Working on securing photography business deals for TGH Photography, creating visual stories / content creation for TGH Photography and Travel portal/blog. The month of January 2024 and first week of February 2024 were kind of hectic and busy as I was also working to get my writing and content creation up some gears and pace, clearing backlogs and working on key interest topics for Year 2024 for my TGH Technology and Business portal/blog.

I want to start off Year 2024 on the right note and on a good foundation. A different set of uncertainties and challenges are looming ahead in 2024, along with geo-political risks, the route ahead might be rocky and challenging, yet it might bring some opportunities too. 

However during the past few weeks, there were also other matters that brought me back down to reality, on the topics of family ties and close friends around us. I just want to say family and health comes first. Whatever judgements, noise and arguments taking place on social media or against you, we have to block them out, let it go and carry on with life, on what really matters to us, beyond capitalism, status, wealth, saving face and narcissism. 

For this Chinese Lunar New Year 2024, enjoy your Lunar New Year festivities, gatherings and eating, a long weekend holiday, a short travel holiday away, or visiting family and relatives back in your home country. Have a good festive break before we return to the daily grind action. 

Wishing all a Happy Chinese Lunar New Year 2024, wishing you good health, abundance in prosperity, wealth and relationships with family, relatives and friends. Have a good long weekend, catching up with family, relatives and friends, feasting and eating Chinese New Year goodies and snacks. 

祝大家新年快乐，万事如意，身体健康，心想事成！

The post Happy Chinese Lunar New Year 2024! appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

While I am soaking in the year end festivities, I wasn’t too much into photographing those Christmas tree light up decorations like before. Therefore, I am using back my old Christmas tree photograph that I shot in Hokkaido from a few years back in 2016. I am going to slow down, take a bit of rest break during the final week 52 of year 2023, I would also try to clear as many backlogs that I have on hand in my visual storytelling, photography, travel, food, history, heritage, culture and arts segments. Leading up to the start of 2024, I am going into reflection and review mode, as well as strategic planning and directions for year 2024 in my photography, travel, content creation and creative sectors. 

As this is also the year end bird migration season, during the last week of 2023 rest break, I am going into the outdoors, parks, coastal areas etc for some hiking in the outdoors and bird photography action. 

Last but not least, thank you for your support for my photography, travel and writing for Year 2023! Wishing all a Merry Christmas 2023 and Happy Holidays! Have a good year end holiday break and festivities! 

The post Merry Christmas 2023 and Happy Holidays! appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Photography – Business and Content Creation 

Photography business

It has been a very tough and challenging journey running a photography business, just like running any other business. In an already intense and stressful competitive market facing a slowdown in world economy, we are facing an avalanche of new technological developments and innovations in generative AI, that is going to disrupt the photography and creatives market even further.

While some of my photography friends might not agree or would dispute my views, a stand-alone photography business might not be the way to go for running a photography business. The amount and intensity of change, adapt and adopt is going to exponentially increase.

Change of Old Guard 

Although I do take care of my photography cameras, lenses and gears, as much as possible, there will be wear and tear, along with technological improvements and changes over the years especially in the digital imaging world. All the above also coincide with new changes in my visual storytelling and content creation. 

Hello Canon EOS R6 Mark II, Goodbye Canon EOS 1D X Mark II! I have sentimental attachments to the EOS 1D series, this Canon camera model has always been an icon and part of my photography branding. Another story on this for another day.

Photography – Personal and Content Creation

The personal side of my photography gives me an avenue away from many things, not just away from the photography business side of things, a therapeutic time away from the stress and pressures.

Walking to my nearby neighbourhood areas, taking sunsets, cityscapes, nature and wildlife, with my camera and lenses, it was my personal time away from the hustles of running a small business.

Travel and Travel Related Content Creation

International Travel

There’s nothing to share here as I haven’t travelled out of Singapore since 2019. While I am not in a hurry to travel (Yes, I do have some pent-up frustrations in travel). Therefore, I think the time is now for me to get away from Singapore in Q3 2023, likely a regional trip first and hopefully a medium to long haul trip in Q4 2023. As for my travel destinations, I would keep under wraps for now.

