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.

These art prices join over 2,500 artworks from world-renowned museums and galleries, including Louvre Museum, The Met, the Van Gogh Museum, the National Gallery Singapore, and many others. With the matte display feature on Samsung’s The Frame TV, the texture of the on-screen display provides a realistic art experience that turns art into a showpiece, bringing art galleries into your home. 

Samsung x NHB Partnership

The collection for Samsung Art Store is jointly curated by Samsung and NHB. The 10 artworks selected were representative of the National Collection, which serves to connect the past, present, and future generations of Singaporeans. The curated artworks are deemed best to be displayed on a 4K display like The Frame TV.

The collection includes ‘The Esplanade from Scandal Point’, a painting by John Turnbull Thomson which depicts our National Monument the Padang as a centre of social life as far back as the 19th century, and ‘View of Read Bridge at Clarke Quay’, a work by pioneer water-colourist Lim Cheng Hoe featuring the iconic Singapore River. Other notable historical works include ‘View of Raffles Place’ and ‘View from Government Hill’ – depicting Singapore in its early days – and ‘Bird on Fence’. 

Ms Chang Hwee Nee, Chief Executive Officer, NHB, said: “Our National Collection tells the story of Singapore’s past and present, for our future. As the custodian of Singapore’s heritage, NHB aims to raise a greater awareness of, and deepen appreciation for, these national treasures. Our collaboration with Samsung introduces a new and additional touchpoint for Singaporeans to enjoy the National Collection through its Frame TVs. It is akin to having these beautiful masterpieces digitally displayed in our homes, which will hopefully inspire more to visit our museums to see them in real life.” 

Dennis Jang, President, Samsung Singapore said: “We believe that art should not only inspire, but also inform and educate. With the introduction of the National Collection in the Art Store, our users will be able to appreciate art, and learn more about the history of Singapore. Such collaboration truly shows how technology can bring art and history to more individuals, and the significant role our Art Store plays to bring such monumental pieces to the homes of future generations.”

Samsung and NHB are planning to explore the expansion of the collection in the Art Store, they plan to create awareness of other artworks in the National Collection.

Samsung Unbox & Discover 2024 – A New Era of AI TVs

At Samsung Unbox & Discover 2024 – A New Era of AI TVs launch event held at the iconic Jewel Changi from 28 to 30 March 2024 whereby Samsung Electronics unveiled 2024 line-up of new AI TVs and sound systems. Not only were consumers got to view and know more about Samsung’s 2024 new AI TVs, they also got to view and know more about the Samsung and NHB partnership to bring Singapore’s Cultural Heritage to Samsung The Frame TV. 

More information on Samsung’s new 2024 AI TVs and sound systems can be found on my TGH Technology and Business portal/blog article: Samsung Electronics unveiled 2024 line-up of new AI TVs and sound systems. 

Bespoke Lifestyle Products that elevate every lifestyle

In year 2024, The Frame TV’s new Art Stream feature gives users a taste of the Art Store’s diverse collection by providing them with 20 free hand-selected artworks each month. The Art Mode also features enhancements, including Pantone Validated certification where colour accuracy is ensured with artworks displayed. In addition, users can be ensured of lower energy usage with Art Mode as the picture frequency in 2024 Frame TV is reduced from 120Hz to 60Hz when the mode is active, resulting in 10% energy savings (1). 

New Music Frame

The new Music Frame, is an audio solution that complements The Frame, they can seamlessly blends into the environment as a modern picture frame, allowing users to customisation options with their favourite photos, while also serving as a sound device. When paired with Samsung 2024 TVs, the Music Frame users can play sound from both the TV and sound device – a unique feature called Q-Symphony. As a standalone speaker, the Music Frame pairs via Bluetooth with other devices such as a mobile phone.

