A brief history of my photography publications

First and foremost, let me bring you through a brief history of my photography books/zines publications that I produced and published. 

• Hokkaido B&W Landscapes 
• Square 8 x 8 Little Black Book with Zno (Hokkaido travel) 
• Trial/Pre-launch Photo Zine 
• TGH Photography Zine No.1: SG55 Special Edition 
• TGH Photography Zine No.2: TGH Photography Therapy Zine and Playbook 

Visual storytelling proposal plans/ideas

Continuing on from my TGH Photography Zine No.2 (you can get a physical and/or digital copy here!), I have shortlisted two project themes to work on:

A) Long term: Hokkaido travel visual story/travel guide (1 to 3 years)

My 1st travel adventure to Hokkaido was in November 2014, followed by my 2nd adventure in October 2016 (autumn). When I returned from my 2nd Hokkaido adventure, I set a goal for myself that I want to publish a photo book on 4 seasons of Hokkaido. 

This plan hasn’t change, it just got refined, my long term visual storytelling plan is a Hokkaido travel visual story/travel guide together. 

How am I going to discover my unique voice in my travel visual storytelling and travel guide combination? Firstly, I would need to make a few more trips, covering spring, summer and late winter seasons of Hokkaido first, I am reading more travel writing guides, travel writers works and start writing in small steps and phases.

B) Medium term: Singapore travel guides (6 months to 1 year)

I have a wide range of photographs and stories of Singapore over the past decade (and still counting), documenting old places, nature and green spaces, urban landscapes, history, heritage and culture, arts and creative sectors. 

Which sectors should I start on first? How should I approach it? A series of handy and informative handy Singapore travel guides might be my style and approach.

Photography books/Zines proposal plans/ideas

Here are some of my photography books/zines proposal plans/ideas that I have come up with. 

• Old playgrounds 
• Cats
• Clouds
• Sunsets
• Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku)
• Hokkaido landscapes (2nd edition)
• Singapore landscapes 
• B&W street photography 

For 2023, I am planning my zines to be of a more informal style and approach, while photo books would be produced in a slightly more planned approach. There is no final decision yet, I would go with my feel and see how each project theme turns out that I choose to work on.

Why do I still want to print/publish books/zines?

The debate on publishing/printing books/zines have probably been ongoing for quite a period of time now, in this social media driven era of videos and photographs, accompanied by goldfish memory and a getting shorter attention time span. 

I feel it’s less of physical books/zines making a comeback, there are some of us who wish to return back to the analogue days before the internet and social media boom. Some are also looking at a balance of both analogue and Web3.0 complementing each other.

Publishing and printing photography books and zines bring my ongoing works to life, beyond the digital and social media realms. 

Come follow me on my (new) visual storytelling adventures!

I may have honed and discovered my own visual storytelling style over my years of photography and writing, I am also relearning, reading, improving and maybe finding a new voice in my visual storytelling. 

Come follow me on my (new) visual storytelling adventures through my photography and writing!  

The post Photography Books/Zines Proposal Plans/Ideas for 2023 appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Photography Business

Business side of things

Q1 2022 started off alright, with signs of a more stable recovery for economy that could flow down to the other levels of the economy. It didn’t seem to sustain with Q2 2022 seems to be a bit of a slow down after coming out full steam in Q1, things didn’t go as expected and planned, making me worried. Q3 2022 was a bounce back into life again. 

There were disappointments, there were lost opportunities, there were new ones too. While there is not a big boom type of growth, there is a good momentum, hopefully this will carry on forward into Q4 2022.

Just like running any business, the levels of stress and pressure are never ending, never low on the scale, sometimes it also come in wave after wave.

Photography consultancy and coaching/training

My years of photography experiences in both professional and personal capacity has finally opened up an avenue that I wasn’t really expecting, the past 2 quarters have been an interesting expansion, slow and steady. The photography consultancy segment also give me ideas on how I might be able to expand this further and wider.

Through my consultancy, it brought me back to coaching/training my friends my photography skills, knowledge and sharing my experiences. A sector that I am planning to expand further, I am back again, having “students” or “disciples”, with me the photography “Shifu”, coined by my former friends who went out with me on various photography outings and walks. 

Although I don’t have an official number, I should have 2-3 “disciples” under my personalised photography care and coaching/training. 

Photo walks 

I used to conduct this regularly, part of my photography coaching/training programme. This went quiet for a period of time, now I am bringing it back again, for my photography coaching/training. I have some expansion plans in mind for this segment, working out the nitty gritty details in Q4 2022.

Photography Zine/Books and Publishing

Since I printed my first photography book in 2015 after my Hokkaido trip in November 2014, I entered into the world of printing and publishing my photography, creative and visual stories into photography zines. 

