Watch: ICON de Martell Cordon Bleu 2013 Portfolios

After last night's opening of the ICON de Martell Cordon Bleu 2013, we can finally take a  look at the works of the various nominees! I have to admit to being biased towards friends, but it just so happens that Darren Soh, Sim Chiyin and Tan Ngiap Heng are the ones with the (to me at least) most compelling images.

Check out their multimedia portfolios here:

 

Nominated artist for ICON de MCB 2013.

Nominated artist for ICON de MCB 2013.

Nominated artist for ICON de MCB 2013.

Also nominated this year are a host of talented photographers and image makers like Ore Huying, Alecia Neo, Sarah Choo Jung, Dawn Ng and Liana Yang. Check out all their portfolio videos at the ICON de Martell Cordon Bleu YouTube channel!

Support: Image Makers

What makes a photographer tick? Do "the perfect shot" or "the decisive moment" exist? In this series of mini documentaries, we uncover the processes and motivations behind internationally renowned photographers from Singapore. Through interviews and reviews of their works, we attempt to get to the heart of the work and their approach to art creation.

Photographers love pictures, but photographers also love the backstory on pictures and to learn how differently other photographers work. 

While we've been busy looking at documentaries on the masters, we often forget that Singapore has their own elite set of visual documentarians and image makers. 

Photographer Tan Ngiap Heng together with Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film and production house The Creative Room shot three short documentaries in 2012 of prominent Singapore photographers Chow Chee Yong, Tay Kay Chin and John Clang in an effort to showcase the different styles and also as an educational tool to allow both aspiring and seasoned photographers to have an insight into the processes and motivations behind these individuals.

Now, after the success of these initial three videos, Image Makers plans to film six more documentaries, this time of local photographers Chua Soo Bin, Jerry Seh, Russel Wong, Darren Soh, Robert Zhao (Zhao Renhui) and Ho Hui May. With vastly different backgrounds and styles, this would definitely add on to give a more complete picture of Singapore photography.

Image Makers have created an indiegogo page to crowd source for funds to help make these documentaries a reality so please support them in whatever way you can.

Not sold on the idea? Then take the time to enjoy the first three documentaries and I am sure you will change your mind!

 

Learn about the craft and process of fine-art photographer Chow Chee Yong in a documentary directed by Pok Yue Weng. Chee Yong has participated in more than 30 solo and group exhibitions in galleries and museums in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and the US.

Learn about the craft and process of photographer/visual artist John Clang in a documentary directed by Kirsten Tan. John Clang is a photographer artist. His fascination with time, displacement and existentialism influence his work. His first exhibition, at 20 yrs old, was a duo-show at the controversial (and now defunct) Singapore art group 5th Passage Artists.

Learn about the craft and process of documentary photographer Tay Kay Chin in a documentary directed by Chen-Hsi Wong. Tay Kay Chin, a Singapore-based photographer, spent more than a decade in newspapers in Singapore and USA, and held positions from Photographer to Presentation editor.

So what are you waiting for? Support them HERE