In a collaboration with Disney, the Frame TV and Music Frame will have 4 special Disney-themed designs for the Frame bezel and Music Frame panel. This limited-edition bundle is available for purchase at the Samsung Online Store, Samsung Shop App, and major consumer electronics retailers. 

For more information on Samsung Samsung’s new 2024 AI TVs and sound systems

For more information on Samsung Samsung’s new 2024 AI TVs and sound systems, pricing and availability, please visit Samsung website https://www.samsung.com/sg/ 

Notes:

(1) This feature applies to the 55’’ display and above  

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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.

Although I usually publish technology related news on my TGH Technology and Business portal/blog and I have been regularly covering Dell Technologies news for a period of time on their consumer products and most recently enterprise solutions. For this story, I am writing it here since I cover travel, tourism, environment and sustainability topics here on my TGH Photography and Travel portal/blog.

Sustainability has been one of the key areas that I am covering on. My love for travel photography great outdoors since my secondary school days, working with organisations in the travel, tourism and hospitality industries, coupled with my photography (National Geographic inspired) and visual storytelling in my adult years, gave me a voice that we all can, and we all must play a part in the sustainability drive to turn things around for the world, for our future generations, no matter how big or how small my role or your role can be.

Sagarmatha Next Centre

The Sagarmatha Next Centre, a non-profit NGO run by local environmental enthusiasts. Located near Syangboche Namche Bazar, en-route to Everest base camp, the centre educates visitors about this growing environmental issue and seeks to reduce the impact of waste. 

The Sagarmatha Next Centre is located at 3,775m above sea level, this is a must-stop location for visitors along Mount Everest trail. This provides the perfect opportunity to raise awareness of the organisation’s effort for every climber who passes through. 

For this project, Dell Technologies worked with National Geographic Explorer Martin Edstrom to create a short video showing the negative impacts of waste on the region. The next step was to provide the Sagarmatha Next Centre with cutting-edge technology to showcase the video and offer additional opportunities to enhance the experience through virtual reality, interactive screens and video projectors. 

How Sagarmatha Next Centre uses Dell Technologies’ technology? 

How does the Sagarmatha Next Centre uses Dell Technologies’ technology to help raise awareness on the issue of plastic waste on Mount Everest? 

• Digital exhibition. Visitors can explore and digitally experience every inch of the facility before continuing their trek. 
• Map of region and common tracks. Visitors can view the 17 different hiking routes that lead to the Mount Everest base camp and other destinations in the four main valleys of the region. 
• Education on landfills. Visitors can learn about where the more than 80 landfill sites reside in the Mount Everest region and what can be done to lessen the trash issue. 

Powered by Dell Technologies 

Powered by an OptiPlex Micro Form Factor PC, the Dell 55 4K Interactive Touch Monitors being used boast a twenty-point InGlassTM Touch and palm rejection technology, which allows multiple visitors to interact with the screens simultaneously. The monitors come with In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel technology, delivering consistent colours and a wide viewing angle – ideal for group education, even during midday when the bright sun streams in at this high altitude. 

For many visitors who trek to the Everest base camp and may not make the climb to the 8,850- meter-high summit, there is also a VR experience Edstrom created that brings the mountain peak directly to them, powered and created on Dell Precision mobile workstations. 

Sagarmatha Next’s Carry Me Back

Dell Technologies support goes beyond just providing technology, they extends into donation for Sagarmatha Next’s Carry Me Back initiative. 

As visitors leave the centre, they are encouraged to take what they have learned and be a part of the change, the solution for a new future. This Carry Me Back initiative provides visitors the opportunity to remove trash and deposit it in collection bins that are transported to and recycled in Kathmandu.

Through this initiative, the organisation has successfully removed more than 5,000 bags os trash, or 5,000kg of waste, from Mount Everest, with much of it recycled, since the programme started in April 2022.

For more information about Dell Technologies Sustainability and Education 

Passionate about sustainability and education, Dell Technologies’ support of Sagarmatha Next showcases there are no limits to where sustainability, education and technology can take us. 

