“Yes? What is the matter?” she asked.

We went through the usual drill of introducing the Singapore Snaps Project to her and explained our intentions of collecting old photographs from the public to provide them with free digital copies. At that time, I was with a student volunteer going door-to-door on a photo-collection drive in Toa Payoh, the first neighbourhood to kick-off our art and community program.

“You’ll get all your photographs back with a DVD of its digital copies within 1 week at your doorstep,” my student partner chirped.

The lady warmed up to our presence and emerged more confidently from behind her door.

“But I don’t have any old photographs. My parents didn’t take any for me. They never cared,” she said with a straightforward tone. But in her eyes was a tinge of sadness.

Both of us were suddenly thrown off-guard by a gush of empathy. For a short while we did not know what to say. We learned that her name is “Serene” and we explained to her that if she is visiting the neighbourhood library where our booth was based, it would be nice to be able to chat again.

Serene thanked us courteously before she closed her door.

Days later, Serene paid a surprise visit to us at our booth. She brought with her an envelope which she held endearingly close to her chest. Sitting together with her on our seventies-fashioned sofa, she revealed three black-and-white photographs and three large colour photographs from the envelope. The black-and-white photographs were of her as a child with her mother, looking very blissful. The large colour photographs were taken in a studio, of Serene in her convocation gown clutching a certificate and looking accomplished.

Photo credit: Jasmine Chan

“These are the only photographs, I have (of myself) when I was young… I worked very hard to study and get to where I am now, so that I can live independently and prove myself,” she told us.

Even though we set a minimum of twenty photographs for a contribution (any lesser will be a toil on the logistics), we accepted her photographs with appreciation. Serene’s sincerity in supporting our project has certainly moved us. Her situation also made us think about the individuals who never had the luxury of photographs to document their personal histories.

As we met more residents, it turned out that Serene’s story was not a remote one. Another resident had explained to us how he never had any photographs because his family could not afford a camera. There was also an individual, who told us how he had lost his entire life of photographs because an ex-fiance had burnt all of them in a fit of anger. Having those photographs of their lives documented, would mean everything to these people.

Yet, an absence is a presence of meaning – that absence of photographs is also a reflection of one’s personal history.

Photo credit: Pearl Pang

On the other side of the coin, we met many generous contributors with cupboards full of photographs waiting to be digitised. We recalled a contributor handing us a huge luggage worth of her family’s old photographs. We explained to her upfront that there was a limit to what we could accept, but she insisted that we take everything. I still can recall sitting alone in the cold activity room in the top floor of a library, browsing through multiple stacks of photographs from that particular family. Their personal memories whizzed through my head visually. For three hours I went through their photographs, album by album, selecting images that would be valuable to them and the project. While I am certain that these memories are precious to the family, there was also an underlying sense of insignificance of these printed photographs – like clutter to be cleared.

Whilst some residents whom we met at their homes, readily lent us their photographs for the project, there were others who found their personal memories too precious to be placed in the hands of a stranger. Both ways, we understand and respect their choices. After all, photographs mean different things and have different values to everyone.

Written by Samantha Tio
Edited by Tan Wei Keong

The Singapore Snaps team were delighted to welcome the photography club students of Fairfield Methodist Secondary School to join us for 3 sessions of their photography club program with the initiation of their insightful teacher-in-charge, Mr Larry Loh.

Kicking off the program in the first week, participating students started off getting to know a little more about the value of old photographs and how to handle them with care. The project orientation session with the students on was held in the cozy activity room at Geylang East Library. The students’ knowledge on photography was wide, but it was one of the first time they had come into close contact with photographs created from the analog era. Some students had even brought their personal family photographs from home to share with the group.

Following which, we accompanied the students straight into the neighbouring blocks across the road from the library to begin the door-to-door photo collection. For many of the students it was their first time in a door-to-door community involvement program like this, but all of them certainly had the courage and tenacity. Most of them started out shy whilst a number of the students were very forth coming with introducing the project to the residents.

Gracie, Outreach Officer for Singapore Snaps with two students from FMSS Photography Club on our first day.

