Photographer/Creative profile questions

1) Can you give us a short introduction on yourself and your creative fields of expertise?

Hello, my name is Agan Harahap. Photographer and artist based in Jogja, Indonesia. My base artistic expertise is photography and digital manipulation. And recently I’m using AI for my latest artworks.

2) What is the inspiration and the stories behind your creative work?

I always get my inspiration from my timeline in social media. Mostly is about politic, religion and history. I offer some silly solution for many problems that appear in society.

3) Do you have a piece of creative artwork or photograph that means a lot to you? Can you share more about this artwork?

The artwork that means a lot for me is my series ‘Mardijker Photo Studio’. I’m talking about nation identity and cultural originality and it’s connections with our society today.

4) Can you share about your journey as a creative/artist? What were some of the challenges, difficulties and setbacks that you faced in your creative journey? 

Well, it’s start in early 2000s at the beginning of digital transitions from manual. When suddenly we can almost create anything with digital software. At that time I already work as a photographer in music magazine. And I always challenged my self to dig more about other possibilities with digital photography. Asking my self is photography still can believed as a medium that can represent the reality. 

5) I read that you started off as an illustrator and digital imaging artist, what are the stories behind these experiences and how did you transition to photography?

As a graphic designer student, I have also learn photography. At that time, I don’t like photography because its expensive and don’t make sense to me. Because at that time I think photography is only for the people who cannot make a proper drawing or painting to express their ideas. And photography is their solution to cover up their inability to make art. Hahaha. But I have to pass the photography test in my study. So I learn how to manipulate photo with digital software. And I pass the test with success. And after graduate, I worked as a freelance illustrator and then become a digital imaging artist in some photography company before I become photographer in Trax Magazine. A music based magazine in Jakarta from 2006 – 2012. 

Generative AI Interview Questions

6) A topic of intense discussion currently is Artificial Intelligence (AI), what are your personal views and thoughts on AI? What is the potential positive and negative impact on the creative industry?

Based on my experienced in early 2000s when digital suddenly takeover many part in creative industry, So for me this is the new era when we have to preparing our self to this new kind of technology. For me, the main impact is the people’s way of thinking and behavior about things will change. And it will become a problem for people who cannot adapt their selves to this AI. So, like it or not, after more than 2 years we stayed at home because of covid, now suddenly we have to face this kind of technology and we have to adapt and adjust our self with it.

7) Do you think Generative AI can actually help us creatives, artists and photographers in ways that we may not see due to our personal bias or blind spots? Or do you think the onslaught of Generative AI will be detrimental for creatives? 

Before AI can help us in creativity, we first have to adapt and adjust ourself. Because at first, we have to positioning ourself between this new technology and our personal and social interest. For me, it’s quite similar like digital photography at the beginning, at the first we may think ‘Oh, with this tools, we don’t need dark room process anymore and we can save more time to create photography. But in the reality, there are many other problems arise due to this digital technology. Like for example, people start to questioning the reality behind photography ect. And after social media era, there is much more problems. We can see the rapid change in many aspects of our live. And that’s exactly will going to happen in our society with this AI technology.

Generative AI will be detrimental for creatives? It’s depend on how you adapt yourself. 

8) Which segments of the creative and arts industry would be most impacted by Generative AI? Artists? Photographers? Filmmakers?

All.

9) Is Generative AI is going to take away the livelihood of the art and creative industries? What are your personal thoughts and views on this point?

At the beginning, the answer is yes. But along with that, the emergence of AI technology, it will open up many new opportunities that may have never been thought of.

10) How do you envision the future for creatives in a new digital and social media world, powered by AI?

Hahaha I can’t imagine it yet. But I believe, sooner or later this AI will change people’s mindset and behavior.

Thank you Agan!  

I would like to say a big thank you to Agan Harahap for putting aside his precious time and agreeing to be interviewed for my article! From a fellow photographer/visual storyteller myself to another fellow photographer/visual storyteller, it’s always an interesting, enriching and enlightening experience to hear about creative/artist/photographer different perspectives, ideas and views, on photography and creative industries, their stories and journeys. 

