Taking the scenic route in life

When life offers a split in the road, how often do we take the scenic route?

Two nights ago, I was ruminating with a friend over some cocktails about life and how our intended scripts for life did not always work out for us.

Growing up, I have always thought I would follow the traditional Singaporean Dream: Go to university, study a prestigious course, find a partner there, get a BTO flat and then get married and settle down.

But as I was sharing my life story with her, I realised how far I’ve possibly deviated from the traditional dream. Here are some key moments:

- Despite being in Science streams throughout my entire educational journey, I chose my interest and studied Mass Communications in university. In fact, just prior to making that decision, I had signed up to study Material Science. I can’t imagine how different my life would be if I stuck to it.

- I decided to become a Self-Employed photographer straight out of college despite words of caution from friends and family members around me. I’ll be honest, I knew the money was good but I also didn’t expect the expenses to be that high. Somehow, I managed.

- I broke up with my then steady girlfriend of 4.5 years after signing up for a BTO. It was the toughest decision to make but I wouldn’t have learnt as much about myself if that didn’t happen.

- I recently committed to my first rent expense by paying $500 per month to shoot out of RAW space. It made me realise how wonderful it is to have my own space and it’s pushing me to move out and rent my own apartment next year.

I don’t know about you but I realised I’ve never really been able to fit into the traditional narrative. Recently I’ve made the decision to not try to fit myself into it.

While I’m envious of friends who have settled down and is accumulating huge amounts of wealth through their relatively stable jobs, I also realised that I’ve that flavourful pot of life stories and experiences that most people haven’t got.

It is a constant reminder to myself that everyone’s meant for a different life and life works best when we stay in our own lanes.

Nowadays, I am also starting to better appreciate the scenic route in life (I’m rather proud of thinking of this term btw). During the past 5 years, I realised that nothing excites me more than the possibilities of something new happening in my life. And the amazing thing is that they need not be huge or expensive experiences.

It could be learning a new perspective through a conversation with a new friend, or discovering a new podcast, or embarking on a new creative pursuit (such as this blog).

Instead of rushing through life and hitting all the milestones, I’ve learnt to let go of the burden they bring and instead focus on living life as it is.

The same philosophy goes with my photography: Don’t emulate, just Be. The uniqueness of a photographer comes from being honest to himself and manifesting those beliefs outwards. I think that’s the truest work one can do.


Nearing the end of our conversation, my friend shared with me a quote that left quite an indelible impression on me: “我们永远觉得，正在发生的事情是不够好的”. It directly translates to “We always think whatever that’s happening to us right now is not enough.”

That’s so true isn’t it? We’re always seeking more, more, more, we don’t stop to think how much we have right now. Actually, most of us are in a very good place, even if we don’t believe it.

Do you feel your life is enough? Share with me your thoughts and feelings below :)

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Interesting things I found last week:

1. Kindred Teas. Really tasty teas if you’re sick of the usual TWG flavours. I tried Blessings.

2. This CNA commentary (Being a 'sell-out' was the best decision I made for my career). CNA Journalist Grace Yeoh writes about how she internally balances between passion and money. TLDR: Sometimes it’s ok to let go of passion to chase money. I found it very refreshing.

3. The Pattern App. I was introduced to this app by a friend who’s into horoscopes. I’ve never been a believer but our conversation about 八字 (8 Characters) reading prompted me to download this app. It tells you your character inclination based on your date/time of birth; you can also see your bond with others if you’ve their DOB. I was surprised by how accurate it has been for me so far.

4. This quote by 阿球 from 晚风说 podcast: “我们永远觉得，正在发生的事情是不够好的”. It prompted me to write today’s blogpost.

I am FIVE!

I’ve never really been one for birthdays. So when I was brainstorming what to write for today’s blogpost, I was pleasantly surprised that I turn FIVE this month. Wow, I have been a full-time freelance photographer for 5 years now!

As some of my friends would know, I started this journey straight out of college due to a necessity to find a job after realising I wasn’t cut out for the industry I studied for. Five years on, I’m glad to say that I’ve made the right decision. There are definitely challenges but I get a great deal of satisfaction out of my job and LOVE my flexible schedule. (yep, I was already reaping the benefits of WFH before Covid yo).

So me being in my naturally reflective state about momentous occasions, I want to share 5 things about my journey, both my achievements and lessons learnt from being in this industry.

1. I found my calling as a Portrait Photographer!
4 years ago, I signed up for a mentorship programme with famous commercial photographer Geoff Ang, to find my calling in photography. I told him that I wanted to move out of doing wedding, events and the occasional odd jobs to find a specialisation. Unlike photographers with an inclination towards a certain subject matter, I had to “shoot my way through” everything to find out my likes and dislikes and struggle with the thought that I might not find a niche at the end of the day.

One day, sometime earlier this year, everything just clicked! The revelation came after I went through every single photo I’ve shot in 5 years to mark out the ones that connected with me the most. 90% turned out to be portraits. That was the moment I decided I want to specialise in photographing humans.

