Taken a couple of weekends ago… A passerby and her reflection among the pillars at Asia Square, Marina View. I liked how the polished surface seemed to open onto another space, giving a glimpse of a world within a world. Keeping her in colour adds a little warmth to the otherwise monochrome scene.
The last time I photographed this area was with Dad twenty years ago. Back then, I turned my lens towards the flourishing flower trade outside the temple. One of Dad’s photographs from that outing was later selected by SingPost to appear on a postage stamp in 2008.
Returning this time, during the same session that produced Faith and Fortune, I concentrated on the activity at the temple itself. Again, I used a slow shutter speed to let the movement of worshippers blur around a still point. With the frame set, I waited for the right moment. It came when a man in bright red stepped into the centre to offer incense, his shirt echoing the red drapery above.
In processing, I selectively enhanced some colours and desaturated others to draw attention to him. Amid the bustle, a moment of devotion holds still.
The morning after watching the NDP rehearsal fireworks from the rooftop of Andaz Singapore, I went for a walk around the hotel and looked back at Duo Towers. Among all those repeating windows and balconies, a brightly lit row of laundry caught my eye. I muted the colours in the rest of the photograph to let the clothes stand out, a cheerful little glimpse of everyday life against the vast facade.