networks, festivals and events. Through my heritage networks, I managed to discover more about traditional culture, craft and performing arts that may not have get the bigger slice of publicity and support. Personally, I feel that I can contribute more, help out and work together with organisations or like-minded people, whereby I can bring my skill sets and experiences in visual storytelling, photography, social media and digital marketing to those organisations in the history, heritage, culture, conservation and preservation sectors. 

Media Relations

In the field of media relations with brands and agencies, the status quo is usually pretty good for those agencies and brands that I work closely with, some brands and agencies have been engaging for a period of time. As for the agencies that I recently engaged and worked with in the past 1-2 years, they would take a bit more time to build up the working relationship.

Personal

On a personal note and observations from a personal basis and perspective, there were a few recurring frustrating things that had been bugging me over the years. They seemed to have escalated in recent times. Here are a brief summary of them without going too deep into details and explanations:

• People don’t read
• People don’t want to understand you, they want you to understand them instead
• Passing judgement is getting more common, uncalled for at times 
• People assume things 
• Sometimes you are more on social on social media than me and you say I am very busy on social media 
• Human communications are getting worse
• Communications and friendships are strained by social media, egos and narcissism  
• Human memory is like becoming more like goldfish and they blame it on brain fog arising from the global pandemic period
• FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is getting stronger and worse

Yearly Theme 2023 – Explore 

My Yearly Theme 2023 (Photography and Travel) was “Explore”, looking back at year 2023 in review and reflection, I did manage to explore bigger and wider, especially into the arts sector, following and supporting local artists in other creative genres, inspired and motivated by what they had embarked on, what they achieved, giving me new creative project ideas, motivations and directions for Year 2024.

I had also explored new partnerships with videographers, photographers as well even if we might be competing together in the same field. Finding partnerships would be even more crucial given the shrinking dollars and pie in the economy shared among an already saturated field. 

As for my international travel segment, I haven’t begun to explore travel again as I didn’t travel out of Singapore. It’s definitely disappointing for me no doubt. The lessons and desires would serve me well to plan my travels in Year 2024, and not just pent-up travel wanderlust frustrations since 2019 before the global pandemic period of 2020 to 2022.

Reflecting Year 2023 (Technology | Business | Personal) 

My year 2023 in reflection and review for my technology, business and personal are written and published separately on my TGH Technology and Business website. Since the two websites are operating in distinct fields, there are quite a fair bit of review and reflections written inside them too.

Final Note and Round Up

Year 2023 was not my best year, but I learned a lot. My review and reflection of Year 2023 articles that I wrote on both my websites, TGH Photography and Travel and TGH Technology and Business, may not have everything written down that took place in Year 2023, yet what I wrote down were quite a handful and lengthy to read for my readers.

To all who make the time and effort to read till the end of both articles, thank you for your support from the bottom of my heart, I truly appreciate it! 

Looking Ahead in 2024 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage)

Looking ahead in 2024 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage), I would be sharing more information and details in my Yearly Theme 2024 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage), this approach is unique and can be very different as compared to the goals and objectives approach that I learnt previously. 

Wishing all a Happy New Year 2024! Thank you for your support and encouragement! 

The post Reflecting Year 2023 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage) appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

SYSNMH Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival Open House 2023

SYSNMH Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival Open House 2023 is taking place on the weekend of 23rd and 24th September 2023 from 10am to 6:30pm. There are many exciting programmes and activities line-up for you and family to visit, soak in and enjoy Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 at Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival 2023!

General Manager of SYSNMH Winston Lim said: “For our well-loved lantern installations, we tap on relatable themes such as this year’s larger-than-life pandas, to appeal to a wide audience and encourage more people to join in our cultural festivities. Through our ongoing special exhibition Connections Across Oceans: Early Chinese Mutual Aid Organisations, we have been working very closely with various clan associations, and are excited to continue to bring onboard more cultural partners to enrich our celebrations. Together, we hope to enliven our offerings for more visitors to learn about Chinese culture.”

An iconic pair of cute Panda Mid-Autumn Paw-trait 

You can’t miss them when you visit SYSNMH! They are an iconic pair of cute Panda Mid-Autumn Paw-trait! This year’s special installation is titled, “A Mid-Autumn Paw-trait”, featuring two big and adorable giant panda lanterns. Just like a typical giant panda, one is sitting down in a relaxed position, while the other is in a stretching stance at SYSNMH lawn from 29th August to 1st October 2023, 10am to 9pm daily.

This is a collaboration made “paw-sible” through a collaboration with toymaker 52TOYS Panda Roll series and World Wide Fund for Nature Singapore (WWF-Singapore). The Mid-Autumn Paw-trait is SYSNM 9th outdoor installation, they convey SYSNMH wish for every Singaporean to enjoy a “panda-stic” Mid-Autumn reunion. 

More importantly, this iconic pair of cute Panda Mid-Autumn lanterns serve as an acknowledgement of past and ongoing wildlife conservation efforts, and also celebrating the reclassification of giant pandas from endangered to vulnerable statues by the IUCN Red List.

Workshops

There is a host of exciting and fun workshops for you and your family to join. Check out the listings below!

Parent-Child Recycled Panda Lantern Making Workshop

• Date: 23rd September 2023
• Time: 10:30am to 12pm
• Admission: $24 per parent-child pair

Melodies in Motion: Hokkien Songs & Rhymes Workshop

• Date: 23rd September 2023
• Time: 1pm to 2:30pm
• Admission: $10 per pax.

Tales in Melodies: Teochew Songs & Rhymes Workshop

• Date: 23rd September 2023
• Time: 3:30pm to 5pm
• Admission: $10 per pax

Parent-Child Hakka Abacus Seeds Making Workshop

• Date: 24th September 2023
• Time: 3:30pm to 5pm
• Admission: $38 per parent-child pair

Escape Game Activity

• Lost in Time: The Case of the Missing Researcher
• Date: 23rd & 24th September 2023
• Time: 11:30am to 1pm, 1pm to 2:30pm (Sunday only), 2:30pm to 4pm, 4pm to 5:30pm
• Admission: $8 per pax, group of 4-5 recommended

Check out my story that I published earlier on my Escape Game adventure at SYSNMH! 