Travel Related Content Creation

While I have been producing and creating visual storytelling articles regularly, there aren’t enough for my travel related content creation segments. Although I haven’t travelled overseas for a few years, that is not an excuse. 

An area for me to look more closely into, how and what kind of local travel stories that I would want to share about to friends and travellers visiting Singapore. This should be my “homework” before I return to travel visual storytelling and content creation when I relaunch my travel photography adventures overseas.

My photo walks haven’t officially take off as planned, time to re-ignite and start working on them again.

Plans for Q3 2023 & H2 2023

In Q1 2023, if you recall, my Yearly Theme (Photography and Travel) for 2023 is “Explore”. I feel that this year’s theme fits in nicely, I am exploring new avenues and directions in an increasingly difficult and challenging world economy and geo-political situations. 

Photography business

I never and I usually will not go into business specifics here, just like the Chinese saying, “The business field is just like a battle field”. My thoughts and views in a nutshell, we better evolve, change and adapt faster. We can’t just depend on one skill/expertise alone anymore. 

New personal project – Featuring and interviewing creatives, artists, photographers, heritage 

Earlier in this year 2023, I had an inspiration to feature and interview creatives, artists, photographers, history, heritage, preservation and culture community. Through this personal project, I hope to be able to help them with more publicity through my visual stories and writing, that’s also possibly a cross mixed media production with the artist’s artworks with my photography, as well as future business opportunities for me.

Travel related content creation, collaboration and partnerships

On top of creating more travel related content creation that I mentioned earlier, collaboration and partnerships have proved to be pretty difficult and tricky to breakthrough into. From competitors who guard their turf, time needed to establish stronger ties and limited opportunities, I have and I will continue to strive for a breakthrough. 

Last but not least

More than just my photography and travel segments, please do visit and check out my Reflecting H1 2023 & Q2 2023 (Technology, Business and Personal) on my TGH Technology and Business portal/blog.  

Although I will not be able to write down and share everything that happened or took place during Q2 2023 and H1 2023, compiling and writing them down serves as a form of diary, collection of memories and moments. Neither would I be able to share all my plans for Q3 2023 and H2 2023, just some key highlights.

Some stuff/matters are also more private and confidential that I do not want or wish to be shared on social media. 

The content, reflections, thoughts, and views might be lengthy and boring to others, even to my friends. Some are probably busy posting on social media platforms flooded with media and videos, we need to know what is happening to them, they don’t want to know what is happening to others.

Writing down my reflections, thoughts, views and upcoming plans are more than a good way of regular writing, constantly honing and improving my writing skills, this is also therapeutic in its own ways.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for making it to this line, reading my lengthy writing and ranting (sometimes). 

* Photos shot with Canon EOS R6 Mark II *

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

The post Reflecting H1 2023 & Q2 2023 (Photography and Travel) appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

TikTok

My entry into TikTok is a story on procrastination because I don’t really know how to leverage or differentiate TikTok platform and how this would fit into my social media/content creation setup. More insights can be read here on my TGH Technology and Business portal/blog article, where I wrote from a social media and digital marketing perspective.

TikTok would give me a new dimension in my visual storytelling through vertical videos format, together with YouTube. Here is my first TikTok video announcing my maiden launch on TikTok platform – TGH Photography and Travel Visual Storyteller and Explorer Series Production on TikTok, shot with the Canon EOS R50.

@genghuitan Welcome to my TGH #Photography and #Travel #visualstoryteller and #Explorer Series Production on #TikTok! I More stories, photos and short videos coming soon! Shot with #Canon #EOSR50 by @DGN Studios SG. #CreateWithCanonSG #CanonBeautyStyle #CanonSG #videography #foryou #fyp #traveller #写真撮ってもいいですか #摄影师 #wesandersoninspired #TikTokSG #Singapore ♬ original sound – GengHui

TikTok is unique in its own sense, style, character and following. They are more of an entertainment platform than a social media platform, even though they are a form of social media. Therefore, hopping onto TikTok would require a new and different set of social media strategies and direction.