Agan’s views and perspectives on generative AI would be part of my ongoing TGH Technology AI research/learning series, with an upcoming special article coverage on the impacts of AI on photography and creative industries that would be published on my TGH Photography and Travel portal/blog. 

This special interview with Agan also marks the start of my new personal project series that I mentioned earlier in my earlier article “Reflecting H1 2023 & Q2 2023 (Photography and Travel)”, on interviewing and featuring creatives from various disciplines.

When you visit Singapore, let’s catch up and have a chat over coffee over everything and anything about photography!

Have you visit Living Pictures – Photography in Southeast Asia exhibition?

Have you visit Living Pictures – Photography in Southeast Asia exhibition? If you haven’t visit this amazing photography exhibition, you have to plan a visit to National Gallery Singapore and check out this exhibition! 

The exhibition size, magnitude, and diversity of photography works on display, some 300 of them would blow you away, ranging from colonial archival images, studio portraits, and documentary photography to photo albums, social media photos and modern photography in both offline and online formats.

Living Pictures – Photography in Southeast Asia at National Gallery Singapore

Date and Time 

• 2nd December 2022 to 20th August 2023
• 10am to 7pm daily

Location 

• City Hall Wing, Level 3, Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery 

Admission Fees: (General Admission)

• Free for Singaporeans and PRs

Standard

• $20 
• Non-Singaporeans/PRs aged 13 to 59

Concession

• $15 
• Non-Singaporeans/PRs seniors (aged 65 & above) and children (aged 7 to 12)
• Overseas students and teachers

*I would like to thank National Gallery Singapore and Ogilvy for liaising and facilitating the interview with Agan Harahap.*  

The post A Special Visual Storyteller/Creative Artist Interview with Agan Harahap appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

As a photographer myself, in both personal and professional capacity, I use Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. In my portfolio suite of services along with my photography services, as a content creator, visual storyteller, travel writer and digital marketer journey, I have also added vlogging, producing zines and photo books, as well as some design stuff with my photography works, I am beginning to explore other Adobe Creative Suite software: Premiere Rush and Adobe Express, maybe Adobe InDesign down the road, if I embark on bigger visual storytelling book projects.

Adobe MAX 2022 – Breakthrough Innovations and Upgrades 

During Adobe MAX 2022, Adobe made several announcements and updates, delivering breakthrough innovations and upgrades across its creative and digital solutions. Here are a summary of updates from Adobe Max 2022:

• Adobe Advances 3D, Immersive and Metaverse Experiences with New Products
• Adobe AI Innovation Maximises Creative Power and Precision for Creative Cloud and Adobe Express Users
• Adobe Introduces New Collaboration Capabilities in Creative Cloud and Document Cloud
• Adobe Unveils Powerful New Collaboration and AI Capabilities in Photoshop 
• New Adobe Express Innovations Make Content Creation Easy, Fun and More Productive 

The topics that I would be sharing more about from Adobe MAX 2022 would be on Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, and Adobe Express. 

Powerful New Collaboration and AI Capabilities in Photoshop

New innovations in Photoshop are going to make the world’s most advanced image editing software even smarter, more collaborative and easier to use across surfaces. The Share for Review (beta) enables users to conveniently collaborate on projects without leaving Photoshop, and new features make editing images in a browser more powerful. 

On your flagship desktop Photoshop app, breakthrough features powered by Adobe Sensei AI are added including selection improvements that enhance the accuracy and quality of selections, and a one-click Delete and Fill tool to remove and replace objects in images with a single action.

A quick summary of new AI features launched in Adobe’s suite of Creative software and digital solutions:

Adobe Photoshop

• Selection improvements 
• One-Click Delete and Fill
• Photo Restoration Neural Filter (beta)
• Remove Background
• Masking and Brushing

Adobe Lightroom

• Masking Selection
• Select Objects
• Adaptive Presets
• Content-Aware Remove

Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects

• Premier Pro Auto Colour
• After Effects Scene Edit Detection

Adobe Substance

• Adobe Substance 3D AI-Enhanced Materials

The new version of Photoshop introduces Share for Review, supporting collaborative work from anywhere, critical for creative workflows in today’s increasingly digital economy. This enables convenient collaboration between creators and stakeholders. 