2nd photography zine update

My 2nd photography zine is now in the 2nd mock up stage, the final phase of editing and amendments. I am setting aside and scheduling my time to get this final hurdle completed and ready for publishing and sale. Thereafter, I would make the official announcement of my 2nd photography zine, pricing and availability. 

What book or zine projects should I embark on?

I have started a number of different photography projects over the years, in different areas and interests over the decade. I am seeking and looking at new photography/documentation/visual story telling projects. 

Some projects on my mind are 

• MF analogue B&W landscape photography
• Produce and publish new photography zines, photography books and photography guide books. 
• From my earlier photography projects in history, heritage and culture, I might choose, work on it and expand them further, and tap on funding if possible.
• Writing and producing my own short films/videos along with my photography projects and visual story telling.

Personal photography

Beyond my photography business, my personal/leisure photography is just as important and crucial for me. This segment is not so much about money, it’s a lot more about personal fulfillments and commitments to personal photography works from documentary to interests. 

Analogue medium format 

Medium format (MF) photography has been an area that I really wanted to explore some years back. Some MF photographers said to me that I won’t understand MF photography even though I have been shooting 35mm or APS-C format for quite a number of years. Personally, I don’t begrudge them since I never tried MF photography before. 

Over the years that I was keen to explore MF, I started off with a Lubitel 166+ TLR although my interest didn’t sustain long enough and it went into my dry box. Yes, it’s a bit embarrassing to confess to this. I was still enquiring on MF cameras, 645, 6×6 or 6×7, which camera brands to look at, does it make sense to get an analogue MF camera body and lens, pair it with a MF digital back instead of a film back. The answer to this, was not recommended, as shared by some of my photography mentors.

Most recently, I was very blessed to inherit some analogue MF cameras from a fellow photographer friend’s uncle, who used to be a commercial photographer in the analogue film days. Now, I finally have a chance to embark on my MF photography journey. 

As this is still a work in progress, checking and sending for repairs if necessary, it’s going to take a bit of time. Once this is settled down, I would share more updates in another article.

Travel 

When should I travel again?

The travel restrictions are gradually lifted around the world, more countries are reopening up their borders for business and leisure travel over the past 2 quarters . Many people could be seen traveling out of Singapore, on one hand I am envious, on the other hand, the airfares are not exactly cheap, the travel, tourism, aviation and hospitality industries are playing catch up to meet the demands and pent up frustrations. 

Travel Photography Bucket List

On my travel photography bucket list, countries in APAC region would be my priority since they are much nearer to Singapore:

Japan

A lengthy list of prefectures to visit in Japan, with a return to Hokkaido on my plans, continuing on with my 4 seasons of Hokkaido travel photography project. Another key region in Japan that I would like to visit is the Kansai region. 

Malaysia

More than just a neighbour to Singapore, I have relatives in Malaysia, I hope to plan some time and visit them again after 2+ years of global pandemic lockdown. I am also keen to revisit Sabah again for wildlife photography and trekking.

Vietnam/Taiwan/Indonesia/Thailand 

They are a short flight away from Singapore, making them pretty accessible for short getaways. 

Europe and beyond

I have been chatting and discussing on TTOT community chat that I am planning to visit Europe. They are in my travel plans, probably in the next phase after visiting ASEAN and APAC regions first.

Guiding/Leading travel photography trips

In conjunction with my photography consultancy, photography training/coaching and photo walks, would all these lead me to guiding/leading travel photography trips overseas? I shall leave it here as it is for now, if and when the time is ripe, there might be some news.

Goals Setting for Q4 2022 

First and foremost, I have set myself a number of goals setting for Q4 2022. I recalled that there were a few years whereby I didn’t want to reveal them. For this Q4 2022, I am aligning myself to change my approaches and way of doing things, not the old school way though of writing specific and detailed goals, objectives and plans for Q4 2022.

Goals for Q4 2022

• Officially launch and publish my 2nd photography zine
• Make a breakthrough in my travel photography/writing/related segments
• Kickstart my analogue MF photography journey 
• Rebrand and realign my commercial photography services 

Last but not least

This Q3 2022 reflection and plans for Q4 2022 somehow feels pretty lengthy with quite a lot of personal thoughts, feelings, and emotions in the areas of my photography and travel.  

Last but not least, thank you for taking the time to read it till the end of my personal ranting (in some ways).

The post Reflecting Q3 2022 and Plans for Q4 2022 (Photography and Travel) appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

How did this book came about?

As I embarked on my route to recovery, I had an inspiration, an idea to combine my nature/outdoor therapy treks, those nature and outdoors photographs that I shot, into a hybrid format, a zine with my writing and sharing, accompanied by a playbook format, giving my readers the chance to write down their thoughts, feelings and emotions, like a journal, or pasting photos, draw, doodle, there is a wide scope for creativity, exploration and for readers to share their inner most thoughts.