2. I’ve an office space now!
I’m currently renting a space at my mentor’s studio, Raw, to work out of every Monday. It’s a beautiful studio that provides me with plenty of inspiration and space for creation. The blogposts you’re seeing every week are birthed here. I now spend every Monday working on my marketing. I also use this space as a homeground to do most of my studio portrait shoots. Let me know if you would like a studio tour, I’ll be happy to host you.

3. I shot for one of my dream clients recently!
Last year November, I received an invitation from Shangri-La Hotel to shoot for them. I was really stoked to take on this project as the hotel group represents the same values I hold for myself - impeccable quality and service excellence. Not to mention, I put in my best efforts and hired the best team for the job (thanks Yann, RJ and Christabel!). Check out the project here.

4. Everyone has their own timeline of progress
Truth be told, I’ve been putting off this idea of marketing myself for the longest time. Not because I was lazy or didn’t recognise the benefits of it. I just wasn’t certain. I didn’t know what I wanted to be known for and wasn’t that sure of my identity as a person either.

I felt stuck for the longest time until I had my epiphany earlier this year. Everything then magically fell into place. I started this blog and committed myself to a 6-month rental at Raw, all within one month. I still have many dreams, such having a long-term personal project and doing an exhibition, but I know these dreams can’t be rushed. Progress will come at the right time as long as we seek it and follow our hearts.

5. Personality is more important now than ever
Photography as a career has gone through many transformations, mostly sparked by technological changes - from analog to digital, and now digital to social media. When technology is so accessible, basic “nice” images are easy to create. While clients still trust us photographers for our technical expertise, we’re now hired for how likeable we are and how much social influence we have. That means we’ve to step up our game in marketing ourselves, not just as a business but also as an individual through our personality, connection and stories.

Starting this week, I want to try being more fearless in talking about my journey, both as a photographer and person. I’m afraid to be vulnerable but I’m more excited to form meaningful connections. Keep a lookout!

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If you’ve more bandwidth for me, here’s a quick bite-size update about my life:

1. Inspired by my financial consultant and buddy, Jiale, I’ve started an initiative to collect 100 customer reviews! Aside from the obvious benefit of marketing, I’m hoping this will spur me on to deliver a great experience for every client I work with - big or small. I’m currently at 23 reviews. If you’ve worked with me before and want to write me one, contact me!

2. I just watched The Way I see It - a documentary about Barack Obama’s white house photographer. I was expecting to learn about photography but instead learnt more about leadership. Highly recommended!

3. Another documentary I watched was Free Solo. It’s simply amazing…from the story to the cinematography. It makes me feel like all my challenges can be conquered.

4. Recently Wei Choon, half of The Woke Salaryman, spoke openly about his envy for his partner’s wealth and how he overcame it. I love it so much. I think his vulnerability and honesty really helped to open doors for conversations about wealth comparisons.

That’s all folks. Till next week! As usual, if you want to connect, just comment below or e-mail me :)

Pursuing a life well-lived

Here’s a funny story: Prior to working as a photographer, I wanted to work in Advertising. I loved the idea of it and worked hard to become a copywriter. I read many books on how to succeed in advertising, studied award-winning work and worked relentless on revisions for my copywriting assignments in school. I thought that by being the hardest worker in the room, I would become the most creative person. I managed to score good grades (A-/A) in most of my assignments but when it came to applying for my practicum internship, I got rejected by all 6 advertising agencies I wrote to. In the end, I finally managed to secure a position in a network agency – not as a copywriter but a strategy intern.

Not being able to do what I truly want, I eventually gave up on Advertising and became a photographer. I was already a part-time freelance photographer for about 4 years then, so the switch felt natural.

In the beginning, photography was just a job I enjoyed to make ends meet but as I delve deeper into it as an art form, I started to realise it’s a powerful medium of self-expression and, in a certain sense, a reflection of my life journey. My photos evolve with me as a person.

This realisation made me understand why I didn’t make it as an Advertiser. I was keeping my head down, doing revisions after revisions of copy but I wasn’t living life. Without real lived experiences, my work was bland and uninspiring.

At around the same time, I chanced upon photographer, writer, and podcast creator Rebecca Toh’s Litolabs podcast. The episode was about becoming a commercial photographer. I was expecting tips and tricks but I ended up taking away so much more. One thing that lingered with me was the the importance of letting my passions take the wheel when deciding my next creative endeavour. For someone who is obsessed with accomplishments and achievements, that podcast was liberating for me. It made me realise that life and art-making is more than just the end goal; it’s about enjoying the process of discovery.

Today, I see myself not just as a Photographer but a Creative who dabbles in many things outside of my main craft. Last year, I was involved in creating a National Day social media campaign using the Animal Crossing game. More recently, I’ve pitched for a film series on the craft beer scene in Singapore as a producer/director. I also discovered I’ve a penchant for writing. My commitment to write a blogpost every week is a manifestation of that.

Outside of Creative Work, I immerse myself in different things that I feel I would enjoy or value-add to my life. I’ve been into Bouldering and sampling local craft beers lately. I also spend time dating, in hopes of finding a suitable partner for life. It’s one of those things that brings you both immense joy and sadness. It is also an excellent teacher in helping you understand perspectives and your shortcomings.

I relish in experiencing the full gamut that life has got to give and actively make decisions to take me closer to that. To me that’s a life well-lived.

What’s yours?

- Matt