From my very first holiday snapshots to my work today as an outdoor family photographer in Singapore, photography has always been more than a skill. It is memory, therapy, and love; told and saved one frame at a time.
Today, 19 August, is World Photography Day. It marks the birth of photography as we know it, dating back to 1839 when the daguerreotype process was first made public in France and the French government declared it as a free gift to the world instead of keeping the patent for themselves.
My First Steps Into Photography
For a number of years, whenever I travelled for work overseas, I would borrow my brother’s Fujifilm camera. He bought the camera when he was in high school I believe. It’s a Fujifilm DL10. Most of the time, I only loaded it with a single roll of 36 exposures. That meant I had to be careful with every frame, making sure I didn’t waste the film.
Then in the year 2000, I bought my very first camera, a compact point-and-shoot film camera, the Nikon LiteTouch Zoom 70W. I bought it so I could take holiday pictures with my then-girlfriend in Singapore.
In early 2001, something changed. Over dinner at a friend’s place in Singapore, I noticed his SLR film camera, the Canon EOS 500N. I thought to myself, how cool would it be to have a big camera like that too? That night, I told my wife I wanted one. She was puzzled, and rightly so, I wasn’t really into photography yet. I simply thought it looked impressive.
But the idea stuck. After some searching for something I could actually afford, I bought a Minolta Dynax 5 (or Maxxum 5 in some countries). That purchase opened up a whole new world for me. I started reading books and magazines, learning. And I practiced the only way you could with film, one roll of 36 frames at a time.
Why Photography Matters to Me
Over time, photography became more than just a hobby. It is a passion, a form of therapy, a way to slow down and really see details I might otherwise overlook. It has taught me to appreciate moments, big and small, and today it is also my work as an outdoor family photographer in Singapore, a job I have had since 2009.
Prints That Hold Memories
I have photo albums my mother passed down to me, collections of old black-and-white prints from her youth and my childhood. Many are faded, some are blurry, some are out of focus. But those imperfections don’t matter at all. They are treasures because they hold stories. They remind me that photography is not about technical perfection. It’s about memory.
Photographing My Daughter
When my daughter was born, I couldn’t stop photographing her. For the first year of her life, I took photos almost every day. Later, not quite as often, but still many. Today, these photos may not mean much to her. But one day, when she is older and I am no longer here, I hope they will speak to her heart the way my mother’s old prints speak to mine.
Why I Print My Photos
In this digital age, most of our photos live on screens. But I love printing mine. I print at home. Photo printers have become more affordable these days and they are great. I keep the prints in albums, boxes, and frames around the house. A printed photo feels different, it has weight, presence, and permanence. You can hold it, pass it down, and relive it without needing a screen. It’s a final product of photography for me. Oh, not to mention it makes wonderful gift too.
Why I Still Shoot Film
Even though I use digital cameras these days, I still shoot film. It’s not cheap anymore. Film and development cost much more than they used to. But film has a way of slowing me down. Every frame matters. Every click is intentional. Though I will not leave digital photography, shooting film always helps to reminds me why I fell in love with photography in the first place.
Closing Thoughts
So while World Photography Day is rooted in history, for me it’s also deeply personal. It’s a reminder of why I continue to pick up a camera, not just for work, but for love, memory, and connection.
On this World Photography Day, I’d like to invite you to take a photo that means something to you. And better still, print it. Put it in a frame, display it on a shelf or table, stick it on your wall, or slip it into an album. Years from now, that print might become one of your most precious possessions.
Because in the end, photography is not about megapixels or perfect sharpness. It’s about memory, love, and life itself.
