Discovering corners of the school – 2023 School Photography Competition

Jointly reported by:
Emily Kuok Yee Han Jr2Z(2)
Chloe Soh Ke Er Jr3Z(6)
Yee Sue Wei Sr1ScB

In conjunction with the Kuen Cheng 115th Anniversary, the 2023 School Photography Competition was held to provide a platform for talented photographers to explore the theme of school life through their lenses. Encapsulating striking visuals and compelling compositions, the winning pieces seek to convey different stories and illustrate the raw beauty of seemingly mundane moments. Journalists from the Kuen Cheng Newsletter Club were deeply honoured to learn from six of the winners about their inspirations and stories behind their captivating pieces that earned them recognition.

Six interviewees and their respective work:

Senior Category First Prize: Khoo Long Yik	Junior Category First Prize: Khor Kai Soon	Senior Category Third Prize: Tiffany Tan Qin Yu
Junior Category Third Prize: Lim Ian Jo	Senior Category Honourable Mention: Chen Jun Hao	Senior Category Honourable Mention: Lee Yu Rui

1. Tell us about what inspired you to take this picture.

Long Yik: “I was actually impressed by the students who were playing volleyball, as they were radiating vibrant energy. After all, the lively youthfulness is the quintessence of high school life.”

Kai Soon: “It usually rains during the afternoons in July this year. One Thursday after my weekly co-curricular activities, the rain had coincidentally stopped, and as I sat waiting for the school bus, this scene miraculously appeared before my eyes. I then casually decided to capture it in the lenses.”

Tiffany Tan: “As I was simply wandering about the school with my friends after our co-curricular activities, a puddle on the ground caught my attention. So I instantly brought out my camera, tilted the angles, and took a shot of it.”

Ian Jo: “This photo was casually taken by me after a tiring maths exam, sitting down and relaxing while waiting for the seniors‘ classes to be over. Being very weary, I looked up and saw the composition of the tree and its shadow. I felt that the tree might hold some hidden stories. The wind blowing across made the leaves rustle gently. The angle of the tree was coincidentally just right, so I took the picture of the tree using a wide-angle lens.”

Jun Hao: “Quick frankly, I wasn’t going for anything in particular as I was mostly experimenting with different styles. I was basically going about the school campus photographing various aspects of school life. Then I thought to myself, how can I turn something mundane and boring into something distinct and intriguing? ”

Yu Rui: “On a typical day after class, I saw a lonely figure of a student. I wanted to capture his lonely moment.”

2. What characterises your work? Which aspects of your picture are you most proud of? (ie the lighting, the dynamics, the composition..)

Long Yik: “There is no particular component that I’m more fond of. After all, it is a photo in which different components serve to convey different messages.”

Kai Soon: “My personal favourite is the exceptional reflecting effect produced by the puddle of water. If one were to look straight down, all one would see is an ordinary puddle; but if one chose to take a glance at it from a lower angle, one would discover that the puddle manages to reflect the entirety of the Block B building.”

Tiffany Tan: “For me, it’s the reflection, as it captures the school from an entirely different perspective in a distinct manner.”

Ian Jo: “I love the shade of the yellow withered leaves. The camera on my phone is connected to my Hasselblad to make the colour of the photos as close to the camera’s taken photo colour as possible to the naked eye. Nonetheless, in my opinion, the mood of the photographer is the most important thing when it comes to photographing, so I adjusted the colour of the leaves close to yellow withered leaves to express my tiredness from exams.”

Jun Hao: “I believe the simplicity of it makes it stand out. I would say that I am most proud of the fact that the water splashes are captured relatively clearly. The hand too, contrasts particularly well with the metal basin.”

3. What message/feeling/vibe did you intend to capture and convey in the picture?
Long Yik: “I wanted to capture the refreshing breeze of youthfulness in high school, in which the scene of students playing volleyball in the court best depicts.”