If you like to learn more about Dell Technologies’ commitment to sustainability, please visit this article.

* Information and pictures courtesy of Dell Technologies and BCW *

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TGH Technology Research/Learning Series on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The areas of AI has been on my radar, part of my technology writing and coverage that I would like to cover more in detail. On a professional and personal note, there were many a times when I thread AI on a thin grey line. On one hand, I am excited on the prospects, capabilities and how AI technology can help us in our work and life even better and further. On the other hand, I am worried that AI can take away some of our work, careers etc.

As I progressed further into the areas of AI learning and research, I had the opportunities to chat with Temus, that led to me working on an AI coverage with them, the two major articles were the “Fireside Chat with Temus and Qlik on 8th May 2023 – Key Takeaways on AI” and “Q&A on the impacts of AI, the human side of AI and fear of AI”. 

Those two major articles on AI paved the way for the establishment of my new segment TGH Technology Research/Learning Series on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

TGH Photography Research/Learning Series on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Expanding further on my new series, I am also interested, excited and concerned on the impacts of AI on photography and creative industries. That led me to kickstart another new segment, TGH Photography Research/Learning Series on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

I have also started exploring and testing Generative AI, tried out on some AI platforms, and produced a few media works. I have seen use case scenarios and examples shared on social media by other creatives, photographers, digital imaging artists. Some works were indeed close to being the real thing, that’s how far they have improved.

There are two digital images landscape style photos inside this article, the base photographs were taken by me, produced with Generative Fill tool using Adobe Photoshop (Beta) AI.

The rest of the digital images are produced using Adobe Express (Beta) using Text to Image Generative AI tool.   

During this learning series on AI, I would be publishing more interviews with different creative artists on their thoughts and views. Meanwhile, I am still consolidating more personal in-depth thoughts and views, to be shared down the road.

Matt Johnson from Temus (A Photography Master, an AI expert that breathes/lives AI in his technology role) 

A few months back, I was having a chat with Marcus Loh from Temus, having a coffee chat on my interest areas of focus in AI technology and the impacts on different industries, I mentioned that I am also planning to focus on the impacts of AI on photography and creative industries. Marcus mentioned to me that I have to speak to Matt Johnson from Temus.

In my earlier TGH Technology Research/Learning Series of Artificial Intelligence (AI) articles, Matt shared a lot of his expert views and insights on the impacts of AI, the human side of AI and fear of AI. When I first met Matt at the Fireside Chat, and heard him speak and share about his expertise and views on AI, I was blown away, he’s an AI expert that breathes/lives AI in his technology role.

What I didn’t realise that Matt is more than just a photographer, he is at the level of a Photography Master! Do visit Matt Johnson’s photography website (https://photo.mgj.org) and check out his amazing photography works!

For this article, Matt has kindly continued with another round of interview questions, sharing his AI expertise and knowledge into the impacts of AI on photography and creative industries. 

In my personal and professional humble opinion, Matt Johnson is one of the best person to share his professional and innermost thoughts and views on the impacts of AI on photography and creative industries, from the AI expert (eats, breathes, lives AI) and a photography master himself. 

Q&A Interview with Matt Johnson

Artist/Creative/Photographer profile questions

1) Would you mind giving us a short introduction about yourself and your creative fields of expertise?

My name is Matt Johnson and I am the Managing Director for AI & Data at Temus, a digital transformation consultancy. Temus is on a mission to unlock the value of data with AI, deliver positive disruptive change, and enhance the lives of citizens.

I am also a fine arts photographer and my photographs have been published by local and international media including the International Herald Tribune, Financial Times, Asian Geographic, The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao. 

2) What are the inspirations and stories behind your creative field that you are today?

There is a common misunderstanding that technical fields such as engineering and mathematics lack creativity. While these fields can be very complex, they require amazing creativity to deliver impactful change.