On the second session, the students continued going door-to-door speaking to the community. From the feedback session that we had with the students, disappointment from being unable to receive a single photograph from any resident was common:

“I felt pretty disappointed as we did not have a single contribution and most of the neighbours turned us down. (On what can be improved) Our communication skills. We need to improve on our mandarin (our mother tongue) and other dialects” – Hagen Li

The students recognised the value of being multilingual so they can communicate with more people in Singapore because of the diverse cultures here. Comfortable with a single language used amongst their families and friends, the students quickly realised the value of dialects in understanding people from the earlier generations.

But some of the students took the rejection in a very positive light. C.S Chan a student wrote:

“Through the collection of old photos and speaking to strangers publicly, I realised that photos are more than just memories. They are precious milestones (of individuals) in their golden years. Many were reluctant to offer (their photographs)… Perhaps that is how priceless the photos are to them.”

Chan also drew the connection between photography and biography in his reflection.

“One’s photography is another’s biography.”

Audrey, another student from the photography club gave us new insight to our project:

“I learned that stories are meant to be shared and the power of voicing our inner thoughts… This experience allowed me to treasure the community even more especially when there are so many stories waiting to be shared by them! Their fascinating stories bring Singapore’s past alive, so that us, the next generation could appreciate its beauty and see through its growth.”

One of the written reflections from the students of the FMSS Photography Club.

We were extremely heartened to receive handwritten reflections like these from the students. They were very honest and we were glad that this community involvement from the students were beyond simply achieving the project’s goals. The students took home with them new insights about the local community, and of themselves. The younger generation’s interest and participation are necessary and important for us because the observation and writing of history is a continuous task for us to gain insight of the present.

Singapore Snaps would like to thank the students of the Photography Club from Fairfield Methodist Secondary School and teacher-in-charge Mr Larry Loh. They had travelled far to join us and we have learned as much from them as they had during their journey with us.

All photo credits in this post are Chan Wen, Hagen Li and Larry Loh.

Written and edited by Samantha Tio

For this blog entry, we recollect one of the best days with a group of 12 volunteers joining us at Redhill. The participating volunteers were the staff of the Halogen Foundation, teamed together with students from CHIJ St Theresa’s Convent and Hwa Chong Institution. It was daunting, thinking how to coordinate 6 pairs of volunteers scattered in the neighbourhood, but we knew one thing for sure – that each of their participation will be unique with every resident they meet.

The volunteer experience at Singapore Snaps means a lot to us. We believe, for an individual who shares our vision and comes forward to work with us, every precious minute of their time counts. The best returns of volunteering will always be the learning and interaction in a social sphere where the public gathers to do good. Because of that, before we head out to the neighbourhoods to interact with the local residents, a warming-up briefing session with our volunteer team would be the key to a rewarding volunteer experience.

Each volunteer gets to introduce himself or herself in the quirkiest of ways – by recounting his or her first memory; the first thing you remember consciously. This is SG Snaps’ unique way in getting to know everyone better. This part of the session is always filled with comical moments that even the shyest volunteer would join the conversation and have a good laugh.

Simply because SG Snaps is one project which is interested in excavating memories, being acquainted with our volunteers means learning their memories too. First memories are significant to us, because it is intimate and it signifies the beginning of our consciousness as an individual. We also had the honour of some volunteers bringing their own photo albums to share with the group. Looking through old photographs is one definite way of knowing a person better.

Most certainly, the most important aspect of our briefing session is appreciating and handling the old photographs. We prepare our volunteers to receive the photographs in an array of formats – from the ones pasted into adhesive albums, to the ones inserted in sleeves or even piled up in loose sheets. SG Snaps team member and photographer Samantha Tio, shared with the student volunteers the technicalities of handling photographic prints. She also shared her views on why images created during the era of analog cameras are important and relevant to us even today.

The students started out with great energies, and with positive attitudes they had managed to encounter some amazing finds. During this particular door-to-door collection drive in Redhill, we found our first hand-coloured photographs. For many of the young participants, it was the first time seeing anything like that. Read more about studio portrait trends from the 1950s-80s in our previous post.

