Organised by Trybe with support from Humanistic Youth Centre and powered by National Youth Council, Lens of Identity is a six-week programme that gives youths a chance to learn photography as well as explore non-conventional career pathways. (Photo by Donn Tan)
Question: Growing up, what were your aspirations? Many of us would remember that moment in time when we discovered our interests or callings. It was a eureka moment that imbued us with a sense of purpose.
And for those of us who derive immense satisfaction and fulfilment from our work, our jobs form a huge part of our identities. That is why helping youths find their passions early on in their lives is pivotal, as it can give them a goal to strive towards and even bolster their confidence. A youth empowerment programme organised by Trybe Limited with support from Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre, and powered by National Youth Council, Lens of Identity (LOI) seeks to do just that, encouraging youths to utilise photography as a medium to explore non-conventional career pathways.
“Our vision is ‘Every Youth a Success Story’,” said Alison Chew, Assistant Senior Social Worker, Trybe. “Success can come in many different forms and definitions. In our work, we encounter youths who are unsure of all the different career possibilities. It seems so daunting as they try to discover themselves, what they can offer the world, and what the world can offer them.”
LOI taps on the reflective and immersive nature of photography as a medium to facilitate the youths’ exploration and engagement with professionals in the photography, exhibition, and other industries. As they capture details and moments of everyday work in different industries, they discover, learn and gain intimate knowledge about the ins and outs of these vocations. And this might just be the spark that leads to a bigger dream.
Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre was a natural fit as a partner as both entities are aligned when it comes to core values. “We both have the same hope for youths to stay true to themselves, overcome adversities, be part of a community, and to grow together,” added Alison.
Hsu Che Wei, Assistant Centre Manager of Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre, said, "We are always looking for new ways to introduce youths to different careers. One of our five pillars is Arts and Culture, where we transform our space into a stage for young talents to let their imagination run wild. The LOI programme is a great opportunity for us to rally young aspiring photographers, letting them host their very own photography exhibitions."
The inaugural edition ran once a week from 1 November to 6 December 2024. Throughout the six weeks, the participants acquired camera skills, visited an industry partner site — City Sprouts, Foreword Coffee, RDA Singapore, The Good Guys Barbershop and Xpressflower — to document behind-the-scenes operations, and eventually prepared for and hosted their very own photography exhibitions. Camera Rental Centre Singapore played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the programme, loaning a total of 15 pairs of DSLR cameras and lenses.
"Photography is about connecting with people"
The first batch of participants was a mix of youths from all walks of life as well as youths facing adversities. This was deliberate, allowing youths who may otherwise never cross paths in life a chance to not only socialise but also collaborate meaningfully on a project.
“It was a beautiful feeling to see how the common interest of photography brought youths from different groups together. They may be unique individuals with different tastes, perceptions, and philosophies. Yet, they have similarities in their questions, concerns, and anxieties. Through this process of learning, they connected with and supported each other,” said Alison.
The programme began with a crash course on photography fundamentals. Donn Tan Zheng Yu, Photographer at Tzu-Chi Foundation (Singapore), assumed the unenviable role of imparting his knowledge to the youths. He distilled the technical aspects of photography, from the exposure triangle of ISO, shutter speed and aperture to composition tips, into a 45-minute session. "It was really heartening to have all the participants listen intently to the presentation, even the portions that were quite dry. They asked many questions, and I felt their eagerness to learn," he said.
Donn (back row, middle) with the organising team from Trybe as well as facilitators from Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre. (Photo by Alden Boon)
Some participants were already budding photographers while others were greenhorns who had never handled a DSLR camera before. Many of them, having yet honed their skills, were naturally apprehensive, and worried about being unable to capture the images they had framed in their minds. But having been a commercial and wedding photographer for over 13 years, Donn knows firsthand that technical skills alone do not make a good photographer.
"At its core, photography is about connecting with people. While there is a need for photographers to have a strong foundation, when they embark on a never-ending quest to snap a technically perfect photo, their works may end up losing that touch of magic. What is more important is for the photos to have meaning. The magic we want the youths to share is their own viewpoints, their own sense of balance as well as aesthetics."
Heeding these words of wisdom and having been given absolute free rein, the youths began their first hands-on activity. They scoured Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre, which opens into the beautiful and serene Yishun Pond, and photographed interesting subjects that caught their eyes. The first session concluded with Donn giving them a review of the photos.
Putting their mettle to the test
Armed with their newly acquired knowledge, the participants headed to National Gallery Singapore the second week. Besides the chance to practise their skills, the excursion was meant to get them to take inspiration from different mediums of art. There, the gallery's docents took them on private tours where they were introduced to the paintings and installations of famed Southeast Asian artists, the creative souls who came before them.
Docents from National Gallery Singapore shared with the youths stories behind different art pieces. (Photo by Tan Shay Ching)
The youth participants also explored the historical building's architecture. (Photo by Tan Shay Ching)
The real test came during the third session when the youths set out with their respective group members and facilitators to visit their assigned industry partner sites. Their task was to use a collection of photos to craft a story, one that would invite viewers into the world of business operations. From Donn came an imperative: he urged the youths to capture a side of the business that only they would be able to.
