Time really flies and what a year 2017 has been !!!!
There were so many highlights in 2017 which I am pretty proud of but do not get me wrong , 2017 was by far one of the most challenging years I have ever faced.
A quick recap of some of the key milestones in 2017 :
Launched the first MENTORGRAPHIANS Photography League - Season 1 in January 2017. The league went on for 10 months. The League was a platform for the participants to learn more about photography , improving their own skills and gaining photography competition experience. Season 2 will be launching soon in Jan. 2018
Fortunate enough to visit FOUR new photography locations.
Iceland , Hoi An (Vietnam) , Nakhon Si Thammarat (Thailand) , Komodo Islands (Indonesia)
Kirkjufell , Iceland
Komodo Dragon , Komodo Island , Indonesia
Buddha Park , Nakhon Si Thammarat , Thailand
Hoi An , Vietnam (image captured by the Sony RX100 compact camera - no DSLR during this trip)
The year 2017 would not have been that special if not for the generosity of the leading camera brands NIKON and SONY.
Special thanks to Sony Digital Workshop (SDW) for sponsoring the MENTORGRAPHIANS group in numerous Photography Sessions & Workshops for the members. Special thanks must go to GERALD , KENG CHEONG & LELIN !!
Most importantly , my heartfelt appreciation to NIKON SINGAPORE for choosing me to be one of their Nikon D850 Professional Photographers. Thank You for all the special features from NPS to being able to contribute to Nikon School and for that special Japan trip in September. Special mentions to VALERIE for taking care of us D850 Pro Photographers , LI TING , XAVIER , NELSON , CASSANDRA , JESSICA and the entire Nikon team for making this year a truly special year !!
There were a couple of cool interviews this year but the most special one was in August 2017 when I had the privilege of being interviewed by the awesome folks from GOASEAN.com for their BEAT Exclusive initiative. This was the special video clip which they had created from the interview.
Photographing the 29th SEA Games and the 9th ASEAN PARALYMPIC Games in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia were definitely major milestones and I would not miss it for the world. They did have their share of volunteering controversy but hey that's life. I'm not going to stop volunteering as long as it is for a good cause and I am doing it with a clear conscience. Special Mention to GWENDALYN , KEE HAUR and the SportSG team for taking care of us in KL.
Special thanks also to Singapore Tourism Board (STB) , URA (Urban Redevelopment Authority) , NParks (National Parks) and Ngee Ann Polytechnic for the partnership and the projects in 2017. It was a privilege to work with you all.
Year 2017 was also a special year as I started my journey into aerial photography. Aerial photography will definitely be a permanent feature in my photography moving forward.
So as I move into 2018 , I want to first sincerely thank everyone who has interacted with me for their support and patience in 2017. I do know that I am not the easiest person to work or communicate with at times.
I'm not really sure what the new year will bring. What I do know though is that my passion for photography is burning stronger as never before. I am really looking forward to more photography challenges, learnings , discoveries , experiencing new things and most importantly staying humble and contributing back to the photography community.
Last but not least , special thanks to my wife and kids for their infinite support and patience. Thank you.
Goodbye 2017 and welcome 2018 !!