Adobe Express – Innovations Make Content Creation Easy, Fun and More Productive

The template-based web and mobile tool for creators to easily make, edit and share standout content from anywhere and anytime, the Adobe Express has also received the latest innovations and updates.

Everyone from students to small business owners to marketers, and creative professionals, can create a logo, build a social media campaign, design a flyer or banner and make a standout school project. 

Many Adobe Express customers can also use Creative Cloud applications or work with designers who do. The workflows can now streamline with Adobe Creative Cloud applications through Adobe Creative Cloud Libraries. 

New features are frequently being rolled out, Adobe Express creators will soon enjoy expanded video editing powers with a new mixed-media editor, Generative AI capabilities to help generate unique fonts, images and new backgrounds, and new opportunities to collaborate with other creators across other Adobe Creative Cloud apps, delivering greater productivity. 

A quick summary of recently added innovations in Adobe Express include:

• Quick Actions
• AI-Driven Template Recommendations
• Content Scheduler 
• Multi-Page Capabilities 
• Advanced Search Discovery and Recommendations

Adobe Express has new partnerships, they are teaming up with Wix, a global leader in helping creators and businesses create, manage and grow their business, to explore opportunities to bring the best of Adobe Express and the Wix platform to both user bases. 

Adobe has also teamed up with Meta on Express Your Brand, enabling small businesses to grow their online presence using Adobe Express. Adobe Express is also partnering with leading platforms, to accelerate creative and digital literacy skills for students of all ages.

Adobe Express for Education for students and teachers in the classroom, with its new AI-powered features are going to make it easy to design stunning presentations, create attention-grabbing web pages, make captivating video presentations, flyers, flashcards and more. 

Adobe is also harnessing its creative and technological strengths with a new global offering, Adobe Express for Nonprofits. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) – A New Future in Creativity and Content Creation, Helpful or Fearful? 

Whether you are a creative in photographer, filmmaker, artist, designer, the Adobe Creative Suite of software and digital solutions, will definitely play many crucial roles. The rise of AI innovation in Adobe’s suite of software and digital solutions, can be helpful in our creative’s digital and creative workflow, doing the smaller tasks and allowing us creatives to concentrate on what we do best, unleashing our creativity and bringing it to life.

I am looking forward to utilising Adobe Express further in time to come, I didn’t get to know more about this relatively new application or even use it, the new additional features are great for content creators to explore, create and showcase with their photographs, videos and design work. 

As a photographer and visual storyteller, my main creative tools/software are Adobe Lightroom, followed by Adobe Photoshop. From a holistic digital experience and services provision perspective, I have started to work on videos/vlogs a few years back, I am also expanding on publishing zines and books in the near future. 

My next creative tools/software that I would look more closely into, would be Premiere Rush (before I decide to go Premiere Pro) and InDesign.  

Adobe Creativity + Adobe Digital Experience

For business organisations, your creative and beautiful photographs, videos, design, artworks are ready for your business sales, marketing, branding, publicity and promotion workflow. Do you know that you are able to combine your Adobe Creativity with Adobe Digital Experience for your businesses? 

Have a read about this article “Adobe Research Reveals: Time to Get Personal” during my recent attendance at Adobe Experience Makers event.

For more information on Adobe MAX 2022

If you like to know more in-depth about the breakthrough innovations and upgrades that were announced during Adobe MAX 2022, visit Adobe MAX website and Adobe Creative Cloud YouTube channel to check them out.

* Information and pictures courtesy of Adobe and WE Communications *

The post Adobe MAX 2022 – Breakthrough Innovations and Upgrades appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Well well, how did I started following and supporting Very Small Exhibition? My first encounter  with them was at Malay Heritage Centre in October 2021 – Malay Heritage Centre x Very Small Exhibition support World Mental Health Day, thereafter I began my adventure following and supporting Very Small Exhibition.

If you would like to know more about my journey with Very Small Exhibition, I wrote it down my story here on “How I Met/Follow/Support Very Small Exhibition & Bring LOVE Everywhere”. 

