Just like this Rainbow illumiNation by Very Small Exhibition celebrating one year of Very Momentary Exhibition at Paya Lebar Quarter. Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel, the rainbow arch waiting for us as we move towards it?

It was comforting and encouraging, I reckon many of us shed tears of joy as we can start to embark on the next steps to further opening up Singapore. You can read on ChannelNewsAsia, in full: PM Lee’s address on Singapore’s new phase towards living with COVID-19. At an appropriate time, I might just reflect and recollect my personal, emotional, mental, struggles in both personal and business, and along with my visual story telling together in another article, over this past 2+ years of living, struggling, surviving, learning and growing from this global pandemic. 

We can finally start to see some light at the end of the tunnel, it’s a huge step even, we are not totally out of the woods yet. Many of us would be looking forward to travel out out of Singapore for a break in other countries, we have been cooped up too long on our small island country. 

I don’t wish to make any travel plans or commitments at this stage, I am coming up with some travel plans in mind, maybe a short trip (3D2N or 4D3N) in Q2 or Q3 2022, a long (1-2 weeks) trip during Q3 or Q4 2022.

Would I be able to get my travel photography and writing commissioned works? Or travel media trips? I am keeping my fingers crossed. 

I am just like this Grey Heron perched on the Old Jurong Railway Bridge, eagerly looking up and getting ready to fly away, traveling and exploring in other parts of the world again. 

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

The post 24th March 2022 – Start to see light at the end of the tunnel appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

As I looked back in time on my stories that I wrote, “Start of Circuit Breaker in Singapore – 7th April 2020” and “Begun the Circuit Breaker has in Singapore”, there were so much things happening and taking place during that time when we entered into Circuit Breaker mode. It was a very difficult and stressful time for everyone of us here in Singapore. 

I didn’t take many photographs outside during that period due to the circuit breaker. Most of the photos were shot at home or from my window looking out and around my neighbourhood. I was reviewing the Canon EOS M6 Mark II during that Circuit Breaker period.

What do you remember from your circuit breaker period in Singapore? Here were some of the photographs that I took during the Circuit Breaker in Singapore that started on 7th April 2020. 

We are not out of the woods yet in our fight against COVID-19, not just in Singapore, around the whole world too. While the situation here in Singapore has improved over this one year time frame from 7th April 2020 to 7th April 2021, we cannot let our guard down against our battle against this ongoing global pandemic. 

One last message, we DO NOT WANT another Circuit Breaker! Everyone of us here must play our part and continue our fight against COVID-19. Slowly, we can get back to a more normal lifestyle again soon. 

The post Do you remember 7th April 2020 – Circuit Breaker in Singapore? appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Picturing the Pandemic: A Visual Record of COVID-19 in Singapore is the first major exhibition of year by the National Museum of Singapore. This exhibition was made possible by the museum’s rapid response to documenting the stories and experiences of people in Singapore during the pandemic’s early phases, how the people in Singapore came together through their responses and live through this crisis. 

With a collection of 272 photographs. a short film and 16 donated artefacts on display at this exhibition, visitors will get a glimpse into the diverse lives of fellow residents, as they adapt to a “new normal” that we know today, working and caring for one another in this pandemic. All these experiences through the eyes and lens of the photographers, filmmakers, curators as well as from the subjects themselves, lending a voice to the lesser-known stories from this pandemic. This also offers a glimpse into the social bonds, tenacity and resilience across the diverse communities in Singapore.

The National Museum of Singapore has an ongoing Collecting Contemporary Singapore initiative that seeks to collaborate with the public to collect personal stories and objects that capture shared moments in Singapore’s recent history for the future generations of Singapore. This exhibition is part of this initiative and it’s a result of National Museum of Singapore’s rapid response to document and collect materials related to Singapore’s experience of this pandemic. 

A Visual Record of COVID-19 in Singapore

The diverse works of five photographers – Bob Lee, Edwin Koo, How Hwee Young, Brian Teo and Zakaria Zainal, as well as a short film produced by filmmakers Dave Lim and Adar Ng, are showcased at this exhibition. This exhibition has five themes – A Day in the Life, Essential Workers, New Ways of Living, Making Visible and The Spaces Between Us. The photography works are up close and personal of people living in Singapore, from the young to the old, from migrant workers to professionals working in the essential services sector. When you view and observe the photographs on display at the exhibition, you can see how members of the public welcomed the photographers and filmmakers into their lives, providing an honest look at how they responded to and coped with this pandemic.

When you enter into the exhibition gallery, keep a lookout for the following and the stories behind them:

Zakaria Zainal’s – Deliver and Keeping the Faith

How Hwee Young’s – Para-athlete and Singapore General Hospital and Spaces

Edwin Koo’s – Community Healthcare 

Bob Lee’s – Angels of Mercy and Unsung Heroes

Brian Teo’s – Safe Distancing Ambassadors and Schools’ Responses to COVID-19

Before you leave the exhibition, remember to check out the display of 16 pandemic-related objects, contributed by members of the public and organisations as part of the museum’s Collecting Contemporary Singapore initiative. 

As the global pandemic COVID-19 is still ongoing and continue to be evolving, the National Museum of Singapore welcomes members of the public to contribute objects and stories, particularly their unique face mask creations or innovative and creative responses to the pandemic. You can learn more about the National Museum’s Collecting Contemporary Singapore: Documenting COVID-19 in Singapore initiative here. This public call is jointly held with the National Library Board, is open for submissions until 30th June 2021.

I highly recommend everyone to visit Picturing the Pandemic: A Visual Record of COVID-19 in Singapore. This global pandemic is not over, we are still not out of the woods yet. This exhibition will be an excellent reminder to all of us here in Singapore not to be complacent, feeling lazy or feeling fatigued from the ongoing battle against this global pandemic. 

When you visit the exhibition viewing the photographs and short films on what took place in Singapore in 2020 when we were battling this global pandemic (and we are still battling it at this point in time), this is a reminder to all of us, if we let our guard down against this global pandemic, we may have to enter into another circuit breaker. Let’s face it, none of us here wants another circuit breaker. 

Picturing the Pandemic: A Visual Record of COVID-19 exhibition information and details

Location: Exhibition Gallery, National Museum of Singapore

Exhibition Dates: 27th February to 29th August 2021

Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 7pm

Admission: Free for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents

For more information, please visit https://go.gov.sg/picturingthepandemic for the latest updates on the exhibition

The post Picturing the Pandemic: A Visual Record of COVID-19 in Singapore appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.