Installation artwork, Singapore General Hospital.
To me a visit to the hospital has always been a time of sadness or fear. But I guess that at least once in everyone's life, a visit to the hospital will be a time of happines and rejoicing. This artwork in the SGH O&G ward reflects that time of hope amidst the ongoing battle against mortality.
Elsewhere:
Raul Gutierrez of Mexican Pictures takes inspiring condid portraits while on his travels through remote regions. An interview at 2point8 discusses Raul's technique for getting these shots - take out the camera only when you are ready to leave.
It's encouraging to think that being a friendlier, more considerate person, improves your photography. This is a technique I know I would benefit from practicing.
8 comments:
whoa! i really like this shot - it just speaks singapore to me in volumes....the plastic flowers, colours, molded walls, and the rather nonchalant uncle who is still in a rush to be somewhere all the time...
there's just something so lonely amidst the articificiality here, something so human.
Thank you Kiampa. I've been trying to get my photo's to work on an emotional level instead of being only a visual composition.
I think its great if a pic can connect emotionally with the viewer.
some of my favourite photos are those which invite an emotional + thought-provoking response despite themselves being rooted in a rather unsentimental portrayal of a specific reality. there's a chinese artist who's been taking incredible burtynsky-sque landscape shots of china's urban upheavals that's a good example of this...(helps to have a large format camera too!)...i think you'll may like his style as well.
http://homepage.mac.com/szetsungleong/cities_index.htm
Kiampa, thanks for the link. Seen collectively, those landscape shots do have quite an impact. I must say that approach does simplify the compositional choices :-)
It's like the hospital wants to convey that sense of hope in patients and their loved ones - sickness can rob you of physical health but it cannot take away your spirit and will to live. So live on bravely. Fight the good fight and you'll find that life is still worth living and the world is still a beautiful place at the end of the day.
Photos that connect at an emotional level is difficult to achieve.
Nanie, yes, connecting emotionally is difficult. It is something to strive for I think. Anyway it's much easier just to post a pretty picture :-)
I wouldn't know that's a hospital if you didn't mention. perhaps waiting for nurse or patient to walk pass before pressing the shutter sounds a better idea?
>> take out the camera only when you >> are ready to leave.
i totally agree with this especially in street photography. in my own interpretation, it means you have established enough "emotion contact" with your subject to put them at ease before attempting taking photographs.
but again, this is general. it depends on places, cultures. rural villagers tends to be curious & willing if you show that your gadgets first.
while city folks may like to "know you" more before you attempt photographing on them. otherwise, the moment they see your camera, they will shy away from you.
keep on shooting! cheers! :)
Slurp, that's a very good idea, thanks. I do have a shot with a patient in a wheelchair but the angles weren't right. Will have to try this again if I get a chance.
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