You Learn

My colleague Don tells me that he cldn’t sleep well last night because he kept thinking ‘bout how his pictures were crap on one of his assignments and that he shd’ve done this and that instead to come up with something better. That really made him feel lousy.

So I replied “Well at least there was no basis of comparison or pictures elsewhere to rub it in ur face and remind u of ur failure.”

Trust me, it’s all familiar territory to me. I know what it’s like ‘cos twice this week, I hv been plagued by this same sentiment when I flipped through the Straits Times and saw what they’ve got of the same event I was assigned to cover.

Both times, I felt vexed. I felt outdone. I felt incompetent and a ‘lil bit of guilt. And though I didn’t think anyone wld pick up on it, those feelings just wldn’t go away. I cldn’t help questioning why it hadn’t cross my mind to capture a picture like that. Why didn’t I spot this angle and frame it in a similar manner?!

Then to console myself, I’ll start rationalizing that there were many photogs around and only one cld be standing at that very position taking that very picture. What more, it’s all chance in the sense that u’ve if u happen to hit upon the best angle at the right moment, then u’ve got ur picture.

But who am I kidding?!

If I were truly skillful enough, I wld’ve been that photographer. I wld’ve spotted that angle. And I wld’ve composed it just as well.
So there were really no excuses.

Now tell me if it ain’t so...

Event 1: Jack Neo’s One More Chance press conference at Changi Prison

My submission:



What ST published:



The moment I saw this picture, I felt like kicking myself 'cos I knew from the start to play with the converging lines of the railings, yet strangely enough, u dun see that in any of my pictures. Damnit!
This is what I've got for that same pose.



Why the hell I framed it vertically is beyond me!
Perhaps I've been too concerned abt including Henry Thia's slippers into the frame.

Event 2: The "Healthy Twist" workout at Far East Square

I submitted 3 pictures, of which this was used because they wanted to feature the mobile truck as well.



I personally thought that was little more than a record shot and wld've prefered this other 2 below.





But I was still generally satisfied with what I've got.
That is, until I saw Terence Tan's picture on ST the next day.



To be honest, I didn't think his' was exactly the kind of picture that wld blow ur mind away, but what gets to me is that it had another dimension to it - the targeted office crowd - which I'd fail to include in mine.
And that completes the story.