Where It All Began

Founded in 2006, the TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog has grown from a humble personal photoblog into a multi-disciplinary visual storytelling, photography, and content creation platform, documenting journeys across photography, travel, heritage, arts, and technology.

Looking back at 20 years of TGH Photography and Travel

When I started to look back at my 20 years of TGH Photography and Travel, to be honest, I don’t where to start. This 20 years is not that long a period in our lifetime, it’s not short either in the blogging/social media world today. Times have changed, culture, social and media landscapes have changed so much over the past 20 years.

While I got ChatGPT to help me out on a summary of key achievements, highlights, accolades, media relationships, partnerships, they did a pretty good job (I reckon they have learned quite a fair bit about me with me feeding my website articles quite regularly into ChatGPT).

Beyond the feel-good factor and the wonderful stories, there’s also the other side of my journey that many of you don’t see, feel or understand (of disappointments, fears, managing stress and expectations, fighting egos, used and at times being looked down by others, not just in the photography field, also in the creative and social media communities).

Let me bring you on a 20-year time travel from my photo blogging days in 2006 to today’s TGH Photography and Travel visual storytelling journeys in 2026.

Key Achievements and Growth

• 20 years of continuous publishing (2006–2026) – demonstrating longevity and resilience through major digital shifts from blogging to social media ecosystems
• Evolved from a Blogspot site into an independent branded digital platform, forming part of the wider TGH Digital Studio ecosystem
• Built a strong body of work across:
  • • Photography & photojournalism
    • Travel storytelling
    • Heritage and cultural documentation
    • Events, arts, and community coverage
• Expansion into videography, digital content creation, and multimedia storytelling in response to industry changes
• Produced photo books, zines, and print works, extending digital storytelling into physical formats

Highlights and Creative Milestones 

• Coverage of major events, festivals, exhibitions, and national initiatives, including SG60-related exhibitions and arts programmes
• Participation in national-level photography exhibitions, with works selected and exhibited (e.g. Ngee Ann Photographic Exhibition 2025, National Photography Art Exhibition 2025)
• Development of long-term personal documentary projects in heritage, culture, and wildlife photography
• Continued evolution of visual storytelling style and editorial voice over two decades
• Recognition through consistent invitations, collaborations, and coverage opportunities across industries

Accolades and Recognition 

• Photographs selected and exhibited in recognised exhibitions and competitions, contributing to Singapore’s photography scene
• Acknowledged for visual storytelling contributions across photography, travel, and heritage sectors
• Built credibility as a trusted independent content creator and visual storyteller over two decades

Media Relationships and Industry Engagement 

• Established working relationships with:
  • Camera and imaging brands (e.g. Canon ecosystem collaborations and feature coverage)
  • Tourism, arts, and cultural organisations
  • Event organisers and lifestyle brands
• Regularly invited for:
  • Event coverage
  • Product launches and media previews
  • Community, heritage, and cultural storytelling projects
• Active participation in photography communities, exhibitions, and industry networks

Partnerships and Collaborations 

Over the years, the platform has collaborated with a diverse network of partners and creative collectives, including:

• Hpility SG – photography, videography, and digital marketing collaborations
• Easy Travel Recipes – travel and food content partnership
• 3 Blind Mice/4 Amigos – food media production and creative collaboration
• PR agencies/PR folks that I worked closely with – GLOO PR, Burson (especially those from XPR), IN.FOM, APRW, Brand Cellar, a group PR folks formerly from Ogilvy PR   

These collaborations reflect a strong emphasis on cross-disciplinary creativity and community-building.

Ups and Downs, Highs and Lows

Earlier you read about TGH Photography and Travel’s achievements, highlights, accolades, media relationships, partnerships over the past 20 years. Those are the highs, proud and humbling achievements through lots of hard work, perseverance, striving to learn, adapt, adopt and improve. 

There were times where I talked about my ups and downs, my highs and lows. Most people, if not everyone, just see the external facade, your end results and success. They can’t see, feel or understand what goes on behind the scenes, how I got there or how many times I fell.

