I’m busy with a week-long creative arts workshop this week, teaching bright-eyed and bushy-tailed students about photography. It’s pretty amazing to be in the same room with young people who are motivated, and even driven, soaking up every bit of knowledge I could send their way. I loved sharing my work, as well as showing them great photographs from great photographers—by way of photobooks—and seeing them soak in photography.

The energy level naturally waned after a long day, but there is an inexplicable satisfaction in seeing emails from them containing their initial edits come in long after their expected bedtime.

(I hope that last bit doesn’t get them into trouble.)

The workshop does not require my presence today, so I managed to meet up with a friend at my local coffeeshop, just catching up, exchanging stories, and of course, sharing work. He’s managed to radically change the direction of his work, and I have to say I was impressed with what he has been pushing himself to do. Also, congratulations on your album launch, Mingwei!

It’s a shame that a lot of photographers these days focus on things such as photo competitions (hah!), or how to achieve fame in the shortest time (double hah!), or even show their superiority by putting down other photographers. There is so much drama in the local photography scene that I’m glad I’m not that involved, even if I want to. I’m getting too old for this shit, and I’d rather be doing, and sharing, work. Isn’t that why we all get started in the first place? To explore our art, push our boundaries, working with others, and soaking in it all? 

I don’t have an answer. I can only keep on doing the work. And sharing them. So here you go, an art nude from a recent shoot with Ivory Flame. Not sure if it’ll go into the gallery, but it’s good enough (to me) to share. Have a gander.

Ivory Flame, Singapore, 2016. © 2016 Callan Tham. All rights reserved.

More soon. Meanwhile, back to work.