Free Activities

Public Talk – Singapore’s Secret Societies in the 19th century and its Evolution

• Date: 24th September 2023
• Time: 10am to 11:30am
• Admission: Free (limited spaces available, on a first-come, first-served basis)

Storytelling sessions: Tales of Mid-Autumn Festival 

• Date: 23rd September 2023 (Mandarin), 24th September 2023 (English)
• Time: 11:30am to 12:30pm, 2pm – 3pm
• Admission: Free

Drop-in Craft Station: Mid-Autumn Festival Inspired Crafts

• Date: 23rd & 24th September 2023
• Time: 10:30am to 6:30pm
• Admission: Free

Drop-in Craft Station: Chinese Calligraphy Try-Out

• Date: 23rd & 24th September 2023
• Time: 10:30am to 6:30pm
• Admission: Free

Drop-in Activity Station: Language Game Fun

• Date: 23rd & 24th September 2023
• Time: 10:30am to 6:30pm
• Admission: Free

Live on the Lawn: Mid-Autumn Family Fun Contest

• Date: 23rd & 24th September 2023
• Time: 3pm to 4pm
• Admission: Free

Live on the Lawn: Dialect Culture Performances I

• Date: 23rd September 2023
• Time: 5pm to 6pm
• Admission: Free

Live on the Lawn: Dialect Culture Performances II

• Date: 24th September 2023
• Time: 6pm to 6:30pm
• Admission: Free

Live on the Lawn: Lantern Riddles Guessing

• Date: 24th September 2023
• Time: 5pm to 6pm
• Admission: Free

Mooncake, Pomelo & Tea Tasting

• Date: 23rd & 24th September 2023
• Time: 10:30am to 6:30pm
• Admission: Free (limited quantities available)

Teochew Mooncake Sampling 

• Date: 23rd & 24th September 2023
• Time: 10:30am to 6:30pm
• Admission: Free (limited quantities available)

52TOYS Blind Box Sale Booth

• Date: 23rd & 24th September 2023
• Time: 10:30am to 6:30pm
• Admission: Free

World Wide Fund for Nature Singapore Booth

• Date: 23rd & 24th September 2023
• Time: 10:30am to 6:30pm
• Admission: Free

Children Activity Booklets Giveaway

• Date: 23rd & 24th September 2023
• Time: 10am to 9pm

Guided Tours & Trails

Teochew Cultural Trail

• Date: 23rd & 24th September 2023
• Time: 10am to 1pm
• Admission: $20 per pax.

Balestier Heritage Food Trail

• Date: 23rd September 2023
• Time: 10:30am to 11:30am (English), 11:30am to 12:30pm (Mandarin)
• Admission: $12 per pax

Special Exhibition Guided Tour

• Date: 23rd September 2023
• Time: 10:30am to 11:30am (Mandarin), 1:30pm to 2:30pm (English)
• Admission: Free (limited spaces available)

Permanent Galleries Guided Tour

• Date: 23rd September 2023
• Time: 2:30pm to 3:30pm (Mandarin), 3pm to 4pm (English)
• Admission: Free (limited spaces available)

<For the above ticketed activities, you can purchase tickets via www.wanqingyuan.peatix.com>

SYSNMH Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival Open House 2023

Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall (SYSNMH)

• Date: 23rd & 24th September 2023
• Time: 10am to 6:30pm
• Admission: Free admission with ticketed activities 

Follow SYSNMH on social media

• Website: https://www.sysnmh.org.sg 
• Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/sysnmh/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sysnmh/ 

Wishing all a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival 2023! 祝大家中秋节快乐！

Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 is coming soon on 29th September 2023. Let me wish everyone a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 in advance! Hope you all have a panda-stic” Mid-Autumn festival and reunion with your family and loved ones!

祝大家中秋节快乐！

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

The post Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival Open House 2023 appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

TGH Photography x Canon EOS R6 Mark II Explorer Series Production

The Canon EOS R6 Mark II has recently been added to my photography setup, with my Canon EOS 1D X Mark II making way for my new camera. Although I missed my Canon EOS 1D X Mark II, the iconic 1D series that I started to build my photography and visual storytelling. 

The Canon EOS R6 Mark II is amazing with its fast and accurate AF, high FPS, high ISO level control and quality, excellent sensor and processing engine. While I do miss the battery grip of the 1D series, the overall excellence and quality of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II is not making me miss my 1D series as much as I would thought I would be. 

Exploring and Visiting Arts

Exploring and visiting arts around Singapore with the Canon EOS R6 Mark II, it had been a great form of artistic enjoyment and therapy, away from my writing, social media and photography work. Igniting my spark on a new wave at i Light Singapore 2023, SYSNMH Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival Open House 2023, following House of VSE Your Neighbour Artist Exhibition around Singapore (and still ongoing), heritage and cultural events Qixi Festival and NHB Racial Harmony Day 2023. 

Exploring my own backyard

The months of June to July 2023 are usually scheduled with NDP 2023 rehearsals taking place on the weekends, allowing us to photograph the NDP 2023 rehearsals action and fireworks taking place around the Marina Bay area. The NDP 2023 rehearsals were an excellent opportunity to put the Canon EOS R6 Mark II to the test.

I was also exploring the new HDB blocks in my neighbourhood, discovering new sky parks and views. Besides that, I was also chasing sunsets and super moon with a super telephoto zoom lens Sigma 150-600mm.  

Of course, getting into outdoors and nature, it had always been a form of therapy and relaxation for me. Sometimes, adding wildlife photography into my outdoors outing and exploration together as well. 

Always on the lookout for value for money 2nd hand camera accessories  

I am always on the lookout for value for money 2nd hand camera accessories and peripherals. Some of them were slowly added over time to build up my setup, while some were replacements for my photography accessories.  

I discovered this brand Wotancraft not too long ago, I admired its quality, as well as how much consideration they placed on the designs and concepts around photographers and travellers. I got myself a Wotancraft Trooper (Medium) as my own birthday gift earlier in Q1 2023.

I had invested in a number of Think Tank products, although I gave away my Shape Shifter version 1, I found a Naked Think Tank Shape Shifter 17 v2.0 at a good price and I quickly grabbed this opportunity. Since I am expanding my Think Tank setup, I have also added more different types of Think Tank pouches along the way. 

Leofoto – A brand that I have also discovered and looking into. They have a great range of quality products for photographers. The first product that I got was the Leofoto MC-50 clamp. Moving forward, I am planning to add a few more products from Leofoto! 

Upcoming visual stories

Here are some of my upcoming visual stories. Do keep a lookout for them, coming soon! 