From the highs of an interview feature article (close to a full page) with The Straits Times in 2015, mentioned inside the Acknowledgments section of this book titled, “No Missing Tools: Creativity In An Age Of Abundance” by Fernando Gros, a very talented creative, writer, photographer that I looked up to (especially in writing well thought out articles/topics).

As for my lows, from not being wanted anymore in a photography community without being informed that I had been contributing, building, growing and helping,

The Inner Struggles That Not Many See 

Social media platforms, networks and presence are both a boon and bane for us photographers, and creatives. On the one hand, it opened up presence, branding, awareness, growth and a cohesive, friendly social network (in the early days).

On the other extreme end of the social media, it revealed the ugly side of human beings and human nature. What are some of the inner struggles that I faced during my 20-year journey here?

Ego – One of human beings great enemies (both intrinsic and extrinsic), this can blind us especially among photographers and creatives. I am not immune to this, I made this mistake too, letting my ego got the better of me. Some life lessons learned during those ego related incidents over the decades.

Jealousy – We are human beings with heart, mind and soul, filled with emotions and feelings, jealousy is common and prevalent, in life, and not just in photography. In this current social media thirsty world filled with narcissism and showing off, it can make other people jealous. Even when you keep a low profile, stay grounded and humble, people still come for you.

Criticism – In life, not just in photography, criticism is like a daily staple for everyone of us. Some criticise in an ethical, clear, concise and calm manner with a kind heart to help you, some (many of those human beings) disguise and hide behind their criticism to put a person down.

Bitterness – Many a times, things don’t go out our way in life, that would be a sense of bitterness creeping inside us. During this 20-year journey, I had my fair share of disappointments, giving rise to bitterness. Sometimes, it’s not conducive for my mental and emotional health. However, those situations at times have also served as a motivation to improve myself further and to be better.

Anger – Combine a potent mix of ego, jealousy, criticism, and bitterness, and we can get angry easily and often. This would take some time, growing old, getting mature, in knowing how to handle the anger inside me. 

Why I am not chasing trends/styles on social media – Initially I did chase some trends/styles, as I gradually developed my visual storytelling and creative side (cross disciplinary learning from artists and writers) over the years, I started to not chase trends/styles on social media as much. Instead I wanted to have my own visual storytelling and creative style.

My Struggles and Lows in a Nutshell 

Over the past 20 years,I have had my fair share of criticisms, there are a few people who looked down on the work I did here, even judging and putting me down under the disguise of “giving me friendly advice”. Many life lessons learned, shaping me and helping me to change, adapt and improve myself during the past 2 decades.

Looking Ahead: The Next Chapter

Looking Ahead: The Next Chapter (What does the next decade look like?)

Entering its third decade, the platform continues to focus on:

• Higher-quality visual storytelling and multimedia content
• Deeper heritage and cultural documentation
• Expanded creative collaborations and long-term projects
• Growth within the digital content, photography, and creative industries

Positioning and Legacy

Over 20 years, TGH Photography & Travel has established itself as:

• A Singapore-based independent visual storytelling platform
• A bridge between photography, travel, heritage, and digital culture
• A personal yet professional archive of evolving creative work and industry engagement

To Celebrate or Not to Celebrate my 20 Years Milestone? 

So this thought came into my mind, to celebrate or to not celebrate my 20-year milestone? Some ideas and thoughts popped up, and it’s not like I am going to do some big celebration due to limited budget and I also didn’t go around seeking sponsorships. 

Some of my 20 years milestone celebration plans are:

• Small group dinners gatherings with friends from social media, bloggers, PR, photographers, spread over the months of April to June 2026.
• Working on a special edition 20 years magazine size photo zine with a curated selection of photography works and visual stories from my past 20 years.
• Printing my own customised embroidery patches (2 designs), I am looking at printing the round patch as a gift for my friends and supporters.
• Considering printing customised photography t-shirt gifts from my 20 years TGH Photography and Travel archives
• Bought a new photography backpack as a reward for myself, also as a celebration gift
• Buying new photography t-shirt and accessories for a new profile photographer shoot to mark 20 years milestone
• Planning to get new content creation toys: either a used compact camera for my leisure and media events use, I am looking at a rangefinder style camera as I always wanted to own a rangefinder style camera for my daily usage, street camera. Another consideration is an entry level drone that I can learn, have fun and for social media content creation  

20 Years (Not Out!) – Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

If you have faithfully and diligently read up to the last few paragraphs, thank you for taking the time to read all the way here (a pretty lengthy article I reckon)! I might not have covered everything or spilled everything that happened during my 20-year journey. 

