Commercial photography 

The camera and photography industry has seen so many changes over the decades, it’s constantly evolving and changing in terms of technological changes and advancements. The commercial/professional photography has been affected in more ways than just technological advancements itself. 

Having entered into the photography business world, it’s beyond just taking photographs, editing and delivering the works to your clients. This is just a small segment of running a small business, that would mean administrative, marketing, finances etc. 

Although I was mentally prepared to start my own business, getting onto the ground, going full hands-on on running my own business. There were so many many more things to learn, do, maintaining and bringing in revenue. Being prepared is just the tip of the iceberg, we would never be fully prepared or know everything in knowing how to run a business efficiently and effectively. 

You will experience lots of obstacles, challenges, on top of hardships, difficulties, stress and pressure. Factor in a shrinking commercial photography market just added so much more things to worry and handle.

I have known photographer friends setting up businesses in other industries, diversifying and ensuring another source of revenue. They are true business owners indeed.

Influx of photographers (from newbies, freelancers to professionals)

The technology, digital and social media transformation and revolution in some ways, they are both good and bad for photography, on both leisure and professional aspects. The rise of digital photography, coupled with smartphone photography, opened up photography to many more people, making it easier, lowering the barriers to entry and starting photography. 

That is why, we have an influx of photographers (from newbies, freelancers to professionals), thus impacting the livelihoods of professionals with more freelancers entering the market. 

Changing media landscape and consumption 

While there are more people taking photos with their cameras and smartphones, producing and sharing a lot more photographs on social media and the internet. The media landscape has changed tremendously, with how we consume videos from the rise of videography, made easier though the rise of smartphones and digital cameras. 

Although our life is flooded with people sharing photos, we are facing a changing media landscape and consumption of media, there has already been a greater shift towards videos, whether it is Instagram Reels, or TikTok, or YouTube videos, live broadcast on social media platforms.

Rise of the content creator 

The social media revolution brought about the rise of the content creator aided by the various social media platforms available. In the early days when social media revolution first started, it was blogging that was the mainstay (and that’s where I first started off on my social media and content creator journeys).

Social media has helped to build up my photography networks, publicity and branding that I slowly built over the past decade. However, they are not perfect, it has its own flaws, challenges, quirks and areas where we photographers dislike it. 

This content creator role arises when I merged and integrated more of my visual story telling together with my photography, this journey took me quite a while, learning, growing and developing my own unique voice and style as a content creator through my visual stories and photographs (since April 2006).

Future of photography

What does the future of photography holds? Whether you are a leisure photographer, serious enthusiast or professional, it would mean different things to you.

For the group who are serious enthusiasts or professionals, the future of photography is challenging and intriguing, we can no longer be just a photographer, we are more than just a photographer.

Photographers (now and in the immediate future), we have to be multi-functional, multi-tasking and multi-talented. We are more than just a photographer, we are also a videographer, content creator, writer, producer. Sometimes you have to wear the hat of a designer, artist too.

Key lessons that I learnt through running a photography business over the past few years, and especially during the global pandemic period when the whole world “turned upside down”, are 

“Change, unlearn, learn again (new and old skills), adapt, adopt, reinvent, re-imagine yourself and re-launch yourself”

Instagram ruined photography

Instagram is not longer the same as before the time when they first started. You would have heard this from me repeatedly over the past few years, I sound like a broken recorder playing on repeat. Tony & Chelsea Northrup produced a video titled, “Instagram ruined photography”. Check out their video below:

Instagram in the early years were great for photographers and creatives, it was fun, good vibes and you can get to know more like minded photography friends. To give credit when it’s due, I did get to know more photography friends, spread my photography name and networks in the early days of Instagram.

As time went by, more people came on board Instagram platform, they slowly started changing and moving away from photographers and creatives. When it was bought over by Facebook, the ballgame totally changed, turning into a marketing, branding and publicity platform. 

Besides all those changes, the Instagram environment had become more toxic, it’s all about fame and follower numbers. The egos and cliques made it unbearable at times. There were times whereby I did harbour thoughts of leaving Instagram, I didn’t exit, I just continued in a carefree and leisure manner, by my own terms and standards.

What lies ahead for my photography?

There had been a number of occasions over the past few years since I registered my photography business whereby I reflected on how I was running my photography business, leisure/personal photography and content creation work. From pivoting and changing to what I shoot, diversifying and expanding my creative suite of services. 

A recent deep personal reflection and thinking at the start of June 2022 got me strategising changes ahead. What lies ahead for my photography? 

I am working and planning on expanding my content creator scope bigger and wider, to be less dependent on commercial photography, partly due to the current economic and market situation, as well as how the future of standalone photography might turn out to be.

What would the changes be like? What lies ahead for my photography? Would there be big changes or small changes? Let’s see how things turn out.

The post Future of Photography? What lies ahead for me? appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

A few things happened prior to this, I was chatting with friends on Instagram, some have given up, some are not even on Instagram, some are still there and going strong. In recent months, I haven’t been posting as many photographs on Instagram while I am posting more Instagram stories instead. During that time, I was looking back at my time and reflecting on my posts, some were really crappy, I am wondering how and why did I post them? A recent article published by The Phoblographer titled, “Here’s How I’m Changing  The Culture of Instagram” resonates with me a lot, for photographers who are into Instagram, do visit and check it out!