• Shout Gallery SG x Ceramication Slip-casting workshop: Keen to make your own tea cups, tea pot set? Don’t miss this!
• Canon camera reviews: Working on a few Canon camera review articles, keep a lookout!
• Roastelier by Nescafe – For cafe owners and also those who love coffee, 
• Living Pictures @ National Gallery – Photographers would find this diverse and eye-opener photography exhibition filled with history and iconic visual stories. 

Also coming soon, a special theme/content article on the impacts of AI on photography and creative industries, part of my ongoing TGH Technology Research/Learning Series on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“Forget it and move on”

I took a break from social media for a few days, as I was feeling disappointed in something that only very few people will know what happened. 

“Forget it and move on”, an advice that was shared with me. 

Therefore, I will continue with my ongoing work, craft and visual storytelling, seeking progression and improvements in my journey. 

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

The post TGH Photography Visual Storytelling updates (May to July 2023) appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

This refreshed Toa Payoh Heritage Trail is National Heritage Board (NHB)’s 11th heritage trail that was first launched in 2014. The refreshed edition will expound on the history of Singapore’s “model town”, telling more stories of Toa Payoh’s significant landmarks and locations. Toa Payoh transformed from a swampland, growing into a modern and role model residential housing estate  for Singapore, as well as home to iconic religious and community institutions. 

Refreshed Toa Payoh Heritage Trail 

The refreshed Toa Payoh Heritage Trail covers 29 heritage sites and features 10 heritage markers. There are two new marked sites namely Block 53 a.k.a. “VIP Block”, and the Iconic Toa Payoh Dragon Playground.

Those two sites join existing marked marked sites such as 

• Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery, a National Monument and the oldest Buddhist monastery in Singapore
• Masjid Muhajirin, the first mosque in Singapore to have been built with the support of contributions from the Mosque Building Fund (known as the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund (MBMF) today) alongside community fundraising
• Toa Payoh Town Park, home to a 25m tall look out tower which was accorded conservation status by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in 2009
• Four point HDB blocks which housed international athletes as part of the Former 1973 Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games Village 

Mr Alvin Tan, Deputy Chief Executive (Policy & Community), NHB, said: “Through the refreshed Toa Payoh Heritage Trail, we hope to highlight new facets of the town’s history that very few Singaporeans know about, and present a more complete and updated story of Toa Payoh. In doing so, we hope to foster a greater sense of pride and belonging amongst residents, and encourage both residents and non-residents to re-explore Toa Payoh and rediscover the town’s heritage anew.”

The Toa Payoh Heritage Trail also incorporates contributions from the community and presents stories, memories and photographs contributed by former and current residents. Mdm Tang Mei Fong, a resident of Block 53 who contributed to the refreshed Toa Payoh Heritage Trail, shared her personal memories of Toa Payoh: “I vividly remember the day Queen Elizabeth II visited our block. We all gathered around our doorways to look out for her arrival. I am very proud that a queen visited, and that Toa Payoh is used as a model for Singapore’s public housing that we show to the world.”

Toa Payoh – Forerunner in design

Toa Payoh is a first for a number of things in Singapore, they are the first town designed and developed by HDB, they are the testbed for different architectural design styles and features of public housing, as well as community amenities that can be found in HDB towns today. 

Block 53 “VIP Block”

Completed in 1967, the 19 storey Block 53 not offers a panoramic view of Toa Payoh, they have a viewing gallery on its roof top that played host to many foreign and local dignitaries such as Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, then-Australian Prime Minister John Gorton, and Singapore’s second President Benjamin Sheares. With such a distinguished VIP list of visitors to Block 53, that is how it led to this iconic block being dubbed the “VIP Block”. 

1973 SEAP Games Village – Toa Payoh

More than just a model town, Toa Payoh became the host village for the first major international sporting competition to be held in Singapore – the 1973 Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games. Toa Payoh town provided more than just venues for competition and training, they were the location of the 1973 SEAP Games Village, where Toa Payoh Central is today.

With the 1973 SEAP Games Village right in the heart of Toa Payoh, visiting athletes and officials from seven different countries were encouraged to socialise with the locals, providing them with an authentic Singaporean experience. 

There were a total of four HDB point blocks in Toa Payoh Central that were used to house athletes from the seven participating countries. Following the conclusion of the games, units in the blocks were sold to the public fully furnished. 

Iconic Dragon Playground

This is another icon of Toa Payoh, a much-celebrated landmark of  Toa Payoh, the iconic Dragon Playground, with its classic elements of a terrazzo-clad dragon’s head distinguished by bold lines and geometric features. 

This iconic Toa Payoh Dragon Playground was the creation of HDB architect Mr Khor Ean Ghee. This design proved to be so popular that it led to different versions of the dragon head in various colour schemes appearing in playgrounds across Singapore.    

A Refresh with Fresh Stories

How much do you know about the history of Toa Payoh? With this updated Toa Payoh Heritage Trail, we can know more about the lesser-known stories of the town.

Toa Payoh – A Hub of Manufacturing Activity 

Toa Payoh was a hub of manufacturing activity in the 1960s when Singapore underwent rapid industrialisation, women formed the majority of the pioneer generation of young factory workers. They played a significant tole in the employment and output growth in the labour-intensive manufacturing sector in Singapore. 

National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Welcome Supermarket – 1st NTUC Fairprice Supermarket 

The NTUC Fairprice located at 192 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh, gets its landmark status from the first National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Welcome Supermarket in Singapore. It was opened to counter inflation and supplier profiteering. During its opening, the supermarket attracted huge numbers of shoppers upon its opening, and even had to close its doors every 3 to 4 hours to prevent overcrowding.

3 newly curated thematic routes of the refreshed Toa Payoh Heritage Trail

There are 3 newly curated thematic routes for you to rediscover Singapore’s history on the refreshed Toa Payoh Heritage Trail. They are self-guided routes which trail-goes can embark on in their own time, and according to their interests. 

Rediscover Toa Payoh through three thematic routes

• Of Public Housing & Shared Spaces (1.5 hours on foot, 4.5 km) 

Explore architectural development and changes of HDB blocks, communal spaces and town planning over the decades, that reflected the needs and aspirations of Singaporean homeowners. 

• Of Faiths & Beliefs (2 hours with public transport, 6 km)

Explore the various faiths and beliefs in Singapore through the temples, mosques, churches and institutions that represent the diverse communities which live, work, and worshipped in Toa Payoh.