This is a very personal article, a recap of the journey of the past 20 years on my TGH Photography and Travel portal/blog. Sharing my past 20 years ups and downs, the good and bad, sounds like a broken recorder on repeat ranting mode. Yet, it’s more than just surreal, it might also have triggered some touch points inside your heart, mind and soul, such as the struggles, stress, and pressure we face, not just as a photographer, or as a small business owner.

No words can describe my deep and personal immense gratitude and thanks for all the support and encouragement that you have given me during my past 20 years of visual storytelling, photography, content creation and writing on my humble TGH Photography and Travel portal/blog. 

20 Years Not Out! Would you like to continue travelling together with my TGH Photography and Travel portal/blog visual storytelling, photography, content creation and writing journey, for the next 10, 20 years and beyond? 

The post Celebrating 20 Years of TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

If you have read my Key Updates December 2025, you would read about my past few months had been really stressful and pressurising for me. December 2025 is mainly consolidation, reorganisation on family matters first, before other areas. I haven’t really been out taking Christmas light up or festive photos, or even my own personal photography. Thus I am reposting my Hokkaido Christmas Tree photo (taken in 2016) again.

I would take some time off to let my personal visual storytelling play the role of photography therapy as I seek to let my writing, photography and publishing zines to guide me through this tough period.     

I know today 25th December 2025 is Christmas Day, here’s my festive gift shopping wish list if any of my kind-hearted friends are thinking/planning to get some gifts for me, it can be a 2-in-1 gift combo: Christmas (December 2025) and Birthday (January 2026) gift combo!

• DJI Neo 2 
• Smart Watch 
• Toy camera (Kodak Charmera) 
• Canon RF lenses
• Compact sized APS-C camera

Thank you very much for the support and encouragement that some of you folks had showered upon me in my recent update. Wishing all a Merry Christmas 2025 and Happy Holidays with your family, loved ones and friends!

The post Merry Christmas 2025 and Happy Holidays! appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Family Health Matters

On a more personal note, the past few months have been especially challenging as I’ve been managing ongoing family health matters concerning my elderly mum. It has been a period of significant stress, and I’ll share more when the time feels right.

This isn’t meant as an excuse, but these circumstances have affected both my professional capacity and personal wellbeing, particularly amid an already difficult economic climate.

TGH Technology and Business portal/blog major updates

My TGH Technology and Business website recently encountered a major technical issue following a WordPress update, which caused the site to go offline. I’m currently working on restoring it and am also exploring the option of migrating to a new hosting provider and rebuilding the site afresh.

This was my first time applying a WordPress update that caused such a major glitch beyond my very limited technical knowledge in IT programming.  

I am searching for solutions to bring my website back online first, I am also searching to migrate away from my current website hosting services company, and starting fresh. Hopefully, I am able to migrate over safely with my data (articles) and kick off on a brand new beginning, something like “A New Hope”.

Meanwhile, I am most likely unable to publish my technology (Consumer and Enterprise) articles/media news coverage and other business articles/media news coverage till I resolve my website crash situation.

To my friends, contacts, and partners across PR agencies, brands, and the technology space (both consumer and enterprise), thank you for your patience and understanding as I work through this situation.

Photography (Business and Personal)

As I first have to prioritise family health matters situation, as well as my TGH Technology and Business website revival and “reconstruction”, I inevitably have to slow down my photography segments (both business and personal) in December 2025, maybe January 2026 as well, while I consolidate, reorganise, strategise and plan for FY2026.  

