Photography by Isaac Ong

Inspired by Fernando Gros “How to choose a Yearly Theme”, this is my 4th 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 and travel, let me bring you back  into my previous Yearly Themes through a recap below:

• Year 2020: Striving to Excel
• Year 2021: Recovery and Rejuvenation 
• Year 2022: Onward

Yearly Theme 2023 (Photography and Travel) – “Explore”

Now let me introduce and announce my Yearly Theme 2023 for photography and travel – “Explore”.

Why “Explore”? 

The word “Explore” has always been part of my life, from my Scouting days in school, to my traveler explorer days, in both my professional/business and personal life. My photography themes/projects have always been on exploration, in both nature, wildlife, history, heritage and cultural areas. 

Photography 

In year 2023, I am going to explore new collaborations in both professional and personal capacities. 

On the photography business sector, there would be changes and approaches to my portfolio of services or specialisation.

On my personal photography segment, there are a lot more plans, ideas, collaborations and new collaborations that I more than want to explore, the personal side of photography keeps my passion and fire burning in a commercial photography, content creation world.

If there is something deep inside me that I want to do, they would be along the lines of 

• Back to basics, back to analogue 
• Honing my craft and eye for creativity 
• Collaborating with like-minded creatives for new projects  

Some sectors that I would like to explore further are photography training/educator and consultancy. I made some progress and headways in the two sectors, I am going to continue building up from there. 

Travel

I made a decision not to travel out during 2022 when borders reopened along with the lifting of risk management measures, even though my travel wanderlust was strong. In 2023, I am planning to re-explore my travel photography and travel writing again, after a 3 years hiatus due to the global pandemic situation.

I hope to explore new travel destinations (ASEAN, Japan, Europe) that I haven’t previously visited. Of course, I would still love to revisit some of my favourite travel destinations. I am also planning to explore the area on Sustainability further and wider in travel, tourism, hospitality industries, around the region before venturing further out.

Writing and Publishing Books and Zines

One of my new philosophy in photography, writing and creativity is “Bringing my projects to life”, into prints, zines or books. In a heavy social media usage and consumption world where everything is digital, maybe a return to analogue or old school, can spark us a revival in how we work and live.

Therefore, I am going to explore new personal visual storytelling projects, beyond my current ones. I want to explore further, wider and deeper as a content creator and visual storyteller.

Should I go for a photo book or a new travel visual storytelling project or new zine collection project? Or all of the above? Exploring new publishing projects for year 2023, I would share more in details when the time is ripe.

Complementing my photography training and consultancy, I am going to explore publishing photography guides for the modern creative and social media world.

New set of Uncertainties and Dark Clouds in 2023

In a period of uncertainties and crisis (hopefully it doesn’t reach that stage), there might be new opportunities. Time to explore other opportunities as a new set of dark clouds (challenges and uncertainties) looms over 2023. We are facing inflation, higher costs of living, economic slowdown (or even possibly world recession) and geo-political worldwide crisis in a worst worst case scenario. 

In a period of uncertainties and political crisis in some regions (hopefully it doesn’t escalate beyond that stage into bigger crisis), there might be new opportunities. Time to explore other opportunities as a new set of dark clouds (challenges and uncertainties) looms over 2023.

Yearly Theme 2023 (Technology | Business | Personal)

In this year 2023, I decide to try something different again, I chose two themes, one for my TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog, one for my TGH Technology and Business Portal/Blog. What did I choose for my Yearly Theme 2023 (Technology | Business | Personal)?

Explore with me in my visual storytelling journeys in 2023

I would like to invite you and join me, come explore with me in my visual storytelling journeys in 2023. 

Together we can and we might explore something new, heart warming and touching visual stories.

The post Yearly Theme 2023 (Photography and 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.

Inspired by Fernando Gros “How to choose a Yearly Theme”, this is my 3rd year writing a Yearly Theme (you can check out my 2020 Yearly Theme and 2021 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. I also published a Yearly Theme 2022 (Technology, Business and Personal) on my other website TGH Technology and Business Portal/Blog. 

Let me introduce my Yearly Theme 2022 for my photography and travel: “Onward”.

Theme for Year 2022 (Photography and Travel) – Onward

Onward – What is the reason behind this theme?

Why “Onward”? This is actually my alma mater school motto. Let me introduce my alma mater, Gan Eng Seng School (founded in 1885), I am also an old boy from the Gan Eng Seng Dragon Scout Group (founded in 1922) where I spent some of my best and fun years learning Scouting skills, knowledge, in the the great outdoors, life skills and camaraderie. 

Dragon Scout Group (DSG) is celebrating its centenary milestone in Year 2022, this is no mean feat! The DSG extended family is going to celebrate DSG100 Years in Scouting! 

Onward – Strive forward as we work our way out from this ongoing global pandemic mess, it’s not just an economic and financial crisis, the world is facing other crisis in the areas of healthcare, mental health, emotional health, psychological and sociological issues.

The whole world is trying its best to move forward, with setbacks and hiccups that are going to be a common sight for this year 2022. Hopefully, our lessons learnt in Year 2020 and 2021 would come in handy for us as the world move Onward in the journey to recovery. Let’s hope the world can really start to see the true light at the end of the tunnel. 

Photography – Goals and Plans

This is not the usual way of doing goal settings that you would normally learn or see in your job/training. What I am doing is a bit of a hybrid format sharing of my goals and plans for my photography segment. 