A new content creator + visual storytelling approach and journey 

There are always be some points in our ongoing photography and creative journey that we have to refresh and rebuild (at some junctures too) the tools of our trade, that would allow us to adapt and meet the demands of a new era of living, digital world, social media and media consumption.

From a purist photographer, diversifying out into a content creator + digital agency/studio setup (TGH Digital Studio), complementing my TGH Photography business. All these didn’t happen overnight, they took a few years, the change wasn’t easy, it’s still ongoing amidst an ever-changing media consumption, digital transformation, social media and technological (cue Generative AI) landscapes.

While photography and visual storytelling remains my core and strengths, the diversification and addition of video, vlogging and TikTok would enhance and reinforce how I want to tell my stories in both photos and videos. 

Therefore, a new camera for the new future, for the hybrid content creator and visual storyteller has come into play, a favourite iconic camera that I used to associate/brand myself will have to leave. That story would be for another time, another place, in time to come, that fellow photographers would be to relate and resonate. 

A candle light lighting up another, passing the fire and spark to start a new content creation and visual storytelling journey ahead. 

The time is now, a new era has dawned. 

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

The post Launch of two new journeys in Content Creation and Visual Storytelling appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

TGH Photography x Canon EOS R50 Exploration 

Marking my first National Photography Month celebration, I would be showcasing some photos shot with the Canon EOS R50 that I am reviewing inside this article, published inside my maiden National Photography Month celebratory article. 

The #Canon #EOSR50 was recently launched in February 2023, a new compact and lightweight APS-C mirrorless #camera. Although the EOS R50 is an entry level camera, it is packed with fun, creative tools and automated features, allowing users to create fun and high-quality vlogs, as well as fun and nice photographs.

This Canon EOS R50 is your ideal daily camera companion, lightweight and compact with its kit lens setup, delivering both quality photographs and vlogs, and most importantly bringing you fun and enjoyment. 

You can now move into a new realm of fun and enjoyment  in both photography and vlogging with the Canon EOS R50.

Suggestions to Celebrate National Photography Month

Here are some suggestions to celebrate National Photography Month that I reckon would allow you to explore and have fun with your photography adventures during this National Photography Month and beyond.

Go out explore your neighbourhood with your camera

How well do you know your local neighbourhood? It’s time to explore and rediscover your neighbourhood, you might have been missing out some gems that you might not have realised it.

Go for a photo walk with your photography friends or join a photo walk outing

A photo walk with your photography friends can be a fun group outing with liked minded photography friends. Or you can join a photo walk outing and make new photography friends! 

Take a photo of your favourite pet (dog/cat)

Alright, you have watching cute and adorable dog or cat photos and videos on social media, you also love your pet dog/cat, take many photos of your favourite pet! For me, I have my cute and adorable neighbourhood community cats to photograph and enjoy my time with them!

Visit a photography exhibition, as well as arts, history, heritage and culture exhibition 

When was the last time you visited a photography exhibition, or an arts, history, heritage and culture exhibition at the museum? Check out your local museums exhibition listings or discover where local creative artists are showcasing their artworks, support fellow local artists too!

Embark on a new personal photography project

Do you have a personal photography project on your mind but you are hesitant and afraid to take the first step? What interests you or something that is precious and close to you, that you would like to document them via your photographs and stories?

We all have the fear and anxiety before we embark on a new photography project. Why not take this National Photography Month to break this chain of fear and embark on your new personal photography project? 

Publish a photo book or a photography zine 

Have you ever completed personal photography projects, or a series of photographs that you really like, and wanted to publish your own photo book from your collection of works? Are you hesitant and afraid to take the first step? I published my first photo book, a black and white Hokkaido landscapes photo book in 2015, I hope my story would inspire you to take the first step to print your photography works, and your first photo book. 