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and for your kindness and understanding regarding any slower or delayed responses — and if I seemed a little more stressed than usual when we crossed paths in recent months (even if I tried to keep it hidden).

The post Key Updates December 2025 appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Photography (Business) 

A slow and difficult market 

The economy is not in a good shape, ask around small and medium sized business owners from various industries, they echo similar sentiments. While I also got to hear that some industries are doing fine in this tough market conditions (domestic and international), it can be lopsided, imbalanced, making it very difficult and challenging in this slow and difficult market. 

I am not going to shy away that photography business has been affected by this slow and difficult market. It’s stressful and pressurising. Some strategic changes are on the cards, potentially going into more content creation/social media marketing sectors than just purely photography shoots itself. 

Photography and Content Creation Partnerships Opportunities

There are some discussions on photography and content creation partnerships opportunities coming soon. I am awaiting for more details and the announcement dates from my friend that I collaborated and worked with over the past decade. 

Photography (Personal/Leisure)

What’s up on my personal and leisure sectors of my photography? Here it goes:

Photography/Visual Storytelling Ups and Downs

I have a photograph selected for the recently concluded 20th Ngee Ann Photographic Exhibition (NAPE) 2025, it was titled, “Of Red and White Celebrations at GBTB Lighting Up Marina Bay Singapore”. This was a huge honoured for me, I was very happy that my photography artwork was selected to be showcased along side other talented local Singapore photographers. Find out more about NAPE 2025 journey story here!

On the other hand, I previously shared about my visual storytelling article that I am working on in January 2025, for ephemere photography platform publication. My article didn’t make the cut and was not chosen, it was very disappointing to be honest. Just another of those setbacks we get in life and in our visual storytelling and writing journeys.  

SG60 Personal Photography Project

With the various concluded and ongoing photography contests and competitions in 2025 till date, the themes are related to the SG60 theme since Singapore is celebrating her 60th year of independence in 2025. 

Together with taking photographs for the photography contests/competitions, they are currently added to my SG6t0 personal photography project curation that I am planning to produce a SG60 photography zine or book sometime down the road.

Travel

The travel community chat #TTOT Travel Talk on Twitter that I am co-hosting since November 2020 recently embarked on a slow travel break. Given the ever changing nature of social media and what’s happening to Twitter or X platform, it was so much harder and challenging to organise and run such chats, that we had to take a break, reorganise and plan for the future. 

I am not producing travel content per se that lose travel content creators, as I am more of a travel photography/visual storytelling approach. There might be some travel photography/content creation/writing opportunities ahead, keeping my fingers crossed. 

As for leading/planning travel photography trips, it’s still in my business plan, although kickstarting this is kind of harder and trickier than I thought. For a start, I need to restart my own personal travel photography trips overseas again and stop procrastinating. 

Creative and Arts 

Following, supporting, and working with other creative artists from other genres have helped me in many different ways over the years. From arts therapy, to opening up my views and approaches to creativity and arts, they have been helpful and impactful, at times also a relief through those art therapy that combines well with my photography therapy. 

Local creative artist such as artist Wei from House of VSE / Very Small Exhibition / Bring LOVE Everywhere, has been an inspiration on his creativity and artistry, that allows me to view and approach creativity and arts in more ways that helps me in my visual storytelling journeys. 

Heritage

In recent months, attending events at Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) has opened up further the areas of Chinese history, heritage, culture and arts. Check out some of my earlier coverage of SCCC events that I attended. Together with SG60 celebrations in 2025, there would be more events/activities coming up at SCCC, do keep a lookout!

I am working on more Community Heritage related events with My Community, sharing more about their walks, events and activities. 

Other areas of history, heritage and culture that I might partner with, I am also on the lookout for them and potential discussions with seniors who are heritage advocates.

Reflecting Q2 2025 and H1 2025 (Technology | Business | Personal)

I have also wrote about my reflections on Q2 2025 and H1 2025 on my technology, business and personal segments on my TGH Technology and Business website. Do visit and have a read too!

What lies ahead in H2 2025?

There are still a number of uncertainties and worries amidst among all the different situations and happenings taking place. How would H2 2025 turns out? That’s still a lot of work to be done, adapting and making strategic changes are in the works. 