What was also remarkable about that photograph was the handwritten message on the back in Chinese characters in calligraphic style, dating and addressing the portrait to a beloved. The photograph was taken and developed in 1967, and was addressed to the sender’s aunt. We later noticed more photographs with such personal messages. It was a trend then, to give a copy of the photo with accompanying text to relatives and friends, just like a postcard.

One of our youngest volunteer, Edison recounts how he was so delighted when an elderly resident had invited his group into his house. He described the house to be filled with incredible antiques and the series of portraits that he had kindly contributed for the project seemed to be dated to the early 20th century.

Unfortunately not all the students managed to interest a resident to participate and contribute old photographs. Rejection is part of this learning process and it pushes us beyond of our comfort zones, humbling and motivating us continuously. We truly hope our volunteering students had learned beyond the textbooks, and benefited from their unconventional afternoon with Singapore Snaps.

Written by Samantha Tio

Edited by Tan Wei Keong

Photographs by Khee Shi Hui

SG Snaps team cannot be more grateful to all the students and individuals who have stepped forward to discover Singapore’s hidden historical tokens of photographs and personal narratives together with us.

Today, we would like to celebrate and congratulate two outstanding volunteers, Joshua Cheng and Ong Zhi Hong from Hwa Chong Institution, who made our collection drive a blast! Joshua and Zhi Hong, together with volunteers from other schools, had joined us at the various neighbourhoods to collect old photographs from the residents during their school break in June.

Here are what Joshua Cheng and Ong Zhi Hong have to say about their experiences:

Joshua Cheng

Relaxing at the Bukit Merah Library after a day of going door-to-door. Volunteers from the right – Cassia, Joshua, Charlton, Xin Ru & Gracie, our SG Snaps Team Member. Photo: SG Snaps

“Participating in this Singapore Snaps’ photo collection drive has been very enriching. During the June holidays, when my classmates were either playing games or studying, I am happy to be able to spend my time doing something meaningful by revisiting Singapore’s roots and learning about the past.

Being in one of Singapore oldest neighborhoods at Redhill and visiting the homes of the people living there has really helped me to appreciate how far Singapore has come in the last 50 years. Originally, I was a bit hesitant to go door-to-door to introduce the project and ask for old photo contributions. I am not an outgoing person by nature and had never done anything like this before. However, after the first few tries, it started to get better. Even though my volunteer partner and I met with rejections the first few times we approached a household, it was still very engaging to meet people of different characters living in Redhill.

The first time I had received a contribution was from an old Chinese lady living in one of the older blocks. Even though she had only contributed a few photos, there was a sense of accomplishment and achievement, especially since it was my first time  going house-to-house to ask for contributions. Most of the photos she contributed were photos taken in studios. It was very fascinating to see the different designs and decorations that studios added to frame the photos.”

Joshua helping Mdm Lim tag her photos at her home in Redhill. Photo: SG Snaps

“One of the most memorable moments that I had was when returning the contribution from a lady. She ran a drinks store in the nearby market and it was very interesting to listen to all her stories which are not just about her pictures, but also about her life experiences in general. I was glad that she was willing to take the time to share all her stories. ”

Volunteers Joshua (right standing) and Cassia (left standing) sharing stories with Mdm Lim (seated right) and family. Photo: SG Snaps

“These experiences from the Singapore Snaps photo-collection drive have really enriched my life and piqued my interest in learning more about Singapore’s heritage. I hope that I would be able to participate in similar activities in the future.”

Ong Zhi Hong

Zhi Hong with Mdm Lim Mui Tiang talking about the stories behind her photographs. Photo: SG Snaps

“While volunteering at Singapore Snaps, there was one memorable contributor that I had encountered. She was an old lady who has a brother involved in politics during the 60s-70s. She mentioned how her brother in the 1960s was from the same school I am in, Hwa Chong Institution. Her brother’s life story was really intriguing. It allowed me to view Singapore’s history from a different point of view, from outside of the textbook to understand and learn a more complete version of Singapore’s history.