As a practicing artist and engineer, I find the diversity of experience to be enormously beneficial to both disciplines. I encourage my team to follow their curiosity and seek out diversity.

3) Do you have a piece of creative artwork/photograph that means a lot to you? Would you be able to share more about this artwork?

I am particularly proud of my series, Freudian Trilogy, which was exhibited at the Waterloo Arts Centre with the support of the National Arts Council. This work involved collaborations with local dance companies to co-create a uniquely Singaporean work. 

Generative AI and its impacts on creative, photography and artist industries 

4) The current topic of intense heated discussion is Artificial Intelligence (AI), what are your personal views and thoughts on this technology? What are the potential positive and negative impacts on the creative industry?

I am truly excited by the potential of AI and the impacts it will have on our lives. As the Managing Director for AI & Data at Temus, I live and breathe this technology on a daily basis, and oversee AI events and partnerships like our fireside chat with Qlik and our recent partnership with AISG that you probably already know about. Even as I interact with it day-to-day, I am constantly amazed at the capabilities and the potential of this technology. 

We are working with several clients to use Generative AI to address their specific challenges. The breadth of use cases is truly impressive from user generated art to financial analysis. As we explore new use cases, we continue to identify new opportunities and expect this to continue for some time.

When it comes to the creative industry, we’ve seen showcases of how AI (especially generative AI) makes art and other creative outputs more accessible to non-creatives. AI can also expedite the more mundane creative/artistic processes like retouching, colour correcting, etc., and enable a higher level of efficiency for creatives whose work have been traditionally extremely labour intensive.

Many industries have been disrupted by technology over the last three hundred years, from agriculture and textiles through to media and entertainment. The creative industry has already been fundamentally impacted by technology in the context of gaming, digital distribution and special effects.

While generative AI will surely create further disruption, it will not reduce our need for entertainment and art. It will simply increase what is possible and give us the opportunity to create more and better content.

5) Would Generative AI help us creatives, artists, photographers more in different ways that we can’t see it due to us creatives being in a blind spot? Or the onslaught of Generative AI is going to be detrimental for the creatives? 

Generative AI and all its different models are still early in their development cycle. It would be difficult to ascertain at this point, the extent to which Generative AI will impact the creative industry, especially with image models being even younger than Large Language Models, which are only about 5 years old. 

Presently, generative AI is already helpful in automating the creative process and production of the final artwork, and is quickly becoming a key part of the entire creative timeline. Some ways it can aid the creative process would be: 

• Generate ideas, be it musical notes or different visuals
• Analyse suggestions and recommendations from feedback, allowing future work to be refined
• Creating new colours/textures – increasing the options for artists

While generative AI will reduce the need for some mundane tasks and the people that support them, it will equally empower creators to be more creative and productive.

6) Do you think AI would be better for creatives in the hardware side (e.g. AI powered camera) versus in the software e.g. photo editing software, illustration software and AI powered apps?

While the early impact is on software, with applications like Midjourney, Stable Diffusion and Firefly, the impact on hardware is likely to become material over time.

Companies such as Tesla, DJI and Google are making steady and substantive progress on bringing AI to robotics in the context of self-driving cars, drones and robots. These capabilities will likely impact the creative industries too in the long run.

7) Which segments of the creative and arts industry would be most impacted by Generative AI? Artists? Photographers? Filmmakers?

AI is an awesome tool with the potential to make us superhuman. I believe that every part of the industry will be touched by the impacts of generative AI. It could supercharge the creative process, editing, rendering, graphic design, and more. However, AI development and applications of this technology is still in its infancy. It is still too premature to tell how and in what ways this technology will impact our society. 

8) Is Generative AI is going to take away the livelihood of the arts and creative industries? What are your personal thoughts and views on this point?

There will always be a certain level of fear and uncertainty when new technology is being introduced. Technological innovations are tools that disrupt the status quo, and in turn provide for higher standards and quality of life. Similarly, I believe AI will disrupt the way creatives and artists currently create and spur on more creativity in the industry. 