Not going to be easy, it might get even tougher, more challenging and more stressful. We all have to work it out and navigate our way.

The post Reflecting Q2 2025 and H1 2025 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage) appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Photography Competitions 

(A) Shores to Strength, Celebrating 60 Years of Coastal Protection & Resilience – National Photography Competition by Singapore Water Association.

URL: https://www.swa.org.sg/shores-to-strength-celebrating-60-years-national-photography-competition/ 

(B) Mad About Singapore 2025 – “Maritime Singapore” by InstaSG 

URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/DI6VyM2TVWA/ 

Two photography competitions for me to work on, they would help me plan my personal photography shoots, adding more works for curation of my SG60 personal project. Both competitions have nice prizes to be won too, that would be a real bonus for me!

Personal Visual Storytelling / Photography / Content Creation

(C) SG60 Celebrations – Singapore’s 60th birthday 

Year 2025 is Singapore’s 60th (SG60) birthday. How would I be planning to commemorate my own personal SG60 celebrations, how would I interpret SG60 celebrations through my visual stories and photographs? What kind of different approaches and photographs of Singapore can I tell the Singapore 60th birthday story? 

Currently, I am considering photography zine format for my SG60 personal visual storytelling project (less formal and smaller in size versus a full-fledged photo book). Things/plans might change along the way, as I continue to photograph, compile and curate my visual stories of Singapore over the decades. 

(D) World Migratory Bird Day 2025 

World Migratory Bird Day 2025 falls on 10th May 2025 and 11th November 2025. The 2025 theme is Creating Bird-Friendly Cities & Communities. I would be sharing more on my bird photography adventures and updates around October 2024 to March 2025.

URL: https://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/ 

(E) Coming soon in June 2025

I would be sharing some photography / visual storytelling / content creation updates in the next month June 2025. There would be an announcement/update on my personal photography, do keep a lookout! 

More updates to come for my photography / visual storytelling / content creation in Year 2025!

The post Photography / Visual Storytelling / Content Creation Themes for May 2025 appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

For the year 2025, I would be sharing more about my plans for the year ahead in my upcoming Yearly Theme 2025 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage) article. This would be my 5th year doing a Yearly Theme (since 2020) instead of the goals settings and objectives format. The first week of January 2025 would be set aside for strategic planning, administrative matters and clearing up some backlogs. 

Thank you everyone, my family, relatives, supporters and followers on my visual storytelling and content creation journey over the years. Year 2025 is also SG60, I might get my creative juices going and start a special visual storytelling project theme for SG60!

Since I didn’t head out on New Year Eve 2025 to photograph the countdown fireworks, I decided to use a fireworks photo from NDP 2024 CR2 and I Light Singapore 2024 to welcome Year 2024 and also to wish all my family, friends, supporters and followers a Happy New Year 2025! 

The post Happy New Year 2025! appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

I am playing my small part for WWD 2024 through my visual storytelling with Canon EOS R series camera, for this year’s series, they were shot with my Canon EOS R6 Mark II of my wildlife and nature/outdoors photography in Singapore, part of my TGH Explorer Series Production, largely inspired and influenced by National Geographic magazine publications when I started reading them in the late 80s to early 90s. 

How does digital innovation and technology plays a role in my WWD 2024? While I am not in the fields of wildlife research and conservation, I contributed via my photographs and documentations of various wildlife spotted and documented at different locations in Singapore in the nature areas as well as urban environments, bird watching/counting. Although I am probably more focused on bird photography and green nature spaces, I am going to document/photograph more of different types of wildlife beyond birds.

Here are some of my wildlife photography in Singapore that I captured with my Canon EOS R6 Mark II camera from mid 2023 till date. 

Here are my ongoing documentation and collection of my visual storytelling on wildlife photography and nature reserves/parks in Singapore, uploaded into my Flickr collections over the years with my different Canon cameras that I owned/tested.

