Sometimes to learn is to unlearn.....

For me photography its about sharing......of our experiences and of our knowledge.

Coz photography comes from everything...from our surroundings, the environment where we live in. I was trained formally by a Japanese Pro photographer for almost 4+ years in landscape and portraiture. But the first year I was only carrying his gears and stuff....never was I let to touch his camera. Coz for Japanese ppl, they believed that everything has a soul....and should be respected. Only on the 2nd year did he allow me to hold a reflector.

I once asked him.....how did he manage to get his 'photographic eye'....he never answered. It bugged me....A LOT! I pestered him.....and still he didn't budge.

Only later.....and after much later, when I gave up...did he whispered to me...and said....the eye wasn't there by its own. It is the accumulation of years and years of his life experiences....his trials n tribulations. All of that then translated into his photos....bcoz of that he then became sensitive to his surroundings.....

Photography is not about US....its about others....about giving...the ability to see what others can't....and sharing it with them. That's photography to HIM....

I was stunned for words.

It was almost 15 years ago today....and I still remembered what he has taught me.....about giving....UNSELFISHLY!

Sometimes we tend to forget....we always thought that everyone owe us everything. But we are wrong.....its the other way around. Sometimes we want everything to be ABOUT us......well its NOT!

Yes I've won 4 times portraiture awards before...local and overseas.....but for me its not about who we are....or what we have achieved......its about meeting new people and sharing.

Learning will never stop for me........

Coz sometimes to learn is to unlearn......only then one will understand.