From a photo book, I went on to publish smaller photography works through the form of a photography zine. At that point in time, I was hesitant and afraid too. Slowly and surely, I overcame them, published two photography zines, first zine is “TGH Photography Zine Vol 1: SG55 Special Edition”, and my second zine is “TGH Photography Therapy Zine and Playbook”. 

If you like, they are available for purchase as physical copy and/or digital copy on the MagCloud platform!

Read a photography book (photography tips, photo book, visual stories, photoblogs)

There are a lot of photography books providing photography skills, knowledge and tips, there are also photo books of various photography genres and interest. National Geographic magazine visual stories and photographs have been one of my early key influences and motivation to enter photography, and they are the foundation to how I pursue my visual storytelling, as well as the art and craft of photography, that can be read on my TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog. 

Support your photographer friends

If you have photographer friends who are providing commercial/professional photography services, support them, recommend/refer contacts/business to them. As for those serious enthusiast photographers or those just starting out, encourage them and support them in their photography journeys! 

Enjoy and have fun taking photographs!

Whether you are a photographer with decades of professional experience, serious enthusiast or just starting off on your photography adventure, National Photography Month gives each and everyone of us photographers to celebrate our love, passion, dedication and flair for photography.  

Time to head out and enjoy having fun taking photographs with your camera! Happy National Photography Month! 

Oh, for all fellow Star Wars fans out there, it’s the month of May! You know the drill! May The 4th Be With You (May The Force Be With You)!

* A TGH Photography x Canon EOS R50 Explorer Series Production *

The post Celebrating National Photography Month in May 2023 appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

January 2023 started on a pretty hectic pace with Lunar New Year just 3 weeks from New Year and 4 weeks from Christmas 2022 and my birthday falling on the 2nd week of January 2023 (I kind of took a week’s break unknowingly from publishing work). Now is the time to kickstart FY2023 on a proper and formal basis.

Photography business side of things

On the photography business side of things, I have to take on pretty much everything on my own, the amount of weight, stress and pressure on my shoulders can’t be seen.

Getting new business/projects/assignments

• from my professional and social networks
• working together with PR agencies, photography agencies

Photo walks planning

I have been working and discussing on photo walks routes in Q4 2022. Finalising my notes, photos, route plans and discussions for final discussion and confirmation before going live. Let’s see where this collaboration brings me.

Discussions/Chats 

I have a small group of photographers, filmmakers and creatives that I worked with over the years.  Whenever a project idea springs up in my mind, I would ask them if they are keen to collaborate with me.

For FY2023, I am looking to expand my discussions/chats on further collaborations, such as collaborating with film photography groups (and returning back to film photography).

Time to Back Up

Time to back up photographs and videos

I do regular backup of my photographs and videos that I took, usually every quarter. For Q3 and Q4 2022, I have yet to back up and I am going to start on this. I have my usual workflow, export into respective categorised folders before transferring them into my portable HDD and personal cloud drive.

Curation of photographs 

TGH Photography Portfolio https://www.tghphotography.com – It’s time for another curation of my photography portfolio website, it’s not just about adding new photographs, showcasing new works, there might also be culling and removal of older portfolio photographs, giving it a refresh as well. 

Next up would be uploading another round of curated photographs into my Flickr collection – https://www.flickr.com/photos/tangenghui. This allows me to showcase more different types of photography genres that I shot, that might not necessarily be classified as portfolio.

Writing, Publishing and Printing

Book / Zine ideas 

After publishing and launching my TGH Photography Therapy Zine and Playbook, I have more book / zine ideas and plans for 2023, they are a mix of personal works and possible commercial works. I would share more details in another upcoming article.

Visual Storytelling Topics

Continuing on from where I left off from last year, I am back to covering and writing on special theme topics or those of my personal documentation interests. Some of the topics that I wanted to work on are Dover Forest, new playgrounds versus old playgrounds.

I am also interested and planning to collaboration with creatives/artists from other genres/fields, through Interviews/cross interdisciplinary works and commissioned work if the opportunity arises.