• Of Community Institutions & Common Spaces (0.5 hrs on foot, 1.5 km)

Explore the institutions and spaces that continue to play an active role in the sporting, cultural and social lives of Toa Payoh residents.

Where can I get Toa Payoh Heritage Trail companion guide and map?

If you like to know more about the refreshed Toa Payoh Heritage Trail, you can download the companion map and guide from NHB’s heritage portal roots.gov.sg. 

There are limited printed copies of the guide and map that will also be available at various locations including the National Museum of Singapore, Asian Civilisations Museum, Toa Payoh East Community Club, Toa Payoh South Community Club, Toa Payoh Central Community Club, Toa Payoh West Community Club, and NHB headquarters at Stamford Court.

Check out this video of highlights of the Toa Payoh Heritage Trail on YouTube, for more information please visit https://go.gov.sg/toapayohheritagetrail/ 

Rediscover and Explore Singapore’s History and Heritage on Toa Payoh Heritage Trail 

I have previously explored Toa Payoh, starting from my old playgrounds personal visual story telling documentation project, photographing the iconic Toa Payoh Dragon Playground, as well as the Toa Payoh Baby Dragon Playground and Dinosaur Playground at Kim Keat Avenue, forming part of my OurSGHeritage/Old Places personal visual storytelling, documentation and photography project for the past decade (and still counting).

Thereafter, a few more trips to explore the local neighbourhoods, the iconic VIP Block 53, as well as Block 116, Central Horizon (Blocks 79A to 79E) for its bird’s eye view sceneries of Singapore, from the nearby heartlands around Toa Payoh, to green spaces and downtown Singapore. 

After rediscovering and exploring the refreshed Toa Payoh Heritage Trail, I realised that I still have more of Toa Payoh’s history, heritage, culture, spaces and sceneries to learn, explore and document them in my visual stories. With that in mind, I have consolidated my Toa Payoh earlier visual storytelling photos into an album on Flickr, for both locals and international visitors to visit and know more about Toa Payoh.

Last but not least, a special mention to Jerome Lim of The Long and Winding Road, whom I got to know (from a decade back) when I first started my old places documentation. We shared a common interest and passion in history, heritage and culture sectors, going for walks, talks, events. Jerome’s knowledge and passion in Singapore’s history, heritage and culture sectors are well-known and well-respected. 

Jerome is a former Toa Payoh resident, he has a unique and priceless connection with Toa Payoh and Block 53 “VIP Block”. If you know, you know, if you don’t know, why not visit Jerome’s website and discover it for yourself? Do also check out this video of Jerome being interviewed by Straits Times on his childhood adventures at the Toa Payoh Dragon Playground.  

I would like to encourage you, my fellow local Singaporeans and international visitors, to embark on a local and iconic neighbourhood heritage, history and culture tour in Singapore to rediscover and explore Singapore’s history and heritage on the refreshed Toa Payoh Heritage Trail.  

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Celebrating Founder’s Day is a reminder to myself on how joining the Scouting movement back in my secondary school days changed, impacted and taught me lifelong skills, lessons and friendships for life, from the day I joined Gan Eng Seng Dragon Scout Group. 

My love for nature and outdoors, appreciating and learning more about the areas of heritage, history, culture, conservation and preservation through Dragon Scout Group rich and long history, life skills. This is like one big extended family (Dragon Scout Group and Dragon Chapter), the friendships and bonds that will last our lifetime, they are priceless and invaluable. 

A visual storytelling collection of photographing and documenting Gan Eng Seng Dragon Scout Group can be viewed here on Flickr – https://www.flickr.com/photos/tangenghui/collections/72157605375906037/  

Doing my small humble part role to continue the movements of Pay-It-Forward and Pass-It-On, whenever I am able to contribute and help with Dragon Scout Group and Dragon Chapter. 

Gan Eng Seng Dragon Scout Group

• Website: https://www.dragonscouts.com/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dragon_scouts/ 
• Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dragonscouts 
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DragonScouts 

Once again, wishing all a Happy Founder’s Day 2023 and Happy World Thinking Day 2023!  

The post Happy Founder’s Day 2023! appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

The beginning of the Dover Forest transformation 

In October 2022, there were news releases/coverage on the upcoming development of Dover Forest on Straits Times (ST) and Channel News Asia (CNA) news. There would be around 3,000 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats to be built in the eastern half of Dover Forest. This project was launched in November 2023, groundwork has now begun with boards coming up, fencing up around the Dover Forest West in January 2023, the beginning of Dover Forest transformation has begun.

Dover Forest West will soon be cleared for its upcoming BTO flats development, it’s the beginning of the Dover Forest transformation. 

Exploring Dover Forest with the Canon EOS R10

Before I went I went on a guided tour led by Chua Chin Tat to explore Dover Forest in October 2022 with the Canon EOS R10 that I had for review at the time. I was continuing on from my earlier documentation of Dover Forest with the Canon EOS R7 camera in August 2022. 

Chin Tat had been a strong advocate to preserve, protect, conserve and document Dover Forest. When I went for the guided tour led by Chin Tat, I learnt more about the history, nature and wildlife of Dover Forest. This may not be a big green space, however it has grown and transformed into a green space for wildlife, it’s also a green belt in our heavily built-up urban landscapes. 

Inside Dover Forest, we can spot former remnants of a kampung (a.k.a. village) that used to be there. In the very near future, they will be gone forever from our physical environment, maybe we can view them in a digital environment. 

If you take into consideration that Dover Forest is a secondary forest, that is not too big land size, tucked in between some pretty heavy built-up urban housing, schools and transport nodes. The forest, the tall trees, canopy, and wildlife residing in Dover Forest, is quite rich and diverse. 

Here’s a bird’s eye view of Dover Forest, some folks have commented that this looks like Central Park in New York City. What would this view be like when the BTO project is completed?  

Dover Forest Exploration and Documentation Collection

More photographs of my Dover Forest exploration and documentation collection can be found inside my Flickr album – Dover Forest/Clementi Nature Trail. 

In the coming years as part of Dover Forest transformed into a public housing estate, I would continue to document and update the changes of both public housing landscape (Dover Forest West) and the other remaining green belt (Dover Forest East) and the Clementi Nature Trail. 

Balancing a country’s growth and national development versus protecting and preserving green nature spaces in Singapore can be a very delicate and tricky situation for people on both sides of development/growth and preservation/conservation. 