From 1st to 31st March 2022, come on down to Paya Lebar Quarter and check out Very Small Exhibition new exhibition and a 4m long wall collage of Instagram photos celebrating 1 year of Very Momentary Exhibition.

Paya Lebar Quarter x Very Small Exhibition 

Rainbow illumiNation – Celebrating 1 year of Very Momentary Exhibition 

Dates: 1st to 31st March 2022

Location: PLQ Parkside (new exhibition) and PLQ Mall Level 2 (4m long wall collage of Instagram photos)

With friends Belinda and CK, we went down on the exhibition’s opening day, continuing our support for artist Wei and Very Small Exhibition light art installations transformation of public spaces into rainbow spectrum, and finally taking a group photo with artist Wei! Thereafter, we explored the new exhibition at PLQ Parkside, doing light painting long exposure photography with the Very Momentary Exhibition rainbow illumination artworks, with me doing most of the light painting artworks action while Belinda and CK took photos on their cameras.   

Congratulations to artist Wei of Very Small Exhibition on this milestone, celebrating 1 year of Very Momentary Exhibition! Thank you for featuring some of my photos of Very Small Exhibition and Bring LOVE Everywhere on your 4m long wall photos collage! It’s been my honour, a pleasure, to see my photographs printed and be a part of this photo collage, a part of the 1st year of Very Momentary Exhibition.

May Very Small Exhibition continues to bring bright, colourful rainbow illumination, light art installations, spreading joy, love and a beacon of light for the whole world!

 *** A TGH Photography x Canon EOS R3 Explorer Series Production ***

The post Rainbow illumiNation – Celebrating 1 year of Very Momentary Exhibition appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

The month of January always seem to be hectic since it’s a short turnaround time from Christmas weekend to New Year weekend, followed by 4 more weeks to Chinese New Year festive holiday. It takes a while to get up to speed while there were ongoing adjustments, adapting and settling into new gig/role, on top of getting my business back on track.  

Round Up Jan 2022 (Photography and Travel)

Photography (Business)

I am working on gaining more traction, getting my business back on track after transiting and switching my photography services genres last year. 

Photography (Personal)

The month of January is like a month of arts, culture and heritage for me. I covered local Singapore artists in action, artist Yip Yew Chong and his mural paintings, Wei from Very Small Exhibition/Bring Love Everywhere and LiteWerkz at Light to Night Festival 2022.  

Meanwhile, I am planning to get some new photographer profile shoot for Year 2022, need a new banner cover photo for my social media pages and websites as well. 

In the year 2022, I am planning to do more personalised photography projects with fellow local artists from other creatives, other interest areas include history, heritage and culture documentation and nature/green spaces. 

NFT Photography 

This is an area that I am keen in, still learning and exploring. There are quite a lot of discussions on the NFT field, both pros and cons. I am reading both sides of the NFT equation, I believe in its potential and future prospects. I would be doing more research before embarking on this platform  and share more updates on my NFT photography journey along the way. 

Videography/Vlogging/Filmmaking

I am learning and developing this field, on a personal basis to produce my own videos/short films, this would be crucial and important for my social media marketing gigs as well. 

Travel – Explore My Own Backyard 

While we are waiting for international travel to open up more, in a safer and less restrictive manner, I shall continue to explore my own backyard. I would start doing documentation and photography works again on a few nature/green spaces since the month of January was taken up by arts, culture and heritage.   

Short Break for CNY 2022

I am planning to take a short break for CNY 2022 from my photography and travel media news coverage, content creation and writing. Do check out my Round Up Jan 2022 for my (Technology and Business) segment too!

Even though I am not publishing content and articles, that does’t mean I am having a holiday. I would take this time to start off on some of my photography projects, product shoot, editing photos from a recent assignment and finishing up my photography therapy zine and playbook (editing and finally layout).

Wishing all a Happy Chinese Lunar New Year 2022, good health, happiness, luck and prosperity in the Year of the Tiger! 

