Wayne | Photographer

Still in complete shock—thrilled to share that I took home the Junior Winner title at the 10th Singapore Young Photographer Award (SYPA)! 📸🏆

Huge shoutout and heartfelt gratitude to @deck_sg @hongleongfoundation @camerarentalcentre.sg @nikonsg @scapesg @cdl_sustainability and @cdlsypa for providing such an incredible platform for young creatives. Programs like this make a world of difference for youth photographers trying to find their voice. Also thank you to @itece_photographyclub for always supporting me and always being behind my back and never giving up on me.

Here is the title and story behind this series:

*The Fabric of a Neighborhood*

Amid Singapore’s relentless rush, Chinatown’s everyday street rhythm is where home truly lingers for me. This series explores that fading energy through three lenses: still life, portraiture, and architecture. I started simply with ordinary pink plastic bags hanging off a window grille. Moving inside, I photographed the older generation keeping our raw heritage alive: the intense focus of a traditional tailor, a street cobbler under his umbrella, and the close-up details of a handmade Chinese instrument. I wanted to capture the quiet, unvarnished dignity of daily survival here, from a heritage cook over a steaming turtle soup pot to the fragile, outstretched hand of a blind tissue seller. My sequence ends looking up at the massive red block of People’s Park Complex. It stands as a giant structural anchor for these human stories, holding ground against a rapidly changing cityscape.

To everyone who supported me along the way, left a comment, or took the time to look at my work—thank you so much! It means the world. 🙏❤️