Kai Soon: “I think that if one would be willing to try looking at things from a different perspective, one would discover a rather unanticipated change in the scene before one’s eyes. To be honest, I’m not really a professional photographer, I just get this sense of impulse to capture stunning scenes when I come across them, as I believe that beauty is all around us— it’s just that we often overlook them unknowingly.”

Tiffany Tan: “Mostly to capture fragments of recollections from our experiences in school, and to engrave the special moments which make up our fleeting, yet beautifully momentous student life into our memories.”

Ian Jo: “I pass by this tree every day. One day, I found this tree to be very charming. I admired it for a few minutes. It was very tall. We don’t know how many students it has witnessed going to and from school, yet how much strong wind and rain it has been through. I felt that I was similar to this tree, no matter how many ups and downs I’ve been through, I still move forward. I think that photography can capture moments and convey emotions as well as feelings. ”

Jun Hao: “I intended to photograph something that was striking yet simple. I am of the belief that one should always ensure that their pictures are crisp and uncluttered as it is more appealing to the eye.”

Yu Rui: “No one is in a supporting role. After the storm comes a calm.”

4. What obstacles have you encountered while participating in this competition? And how would you describe the overall experience?

Long Yik: “I didn’t really face any issue. If I were to say, it would probably be the colour correction, because I fine-tuned it many times but couldn’t get it right, so I was quite perplexed. I also struggled to decide on which photo to submit.”

Kai Soon: “For me, the results of this competition were entirely unexpected— I had absolutely no idea that I would end up as one of the winners. Still, although I’m no professional photographer, I’m really glad that the picture I took got to be exhibited to a wider range of viewers. I would also like to express my gratitude to the school for granting all “KCians” such a priceless opportunity.”

Tiffany Tan: “I didn’t really face any difficulties. Overall, I think that this competition has been really effective in allowing students from Kuen Cheng High School to discover the many beautiful facets of the school compound which they might have been hitherto oblivious to.”

Ian Jo: “I didn’t encounter any problems as it was just a casual shot. Initially, I entered the competition with the mentality to gain experience.”

Jun Hao: “It was mostly a lack of direction at first as the scope of the competition encompasses various aspects of school life, thus bringing with it various types of photography. It was an excellent opportunity for me to express my interests as the scope of the competition provided me with tons of creative liberty.”

Yu Rui: “Since I only found out about this competition on the last day, I didn’t have time to take photos. I could only participate with my own casually taken photos from last year, so it was very limited and rarely matched the theme.”

5. Do you have any advice for future participants in photography competitions?
Long Yik: “The significance of photography competitions is not about the rank and prizes. It is merely a catalyst for you to enjoy the process of photography, and to vivify your interests.”

Kai Soon: “I think that even if photography may not be your strong suit, the most crucial thing is to dare to put yourself out there and display your work to the public. Who knows, you may end up achieving something astonishing.”

Tiffany Tan: “Just follow your instincts— as long as you are pleased with the shots, everything will work out fine!”

Ian Jo: “Taking pictures does not necessarily require the best equipment. As long as you practice every day, explore different settings, and analyze other pictures by other photographers to see what is attractive, you can get started in no time.”

Jun Hao: “My advice is that you shouldn’t be afraid of doing something that others deem unorthodox, such as photographing someone washing their hands. It is also advised that one familiarises themselves with their camera’s functionalities and quirks as it could be the difference between a perfectly shot photograph as opposed to an overexposed one. Photo editing too is an important skill as it further enhances the quality and potential of your work, you’d be surprised by how minor adjustments can affect a photo.”

Yu Rui: “Just follow your heart.”

Thus ends our interview with the top winners. We would like to sincerely thank them for granting us a deeper insight into their outstanding works, which undoubtedly inspire and remind us of all that makes Kuen Cheng High School distinctive and special to each of us in our memories and hearts. A hearty congratulations to all of the winners, and we hope to see more extraordinary pieces by them as they take a step further on their journeys of photography!