May the Year of the  Tiger be the year whereby we can truly and surely lift ourselves up from this global pandemic situation and embark on a route to economic recovery and a more normal way of living. 

The post Round Up Jan 2022 and Short Break for CNY 2022 (Photography and Travel) appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Inspired by Fernando Gros “How 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 (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.

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. 

The post Yearly Theme 2022 (Photography and Travel) appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Malay Heritage Centre x Very Small Exhibition support World Mental Health Day

My maiden encounter with Very Small Exhibition light artworks was at the Malay Heritage Centre (MHC) in October 2021. MHC has collaborated with VSE to light up the facade of its main building in different hues of blue in support of World Mental Health Day on 10th October, while MHC’s annex buildings are lighted up with the art collective’s signature neon colour lights.

Malay Heritage Centre x Very Small Exhibition support World Mental Health Day

https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/photojournalism/malay-heritage-centre-x-very-small-exhibition-support-world-mental-health-day

Bring LOVE Everywhere by Very Small Exhibition

After my maiden encounter with VSE at MHC, I got more interested in their colourful artworks and roaming exhibitions. I was alerted to this Bring LOVE Everywhere movement by Very Small Exhibition by Belinda. Artist Wei was on a trial walk to bring his interactive light artwork/exhibition Bring LOVE Everywhere from Mountbatten to Changi Village via East Coast Park and Changi Coastal Route.

Belinda and myself decided to head down to East Coast Park White Jetty to catch Bring LOVE Everywhere in action, pushing from Mountbatten to East Coast Park for his first pit-stop. We had a fun time doing light painting with the colourful LOVE artworks. 

From our conversation with artist Wei at that time, this was part of his much bigger LOVE walk project with this Bring LOVE Everywhere artwork around Singapore. This is something that I would be sharing more in the later paragraphs below. 

Bring Love Everywhere by Very Small Exhibition article: 

https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/photojournalism/bring-love-everywhere-by-very-small-exhibition 

Very Small Exhibition presents Very Momentary Exhibition 2.9 

Prior to Bring LOVE Everywhere major announcement, Very Small Exhibition presents Very Momentary Exhibition 2.9. 

On 20th November 2021, from 7pm to 10pm at Block 312A Clementi Ave 4, Very Small Exhibition presents Very Momentary Exhibition 2.9. This 40 storey block stairway was lighted up beautifully, a shining beacon of colourful light artworks that can be viewed from far. 

I live in the extended Clementi neighbourhood sector, it’s not far at all from my home and I decided to visit and support Very Momentary Exhibition 2.9. Belinda joined me that day, there were also other supporters of VSE there too, some were following him along the stairway, others were watching his Very Momentary Exhibition 2.9 from below or from the nearby buildings beside 312A Clementi Avenue 4. 

Belinda and myself also followed along artist Wei as he was producing his colourful artworks from the top floor to the middle level of the block before heading down to capture the full colourful spectrum of the Very Momentary Exhibition 2.9 across the block.

That was my first hands experience of how his light artworks had captured our eyes, heart, mind and soul in our heartlands neighbourhood. This was like a beautiful rainbow in the night, a beacon of hope and love shining for us.

Bring LOVE Everywhere around Singapore

Coming soon in January 2022, VSE is taking its Bring LOVE Everywhere around Singapore! From 23rd January 2022 to 28th January 2022, VSE would go on a round island Singapore walk with  its Bring LOVE Everywhere interactive artwork. Check out the map on Bring LOVE Everywhere Instagram account for more details on the route. 

They would arrive at the Clementi region on the 5th night (27th January 2022). Since this is my neighbourhood, I would make time to go down and support. Having went down to support artist Wei’s trial walk at East Coast Park, I am looking forward to seeing this interactive artwork again! 

Support Bring LOVE Everywhere on Kickstarter

Very Small Exhibition has launched a Kickstarter campaign seeking funds to offset some of their costs to make this project and bring it to the people in the heartlands. If you are able to do so and would like to lend a helping hand, you can support them financially via crowdfunding on Kickstarter. 