Innovation and technology are all about change – changing the way we work, the nature of work itself, and the way we live our lives. On this ever-evolving path of change, we need to focus on understanding the capability and changing the way we work to maximise its value.

9) What should/can creatives do to ensure that they survive and get through this generative AI technology disruption? Should we start to jump on the bandwagon and learn how to use Generative AI?

For sure! The technology is already helping many creatives do their work better from graphic designers and game artists to architects and stage designers. All the technologies are easily accessible and there are countless tutorials online. Moreover, using the technologies provides endless joy and entertainment.

Today is a great day to get started!

10) What do you envision the future for creatives in a new digital and social media world, powered by AI?

We sometimes forget how much progress we’ve made as a civilisation. Not so long ago, the creative industry was limited to chalk drawings on cave walls. We’ve come a long way since then and still have a long way to go. This Is a small but important step in our civilisation’s development.

Thank you Matt!

I would like to sincerely say a big thank you to Matt Johnson, MD, AI and Data, Temus, for taking your precious time to share your technology expertise, wisdom, insights, views and thoughts on Artificial Intelligence (AI), the impacts of AI on photography and creative industries. 

I would also like to thank Progressive Communications for the communications, liaising, support and patience (with my writing/time constraints) for my series of AI technology related articles with Temus.

What’s coming up next?

I am continuing to work on both my TGH Research/Learning series, more in-depth coverage, learning, research and insights. There are more Q&A interviews being planned and lined up, do keep a lookout! 

Rounding up some personal thoughts and views 

Rounding up some personal thoughts and views inside me, I am excited yet cautious on the impacts of AI on photography and creative industries. I am still exploring Generative AI and consolidating my personal thoughts and views. 

I am mindful of AI, I am also embracing AI technology and how I can implement them to help me better in my photography and content creation.

Where will this AI journey brings me?

The post Q&A on the impacts of AI on photography and creative industries appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Photographer/Creative profile questions

1) Can you give us a short introduction on yourself and your creative fields of expertise?

Hello, my name is Agan Harahap. Photographer and artist based in Jogja, Indonesia. My base artistic expertise is photography and digital manipulation. And recently I’m using AI for my latest artworks.

2) What is the inspiration and the stories behind your creative work?

I always get my inspiration from my timeline in social media. Mostly is about politic, religion and history. I offer some silly solution for many problems that appear in society.

3) Do you have a piece of creative artwork or photograph that means a lot to you? Can you share more about this artwork?

The artwork that means a lot for me is my series ‘Mardijker Photo Studio’. I’m talking about nation identity and cultural originality and it’s connections with our society today.

4) Can you share about your journey as a creative/artist? What were some of the challenges, difficulties and setbacks that you faced in your creative journey? 

Well, it’s start in early 2000s at the beginning of digital transitions from manual. When suddenly we can almost create anything with digital software. At that time I already work as a photographer in music magazine. And I always challenged my self to dig more about other possibilities with digital photography. Asking my self is photography still can believed as a medium that can represent the reality. 

5) I read that you started off as an illustrator and digital imaging artist, what are the stories behind these experiences and how did you transition to photography?

As a graphic designer student, I have also learn photography. At that time, I don’t like photography because its expensive and don’t make sense to me. Because at that time I think photography is only for the people who cannot make a proper drawing or painting to express their ideas. And photography is their solution to cover up their inability to make art. Hahaha. But I have to pass the photography test in my study. So I learn how to manipulate photo with digital software. And I pass the test with success. And after graduate, I worked as a freelance illustrator and then become a digital imaging artist in some photography company before I become photographer in Trax Magazine. A music based magazine in Jakarta from 2006 – 2012. 

Generative AI Interview Questions

6) A topic of intense discussion currently is Artificial Intelligence (AI), what are your personal views and thoughts on AI? What is the potential positive and negative impact on the creative industry?