Updates and Tentative Timeline

My written content has been completed, proof-read and edited. I am curating my photographs to be placed inside my book, followed by fine-tuning the layout to my photography zine/playbook.

Tentative timeline is March 2022 whereby I would print some draft copies/mock up via MagCloud platform and get the draft copies delivered to me. I would proceed to do my budgeting and planning before proceeding to make an appointment and have a chat with local printing house, Grenadier Press.

Any final amendments would be made in March 2022 before sending my finalised edition for local printing (if all goes to plan) and upload online to MagCloud platform for purchase in April 2022. 

Where am I printing my photography zine/playbook?

Local Singapore

For my local Singapore market, I am going to have a discussion with Grenadier Press, they are the printing house that printed my Hokkaido 2014 Black and White photography book back in 2015.

International 

As for my friends and followers around the world, I am going to use MagCloud platform whereby you can order a copy of my book online and get it delivered to you. 

The story behind my story

The story behind my story of my second book can be found inside there. When I made the official announcement of my photography zine/playbook, I would share more personal insights, thoughts and feelings on writing, publishing and printing this book. 

More than just another personal achievement, this book means so much more on a personal and emotional basis deep inside me, the belief in myself in such unprecedented crisis, than just listing it as an achievement or number of books/zines published/printed. 

I don’t know where my second photography zine/playbook is going to bring me next, I won’t know how the response to this book would be like. All I know is that I am going to take another leap of faith in pushing and breaking through my writing and creative boundaries, the invisible walls/chains that are holding me back. 

Let’s go, join me on a new photography book and exploration journey with me! 

The post Coming Soon – Second photography zine/playbook appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

In the months of January and February 2015, the progress was pretty alright from the two articles that I wrote down and shared with my supporters and readers. My work in progress and producing my draft photo book, they were key milestones, timeline and crucial learning experiences in producing my own photo book. The journey was a bit of ups and downs, frustrations, dilemma, which photos to curate, what’s the flow and placement like etc etc. Meeting and chatting with photographer friends helped me to reach my mid way point of producing and printing my draft photo book that defines my own personal and unique photojournalist style.

A very talented fellow photographer, Zinkie Aw, she introduced to me this particular printer, that a group of photographers in Singapore worked closely with. That printer is Grenadier Press Pte Ltd and after the email introduction by Zinkie, I went down and had a chat with them on printing my personal Hokkaido Black and White Landscapes Photo Book. They are very friendly, professional and very knowledgable in the printing line. There is one X-factor that stands out, that is they understand photographers and knows what photographers want. During my first appointment with them, I had a chance to view some of the photo books printed by Grenadier Press for some of the established and well known photographers in Singapore. From that day, I know my photo book printing is in good and experienced hands!

They are willing to share and guide me, this newbie in printing photo books. I confessed that I made some stupid newbie mistakes and the folks from Grenadier Press helped me a lot to get it right for my photo book print when I met them for my second appointment to submit my draft photo book layout/write up/photos in for printing. That is something that I am very grateful and thankful for, their guidance and priceless assistance in getting my first photo book printed!

Photographers in Singapore, if you are planning to print your own photo book, I highly and strongly recommend Grenadier Press, here is their website and go contact them!

After I submitted draft photo book layout/write up/photos in for printing, Grenadier Press took over the process. Since I wasn’t rushing for the photo books to be printed, we had a good time frame that both parties can work on. Once they got the final final draft up, I made an appointment to go down for the final confirmation of my photo book prints, inspected each photo book page proof, signed and acknowledged. That was the moment, the final lap of my photo book printing adventure.

Finally, a message arrived from Grenadier Press, my photo books are ready! Yes, I have produced my FIRST Photo Book! My personal Hokkaido Black and White Landscapes Photo Book. As much as I wanted to rush down and collect my photo books, my work commitments did not allow me to and I waited for about a week plus before collecting them.

The moments, feelings and emotions when I collected my photo books from Grenadier Press, it’s a mixed bag comprising all of the above. I was proud yet humbled, happy beyond words when I collected 50 of my photo books, they are my very own photography style and artwork. It’s not perfect, there is definitely room for improvement in terms of producing my next photo book. The support and encouragement from friends were great, I am very grateful and thankful for their continuous support!

I would like to say a big Thank You to the following photographer friends for their inputs/opinions/help in the curation of photos, flow and lay out of my photo book.

– David Tay

– Wong Renhao

– Marcus Lim

– Jude Yue

– Zinkie Aw

– Dave Koh

My write up and photojournalism story telling were edited by Ms. Chrissy Priya and Mr Michael Tay, both were very strong in their English language proficiency.

