Blog post #1 - Stories that inspire us

Posted by George Tan on 20th Oct 2023

I always felt that the most common thread which connects us all together, people from the past, present, and what we leave for the future, are the stories that we tell. They say that "a picture tells a thousand words", but I say it's only relevant if there are a thousand words to be told. I often reminisce the times when I was struggling to learn photography, drawing inspiration from others, learning the technical skills, often asking myself why it was such a struggle. It was then I realised how I had gotten everything back to front. Photos without context are just fleeting images, a brief distraction, something that captured the attention for a brief moment, and quickly pushed aside by the torrent of images that constantly fight for our attention. I've learnt that it is the story that matters most, and images complement the stories that we tell.

Presented in this online store is a carefully curated collection of images selected for their interesting compositions, unique situations, gritty textures, and insightful background information. Many of these images were captured during my work in explosive hazard management as an EOD* operator that brought me to far off armed-conflict affected areas, putting me face to face with a wide variety of explosive ordnance, IEDs**, as well as compelling stories of resilience & survival from ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances.

I hope you enjoy browsing my collection of insights and images, as much as I have enjoyed curating them just for you. Do check back often as I continue curating and adding more images to the website over time.

George

Note: Though I aspire to include as much context, information & facts as possible, some redaction is necessary to preserve confidentiality, for liability reasons, or at the request of photographed subjects/property owners.

*EOD - Explosive Ordnance Disposal | **IED - Improvised Explosive Device

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