Even though you might not be in the fields of wildlife and/or nature research/conservation, we can still play our small part in wildlife and nature conservation, with the help of cameras and digital innovation. I am continuing to play my small part on nature and wildlife photography/documentation in Singapore, and hopefully nearby regions as I am exploring and writing on the areas of sustainability, adding on to my nature and wildlife conservation. 

The post World Wildlife Day 2024 – 3rd March 2024 appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

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！

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Why use a Yearly Theme? How to Choose a Yearly Theme?

I am inspired by Fernando Gros “How to choose a Yearly Theme”, this is my 5th year writing and announcing a 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.

Recap of previous Yearly Themes

Before I announce my Yearly Theme 2023 for my photography, travel, creative and heritage, let me bring you back in time, looking at my previous Yearly Themes through a recap below:

• Yearly Theme 2020: Striving to Excel 
• Yearly Theme 2021: Recovery and Rejuvenation 
• Yearly Theme 2022: Onward 
• Yearly Theme 2023: Explore

Yearly Theme 2024 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage) – “Ignite”

Now, announcing my Yearly Theme 2024 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage) – “Ignite”.

From my earlier editions of Yearly Theme for my TGH Photography and Travel portal/blog, I have expanded my scope of business and interests from my usual areas of photography and travel, in the areas of creativity/arts and the heritage sectors. 

Why Ignite?

Via Google Bard – “Ignite: A great story can ignite the imagination and inspire the listener to see the world in new ways. This word captures the spark of creativity that storytelling can bring.”

I want to be a better storyteller in the Year 2024 for both my two key areas of business and  key interest areas. For this year, I decided to try something different, I asked Google Bard to recommend a word to summarise “be a better storyteller”, and the chat based AI tool from Google gave me a few to choose from.

Ignite new directions and plans for my photography business and content creation business 

The photography business has been very challenging, the industry is facing its own headwinds, shrinking budgets and pie to share. That’s no doubt that some competitors are doing better than others. Moreover, the media/social media landscape is constantly changing, with current and near future trends moving towards videos consumption on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Which genres of the photography field should I concentrate on? A review and restructuring of photography services is underway, yet remaining fluid and adaptable as the months move on. 

With such changing media consumption patterns/trends, and how social media is changing, the versatility of a content creator would be more crucial and the way to go moving forward in the next few years at least. The days of being a specialist in your field may not be sufficient anymore, not just in the photography industry. In the creative sector, beside video consumption, the next area is content creation. 

Partnering with videographers and filmmakers would be key, working together on assignments and projects. As for working with agencies, whether it is PR, digital or social media, I am working to grow this segment. Even with networking and knowing people, it doesn’t guarantee anything. 

Time to re-ignite my travel photography, writing and content creation

My last overseas travel holidays when I took a flight out from Singapore was in 2018 when I visited Thailand and Vietnam. In 2019, it was a drive up to Malaysia. The years 2020 to 2022 were the global pandemic period whereby international travel and tourism industries were brought to a standstill. Year 2023 was my target year to travel overseas again, the pent-up travel demands, frustrations and high costs of travel pushed back my plans.

It’s been quite a few years since my last travel overseas. It’s finally the time to re-ignite my travel photography, writing and content creation in Year 2024. Keeping my fingers crossed that travel assignments or familiarisation tours opportunities would come true since I had been knocking on some doors over the past few years.   

Ignite my creativity from interactions with artists from other disciplines 

Year 2023 gave me new dimensions, directions and opening to view through the different world, point of view, and artistic creativity of various artists and creatives from other disciplines. They were more than just an eye-opener for me, they were inspiring and encouraging. 

Through those interactions in Year 2023, they have ignited my creativity and imagination that opened me up to new artistic approaches and cross-disciplinary creative ideas and projects that I might be able to work together with other creative artists. In 2024, I hope to bring some of those inspirations, ideas and projects to life, whether on an individual basis or cross-disciplinary with other artists.

Ignite new plans and ideas to do more for the heritage sector

The heritage sector, putting history, heritage, culture, conservation and preservation segments together, they may not give you the revenue compared to the commercial world. However, the intangible cultural heritage and intrinsic fulfilment cannot be underestimated. 