Thank you very much, Grenadier Press for producing and printing my FIRST personal photo book! My goal and objective is 3 photo books for 2015, I have to work a lot a lot harder to achieve producing and printing my 2 other photo book!

The post My 1st Photo Book – Hokkaido B&W Landscapes appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

I did not know what would be the outcome and quality of the print out of my Hokkaido B&W Landscapes Photo Book would be like because this was my first time printing a photo book using the iPhoto app. Today, I received my Hokkaido B&W Landscapes Photo Book by Apple Print Products, printed and shipped over from Japan. When I opened up the box and saw my photo book front cover page, I was blown away. I felt really good, happy and proud of my first photo book print (even though it’s a draft book). As I flipped through the pages inside my Hokkaido B&W Landscapes Photo Book, this was what I visualised and wanted it to be, as seen from my 4R photos pasted on A4 paper mock up.

While I have not crossed the finishing line of producing my personal photo book journey, it’s now in the final home stretch to the finishing line. Next few steps for me would be to find my photographer friends who printed their own photo books for their opinions on the costing versus the photo book print quality. I would also be speaking to my friends on their usual printers that they go to. I would then weigh a balance, the pros and cons, costing and budgeting before I make a final decision on my printer. Meanwhile, I would get my friends who had a higher language proficiency than me to look through my write ups again, if need to, I would make the necessary changes to my write ups!

If all goes well, I should be starting to print in March 2015 at my chosen printer outlet choice and I would share my progress and update again on another date and time. What would be the next photography thing/project on my mind after the completion of my Hokkaido B&W Landscapes Photo Book? In my mind currently, I am thinking of holding a photography exhibition (related to Hokkaido) and to do another photo book of Hokkaido (in colours).

This draft photo book is very personal, it’s my first photo book. No words can describe this feeling at the moment, the happiness, joy and delight. I wonder how I would feel when my Hokkaido B&W Landscapes Photo Book is finalised and send for the official print?

The post Hokkaido B&W Landscapes Photo Book (Draft) appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

After returning back to Singapore, I wrote and uploaded my Hokkaido travel articles along with the travel photographs that I took during the trip. Hokkaido pulled many heart strings inside me that I was inspired and motivated to produce a travel photo book of my Hokkaido trip. The photo book was part of my Photography Resolutions for 2015, however, something phenomenal happened, I started to post process selected Hokkaido landscape photographs into Black and White. It was mind blowing, an eye opener and I was hooked. My attention diverted from producing my Hokkaido travel photo book to Hokkaido Black and White Landscapes Photo Book.

This journey was addictive, challenging, self searching and self learning. It was my maiden journey in producing my own personal photo book, I was discovering something more about my photography, how my eye, heart, mind, soul and perspective of photography makes my photographs stand out. The process of curation from approximately 1811 photographs to approximately 63 Black and White photographs to 26 photographs before another round to 19 photographs. Printing out the Black and White photographs on 4R photo paper was key and essential to producing my mock up Hokkaido Black and White Landscapes Photo Book. I learned the method of printing 4R photos to have a better visualisation of my photo book flow and placement from photographer friends Callan and Jingwen who produced and printed awesome photo books before.

With the help of my photographer friends, I was able to reach the placement and flow of this photo book. I would like to say a big Thank You from the bottom of my heart to the following photographers and friends for their continuous support, advice, suggestions, views and opinions during the initial curation, placement and flow of my personal Hokkaido Black and White Landscapes Photo Book –

– David Tay of WK Photography & Services (for teaching me the 2 by 1 crop for landscape photography)

– Wong Renhao 

– Marcus Lim

– Dave Koh

– Zinkie Aw of I Shoot Habits – Zinkie Aw Photographer 

– Belinda Tan

– Jude Yue

– Ellen Chia for her energy and continuous support of my photography works!

– Tsuyoshi Kato, our Hokkaido Photo Guide for this program!

– Fellow Hokkaido Photographers Invitation Program photographers ~ Jensen Chua, Weng Seng and Manami-chan!

I am going to do a test print of my Hokkaido Black and White Landscapes Photo Book using iPhoto app. It will be just one draft photo book and I will go around to my photographer friends and seek their opinions and views on the pricing and quality of the photo book, and whether I can continue with them or I should go to local printers to get my Hokkaido Black and White Landscapes Photo Book printed.

Curating and producing this personal Hokkaido Black and White Landscapes Photo Book had been very exciting, at times anxious and frustrating. I will remember every step of this journey and I am looking forward to the day when I collect my Hokkaido Black and White Landscapes Photo Book prints. For a glimpse into what could be the Black and White photographs that would appear in the photo book, this Black and White Photos set on my 500px portfolio would be able to give you some answers!

This is my first photo book, there is no price to it because it’s very personal and it’s priceless.

The post Work in Progress – Hokkaido B&W Landscapes Photo Book appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.