5 Photobooks That Give a Glimpse into Singapore’s Storied Past
Long before we could snap an Instagram-worthy moment on our handy smartphones, photographers of yesteryear operated a far more delicate machine— the analogue camera.
Back then, analogue photography entailed wresting with the forces of nature, specifically light, to create the perfect image. This involved exposing light-sensitive paper or film and then developing the latent image using a chemical process.
Tellingly, the word “photography” originates from the Greek words photos (light) and graphein (to draw) which together, make up the art or process of capturing images.
Amid the flurry of #filmisnotdead hashtags, the trend towards “retro” photos has undeniably drawn a younger crowd. Yet, for the older generation, this was not an alternative method of photography but rather the only one they use.
Here are five photobooks showcasing analogue photographs that offer us a glimpse into Singapore’s not so far-flung past — where workers plied their bygone trades and architectural monuments were more than relics of the past:
1. Marjorie Doggett’s Singapore: A Photographic Record
In an industry dominated by men, it is a rarity for women photographers such as Marjorie Doggett to make a name for themselves, let alone publish a seminal work.
Yet, in 1957, with the help of book agent Donald Moore, Doggett published her first book Characters of Light, the first known compilation of photographs portraying Singapore’s architectural heritage.
In 2019, an expanded selection of Doggett’s works appeared in an eponymous second book. This time, the tome included a range of newly restored and previously unpublished photographs documenting Singapore’s urban landscape and Doggett herself.
Shooting primarily on a medium-format Rolleicord and a tripod, the self-taught photographer captured picturesque streetscapes of shophouses and places of worship in the 1950s and developed them in a makeshift darkroom from her house on Amber Road.
Afflicted by the pace of urban change in her milieu, Doggett sought to preserve historic buildings such as the Raffles Institution building at Bras Basah, evident from her striking photographs and strident ST letters.
Get the book here: Physical Book
2. Passing Time, A Photography Book by Lui Hock Seng
The notion of passing time with his hobbies was not tantamount to much in the eyes of Lui Hock Seng. A car mechanic by training, he simply revelled in spending hours at Merdeka Bridge at dusk to get the best shot.
Well into his golden years, Lui’s lifelong love for his craft emerged as testament to his unequivocal passion — with 2018 marking the year of his first solo exhibition at the age of 81.
The luminary’s endearing journey started with humble beginnings. Lui had started shooting as a teen in the 1950s with a Rolleiflex gifted by his eldest brother, working part time as an event photographer for weddings, dinners and funerals to cover his expensive hobby.
With over 80 restored images of Singapore in the 1960s and 1970s, this exhibition book’s impeccable selection illuminates forgotten trades — from shovelling crushed cockle shells for whitewash paint, to retrieving toddy from coconut trees.
Perhaps more fascinating are the barren landscapes of Jurong and Bedok where vast expanses are framed with the occasional tree or sailboat, a sight completely unfamiliar to us today.
Get the book here: Physical Book
3. Through the Lens of Lee Kip Lin, Photographs of Singapore 1965–1995
No overview of Singapore’s visual history is complete without the mention of prolific architectural historian Lee Kip Lin — whose extensive survey of buildings and facades has been foundational to urban heritage.
Godowns at Boat Quay, bungalows at Telok Kurau and kampungs in Sembawang, these barely skim the surface of a rich repository of images amassed by the educator and architect in his retirement.
Pivotal moments altering Singapore’s urban landscape are nestled within chapters of neatly classified residential buildings and compounds such as markets, schools and amusement parks.
These include the reclamation along Amber Road and the relocation of the once vibrant Chong Pang village.
As a member of the Preservation of Monuments Board, Lee’s legacy endures — both as a vocal advocate for the conservation of built heritage and an illustrious author documenting it.
Get the book here: Physical Book
4. Shifting Currents, Glimpse of a Changing Nation, Photographs by Kouo Shang-Wei
All great civilisations are said to have begun with water and the port city of Singapore is no exception, with the iconic Singapore River emerging as a coveted muse.
Notably, its transformation to quintessential icon became a watershed moment for national progress in the 1980s.
Numerous practitioners of pictorial photography had hoped to preserve the vanishing riverscape in all its antiquity. One of them was Kouo Shang-Wei.
In no less than eight Sundays spent along the River, his “bird in the hand” paid off — with his shot “Pigeons by the Singapore River” bagging the second prize in a photo competition in 1984.
Another vital contribution to the city-state’s development was the construction of modern buildings by samsui women and Kouo’s photographs now serve as a salient nod to the monumental efforts of these pioneers.
Altogether, this timeless classic reveals how Kouo’s visual lexicon persists in the popular imagination of Singapore’s past.
Get the book here: Physical Book
5. Once Upon an Island: Images of Singapore (1950–1980) through the Lens of Dr Ivan Polunin
While fireflies are far and few between in Singapore nowadays, we now know that they used to exist by the dozen, thanks to ethereal photos by physician Dr Ivan Polunin.
Apart from a penchant for the natural history of Southeast Asia, the late documentarian was drawn to the customs and folklore of indigenous communities, charting his forays in this visual odyssey of a book.
For the startling breadth of fieldwork, the avid naturalist’s field notes are by no means brief. Vividly coloured photographs are paired with his own insights spanning various aspects of local cultures.
From dying traditions such as the Kusu Island pilgrimage, koleh racing and wayang theatre to lost professions like fortune telling and letter writing, Polunin’s archive is an ambitious but riveting tribute to past rituals and practices.
His most mesmerising photograph, arguably, remains that of forsaken biodiversity.
Not too long ago, our shores were abound with wildlife. In Polunin’s words, it was a time when “there were breathtaking displays resembling Christmas trees with thousands of fairy lights”, a spectacle best rendered through a photograph.
Get the book here: Physical Book
If you’re enchanted by these historical photographs and their making, be sure to come down for one of library@orchard’s Pro Series: Analogue Photography programmes!
For the month of July, delve into the creative processes of local photographers Russel Wong, Amrita Chandradas and the team from Leica Singapore.
For the month of August, explore methods of analogue photography and try your hand at cyanotypes, stereography and film development with the help of our experienced instructors.