This sector already has a community running and operating in their own respective realms, that would need more like-minded people of various skills, knowledge and expertise in their respective domains to enter. 

I have always been interested in the heritage sector through my visual storytelling and documentation. I would be on the lookout for opportunities to partner with organisations and/or artists, whereby I can contribute and earn a bit of revenue as well. 

Yearly Theme 2023 (Technology | Business | Personal) – “Transcend”

As for my other key area of focus, my TGH Technology and Business portal/blog, I have chosen my Yearly Theme 2024 (Technology | Business | Personal) to be “Transcend”. I would like to invite you to hop over to my other website and have a read!

Join me in my “Ignite” journeys in 2024

To my networks in the photography, travel, creative and heritage sectors, I would like to invite you to join me in my “Ignite” journeys in 2024, let’s work closer together for more in-depth, meaningful and powerful stories, on both visual storytelling and social media. 

Thank you for your support and encouragement! 

To my family, relatives, friends, followers and supporters who supported me through my visual storytelling, photography, technology writing, social media marketing, especially those that make the effort to read, not assuming thinking you know everything about me, or my business model operations, and making the effort to know more and understand, without judgement or putting me down, I sincerely thank you for your support and encouragement! 

The post Yearly Theme 2024 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage) appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Photography 

Photography (Business)

Running a small business is really very tough and challenging, let alone running a small size photography business in an ever-changing media/social media landscape that is already going towards video consumption over photography, coupled by smaller budgets, a shrinking pie to share in the market, filled with a pretty saturated pool on the supply side of things.

Fellow competitors in the same industry (whether photography or other industries) would not easily give up their share of their pie for you, it’s a cruel and harsh capitalist world out there. My photography business is still impacted and affected, there were many a times when it was so stressful and pressuring to run a small business.

The future of the creative industry, whether you are a photographer, videographer, artist etc etc, modern technology in Artificial Intelligence (AI) is going to make you stand up and pay close attention to them. AI can help us creatives, it can also possibly replace part of our creative work. Do check out and read my interview article, “Q&A on the impacts of AI on photography and creative industries”.   

Having contacts and networks with agencies doesn’t give you guarantees in business, sometimes there were opportunities, sometimes there weren’t. Disappointments are part and parcel of my business operations. 

Building up more contacts and networks have always been on my business plan and agenda. As I am reviewing my Year 2023, moving from Q4 2023 to Q1 2024, I am also strategising new directions and plans, that I would share a bit more without going into too much details in my Yearly Theme 2024. 

Photography (Personal) 

On my personal/leisure photography sector, I had been active in the creative, arts, history, heritage, culture, conservation and preservation sectors, enjoying the visual storytelling and writing time that gives a deep fulfilment and accomplishment. Down the road, I hope that they would also help to bring in another source of business revenue as well. 

My personal visual storytelling/photography projects were still mainly digital and social media, written, published and uploaded for the world to see, read and view. I didn’t plan any of my personal projects to bring it to life as a physical tangible showcase, in the form of a zine, book, prints or exhibition.

Travel 

International travel 

For this segment, it’s disappointing for me, I haven’t begun to explore travel again as I didn’t travel out of Singapore. The high cost of travelling and pent-up frustrations around the world have not subsided yet. Therefore, I am practicing patience even though my travel wanderlust went up a few notches higher. 

Travel Content Creation 

There were some travel content creation opportunities that didn’t materialise, coupled with zero international travel trips in Year 2023, it can come across as double disappointments. Nevertheless, I am biding my time, preparing and actively networking with travellers around the world during regular co-hosting of #TTOT Travel Talk on Twitter community chats.  

Creative (Arts and Writing)

In the creative fields of arts and writing, Year 2023 was a very interesting year of creative exploration and writing that brought me into a new dimension, style and artistic direction. Thanks to local creative artist Wei of House of VSE/Very Small Exhibition/Bring Love Everywhere with his local artists and international artists collaborations that opened up my creative world to view and approach arts and creativity in different ways to immerse, interact and connect with the audience. Check out my visual story, “Tension by House of VSE”.