Just another of my ongoing small and humble efforts to photograph and document old places and changing/disappearing landscapes in Singapore with my visual stories, photographs and videos. My humble Dover Forest exploration and documentation collection, I hope my works can play a small role and contribution, and I would continue to photograph and document, whenever I am able to.

If you like to know and understand more about Dover Forest, please visit https://doverforest.sg that is created and maintained by Chua Chin Tat. 

* A TGH Photography x Canon EOS R10 Explorer Series Production * 

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Battle for Singapore 2023 will take participants on a journey through time and Singapore’s history, heritage, and hidden stories about various WWII sites, a journey tracing the roots of Singapore’s wartime past. Participants can embark on tours of sites such as Bukit Brown and Fort Canning Hill. They can also dive and learn deeper into Singapore’s history, courage and resilience of Singapore’s war heroes and pioneers during the Japanese Occupation from NHB’s Museum Roundtable (MR) partners, such as Battlebox, Eurasian Heritage Centre, MINT Museum of Toys, Navy Museum, as well as National Museum of Singapore (NMS), the Changi Chapel and Museum and Reflections at Bukit Chandu, they are WWII Interpretative centres under NMS. 

Mr Gerald Wee, Director of International & Museum Relations, NHB, said, “The Fall of Singapore may have been an event from 81 years ago, but the experiences of our forefathers and the lessons learnt during that tumultuous period continue to have an important role in shaping our nation’s identity and charting our course ahead. Through Battle for Singapore 2023, we hope that Singaporeans will gain a deeper understanding of our WWII history and how it has impacted our lives today and be inspired by the spirit of resilience and solidarity of our war pioneers” 

Battle for Singapore 2023 Programmes

There is a wide range of programmes on offer during Battle for Singapore 2023 taking place from 10th February to 5th March 2023. NHB together with MR members, academics, heritage enthusiasts and interest groups, is offering more than 30 unique programmes and over 100 tour runs that cover various aspects of Singapore’s WWII history. 

The Battle for Singapore 2023 programmes diverse line-up also includes 19 new programmes, including

• Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour (NEW)
• Second World War Vintage Toy Collection Guided Tour with Special Feature on General MacArthur (New)
• Exclusive Sneak Peek Tour of the Revamped Navy Museum (NEW)
• Special Twinned Tour: Changi Chapel and Museum and Eurasian Heritage Gallery (NEW)
• Special Twinned Tour: Kent Ridge Nature Walk and Reflections at Bukit Chandu (NEW)
• Defence and Fall of Singapore – From the 14th Century to 1945: A Fort Canning Hill and Battlebox Walking Tour (NEW)

Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour (NEW)

For this year 2023, participants will get a chance to explore the grounds of Fort Connaught through a special access tour. This is the first-ever public tour since Fort Connaught was constructed in 1878 for the defence of Keppel Harbour, a crucial ship-building and ship-repair facility in Singapore. 

Fort Connaught was armed with 9.2-inch guns, they were the largest on Sentosa, and were used to engage invading Japanese troops during the Battle for Singapore. Through this Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour (NEW), participants can get a glimpse into the abandoned Fort Connaught history, construction and its role in Singapore’s defence during the Japanese invasion of Singapore during WWII.

How much do you know about the history of the guns of Singapore’s military forts? How often have you heard about that quip that the guns of Singapore’s military first were pointed “the wrong way” during the Battle of Singapore? During WWII, was Singapore’s guns pointing the wrong direction? Where is Fort Connaught located on Sentosa? Did Fort Connaught see WWII military action against the Japanese armed forces? 

When you go on the Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour, you can get the answers to the questions above. This tour is presented in partnership with Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).

Here are some of the remains that you can see today during this special access Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour. 

One of the three 9.2-inch gun emplacements 

Battery observation post

Tips/Things to take note

• Be careful and be safe when trekking up Fort Connaught 
• Wear sturdy shoes (hiking boots highly recommended)
• Wear long pants and long sleeve shirt
• Bring a hat
• Bring your water bottle and stay hydrated
• Mosquito/Insect repellent is highly recommended 
• Please do not visit on your own as it is a restricted site and it’s for your own safety as well

Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour Information

Dates: 11 February; 12 February; 19 February; 25 February; 26 February 2023

Time: 9am to 1130am; 1pm to 330pm 

Tickets are priced at $20 per participant, you can find ticketing and more details here at https://bsg2023.peatix.com 

Notes:

• The Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour is recommended for ages 13 and up. Minors under the age of 16 have to be accompanied by an adult/guardian.
• Transport will be provided from Harbourfront MRT station to the site and back. Further details on the gathering point will be sent to participants upon registration.

For more information on Battle of Singapore 2023 

Please visit https://go.gov.sg/bsg2023 for more information and details on to sign up for Battle for Singapore 2023 programmes.

Registration for tours and programmes commences on Wednesday 8th February 2023, at 10am, on a first-come first-served basis. 

The post Battle for Singapore 2023 – 10th February to 5th March 2023 appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Before I proceed further, let me give you a recap. “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail” is a one-hour Docutainment Special that chronicles the Hakka trail of Taiwan, both a cultural and industrial link to the world. This one-hour Docutainment Special is hosted by British photographer, Chris Stowers and award-winning Taiwanese food and travel writer, Danny Wen Shi-Kai.

Now, let us begin trekking deeper and further into the “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail” through An Interview with Danny Wen and Chris Stowers of “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail” – Part One

From Danny Wen

Qn: What made you want to join the “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail” as a host?

