This is my Homage to fellow Kite Flyers. In my official talks to and casual conversations with young leaders and aspiring photographers, I have often said Photographers are like Kite Flyers. Our Prints and Images are our Kites, for the world to admire.
Dream Big – May the World be Your Showcase!
We ply our trade by flying our beautiful, spectacular Kites (Photo Prints) sky high (best case scenario) for the world to see. People will look up and see our Kites but they will not often look down to see who the Kite Flyer is.
But if your style of kite flying or style of your kite design is consistently impressive, who knows, one fine day spectators may follow the kite string downwards and see you.
One fine day after a long, fulfilling journey, the Kite Flyer will be more famous than the Kites he/she flies. Ask Jim Marshall, Bob Gruen, Mick Rock, Barry Feinstein, Annie Leibovitz and David LaChapelle. They are my mentors, I look up to them. It’s important to have mentors in your Life.
In the meantime, may you have tremendous fun in your craft of photography and enjoy the ride. Just like other professions in Life. Don’t even focus on the money if you are serious in ascending to the top of the mountain. If you are good, the money will come in heaps.
When I first stated on my rock photography journey, I had two disadvantages. First, I was already 44 years old, choosing to take the offramp from a lucrative corporate highway as a Senior Partner of an international management consulting firm. Second, I was based out in Singapore, not exactly at the epicentres of rock and roll, unlike New York, Los Angeles and London.
BUT I had to do what I HAD to do. My personal self-belief for my music photography was too great. I didn’t want to die wondering if my rock photography was world-class enough. The greatest regret people have in their last days is not doing the things they really desired to do rather than the things they did wrong. I made the leap of faith and am a deeply contented man – for having satisfied that Itch deep in my creative heart.
Straits Times Lifestyle segment on my Early Retyrement (above image) to explore “the Outer Frontiers of my Inner Calling”.
I am still in Singapore with my beloved family. I believe I will bloom even more if I am based in New York where the music action is. But nah, I love my family too much to make that move. On our deathbed, the one thing we do not wish for is to spend more time at the office.
My winning the Top Three Prizes for the 2006 Lucie Awards (Oscars of Photography) for Non-Professional Category (above image) was an encouraging sign that I was on the right chosen path. When I bumped into Annie Leibovitz in New York, I got her to sign on my awards page. Annie was also honoured at the same Lucie Awards ceremony.
So dear folks out there reading this blog – It’s Never Too Late To Pursue Your Dreams! Go For It!
(I did warn you many times that my Websight and Blogs are always encouraging! Haha.)
Front Page Article in business Times on my top three Lucie Award Wins (above image).
These days I have more white hairs than black ones. I am still enjoying my photography. I savour my role as a Mentor and being an Inspiration to the young and gung-ho photographers. Do read my Aspire, Perspire, Inspire trilogy blogs.
Moral of the story: Have Fun, Be Positive, Be Nice, Smile, Help and Encourage Others to Bloom and …
Shoot, Shoot, Shoot until your Style emerges!
Shoot as to please yourself and as if no one is looking at you. They probably are really not looking at you because they have their own shit to worry about. As I say, shoot until your personal Style emerges. If someone else likes it, awesome!. Keep going!
As a self-taught but deeply passionate music photographer, I’m honoured to be invited into the Family of Morrison Hotel Gallery esteemed rock photographers (above image).
The following images are the escapades of one lucky Kite Flyer (me) and the various configurations that the Kites (Images) might take, along my tireless, fun Journey. My images may end up on walls, posters, CD and DVD covers and artworks, concert passes, T-shirts, event backdrops, collectors’ homes, overseas books and record shops, advertisements, rock stars and bands’ official website and social media posts.
My framed Slash display at the legendary Sunset Marquis 1200 Bar (above image) where renown rock stars and rock bands hang out in Los Angeles.
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite (Beatles song), enjoy the various configurations of my Kites.
Me in my former Hideaway Gallery and Studio (above image). The giant Blondie and Slipknot canvas prints are seven feet in length, longer than me. Years ago, someone made me an order to buy my Gallery at an amount that I could not refuse.
Read my previous investment-themed blog – “Return On Image (ROI)”.
Huge Star Wars Darth Vader Backdrop Print (above image). The Backdrop Print is over twenty feet long.
Hanging a Big Framed Kite in the beautiful home of a Collector (above image).
Instant Photo Gifts (above image). From giant prints to small prints, whatever the happy occasion requires. I printed these instant gift to my spectrum buddies who posed for my portraits as a grateful gesture. Canon kindly sponsored the prints.
The various memorabilia that my rock images have been featured on (above image). Album and CD covers and art work, T-shirts, concert passes etc.
Slipknot’s “9:0 Live” double CD Album (above image) featuring my images of the individual band members covering 9 pages of album artwork.