Another local creative artist that I followed and supported in Year 2023 (and still doing so) was Yip Yew Chong. His “I Paint my Singapore” – Familiar scenes of home was very heartwarming, nostalgic, connecting and bringing me back in time. Yew Chong’s visual storytelling via his paintings serves as an inspiration to me, in my own heritage, history and culture visual storytelling and documentation. 

Experiencing a major cross cultural performance between Korea traditional music and Nanyin music – “The Origins Cipher: A traditional Nanyin and Korean cross-cultural musical journey” in October 2023 also opened up my eyes to the international world of traditional arts and music coming together with the elements of history, heritage, culture, conservation and preservation, combining together to show that it can be done, in such a beautiful and soothing manner. 

Heritage (History, Heritage, Culture, Conservation and Preservation)

I have always been covering the areas of history, heritage, culture, conservation and preservation through the various museums networks, festivals and events. Through my heritage networks, I managed to discover more about traditional culture, craft and performing arts that may not have get the bigger slice of publicity and support. Personally, I feel that I can contribute more, help out and work together with organisations or like-minded people, whereby I can bring my skill sets and experiences in visual storytelling, photography, social media and digital marketing to those organisations in the history, heritage, culture, conservation and preservation sectors. 

Media Relations

In the field of media relations with brands and agencies, the status quo is usually pretty good for those agencies and brands that I work closely with, some brands and agencies have been engaging for a period of time. As for the agencies that I recently engaged and worked with in the past 1-2 years, they would take a bit more time to build up the working relationship.

Personal

On a personal note and observations from a personal basis and perspective, there were a few recurring frustrating things that had been bugging me over the years. They seemed to have escalated in recent times. Here are a brief summary of them without going too deep into details and explanations:

• People don’t read
• People don’t want to understand you, they want you to understand them instead
• Passing judgement is getting more common, uncalled for at times 
• People assume things 
• Sometimes you are more on social on social media than me and you say I am very busy on social media 
• Human communications are getting worse
• Communications and friendships are strained by social media, egos and narcissism  
• Human memory is like becoming more like goldfish and they blame it on brain fog arising from the global pandemic period
• FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is getting stronger and worse

Yearly Theme 2023 – Explore 

My Yearly Theme 2023 (Photography and Travel) was “Explore”, looking back at year 2023 in review and reflection, I did manage to explore bigger and wider, especially into the arts sector, following and supporting local artists in other creative genres, inspired and motivated by what they had embarked on, what they achieved, giving me new creative project ideas, motivations and directions for Year 2024.

I had also explored new partnerships with videographers, photographers as well even if we might be competing together in the same field. Finding partnerships would be even more crucial given the shrinking dollars and pie in the economy shared among an already saturated field. 

As for my international travel segment, I haven’t begun to explore travel again as I didn’t travel out of Singapore. It’s definitely disappointing for me no doubt. The lessons and desires would serve me well to plan my travels in Year 2024, and not just pent-up travel wanderlust frustrations since 2019 before the global pandemic period of 2020 to 2022.

Reflecting Year 2023 (Technology | Business | Personal) 

My year 2023 in reflection and review for my technology, business and personal are written and published separately on my TGH Technology and Business website. Since the two websites are operating in distinct fields, there are quite a fair bit of review and reflections written inside them too.

Final Note and Round Up

Year 2023 was not my best year, but I learned a lot. My review and reflection of Year 2023 articles that I wrote on both my websites, TGH Photography and Travel and TGH Technology and Business, may not have everything written down that took place in Year 2023, yet what I wrote down were quite a handful and lengthy to read for my readers.

To all who make the time and effort to read till the end of both articles, thank you for your support from the bottom of my heart, I truly appreciate it! 

Looking Ahead in 2024 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage)

Looking ahead in 2024 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage), I would be sharing more information and details in my Yearly Theme 2024 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage), this approach is unique and can be very different as compared to the goals and objectives approach that I learnt previously. 

Wishing all a Happy New Year 2024! Thank you for your support and encouragement! 

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