Ans: 一開始聽到要拍攝「樟之細路的秘密」時，我其實興趣不大。以為又要拍一部從「現有的文字歷史」轉為影像的紀錄片。我覺得臺灣已經太多這類型的紀錄片了，而且我一直覺得過去很多紀錄片形式太過雷同，文字歷史的依據也不夠能說服我，視野上有些狹隘，還有些是政治意味濃厚和過多的刻意，最無法引起我興趣的，則是人文的溫度不夠。後來當製作人告訴我，這是一部從「路」的角度出發，紀錄樟樹和茶葉產業，以及不同族群文化在時代背景下相處與融合的紀錄片。不探討歷史的對錯和真偽，重視的是行路人的「觀點」和「發現」。重點是，沒有制式的框架和教條式的內容，而是完全由我和Chris 兩人真實走訪古道，在沒有預設腳本下，從我們兩人不一樣文化背景和視野，自然去發現和重擊出新鮮的或是被隱藏的故事。這樣的觀點打動了我，我也想讓更多台灣以外的朋友們認識我的家鄉台灣和客家文化，所以我答應參與這個拍攝計畫。

When I first heard that I was going to shoot “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail”, my interest was meek. I thought I was going to make another documentary that changed from “existing written history” to video. I thought that there were many similar documentaries in Taiwan, and the historical context were lacking to convince me, or that the vision is pale or politically inclined. The lack of human warmth doesn’t arouse my interest. But the producer pitched to me that this is a documentary from the perspective of the “trail” which records the camphor tree and the tea industry, as well as the coexistence and integration of different ethnic cultures through the times. Instead of discussing what went right and wrong in history and its authenticity, the emphasis of the show focused on the “views” and “discoveries” of its people and those who have travelled past the trail. Most importantly, as there was no standard framework or dogmatic content, it was entirely up to Chris and I to visit the ancient road. Without a pre-set script, we naturally discovered stories from our different cultural background and perspective. This perspective moved me, and I also wanted to let more friends outside Taiwan know of my hometown in Taiwan and the Hakka culture, which is why I agreed to participate in this project.

Qn: How do you see the loss of traditional culture, heritage and history in a modern world today, swamped by social media and new era of living? How can passionate people like you be the change for your generation and role models for the younger generation, not just in Taiwan, for other countries as well?

Ans: 這是一個好問題。全球化和網路世代所帶來的社會發展，看似大家一起攜手向前進，事實上也造成了過度的「同質化」的問題！當所有的城市樣貌和流行文化都變得雷同時，我們也失去了所謂的「差異性」和「獨特性」，更重要的是「我的不同和故事」。在我追尋自家的客家文化的旅程中，我深刻的覺得「發現」和「認同」是最重要的事。如果傳統文化只是一昧的告訴年輕人，你要「必須」或是你「應當」，反而會造成更大的反彈，而讓他們逃的更遠。

反過來說，你讓他們覺得這些傳統文化跟他是有關的、有連結性的，再進一步讓他們去發現「好玩」和「成就感」，並鼓勵他們善用社群網路去展現他們所發現的傳統文化美好，又或是另一個不同視野，創造不同的話題，進而讓他們覺得自己很棒，也為自己的文化感到驕傲，這樣的連鎖反應，更容易帶動新生代對傳統文化的好奇以及學習和珍惜！至少，這三年來，我在我自己以年輕學生為主要聽眾族群的廣播節目「Hakka Follow Me」，我用這一套方式，很成功的讓更多的大學同學們開始認識客家文化，發現客家文化和喜歡客家文化，進而參與更多的客家文化相關活！

當然，也因為創意和成果反應很好，這個廣播節目受到了更重要的重視和榮耀，就那是讓我連續入圍了兩屆的台灣最有代表性的「廣播金鐘獎最佳主持人獎」！ 因此，我常在國內或是國外受邀談論客家文化，或是文化傳承的相關議題時，我都會清楚的說，「沒有傳統，那來經典！」而任何的文化想要要變成經典，一定要先被看見、被認識、被理解，才有機會被尊重、被珍惜和被保留！

That’s a good question. The social development brought about by globalization and the internet generation seems to be moving forward hand in hand, but in fact it has also caused the problem of excessive “homogenization”! When all the city’s appearance and pop culture become identical, we also lose the so-called “individuality” and “uniqueness”, and more importantly “my individuality and story”. In my journey to pursue my own Hakka culture, I deeply feel that “discovery” and “identification” are the most important things. If traditional culture tells young people that you “must” or “should”, it will cause a greater backlash and make them flee further.

On the other hand, making them feel that these traditional cultures are related and connected to them, and to let them further discover “fun” and “sense of achievement”, will encourage them to make good use of social networks to show what they have learned. The discovered traditional culture will appear beautiful, even from another different perspective, as creating different topics will enable them to feel great and proud of their culture. Such a chain reaction is more likely to drive the new generation to be curious about traditional culture, and to learn and cherish! For the past three years, I have used this method in my own radio program “Hakka Follow Me”, which is aimed at young students. I have successfully made more college students understand and discover the Hakka culture and participate in more culture-related activities!

With the good response to creativity achieving great results, the radio program was noted for its significant value and honour, and I was presented with Taiwan’s prestigious “Golden Bell Awards Best Radio Host” and have been nominated in the past 2 years. As a result, I am often invited to talk about the Hakka culture or issues related to cultural inheritance at home or abroad. I will clearly say, “There are no classics, without tradition!” And any culture that wants to become a classic, must first be seen, known, and understood before we can have the opportunity for it to be respected, cherished, and preserved!

Qn: During this exploration and shooting of “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail”, are there any historical, heritage or cultural aspects of Hakka culture that left an impact on you? What are they and how has it impacted you?

Ans: 其實有好幾段故事都讓我很深刻。不過，如果只能挑一個，我會說是在台中的路段，我們跟著原著民泰雅族的長者Mr. Walis 一起在山丘上聊客家人和原住民被歷史忽略的融合關係和故事。特別是在大部份文字歷史都強調客家人和原住民長年為了土地爭奪而彼此互相衝突和械鬥。事實上，械鬥也不是唯一的方式，也不能長久的持續，這樣對雙方的傷害都非常的大。

In fact, there are quite a few stories that really impressed me. If I could only pick one, I would say that it was in Taichung where we followed Mr. Walis, the elder of the indigenous Atayal tribe, on the hills to chat about the fusion relationship and stories of Hakka and aborigines that have been ignored by history. Particularly in most of written history, the Hakka people and aboriginal people have been conflicting and fighting with each other for a long time over land. In fact, fighting is not the only way, nor can it last for a long time, but the damage to both sides is big.