Photography (Business)

Year 2021 provided me huge business lessons, adapting, pivoting and changing my commercial photography services portfolio. It’s not immediate, taking a bit longer than I am expected. In this Year 2022, I hope to grow those few segments below in a very competitive field, through my networks and connections. 

– Portraiture: Individual / Family / Corporate 

– Pre-Wedding/AD wedding 

NFT/Digital Arts

A new segment that I am entering into, I mentioned about this in Q4 2021. This is a field that I would be threading with caution while optimistic on its potential and viability for creatives such as photographers like myself. 

Digital Marketing + Social Media Marketing + Photography + Videography 

A digital agency or social media agency format of doing business, going to work/pitch for campaigns/projects and commissioned work. Although I established TGH Digital Studio in 2021, I wasn’t able to kickstart it properly, the time is now.

Year 2022 also marks the start of TGH Digital Studio with a new gig in the food industry. Hope this paves the way for further opportunities in other industries such as travel, tourism and hospitality,  as well as heritage, history and culture.

Photography (Personal/Leisure)

Away from my business/commercial photography, I must, and I need my time and space for my personal photography and leisure/fun photography. In Year 2022, I have some ideas and plans for my personal photography, videography and creative projects.

New photographer profile photos as well as new photographer in action theme shoots are on my plans too. 

If you are not a good photographer or find something missing in your photos you can always rely on some travel photograph editing to enhance your photos.

Personal projects 

– Complement and support my alma mater DSG100 Years in Scouting celebrations

– A new zine or a new photography book? Or both? 

– Building up my videography/filmmaking for both personal and commercial segments. Follow my YouTube channel for more updates on this segment!  

Travel – Goals and Plans

We all miss our travels, whether it’s to short-haul or long haul destinations. This ongoing global pandemic has thrown the world travel, tourism, hospitality and aviation industries under the bus for a very prolonged time, and maybe 1-2 more years of downtime. 

International 

I have no plans for now, I would review this in Q3 2022, keeping my fingers crossed. I am just being cautious, I am also not setting any expectations, I don’t wish to be badly disappointed  and get hurt again. 

When can we restart tourism, I am looking into this area, networking and chatting with travel and tourism networks of friends around the world, with a follow up on this area in my 3rd instalment article on the topic of “Restart Tourism”. 

This quote, shared with me by Sonja, one of the co-hosts of TTOT (Travel Talk on Twitter) Chat community every Tuesday, that “Travel can be a privilege”. During this ongoing global pandemic situation, it’s even more evident and true. 

Domestic / Local / Explore your own backyard 

Since traveling out for a holiday still has its challenges, fears, concerns and restrictions. This is actually a good time to explore your own backyard again for me. I am going to continue re-exploring my local neighbourhoods, with an emphasis on green spaces / places that might/will be gone soon.

I always have a strong interest and passion in those fields, documenting the changes and losses over time due to changes in national development, growth and renewal.  

Last but not least – Onward in Year 2022

Last but not least – Onward in Year 2022. After some harsh lessons from Year 2021, I decided to be cautious, not fearful, be brave, Be Prepared, ready to take on more challenges, hiccups and changes as I trek my way Onward in Year 2022. 

I really hope this Year 2022 would truly be the year where we can see some light at the end of the tunnel. 

The post Yearly Theme 2022 (Photography and Travel) appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Setting a theme for Year 2020 was inspired by Fernando Gros recent article, “Momentum – Yearly Theme For 2020”. Having met Fernando in person, a very talented creative, musician, photographer and writer, I also have his book, “No Missing Tools”, very inspiring, opening a world that I never thought that I ever have inside me, on the subject of creativity. Fernando has been an inspiration for me as a photographer and writer, learning, changing, evolving and adapting in this current modern world filled with so much fast moving information, news, images and videos.

As I decided on a single word to choose my theme for Year 2020, it was a bit of a struggle since this was my maiden attempt. Seeking the advice of my old classmate Michael, from my primary school days (his command of the English language is way better than me), he advised me to find a phrase that would suit me personally, after an interesting discussion and brain storming, this phrase appeared “Striving to Excel”, our primary school motto (and our primary school is no longer around, they have merged with other primary school in my neighourhood).

Therefore, my theme for Year 2020 is “Striving to Excel”, fits in nicely to both my professional/business and personal goals for this year. Another new approach for this year, I am not revealing my business goals and plans for this year, you can still find some bits and pieces in previous articles, if you have been a regular reader on my two websites. Instead, I would be writing on my personal photography and travel goals, I want to return back to my roots, that started my love for photography, travel and story telling.

Theme for Year 2020 – Striving to Excel

Personal Photography Goals for 2020

• To publish my first photo zine
• To publish photo zine on a regular basis (one issue every quarter)
• Explore more of the outdoors and natural areas in Singapore and countries that I visit
• Produce more personalised photography content and stories (from personal projects to documentary)
• Printing photographs, from mini prints to large A2 photo prints
• Continue building up my TGH Photography Explorer Series brand and works

Personal Travel Goals

• Take more short haul trips to nearby countries and explore
• Japan 2020 (Hokkaido, Kansai)
• Climb and conquer another mountain peak
• Produce cinematic travel video stories

Striving to Excel, in both personal and professional capacity, for my Year 2020. Come on board, follow me on my photography and travel exploration stories adventures!

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