Singapore Photowalk with Chuttersnap
Unsplash Ambassador Klaus Tan AKA Chuttersnap recently hosted a photowalk in Singapore. Here Klaus shares some photos and words about the event.
A group of 20 photographers attended the inaugural Unsplash Singapore photowalk that I hosted. To my surprise, the bulk of them were 14 year old youths, with our youngest photographers at the tender age of 13. Most of them were invited to join by fellow Singaporean youth Unsplashers. None exceeded the age of 20! It’s the youngest turnout in the history of Unsplash, a small milestone we can celebrate.
Though initially not users of Unsplash, these photographers were instantly sold to the concept of sharing their photographs online, for pure joy and generosity and almost all of them have joined the Unsplash community since.
There was definitely a mix of skill levels, from the very best of Unsplash Singapore to a handful of beginners in photography. However, it was heartening to see the more experienced Unsplashers willingly share their techniques with their newfound friends, creating a lovely community spirit as fellow photographers. A fair number of photographs were shot with enthusiast level DSLRs, but there was not a single mobile phone in sight. Looks like team DSLR still wins!
The photowalk took us through Singapore’s bustling Central Business District on a Sunday afternoon. Needless to say, we weren’t disappointed with the location. Unlike that of other cities, heritage buildings standing since the colonial era intertwine amongst tall skyscrapers, creating a unique location filled with interesting juxtapositions from a photographer’s perspective.
The beautiful European colonial architecture was simply majestic, as we paused to inhale a breath of its magnificent aura. One could simply imagine the pivotal events in Singapore’s rich history these grand structures have borne witness to.
Starting from Raffles Place MRT, we set of to the Fullerton hotel. It was opened in the year 1928 on the very compounds of Fort Fullerton, a two centuries old fort built for Singapore’s naval defence against intruders.
We then proceeded to the Victoria concert hall, originally commissioned as a town hall in 1855. Our short but memorable wall concluded with a tour of the National Gallery, which occupies two national monuments: former Supreme Court and City Hall.
Suffice to say, this photowalk has helped formed bonds within Singapore’s Unsplash community whilst offering a chance to appreciate and gain deeper understanding of Singapore’s rich history. A true visual delight for all!
As the organiser of this photowalk, I’d like to say it’s been a huge success! Thanks to Annie & team from Unsplash for the support throughout this planning process, we’ll love to have another photowalk in Singapore soon!