Producing videos for content creation, as well as, producing short video stories/vlogs are on the cards as well. This would definitely take more time, effort and planning. I can probably start with producing Instagram Reels from my current collection of photos and videos.

Review articles 

I am currently working on the Canon EOS R10 review article. Once that is completed, I would then be able to plan and take on other cameras related reviews.

Photography related Articles 

I am expanding my articles writing scope in my photography segment, some areas of interest that I am working on are smartphone photography related and impacts of AI on photography. Stay tuned on these new photography interest topics!

Media news coverage 

I cover and publish photography and camera related media news coverage, along with news from travel, tourism and hospitality industries. 

Travel 

It’s been a few years since I last traveled out for a holiday, the global pandemic situation in the past 3 years doesn’t help as well. I hope to resume my travel photography adventures and travel story writing again soon, on both personal and professional/commissioned work basis. 

Keeping my fingers crossed for any opportunities that might pop up on my radar. 

On another note, I have a travel writing project that I am going to revive, part of my long term travel story and travel photography project. 

List of things to work on (Technology | Business | Personal)

It’s more than just my list of things to work on listed above, I also have my TGH Technology and Business portal/blog to manage and work on. Just like this article post, I also have a list of things to work on (technology | business | personal) after my CNY 2023 festive break. 

Working in phases/small steps

On top of finding new business/assignments/projects, I have my content creation and writing to handle as well. I am going to start working in phases/small steps, clearing and finishing my things to do and goals.

I shared quite a bit of updates and things to do here for my photography and travel segments. Sometimes I wonder how many people (whether you are in PR, agencies, from the brands or my friends) would read my article and what I shared, in a social media world filled with videos on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram Reels, as well as populated with photos on other social media platforms and chat apps? 

The post List of things to work on (Photography and Travel) – 30th Jan 2023 appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

During this CNY 2023 festive period, while I am on a media publishing break, I am still working in some form/capacity, at a slower pace and reduced capacity during this short CNY festive break, from writing down notes and points for my articles, finalising a collaboration project that was started from Q4 2022. I would also take the time to head out with my camera gears too, they might give me further inspirations and ideas for my photography books, zines and visual storytelling projects for Year 2023.

Sharing Chinese New Year shopping deals and promotions that you can take a look at if you are still planning to upgrade or add on new home and/or kitchen appliances/gadgets or decorating your home with cute anime figurines!

• Sweet Spring CNY at Marina Square with POP MART
• Singtel CNY – Don’t Worry, Be Hoppy! 
• Frasers Property Mall CNY 2023
• 8th Xiaomi Singapore Authorised Store opens at Jurong Point (Smart Cooking Robot Preview)
• LG LNY Gift Guide 2023
• SHARP New Year Sale 2023

Anyway, I reckon most people would be too busy with CNY 2023 spring cleaning, preparations, followed by CNY festivities, reunions, gatherings and eating, thus they won’t be too interested into what I am writing here, neither am I a first tier media and don’t need to do too much media monitoring.

Have a wonderful Chinese New Year festive gathering with your family and loved ones! Wishing you a Chinese New Year 2023 in advance!

The post On a media publishing break for Chinese New Year 2023 (Photography | Travel) appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

On the subject of backlogs in my photography and travel media news coverage, I would try my best to clear them in January 2023. As for travel media pitches, collaborations and discussions, as well as photography related new collaborations and discussions, I would look into them in January 2023.

There is an ongoing photography collaboration discussions and planning that started around November 2022, I am taking the last week of Year 2022 to finalise before another round of discussions in January 2023. 

During the last week of Year 2022, I would be taking this period to rest, followed by reflecting 2022 in my areas of photography and travel. I am also in the midst of writing and sharing more thoughts and plans into my Yearly Theme 2023 that I have already selected. 

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve gathering with your family and loved ones! Wishing you a Merry Christmas 2022 in advance!

The post On a media publishing break for last week of 2022 (Photography | Travel) 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.

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).

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