A principal’s fresh perspective
It has been a year of many ‘firsts’ for Ai Tong School Principal Wong Jia Wang. His first year as principal of the school, his first year participating in the OSOS contest, and his first year winning.
Mr Wong’s entry this year was inspired by his walkabouts as the new principal. “I really enjoy these moments, as I feel the school’s atmosphere and the energy of our students and staff,” he says.
The photographs were taken over a few days, capturing various PE lessons and classroom activities, like rehearsing for plays. “These photos remind me of how much effort our teachers put into their work, and I often share these images with my colleagues to uplift their spirits and affirm the good work they’re doing.”
Although he owns a DSLR camera, Mr Wong used his phone to capture the photographs – in the spirit of spontaneity. “The best camera is the one you have with you,” he muses. “It is less intrusive especially when I’m interacting with the students, and it makes processing and saving the photos much easier too.”
To Mr Wong, photography is about telling a story. “A good photo has a focus and connects the viewer to the moment. Look for the small details and the interactions between people. Those are what make the moment special.”
Often, it starts with his own reaction to the moment. “I don’t capture photographs for the sake of posting it on social media or publications, but rather about recording something that resonates with me,” he says.
“Sometimes I will think about sharing the moment with colleagues or using the image in a presentation, but it is primarily about what message I want to convey. There’s so much happening during my walkabouts, and I try to capture moments that tell a story or highlight something special I have observed.”
The joys and wonder of childhood
Ms Shirley Cheng, Level Coordinator at MOE Kindergarten @ Temasek, is no stranger to the OSOS contest. She won the ‘Best Photo Story’ under the ‘Priceless Moments’ theme in the 2023 edition and received ‘Best Photo Story’ and “Honourable Mentions’ in 2024 for the ‘World of Possibilities’ theme and the video theme, “What I Go to School For” respectively.
Her secret to success?
“If you do not enjoy what you’re capturing, it will be hard to capture the right feeling.”
Ms Cheng’s interest in photography began with a simple personal desire: to take better pictures of her own children.
Teaching at a kindergarten gave her more opportunities to refine her skills and practice. Through capturing the daily moments of school life — whether it was children engaged in activities or candid interactions between teachers and students — her passion grew.
She is also a member of the school’s publicity team.
“Our Centre Head enrolled all of us in a Photography and Videography course, and we had to submit an ‘assignment’ applying what we learnt,” recalls Ms Cheng. “They liked my work, so I became part of the publicity team, capturing photographs and videos for the school.”
What began by chance turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it brought to light her passion and talent for photography.
Ms Cheng’s entry reflects her own beliefs on education, as she looked for moments to photograph. “Personally, I believe in preparing children not just academically but for life, so I looked for moments that reflected holistic development, such as expressions and moments that showed the child’s curiosity and joy.”
The children’s reactions to her photographs, which are taken on her phone, are just as rewarding. “They get excited when they see and reflect on the year’s events, and with that, their own growth.”
Ms Cheng is planning to share tips and tricks with her colleagues on how to capture photographs, but her most important tip? “Have fun and don’t overthink it,” she says. “Focus on the subject or story you want to tell, and remember that even a seemingly uninteresting photo can reveal its meaning if you zoom in or crop it in a certain way.”
The accidental portrait photographer
For Mr Law Nan Jun, Tanjong Katong Girls’ School’s ICT manager who also takes photographs at school events, photography is a way to preserve cherished memories. With seven years of experience primarily in landscape and drone work, portrait photography was a new challenge for him when he was tasked to document school events.
“There were definitely some challenges adjusting to portrait photography,” Mr Law reflects. However, he found some similarities between capturing school life and what he was accustomed to. “I prefer taking candid, natural shots rather than posed ones,” he says. “I might be more camera-shy – the students are quite friendly and eager to pose, which helps! The more photographs I take, the more comfortable I get.”
One of his favourite images in his entry was the shot of students on a track with their teacher, blends both landscape and portrait elements – showcasing not just the scene and scale, but the relationship between teachers and students.
“I wanted to bring across that teaching doesn’t just happen in the classroom. School events like the Sports Carnival are when teachers and students come together as equals and work as a team, rather than maintaining a strict hierarchy,” he muses.
Mr Law also acts an informal advisor to the school’s student photographers at school events. “When they cover school events and I see students who might be struggling to find angles, I will offer some guidance.”
His approach to photography has always been hands-on. “I rely mostly on trial and error. I do read books and follow photography pages on Instagram for inspiration,” he says. “But more importantly, do not be afraid to take bad photographs. We learn from them, and that is how we improve.”
See the winning entries (and more!) of the “Our Schools, Our Stories” Photo & Video Contest exhibited at 6 locations from October 2024 to February 2025:
– The Frontier Community Club
22 October to 3 November 2024
– Woodlands Civic Centre
4 November to 17 November 2024
– Northshore Plaza
18 November to 1 December 2024
– MOE Heritage Centre
2 December 2024 to 5 January 2025
– Heartbeat @ Bedok
6 January to 19 January 2025
– MOE HQ Buona Vista
20 January to 2 February 2025
Check out the awesome school stories on display, and be inspired to snap some Instagram-worthy shots!
Our Schools, Our Stories (OSOS) is an annual event by the Ministry of Education that brings to life the vibrant stories unfolding in Singapore’s schools, through photographs and videos captured by our students and educators.
For more information about “Our Schools, Our Stories”, visit www.moe.gov.sg/osos.
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