因此，在衝突之外，他們試著攜手共同解決問題，而開始了兩個族群「和親」的共榮生活，在當時的樟之細路還被稱為「結婚之路」，都麼美好的族群融合故事，然後在現有的文字歷史裡，卻是很少被提及！當我們到Mr. Walis的家中，看見他阿婆的舊照片，發現她的臉上雖然畫著泰雅族傳統的紋面，但是她的樣貌和衣著，卻是傳統的客家婦女。讓我更震驚和開心的是，Mr.Walis說他身上也流有客家人的血液，他也是客家人！那種族群文化融合的美好，讓我當下好感動，差點就掉下了眼淚啊！ 關於歷史，我常說那只是參考依據，千萬不能盡信它！特別是當我旅行世界的越久，越是深的瞭解到它的真理。

因此，我常在演講的時候分享我的「方塊理論」，那就是當你靜止不動時，你眼前所看見的那一個方塊，它就是是一個面，一個四方的形狀。但是，當你起身用不同的角度和視野去看同一塊方塊時，你便會發現眼前的方塊其實是由六個面所組成的！所以，事情不能只用一個面、一個角度、一個故事去認識和了解。

Outside of the conflict, they tried to work together to solve their differences, and began a co-prosperity life of “harmony” between the two ethnic groups. At that time, the Raknus Selu Trail was also called “The Road to Marriage”, which was a beautiful story of ethnic integration which is rarely mentioned in written history. When we went to Mr. Walis’s house, we saw old photos of his grandmother, and found that although her face had traditional Atayal tattoos, her appearance and clothes were that of the traditional Hakka women. What makes me even more shocked and happy is that Mr. Walis said that he also has Hakka blood, and he is also a Hakka! The beauty of the fusion between the ethnic groups and cultures moved me so much that I almost shed tears! Regarding history, I often say that it is only a reference, but not always factual! The more I travel the world, the more deeply I understand its truth.

I often share my “Cube Theory” in my lectures, that when you stand still, the cube you see in front of you is a face, a square shape. However, when you get up and look at the same block from different angles and fields of view, you will find that the block in front of you is actually made up of six sides! Therefore, things cannot be known and understood with only one face, one angle, and one story.

Qn: Do you see a revival of interest in traditions, culture, history and heritage as people return back to their roots, in Taiwan and in other parts of the world?

Ans: 是的，我看到非常多，也非常開心知道越來越多的人開始想認識和瞭解自己的，或是別人的傳統文化。特別是在台灣，越來越多的年輕人，或是從國外回來的第三代或第四代，他們選擇回到自己的家鄉，想尋回自己的家族故事外，甚至會重新融合舊傳統文化的美好後，發展出新的文化。而且「不忘本」，把傳統文化當成最堅固的中心元素，再去和生活結合，在產業上、地方發展上、在觀光旅遊上，都變成了新的「機會」。此外，我在泰國、韓國也都看到這類的事一直持續不斷在發生中。目前它雖然是小眾族群，但是我已經可以看見它成為新的潮流文化的潛力，而且，特別是對於西方遊客來說，這是一個具吸引力的文化誘惑。

Yes, I have seen a lot, and happy to know that more people are beginning to want to know and understand their own or other people’s traditional culture. Especially in Taiwan, more young people, or the third or fourth generation who have returned from abroad, choose to return to their hometown, and want to discover their own family stories, and even re-integrate with the old. After the beauty of traditional culture, a new culture develops. In addition, “not forgetting one’s roots” in traditional culture is the most solid central element. When combined with life, it becomes a new “opportunity” for the industry in terms of local development, and tourism. Additionally, I have seen this phenomenon continue to occur in Thailand and South Korea. Although it is currently a minority group, I can already see its potential to become a new trendy culture, and, especially for Western tourists, this is an attractive cultural lure.

Qn: What would be your recommendations and tips for a short and concise travel adventure into the Raknus Selu Trail, for travellers who don’t have too much time on hand when they visit Taiwan?

Ans: 以交通便利性和客家文化象徵性來說，我會推薦樟之細路位於新竹關西的「渡南古道」。這裡就靠近關西最著名的客家古蹟「羅屋書院」，可以先了解傳統客家文化的生活樣貌和故事，也可以欣賞精美的建築工藝。而前面一片綠油油的稻田景色，則是最標準的客家鄉村生活景致。此外，關西還生產全世界品質最佳的「仙草茶」，也是客家最有代表性的民族植物！ 渡南古道並不長，難度也不高，可以很輕鬆的健行完成。而且，「千里步道協會」還經常在這裡舉行步道導覽和古法修復的活動。透過他們專業的解說，再加上可以一起參與古法修復步道的活動，這條路很容易得到滿足感和知識力！

For the convenience of transportation and the symbolism of Hakka culture, I would recommend the Raknus Selu Trail, the ” Dunan Historical Trail” located in Hsinchu County’s Guanxi Township, which is close to the most famous Hakka historical site in Guanxi, “Lo Family House”.

You can first understand the life and stories of traditional Hakka culture, and also appreciate the exquisite architectural craftsmanship. The green rice field scenery in front covers the most authentic Hakka village life scenery.

Guanxi Township also produces the best quality “Mesona Tea” in the world, which is also the most authentic ethnic plant of Hakka! Dunan Historical Trail is not long, and the difficulty of the trail is not high, and it can be completed easily through hiking.

The “Taiwan Thousand Miles Trail Association” often holds trail tours and historical trail restoration activities here in Guanxi Township. Through their professional presentations and organized activities of the ancient restoration trail, it is easy to gain satisfaction, knowledge and appreciation on this road!

From Chris Stowers

Qn: You met so many amazing people, experienced a wide range of Hakka history, heritage and cultural experiences, not to mention the amazing landscapes and natural beauty along the trail. How difficult is it for you to curate the photos for you to showcase “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail” from your collection of photographs?

Ans: Shooting along a trail – especially one like the Raknus Selu, where your eyes are as keenly focused on the slippery rocks your boot is about to land on as they are searching for people or distant views – is a challenge. I am more of a cyclist than a hiker, so from the outset, I decided to pare down my photography equipment to the bare bones. Not only did that lighten my pack and make it more comfortable to carry, but it allowed a sort of freedom from choice: I could concentrate more on the actual nature and characters met, and not need to worry about which body, lens or lighting system I needed to set up.

Mentally, I was on the lookout for four main categories of photos – People, Landscapes/Nature, Culture and Cuisine. There was some overlap, obviously: a person eating a sumptuous meal in an ornate courtyard covers 3 of these 4 categories, at least. So, curation came down, inevitably, to personal preference, and ‘feel’ for the mood and message emanating from the subject and resultant image.

Danny and I were on the road for around 2 weeks making the film. During that time, I shot several thousand images. It would have been far more if we didn’t have so much walking to do! My habit was to make a daily selection of my favourite shots (of experiences, tastes and characters met) so as to keep on top of the work load whilst the memories of the day were still fresh. Thus, a sort of chronological order of images naturally emerged from the discipline. It was still heart-breaking though, as always, to discard so many pictures when making the final, tight edit!