I am honoured that my images are also featured in the albums (vinyls and CDs) of Beach Boys, Blondie and Kitaro.
Me with Beach Boys CD in Shibuya Record Shop (above image). One of the major thrills of being featured in Rock Stars or Band’s’ CDs or Memoirs is in your travels to overseas record shops or bookshops, your name might in the shelves somewhere.
Me caught in action about to capture the Beach Boys’ ‘Bowing’ image that would end up gracing the cover of the band’s 50th Anniversary Live CD cover (above image).
Me with Chris Stein’s (Blondie) Memoir in Bookshop Shop in New Zealand (above image).
Honoured to see my image of first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in Straits Times newspaper (above image).
Kitaro newspaper concert advertisement (above image). I was happily enjoying my breakfast when I came across this Kitaro newspaper advertisement (featuring my image of him!). Only then that I knew Kitaro was returning to Singapore for another sold-out concert.
Kitaro concert pass featuring my image of him (above image).
Me and my multi-talented buddy Kitaro-san with our Canon cameras (above image). We were joking that Size does matter.
Being interviewed on TV (above image).
Me and Steve Wozniak (Apple Computers co-founder in front of my Slipknot framed display at the Hard Rock Cafe (above image).
Chris Stein, Blondie in front of my Blondie print at Morrison Hotel Gallery, New York City (above image). During my solo rock photography exhibition.
My “Blondie In Woodstock Wilderness” image in Blondie’s “Panic Of Girls” vinyl album double-spread (above image). Kindly signed by all band members.
My double-spread Blondie image in Rolling Stone, Indonesia magazine (above image).
My Participation in Canon’s 2017 Photo Marathon (above image). The Woodstock of Photography.
Honoured to give a Talk to Young Leaders (above image). No podium!
Chris Stein’s “Under A Rock” memoir (above image). Honoured to be included in your memoir, Chris!
So far, my images are featured in Dame Olivia Newton-John’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” and Chris Stein’s “Under A Rock” memoirs.
Dame Olivia Newton-John’s “Don’t Stop Believin'”. As the “my matey” (her words) wrote, my image of her is in Page 327 of her memoir.
I am honoured that my image of Debbie Gibson will featured in her long-awaited memoir, “Eternally Electric”, to be released this September 9.
My ACCESS book (above image) in celebrating my 40th Anniversary of my rock photograph journey. You can say it is my Anthology Greatest Htts.album.
My Stack of ACCESS books (above image).
Honoured to see my Lady Gaga print in the shop front of the Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York City (above image).
My Wall at Hard Rock Cafe (above image).
A succinct Synopsis of my Journey in my Solo Rock Photography Exhibition organised by Flabslab in Singapore (above image).
My Solo Rock Photography Exhibition in Singapore (above image). Thanks, Jeffrey Koh. Hard Rock Cafe was co-sponsor.
My full-page Canon newspaper advertisement (above image).
Jim Marshall, the Shifu of Kite Flyers (above image).
Ian MacMillan gifting me his personal copy of the Beatles’ Abbey Road album (above image). Iain shot the iconic cover.
My fellow Kite Flyer, the legendary Bob Gruen in front of my Slash display (above image). He honoured me by attending my New York solo exhibition.
Me explaining to a Buddhist Monk the subtle Zen nuances of a Slipknot concert (above image). Kidding.
Roger “Mr. Tambourine Man” McGuin, the founder of The Byrds among my Kites in my Gallery (above image).
My Church Buddies in front of my Hard Rock Cafe Wall (above image).
My portrait of Shawn “Clown” Crahan is featured in his social media post (above image). This image is also featured in Slipknot’s “9:0 Live” double CD set.
Nice recognition from Jet official website (above image).
Me at Canon Headquarters for a Video Shoot (above image).
Me at my Alma Mater, with jubilant members of the Photography Club (above image).
A nice gesture Plaque for my Talk to Young Leaders (above image).
Giving back, passing it forward and encouraging others are crucial to advancing one’s Life.
Me waiting to capture more Images for my Kite portfolio (above image). To my left is my buddy Tommy Kessler, the lead guitarist for Blondie.
My fun music-themed USA authentic used Car License Plates (above image). Patiently collected over the years
AI-Generated Funko Toy Figure of Me (above image). Always great to have fun creative friends!
Get out there and have Fun Flying Your Amazing Kites and Blessing the World with your Creativity! I will be Looking Up Skywards!
One More Thing :
I want to shine a deserving tribute on the Railroad Photography of Phil Hastings.
I am now reading the above awesome book on Dr. Philip R. “Phil” Hasting’s (1925-1987) poignant railroad photography, written by Tony Reevy. Do read the enlightening book.
