Kranji War Memorial

Peter, you've taken some truly excellent images of the cemetary. It reminds me of the American Cemetary at Cambridge, England. There are far too many such places around the globe.

Walker
 
Thanks very much guys. I got knocked over at CVUG and some chaps said the images are common, distracting, BS roll of snapshots etc. All I want is to show what the memorial looks like! I am so sorry to insult their artistic sensibility with my mediocrity. Would my work look better if I used Leica instead? :p
 
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Very nice work. I especially like "Their Name Liveth For Evermore I" and "Kranji War Memorial at Dusk" . Common? I don't think so, but hey, I get that complaint often enough too, so what do I know?

William
 
Peter I think these are a well-crafted record of the memorial. But they somehow don't hold the same interest level as the previous groups, especially the hospital. I think it's the absense of people in the shots, though I don't know how that could have been made to relate in the cemetary. Perhaps as interested visitors paying respects...
 
Doug said:
Peter I think these are a well-crafted record of the memorial. But they somehow don't hold the same interest level as the previous groups, especially the hospital. I think it's the absense of people in the shots, though I don't know how that could have been made to relate in the cemetary. Perhaps as interested visitors paying respects...
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You are absolutely right that people shots are more interesting. It is rather difficult to shoot people in the Memorial as it is in the middle of nowhere and the only time that there is anything interesting to shoot is during VJ Day memorial, which is out of bound to non-press. Perhaps my upcoming projects on self-mutilating Taoist mediums and gay community of Singapore be more interesting.
 
Thanks William and David and I am glad that you like some of the shots. Like I said before, it is just a record of the memorial.
 
wlewisiii said:
Very nice work. I especially like "Their Name Liveth For Evermore I" and "Kranji War Memorial at Dusk" . Common? I don't think so, but hey, I get that complaint often enough too, so what do I know?

William
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Maybe we should form Mediocre Photogs Anonymous and I think it is not too difficult to find a Patron Saint for the organisation. A scene from the great movie Amadeus came to mind now. At the end of that movie, Antonio Salieri was being wheeled to the washroom in the asylum. When he saw the other inmates of the mental institution he said: "Mediocrity everywhere, I absolve you!". :D
 
Peter

I think you made a good record of the memorial. I am always stunned, well more than usual, whenever I have visited war grave cemetaries at the absolute waste. Maybe having people in the photos would make it seem less desolate? As far as what others think about your choice of subject, who cares, so long as you are satisfied with it.

Bob
 
Thanks Bob. So it is the same with war cemetaries in US regarding the sense of loneliness? I guess you are right, since I do not shoot photos for a living, I am not subjected to the pressure of popular photography tastes.

A preview of the next gallery. It will be on Taoist mediums who invite deities to possess them. There are photos on self mutilation and blood. During the shoot I felt a bit dizzy and I am a nurse!
 
Peter, I just caught up to this thread and had a look. I don't know why you received hard treatment -- this is a well-documented photo essay on the memorial. Maybe more people would be nice, but if they're not there, they're not there ...

There is so much to be said for this kind of documentary. I once read about a photographer in a medium-size town who wandered about with his TLR and simply recorded everything in the town, including all the changes in stores, buildings, roads, etc. Everything taken in a very straightforward way, with a standard lens, with B&W film. In 50-100 yrs time, his photo archives will be sought after as a historical resource. Few of us will likely contribute as much to our communities with our photography ...

Gene
 
You know Gene, this is the third time that I got whacked over my photos since 2003! You are right about shooting mundane subjects as it is a visual record of the environment and also a record of the photographer's existence. Posterity sees history through the eyes of photographers.
 
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GeneW said:
I once read about a photographer in a medium-size town who wandered about with his TLR and simply recorded everything in the town, including all the changes in stores, buildings, roads, etc. Everything taken in a very straightforward way, with a standard lens, with B&W film. In 50-100 yrs time, his photo archives will be sought after as a historical resource. Few of us will likely contribute as much to our communities with our photography ...
Gene
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Gene, that's essentially what my father did for nearly 60 years. He recorded daily life in the county where I grew up. His efforts are now part of the Smithsonian Institute's Archives where approximately 120 of his photographs are on file for historians or anyone interested in a way of life that will never be seen again. Pop did this by almost always having a Leica IIIa with him. He used other cameras too but that IIIa was his constant companion.

Peter, FWIW, it's more important that you take pictures that satisfy YOU than it is to try and satisfy others. Non-constructive criticism is often just an expression of jealousy anyway. I like your pictures and think you've done a marvelous job of recording both the beauty and sadness of the cemetary.

Walker
 
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Thanks walker for your encouragement. Manolo, thanks for the information on Gunner Emblow and I have sent an e-mail to the Legion regarding the picture of his final resting place here in Singapore.

Gene, I never regard myself and my photographic work as art but rather a mean to record reality and culture. In fact, I am more into what Dr. Karen Nakamura and her colleagues are doing, Photoethnography. I do not understand art and I even failed art in high school!
 
doubs43 said:
Gene, that's essentially what my father did for nearly 60 years. He recorded daily life in the county where I grew up. His efforts are now part of the Smithsonian Institute's Archives where approximately 120 of his photographs are on file for historians or anyone interested in a way of life that will never be seen again. Pop did this by almost always having a Leica IIIa with him. He used other cameras too but that IIIa was his constant companion.
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Walker, that's so cool! That must also have been a strong influence on you.

What I find curious is that I've heard of no one recording and shooting the modern suburban environment -- as though it weren't worthy (and perhaps it isn't LOL). City and country always get shot. Where are the photographers of subtopia?? :D

Gene
 
Peter said:
Gene, I never regard myself and my photographic work as art but rather a mean to record reality and culture. In fact, I am more into what Dr. Karen Nakamura and her colleagues are doing, Photoethnography. I do not understand art and I even failed art in high school!
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Ah, you can't fool me Peter! I know an artist when I see one :D

Gene
 
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