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Life is a bumpy road, sometimes you go up, only to drop back down again. But what’s important is that there are friends who are willing to ride the bumps with you. After writing my previous post, I’m really thankful that I have friends who understand and are always there to support and encourage me as I go along this journey. Besides, Olive never fails to remind me to focus on the important things in life; family and love.
If you don’t know about Olive, he is a little pom pom whom my sister bought a few years ago. This little dog is yappy, fluffy, naughty, cute, annonying, defiant and smart altogether. He is a part of the family, and a great substitute for a pillow. He also have barking competitions with the passing cars, aeroplanes and the neighbour’s dog at 3am in the morning. Despite all that, he reminds me of the important things in life; family and love. He reminds me that I can work 12 hours a day and climb the corporate ladder as high as I want, but if I don’t cherish what’s important, in the end I will end up with nothing.
A dog is a man’s best friend, they say, and I only came to understand this after we had Olive. Because of him, my entire perception towards animals changed. I started to become more sensitive and caring about the welfare of animals. I stopped fishing, because I felt that it was cruel. Some people say that fishes feel no pain in their lips when you hook them, but I once read a phrase that said “All beings no matter how big or small, will tremble in fear in the face of death”, and it made a lot of sense to me. If you won’t hook a dog or a cat in the mouth for your own pleasure, why will you do it to a fish? Taking pleasure in another living being’s pain and fear is a very, very sad thing to do.
That being said, this recent trip back to Singapore, I also contacted the SPCA to learn more about the shelter and to volunteer taking some photographs for them. The SPCA shelters dogs of all ages, but it saddens me that some dogs have been there for a few years without being adopted. I guess most people want to buy pure breeds and puppies so that they get to spend time with the dogs when they are in that cute stage. But all dogs will eventually grow up, and that’s the sad part because when they do, some of them get discarded because they start to become a chore to look after. Contrary to what society thinks, these dogs are not there because they are aggressive and or ill, but rather they have been the byproduct of irresponsibility. Their ages also range from young to old but I’m sure that all of them are just waiting for a good family to love and care for them. Most people shun older dogs but in fact, older dogs can be easier to look after because they can be more obedient. And so what if they are not pure breeds? I believe that a dog can bring happiness and joy into your life regardless of it’s breed.
Sometimes all they want, is a second chance in life.
Instead of buying a puppy and throwing money to the pet shop, adopt a dog and change his world, because for all you know, he may change yours too.
Recently, I’ve been waking up feeling foggy. No, my vision is not blurred and I don’t need a heater in the room to clear up the fog. More like my brain is feeling foggy, and I’m having trouble straightening out my thoughts. It’s been going on for awhile and it’s affecting me quite a bit; to be honest, it’s bringing me down a little. I don’t seem to be looking forward to photographs anymore, and I’m scared and afraid of whatever is going on in my mind. I’ve been thinking, trying to put a finger down on the problem, and I finally realised that the reason all these are happening, is because photography has became a business rather than a hobby.
What started out as a passion, has slowly evolved into something very different. There is such a difference between doing photography as a hobby and as a business. Besides making your photographs look good, you have to think about a million other things; marketing, networking, keeping up traffic flow on social media, creating awareness about your brand, targeting specific markets, generating new ideas, upgrading your photography skills, maintaining contracts and insurance. Since when did posting a photograph on Instagram changed from photography itself, to simply gaining more followers, and when did the amount of ‘Likes’ on Facebook dictate whether your photographs are good enough? There is so much competition and comparison that I realise if I don’t pull myself out of it, I’ll eventually drown.
That’s right. Comparison is the thief of joy and the bottom line is, I may never win in this popularity game, however hard I try. I’m tired of all these competitions, the race to see who gets published next in the magazines, who gets the next best gig or the largest event, who gets more ‘Likes’ on Facebook, or more followers on Twitter. That’s not what I got into. I wanted to create images that will move people, images that can change lives. It’s time to start creating photographs just because I like to. Time to regain my interest and concentrate on what I really love to do; photographing people in love. The other non-important things will have to take second priority.
Popularity?
Bleah, come and look for me when you have the time.
It feels like I’ve been away from this blog for ages; when in reality it has only been a week. So much has passed in one short week though, that’s how it normally is in Singapore where the pace of life is increased tenfold as compared to Perth.
I’m really thankful that I managed to spend Chinese New Year back home, it’s been years since I’ve done that. Amongst other things, I attended and photographed my cousin’s wedding, played Texas and earned some money; KACHING!!, played golf in Malaysia with my cousins (injured my back and now it hurts like a .. ), photographed some animals at the SPCA, did a personal album for a friend, and went around Singapore and spent some quality time with Z (how I miss those days). This trip was short in comparison to previous trips, though, and it felt like I was only back for a week. Time goes by too fast without you realising, sometimes I just wish that there is a ‘rewind’ button that we can push and relive the moments all over again.
I miss the air, the atmosphere, the ever changing commercial landscape, the friends, the family, the convenience and the familiarity. Sometimes I feel as if I’m caught between two places, stuck in two different lives, never having the courage to choose one over the other.
Back in Perth, things are quiet. It’s another week till I start working again, and a month before I start my hospital placements for my physio degree. To be honest, I’m dreading it. In fact, I’m starting to hate it. Perhaps this time it will be different and I will get better supervisors. The way things turned out after I’ve put so much effort into it has just turned me off. But that’s life, isn’t it. Sometimes you climb up the ladder, other times you slide down the snake. Besides that, I’m glad to have a short break before everything starts again.
Till the next time!
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