Bring LOVE Everywhere Kickstarter project page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bringloveeverywhere/bring-love-everywhere 

Very Small Exhibition/Bring LOVE Everywhere Social media

For more information and updates on Very Small Exhibition and Bring LOVE Everywhere, please visit their social media links below:

Very Small Exhibition Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/verysmallexhibition 

Very Small Exhibition Instagram https://www.instagram.com/verysmallexhibition/ 

Bring LOVE Everywhere Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/bringloveeverywhere/ 

Bring LOVE Everywhere Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bringloveeverywhere/ 

Pay-It-Forward and Pass-It-On

As a photographer myself, I would like to support creative artists from other creative disciplines whenever possible. From my days of covering i Light Marina Bay and Singapore Night Festival, I met a few local creative artists, some are modern contemporary artists while some are more of traditional artists. 

Being an artist or in the creative fields can be pretty tough, this ongoing global pandemic situation makes it even tougher for them. As a photographer that sometimes overlaps into the creative and artistic side of things, I am able to relate to this.

Therefore, I would do my best to Pay-It-Forward and Pass-It-On, to help other creative artists from other disciplines whenever possible.

The ongoing global pandemic has severely disrupted our daily life and work, as well as our mental, emotional and financial well-being. In this unprecedented global crisis, we can all do with more love, kindness, compassion, solidarity and unity as we strive to get out of this crisis and return back to a more normal life before this pandemic. 

Through creative arts movement such as Bring LOVE Everywhere by Very Small Exhibition, let’s help to spread love and care around us, in our society and around the world. 

The post Bring LOVE Everywhere in Singapore appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Where it all began

It all began in 2006 when I wanted to start a photography blog. During that era, having a blog was not only something that I wanted to do for myself, I wanted to produce and publish visual stories, just like a National Geographic Magazine photographer and journalist (I grew up reading National Geographic Magazine and kind of follow their visual storytelling style). 

At that juncture in time, it was kind of cool to own a blog, social media had not really “exploded” into the scene at that time. I started on blogspot platform before migrating to my own domain name and hosting, setting up my own brand name/domain name, my own frontal space. Huge credits to Jack who helped me to setup my photography blog at that time, as well as Brian who helped me with IT technical support over all those years. 

As the years progressed, it transformed and grown from a small and humble photography blog into my TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog of today, covering my visual stories, travel adventures, documentation works, photography topics, cameras, lenses and accessories review,  sports, wildlife, hospitality and food adventures. 

15 years adventure – Many ups and downs

My 15 years adventure writing and publishing visual stories wasn’t exactly a smooth and stable journey, it was full of ups and downs, from reaching the heights of recognition in 2015, to the lows from setbacks and departure of loved ones/close folks from 2016 to 2017. 

When you are in the creative sector, there will definitely be scrutiny and criticism, my website was deemed messy and not suitable to be a photography portfolio website. I reflected on it, established a separate photography portfolio website, thus allowing this to continue its visual storytelling journeys as a portal/blog and supplementing my photography portfolio website. 

There were others who questioned the value and relevance of my photography and travel portal/blog in today’s social media trends and usage. One even created their own blog after questioning my website, that is probably a compliment to what I have accomplished for my website over the past 15 years.

I learnt and grow old together with my website, visual storytelling, gaining more photography skills and knowledge, producing and publishing photography prints, photo books and zines.  

Revamp and Rebrand

Revamp and rebrand, the time is now to introduce TGH Digital Studio, comprising of my TGH Photography business, my TGH Photography and Travel portal/blog, my TGH Technology and Business portal/blog and working closely with my partnerships and collaborations. 

Photographer | Visual Storyteller | Content Creator | Technology Writer | Digital Artist 

I started TGH Photography as a sole proprietorship business in 2017. It was a very difficult start for me as I learnt the hard truths and brutal realities of running and managing a business, let alone a business in the creative industry. 

The amount of emotional and mental stress took a toll on me as I was also hurting from the loss of my loved one/closed ones during the period 2016 to 2017. Not many knew about it, I don’t talk much about it, the world we live in, sometimes just judge you by dollars and cents.  