Often I get rejected by residents who do not wish to share. Whenever I receive a contribution, there is a sense of accomplishment and it keeps me going on and stay hopeful to find more willing contributors. The interaction with people of different backgrounds have also enabled me to step out of my comfort zone.

No hard feelings – volunteers (from front), Hairul, Sean & Zhi Hong turn around after being rejected by a resident. Photo: SG Snaps

“I have learnt that memories may remain with us forever and photographs are important ways to keep those memories. Most of the times contributors would show us photographs of themselves when they were young. Photographs of outings with their family at places like Haw Par Villa are very common in the past. They get really happy talking about their childhood and it really made me realise how different their lives are then from ours now.”

A photograph together for keepsake! Commemorating our first day of collection with the volunteers. From right – Wei Keong, Alfred, Zhi Hong, Choon Pin, Samantha & Gracie. Photo: SG Snaps

“Today digital photographs are abundant unlike the analog ones in the past. It was just two decades ago that photographs are so precious and rare, that they are taken only on special occasions unlike now when people will take photos all the time. This fact serves as a reminder for me to constantly use the camera’s function to document my own life. I learnt that back in the old days, the less fortunate did not have the chance at photography. Now that I am given the chance to take photos so freely, I should not miss this opportunity and regret it later when looking back!”

Compiled by Samantha Tio

We strive to do this through door-to-door visits with the residents of the neighbouring HDB near the public library, where the team sets up the collection booth. With the involvement of student volunteers, the project connects the residents with students of a younger generation, and engage meaningful conversations about personal histories and memories.

For the past three weeks, we have been collecting photographs from the residents, who we got to know better by talking to them about their memories, of a moment in time of the stories they captured with their photographs. Students from Hwa Chong Institute and Hougang Secondary School, as well as friends who participated in this journey, have been making their rounds together in the Toa Payoh neighbourhood. The photographs and stories they collected are nothing short of intriguing, informing and in fact, unexpected.

Student volunteers arrive in the afternoons after school, or on weekends to visit the neighbourhood either in pairs, or in small groups. Prior to heading out, they are briefed on their introduction of themselves and the project to the residents, and having positive attitudes throughout the visit. Should a resident be interested in learning more about the project, and in the event that the resident wishes to participate, volunteers may be invited into the resident’s home. While accepting the photo contributions, volunteers are encouraged to be curious and inquisitive so Contributors are encouraged to share their personal stories in relation to the photographs at hand.

The student volunteer team from Singapore Snaps taking part in a slightly uncommon volunteering endeavour.

The corridors of our HDBs may look similar, but each home holds stories waiting to be discovered – These are the stories our volunteers get access to when a willing resident opens the doors to let them in.

When a Contributor submits his or her photographs, we take great care in ensuring that the photographs are kept in its original condition until they are returned. These are the steps that we take:

Step 1: We account for all the contributed photographs.

For each set of photographs collected, we have two types of calculations: 1) Total number of photos submitted 2) Of these, the total number of photos selected for scanning. This way, we ensure full accountability for the photos submitted.

Step 2: We protect the photographs and albums with bubble wrap.

Loose photographs and photo albums are wrapped in protective bubble wrap before delivering them to our professional scanning studio for digitising.

Step 3: We deliver the package personally for scanning. Once scanning completes, the SG Snaps team returns the original photographs and albums to the contributor, together with a free personalised DVD containing the digitised photos.

And that, folks, is what we do on a typical “workday” at SG Snaps. We have just finished our stint at the Toa Payoh library and will be at the Central Library and Bukit Merah library from 11 June onwards.

Thinking ahead, we wonder… how will the photographs collected at Bukit Merah differ from the contributions and stories in Toa Payoh? Will we see a greater variety of photographic types and content, or more similarities? How will our collections in Bukit Merah and Central Library shape the 3 animations? Join our journey, and we shall see!

Till then – Much Love & Be Well.

Writen by Annette