The NDP Post-mortem

Today I learnt a new term – ‘kenna scooped’.
Which means basically that someone else working for another paper has got a newsworthy picture that u don’t of the same event both of u were at.

As we were running through the NDP features on all the papers we cld get hold of (namely ST, Zaobao and the Newpaper) and comparing notes, it was duly pointed out to me that 2 of them carried the shot of the spectators at Yishun forming the national flag.


Copyright: ST


The night before the “big” day, I was instructed to capture that, along with the fireworks, as they will likely only use 2 of my pictures and these were the main highlights of the celebration at Yishun.
And so that was my main mission – flag formation and fireworks.

I did keep that in mind the whole time I was out there…but what happened with the flag thingy was this: I ran up 2 blocks which I thought wld offer the best views and found that it wasn’t spectacular at all. The flag didn’t look impressive from above. It was messy (ppl everywhere); there were “lobangs” here and there and there were umbrellas; but most of all, the trees were blocking the crescent and the stars, which if u can’t clearly identify in the picture, wld render it pointless.


View from first block



View from second block


So I thought to myself to screw it and go spend my time working on getting other pictures.
Now how was I to know that the block much further away wld offer the desired angle?! Sheesh.

Ok, maybe I shd have checked it out before dismissing it altogether, but in my defense, there was only one of me and thus, I had to make a decision as to where I wanna position myself in the thick of action. Do I really wanna be up there and risk missing some big spontaneous moment on the ground for a picture which in my opinion can’t even make the cut?
So there u go.

Oh well.

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Just for the records, all of us agreed that Zaobao has got the best layout this time round. And ST it was said cld do much better. In the opinion of our senior photog, many of their pictures aren’t strong and can still get by only because they have the luxury of space (“if the picture ain’t good enough, blow it up big and ppl will still go ‘Wow’”). With their fireworks shots, he had even harsher words. After criticizing their lack of competence, he suggested ST shd seriously consider hiring clubsnappers to do the job in future. It was quite a bold statement but I didn’t think it was altogether uncalled for ‘cos if u look at their fireworks pixs in all honesty, they were in actual fact quite bad. Dun believe me, go check out clubsnap, then tell me if it ain't so.


Copyright:ST



Copyright:ST


All said however, I did really like this one picture that was featured:


Copyright:ST


So what did the senior photog think of it?
Well, he said it was just a standard salon shot. Nothing to go gaga over.

Ouch.