During this short period of time from 2017 till date, I also learnt that providing standalone photography services is not going to be sufficient in this fast moving social media and internet driven world that we are living in. I started to learn videography/filmmaking from scratch, having photography knowledge and skills does shorten my learning cycle. This is still an ongoing learning  process, I have so much more to learn, improve and add on new skills and knowledge, adding to my expanded scope of professional services.

Just when I thought things would get a bit more stable, the world was hit by the global pandemic COVID-19 in 2020. In a nutshell, this global pandemic threw everything out of the window. This was almost like back to square one, back to ground zero. This was like a reset switch – Adapting, adopting, changing and re-strategising. During that circuit breaker period, the acceleration to adapt, adopt, change, strategic changes and directional changes was fast. 

Although I started solo in my photography business, I am glad that I now have a small team! I have Isaac helping me in photography/videography/video editing/editor and JingYi for creative design/digital artworks/illustrator/layout artist/.

Partnerships and Collaborations

I have been partnering and collaborating with other friends/content creators/photographers over the years. Some have been ongoing for a while, some are new on board.

Hpility SG

One of my first partnerships and collaborations (we started off in 2017) that I worked with in a few areas, from photography, videography and digital marketing. 

Easy Travel Recipes

Easy Travel Recipes is my travel and food partnership and collaboration. We are still discussing on how to expand and combine our strengths and resources in the travel and food segments moving forward.  

3 Blind Mice

This is a foodie consultancy, photography, videography, food tasting/cooking media production and regular feasting partnership and collaboration, founded and established after our foodie trip to Vietnam in 2018 by Chef Keith Crackling Roast, Chef Jude and myself.   

Meow Mixed Media Production

A mixed media photography and digital artwork collaboration co-founded by Isaac, JingYi and myself, borne from a passion of photography, cute cats and digital artworks combining together. 

More details and information would be shared when I make an announcement and share more information and details on what we are doing.

CryptoIKI

I am entering into the digital arts space with CryptoIKI, exploring the world of NFT and see how I am able to bring my photography works and mixed media artworks into this space. Keep a lookout as I explore and share my digital artist journey here. 

Upcoming projects/works

I have embarked on a number of different personal projects over the years, from documentary photography, publishing photography book and zines, photography prints. For this 15th year milestone year, I have embarked on a few personal projects. 

Books/Zines

Currently, there are three books/zines being planned on my timeline. 

1. Mixed media photography and digital artwork collaboration zine with Meow Mixed Media Production

Coming soon, I would keep it under wraps for now! Stay tuned and keep a lookout for our official announcement! 

2. A zine to celebrate my 15 years milestone (2006 to 2021)

I am still working on my zine, I have yet to decide whether i am going for a photo book magazine style approach showcasing a selection of photographs shot from 2006 to 2021, or short visual stories of key events with photographs from each year.

3. Publishing a book from one of my heritage and cultural personal works/documentations 

I have been documenting and photographing history, heritage and cultural fields/interests over the past 15 years. This would be an ideal time to bring one of my personal heritage projects that I documented to the next level, publish into a book and bring it to life in both physical print and electronic book format.  

A few other artwork projects with Meow Mixed Media Production are in the planning/discussion stages. We are a very new creative start-up collaboration, when the time is right, I would make the announcement with the team members and share with everyone on my website.

15 years milestone, what’s next? 

I will continue to produce more higher standards visual content stories with my photography and videography for my photography and travel portal/blog. When the global pandemic COVID-19 is under control, I hope to resume my international travel adventures coverage.

Life is an adventure, it will never be smooth sailing. Who knows where my visual storytelling with my photographs and videos can bring me to, beyond greater heights or faraway destinations?

Last but not least

I would like to thank my family, relatives, loved ones, old friends, supporters, followers and readers for following, reading and supporting my TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog over the past 15 years. I really appreciate the support and encouragement that you gave me over all these years. 

To all the various brands and agencies that I worked with, thank you very much for believing and trusting in me to work together, helping me to grow and expand over the past 15 years. 

Last but not least, thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for reading this lengthy story of how I started my humble photography blog in 2006 over a 15 years (not out and still going strong) time frame in 2021, marking its milestone celebration of my TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog. 

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