Based on my experienced in early 2000s when digital suddenly takeover many part in creative industry, So for me this is the new era when we have to preparing our self to this new kind of technology. For me, the main impact is the people’s way of thinking and behavior about things will change. And it will become a problem for people who cannot adapt their selves to this AI. So, like it or not, after more than 2 years we stayed at home because of covid, now suddenly we have to face this kind of technology and we have to adapt and adjust our self with it.

7) Do you think Generative AI can actually help us creatives, artists and photographers in ways that we may not see due to our personal bias or blind spots? Or do you think the onslaught of Generative AI will be detrimental for creatives? 

Before AI can help us in creativity, we first have to adapt and adjust ourself. Because at first, we have to positioning ourself between this new technology and our personal and social interest. For me, it’s quite similar like digital photography at the beginning, at the first we may think ‘Oh, with this tools, we don’t need dark room process anymore and we can save more time to create photography. But in the reality, there are many other problems arise due to this digital technology. Like for example, people start to questioning the reality behind photography ect. And after social media era, there is much more problems. We can see the rapid change in many aspects of our live. And that’s exactly will going to happen in our society with this AI technology.

Generative AI will be detrimental for creatives? It’s depend on how you adapt yourself. 

8) Which segments of the creative and arts industry would be most impacted by Generative AI? Artists? Photographers? Filmmakers?

All.

9) Is Generative AI is going to take away the livelihood of the art and creative industries? What are your personal thoughts and views on this point?

At the beginning, the answer is yes. But along with that, the emergence of AI technology, it will open up many new opportunities that may have never been thought of.

10) How do you envision the future for creatives in a new digital and social media world, powered by AI?

Hahaha I can’t imagine it yet. But I believe, sooner or later this AI will change people’s mindset and behavior.

Thank you Agan!  

I would like to say a big thank you to Agan Harahap for putting aside his precious time and agreeing to be interviewed for my article! From a fellow photographer/visual storyteller myself to another fellow photographer/visual storyteller, it’s always an interesting, enriching and enlightening experience to hear about creative/artist/photographer different perspectives, ideas and views, on photography and creative industries, their stories and journeys. 

Agan’s views and perspectives on generative AI would be part of my ongoing TGH Technology AI research/learning series, with an upcoming special article coverage on the impacts of AI on photography and creative industries that would be published on my TGH Photography and Travel portal/blog. 

This special interview with Agan also marks the start of my new personal project series that I mentioned earlier in my earlier article “Reflecting H1 2023 & Q2 2023 (Photography and Travel)”, on interviewing and featuring creatives from various disciplines.

When you visit Singapore, let’s catch up and have a chat over coffee over everything and anything about photography!

Have you visit Living Pictures – Photography in Southeast Asia exhibition?

Have you visit Living Pictures – Photography in Southeast Asia exhibition? If you haven’t visit this amazing photography exhibition, you have to plan a visit to National Gallery Singapore and check out this exhibition! 

The exhibition size, magnitude, and diversity of photography works on display, some 300 of them would blow you away, ranging from colonial archival images, studio portraits, and documentary photography to photo albums, social media photos and modern photography in both offline and online formats.

Living Pictures – Photography in Southeast Asia at National Gallery Singapore

Date and Time 

• 2nd December 2022 to 20th August 2023
• 10am to 7pm daily

Location 

• City Hall Wing, Level 3, Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery 

Admission Fees: (General Admission)

• Free for Singaporeans and PRs

Standard

• $20 
• Non-Singaporeans/PRs aged 13 to 59

Concession

• $15 
• Non-Singaporeans/PRs seniors (aged 65 & above) and children (aged 7 to 12)
• Overseas students and teachers

*I would like to thank National Gallery Singapore and Ogilvy for liaising and facilitating the interview with Agan Harahap.*  

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