Instagram used to be fun, it was instant photography, Instagrammers used to tag “latergram”, should the photos were not instant or at the moment. Posting photographs from cameras were frowned upon, it was mobile/smartphone photography. It was carefree for me, I didn’t bother with curation at that time, something which I have some regret that I didn’t take action to make some changes at that point in time.

Over time as Instagram grew, the platform changed dramatically and drastically, from being sold to Facebook, brands coming in, people just uploading from cameras to their smartphone before posting (Yes, I also joined in on this part), influencers coming onboard and “ruling” the norms, portraying the supposed Instagram lifestyle. I didn’t play the so-called Instagram game and I didn’t join some photographers with their fanciful filters editing.

Nowadays, some brands don’t look at your content anymore, they just look at follower numbers, how glamorous you are, how you brand and showcase yourself in the Instagram and social media world. The chase for fame and status resulted in some unethical and unorthodox methods on Instagram, well documented and covered over the years.

As I started to review and reflect on my Instagram, a love and hate relationship with Instagram. I got to know many more people via Instagram. I do admit to falling into the trap of getting jealous with follower numbers, fame and status. However, it dawned upon me to stop chasing the likes, follower numbers, fame and status.

I want to return back to the fun of Instagram photography, I am also going to be more selective of my photography postings thus you might see more Instagram stories in between posts. I am not planning to do a reset and delete my past Instagram posts, they would be my history to constantly remind me that I need to be more selective in my posts and producing quality posts as well.

Maybe it’s time to bring back the smaller photography group outings again and go out exploring our backyard, our neighbourhood, outdoors, parks, nature reserves etc, instead of challenging our egos to beat or outshine others.

The time has come for the return of TGH Photography x Canon EOS RP Explorer Series Production.

The post My Love and Hate Relationship with Instagram appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Edwin Land: Scientist, Inventor, Visionary

As you enter into the world of In an Instant: Polaroid, you would be introduced to the history and origin of Polaroid – Edwin Land: Scientist, Inventor, Visionary. In the late 1940s, Edwin Land’s daughter posed a question to her father during a family vocation, “Why can’t we view the photographs now?”

Armed with his daughter’s intriguing question and driven by curiousity, Land spent the next few years researching and working with his team of scientists and engineers at Polaroid Corporation, in his quest to create the world’s first instant camera.

Walk into the story of Land and his quest to develop instant photography, the technological breakthrough that marked a new chapter in the world and history of photography.

Polaroid: Art and Technology at Play

The world and art of instant photography had an enormous impact on how artists expressed their creativity. A number of artists were asked by Land to come on board to test Polaroid equipment and film, to provide feedback on how to improve them.

In this segment, visitors are able to view and admire a diverse range of Polaroid artworks produced during the peak of Polaroid’s popularity and rise in the world of photography during the second half of the 20^th Century.

As you walk through the themes of Observations, Interrogations, Arrangements, Configurations, Contemplations, Theatres and Expressions, be mesmerised and brought back in time, place and moment, the inspiration and creativity behind those Polaroid artworks.

Don’t miss the Polaroid Cinema: The Fishbowl Experiment! Catch a movie with the special glasses!

The New Instant

In this era of internet connectivity, social media networks and smartphone apps. The digital and social media era is the equivalent of the Polaroid’s instant and perceived social network of its time.

For those and many of us, into digital photography nowadays and apps such as Instagram, instant photography has further evolved in today’s digital world as a channel and platform for our expression, for us to stage our self to our audiences, leading to the birth and rise of this phenomenon, in a good and bad way, this phenomenon known as “Selfie”.

Near to the end of this special exhibition, follow the rainbow on the ground, into the world of a few social media influencers in Singapore, as they shared their experiences on navigating their digital and social media journey.

Tell us what “instant” means to you

This special photography exhibition, In an Instant: Polaroid (At the intersection of Art and Technology), resonates deeply with photographers (from both the analogue and digital era) and instagrammers of the modern digital era.

While Instagram has both positive and negative impacts for modern photography today, in my personal humble opinion, the modern digital world of instant photography would continue to grow and expand (exponentially) in sheer volume of instant photographs shot around the world, right here, right now and shared on various social network services.

Although I have my personal reservations on how Instagram has changed, impacted and affected photography, publicity and marketing since the arrival of this photography/technology app, I am also glad that with modern Instant photography through digital, social media and technology, there are photographers heading back to and/or learning about film and Polaroid photography, the origins of Instant photography.

Take a momento home from this special Polaroid exhibition

• Don’t miss the photo booth outside Exhibition Gallery 2, for $6, you can get 3 strips of photos taken.
• Instant photos with Polaroid cameras on site (Recommended dontation of $2 for each Polaroid)
• “Selfie” photos through a polarised lens at the digital photo station
• Sunglasses by Polaroid Eyewear, are also available for sale at the Museum Label shop, located on the ground floor of the National Musuem of Singapore.

There are also a number of programmes being run in conjunction with this special exhibition. Do check out National Museum of Singapore website and social media accounts for more information and updates!

For more information, please visit

Website: National Museum of Singapore

Facebook Page: National Museum of Singapore

Instagram: National Museum of Singapore

Exhibition dates: Till 31^st March 2019

Opening Hours: 10am – 7pm

Exhibition Location: Exhibition Gallery 2, Basement Level

Hashtag: #InAnInstantatNMS

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