The Raknus Selu Trail passes through some of the lushest and most breathtakingly beautiful scenery I have ever come across in Taiwan – partly this was due to observing more when slowed down to walking pace – and that came as an additional and pleasant surprise. The fact that much of the trail is now accessible to the public, and increasingly mapped-out, just adds to the experience, although, in hindsight, it was the toughest and least tamed sections we struggled through that I enjoyed the most.

Qn: What was your experiences like for you to photograph and document Hakka people, history, heritage and culture?

Ans: At the outset, I didn’t have any firm view of the distinction between Hakka culture and people, and that of Taiwanese in general. Friends would invite me to go eat Hakka food at restaurants in Taipei, and I’d visited Hakka communities in China in the past, so I was vaguely aware of this population and their migrations.

What came out immediately – and Danny is an enthusiastic ambassador for this himself – is the sense of history and place that dominates the Hakka experience. Whoever you ask will be able to count off on their fingers the number of generations they have been in Taiwan, and the town their ancestors originally hailed from in China, in many cases going back a dozen generations, or more. This sense of being part of a larger historical narrative, and the pride the Hakka have in their past and current achievements, is a special characteristic. It’s something that is largely lost now, where I come from.

On the surface, the Hakka people I met and photographed looked and dressed no differently than any other Taiwanese people, so the challenge was to somehow draw out the inner confidence and self-reliant nature that so defines them. The Hakka are proud hosts, and their generous hospitality along the Trail, along with a willingness to explain and display their way of life to us, was most noteworthy.

Qn: During this exploration and shooting of “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail”, are they any historical, heritage or cultural aspects of Hakka culture that left an impact on you? What are they and how has it impacted you?

Ans: Hakka culture, it soon became apparent to me, is not just some unchanging set of crusty traditional values; it is, instead, vibrant, confident, industrious and continuously adapting. I loved the fact that Hakka people all along the trail were so proud of their culture and food, and so eager to tell me all about it. They no longer hide – like they did in the past – that they are different from the rest of the Taiwanese population. To the contrary, they now celebrate that fact!

The term ‘Raknus’ is a composite of two words meaning ‘camphor’ in the language of the main Taiwan aboriginal tribes (the Atayal and the Sasaiyat) who co-exist along the trail with the Hakkas. ‘Selu’ is derived from the Hakka word for a small road. It is really positive that, not only have the different peoples living along the trail learned to get along and inter-marry, over the years, but that the cross-pollination of words and ideas extends even to the naming of the trail itself.

The Raknus Selu is a living trail. Evidence of that is found, for example, along the way at one of the few remaining camphor factories that still produce camphor oil, and the many cosmetic products infused with that oil. Although times were tough after the introduction of cheaper chemicals in the 1960s and 70s, the industry survived, and today is actually flourishing as people rediscover the benefits of healthy, natural products. So, camphor remains an integral part of the Raknus Selu experience.

Qn: You’ve travelled throughout Asia. Do you think the “Raknus Selu Trail” could attain the same level of international fame and status with other iconic trails around the world, such as the Kumano Kodo Trail in Japan?

Ans: Over the course of 35 years I’ve been fortunate to travel and revisit over 70 countries, the vast majority of these were in Asia. So, I’ve come across some pretty amazing trails, in places like South Korea, for instance, where hiking as an occupation borders on religion! I’ve also crossed Borneo with a Dayak guide and no map. So, I’ve experienced many different conditions of trail, and the Raknus Selu, I’d say, ranks somewhere between the organised and the wild.

Although there are, in total, around 380kms of trail, these do not stretch in a single straight line. Many individual paths lead up to, and down from, the main spine of the trail from the individual valleys it crosses. It is key to remember the original purpose of the trail was commercial – to extract camphor wood and tea – and not for leisure.

Ultimately, I see the Raknus Selu as a sort of Taiwanese Appalachian Trail, in that it stretches far and travels through similar, loosely populated and heavily forested foothill regions, like its famed North American counterpart. Certainly, the Raknus Selu Trail could achieve iconic status in the future, though at the moment, I feel, a little more mapping and linking-up of the disparate sections needs to be done to avoid getting lost on the way (although getting ‘lost’ is always a great experience and tale to tell, once you are safely home again!). Fortunately, organisations like Taiwan’s Thousand Miles Trail Association, and many enthusiastic individual volunteers, are helping to make this a reality.

Qn: Are there any plans to publish a photo book or travel guidebook on the “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail”?

Ans: Actually, I was able to shoot all the photos for a book entitled “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail” as we were walking it. The resultant images closely follow the specific sections of trail and people we met during the filming of the documentary. So not only was I photographing, but I was being filmed whilst photographing, which was a unique experience to say the least!

Limited copies of the book were printed, and some of these were presented to the media and dignitaries during the main press conference heralding the show, in Taipei on 14th September. Anyone interested in taking a look at the book should be able to access copies at libraries in – so far – Taiwan and Singapore.

A Big Thank You to Danny Wen and Chris Stowers!

I would like to sincerely thank Danny Wen and Chris Stowers for taking their precious time to answer my questions that I posed to them. I really appreciate their efforts, the in-depth sharing gave a lot more thoughts, views and perspectives into “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail”. 

The answers that both Danny and Chris shared through the interview questions above, I sincerely hope that they would inspire and motivate people from all walks of life to relook again at our history, heritage, culture and food in a modern era and living swamped by social media consumption. You and me, we all can play a part in protecting and preserving our history, heritage, culture and food. 

I would also like to give a shout out to White Label PR for facilitating this interview, thank you very much!

Stay tuned for Part Two of An Interview with Danny Wen and Chris Stowers of “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail”! 

Catch “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail” on AXN

In case you miss it, catch Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail across AXN Asia Networks and on AXN Asia YouTube channel! They premiered on 27th September 2022, remember to catch up and follow their history, heritage, culture, food and trekking adventures.

For more information on Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail, you can visit https://www.axn-asia.com/SecretsoftheRaknusSeluTrail 

Watch the full clip here on YouTube! Also catch “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail” Podcast on YouTube!

* Information and pictures courtesy of KC Global Media and White Label PR *

The post An Interview with Danny Wen and Chris Stowers of “Secrets of the Raknus Selu Trail” – Part One appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.