Hey guys,
Recap on last week’s critique, Mr Zhao mentioned that the fishery port and market photos I shot are more than enough, so he suggested to take a variety of professions to show different stories!
Before further ado, here’s my artist statement for this series:
“Before Dawn” is a photojournalistic series which consists of different professions that operates everyday in the wee hours of the night, while the city sleeps.
Little do we know, from dusk to dawn, the night workers are awake in the dead of the night, working hard and contributing to our society.
Fishmongers supplies fresh fishes to our supermarkets, coffeeshops provide our morning toast and coffee, and petrol station workers make sure our car tanks stay full even during the dead of the night.
As a 24-hour nation, the night workers are the heroes of the night, running our country smoothly while we are asleep, who are always around, yet hardly ever noticed and taken for granted.
This series is to raise awareness by sharing the stories of the night professions, and that we – the society, should appreciate them more.
During the long weekend, I managed to snap more shots for my series, and had like supper for 3 days straight as I was out during the night……… Anyhow, enjoy the photos!
Time Check: 2am, Petrol Kiosks
Have you guys forgotten that petrol station workers are working round-the-clock too? I feel that they always taken for granted. Who else helps us to fill up our tank in the dead of the night!? Oh and since I was there I had to feed my car too. Not forgetting the convenience stores at every Kiosks, a way to satisfy my hunger pangs.
Why are you washing your car at 2am in the morning???
Time Check: 2.30am, Macdonalds’
Not forgetting everyone’s go to supper place to have some mcwings and filet-o-fish! When in doubt, just Macs. The thing I noticed about our favourite fast food chain is that people takes the 24-hour service for granted, for example: we do not realize how the mcdelivery bikers and service team made it so accessible and easy it is to get the food at anywhere and anytime of the day.
Time Check: 2.45am, 7-11
Yes guys, I didn’t forget about our 7-11 store where we can purchase overpriced tidbits and drinks. I can’t imagine working on a night shift and how boring it must be as there won’t be a lot of customers in the night. It’s gonna be tough to stay awake.
Time Check: 3am, Holland V
Our local newspaper man who is delivering newspapers to shops at some ungodly hour and keeping us up-to-date to the rest of the world while we are sleeping.
Time Check: 4am, somewhere in Dunearn Road
Enroute to shoot some photos at a nearby hawker center and I caught this guy who is on the way to work! Or maybe he’s on the way back home?
Time Check: 4.30am, Bukit Timah Hawker Center
It was so early that the birds aren’t awake yet. I can’t imagine waking up at 3-4am in the morning to start prepping for the morning / lunch crowd and working till the late afternoon, or maybe even the night. Hawkers are so under-appreciated!
Oh and this hawker center sells amazing satay beehoon and hokkien mee #jacesays
Gotten eggs and kopi from this stall!
Verdict: Awesome coffee #jacesays
Got a plate of chee cheong fun from this auntie.
Verdict: Not enough light sauce 🙁 #jacesays
Time Check: 12-6am, Taxi Drivers
All I can say is, taxi uncles and aunties are amazing. They are basically your life saviours for rushing from Point A to B and dragging your drunk ass home while you may puke in their car. Cab drivers are often forgotten as they sort of blend with our “everyday life”, and people tend to forgot how taxing and tiring it is for them to work 12 hours day, driving all around Singapore.
There were like few cabs waiting to pick up passengers at like 3-4am in the morning, even though there really isn’t anyone there. How convenient can this get?
Time Check: 6am
I guess he’s really tired. Me too, time to knock out.