The industry partners were gracious, giving the participants full access and freely sharing their motivations. The youths lapped up this rare opportunity, taking a multitude of photos and applying everything they had learnt thus far.
A display of resilience
By putting a camera in their hands and letting the youths assume an explorative role, the learning visit flips the typical field trip — where sharing tends to be one-way — on its head. It deepened engagement and gave them a sense of ownership.
The participants' fervent enthusiasm during the visits rubbed off on the facilitators as well as their hosts. In particular, one of the youths by the name of Cristopher* impressed his facilitator with his resilience. He encountered a technical issue: a battery-flat error message kept popping up on his camera screen, even though the battery was already fully charged. Swapping the battery with three spare ones did not resolve the issue. Rather oddly, he faced the same issue even after exchanging his camera body with his teammates.
However, the 16-year-old did not simply give up. He found that whenever he ejected the battery and slotted it back in, he had a very small window of opportunity to take photos before it died. By dint of ejecting and reinserting the battery, he completed his assignment, and was able to contribute to the joint exhibition. His facilitator praised his resourcefulness and can-do attitude.
Putting their works together
Over the next two sessions, the participants set aside their camera equipment and began preparation work for their exhibitions. Now the observers became the doers, becoming involved in the behind-the-scenes, not-so-glamourous operations of an exhibition. And while photography is very much an individualistic pursuit and expression, holding a joint exhibition compelled them to consider their teammates' opinions and creative input. As a team, they had to decide on the themes, photo selections and layouts as well as pen their project statements, all while keeping to a stipulated budget.
Then came the heavy lifting part: setting up their exhibitions. Following a demonstration by Donn, the youths gamely got down to work.
First, they sprayed adhesive all over their photography prints. (Photo by Alden Boon)
Gingerly they pasted the prints onto styrofoam boards. (Photo by Alden Boon)
Then, they trimmed off the excess of the boards. Afterwards, they attached plastic hooks to the back of the boards while following very specific dimensions. (Photo by Alden Boon) 
Using cable ties, they mounted their prints to the exhibition panels. (Photo by Alden Boon)
Slowly but surely, their exhibitions took shape. (Photo by Alden Boon)
The three-person team by the name of Blues, who visited The Good Guys Barbershop, said that they did not expect just how laborious the process of hosting an exhibition would be. As it was the participants' very first public exhibitions, they also had to deal with consternation. One of the members of the uniquely named Playboy Pink 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible, who was tasked with chronicling Xpressflower, shared in a reflection about confronting anxiety attacks during the launch day. Donn and the facilitators did their best to allay their fears.
Excitement at fever pitch
In a blink of an eye, six weeks passed and it was the launch of the very first LOI exhibition. In attendance were the Trybe team, facilitators as well as friends and family members of the youth participants. All the teams presented their works as well as artists' statements to a panel comprising Donn, Jason Tan, Operations Director from Camera Rental Centre, as well as Aaron and Zah from The Good Guys Barbershop.
The five teams' photography exhibitions were unveiled at Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre. (Photos by Donn Tan)
The group presentations were replete with insights. Team Photopuffs, who visited City Sprouts, used the example of earthworms — the unsung subterranean heroes that play a crucial role in helping vegetables flourish — to get the audience thinking about the things in life they took for granted.
Blue's Clues, made up of a trio of youths with a deep affinity for animals, was the right team for showcasing the horses and animals residing at RDA Singapore's premises. Through their photos, they hope to "evoke in viewers the same sense of wonder and appreciation" they felt, and to "inspire a deeper connection to the animal world and for others to recognise its irreplaceable value".
"I can feel the soul of the animals through the photos." – Jason Tan. (Photo by Blue's Clues)
Documenting the fruit of a farmer's labour at City Sprouts. (Photo by Photopuffs)
A glimpse into Foreword Coffee's operations. (Photo by Amber)
Portrait of Zah from The Good Guys Barbershop, a female barber making her strides in a traditionally male-dominated world. (Photo by Blues)
The panellists gave encouraging feedback and praised the youths' talents and attention to details. On the overall exhibition, Donn remarked: "Seeing the works they produced, and how they held their own team members to high standards, were very rewarding for me."
Besides teaching, Donn also held a dual responsibility of personally mentoring a group, who went by the name of Amber. “When Eric* first came in, he was apprehensive and uneasy. As the weeks rolled by, it was a joy to see how he came out of his shell. He was more relaxed. As for Jacob*, his transformation was even more stark. At first, he mostly kept to himself. By the time of the exhibition launch, he was much chattier and open about how he felt, freely sharing with me his nerves about the event.”
A personal breakthrough
It was not only the youth participants who underwent personal development. For Tan Shay Ching, Digital Content Creator at Tzu-Chi Foundation (Singapore), being a group facilitator marked her very first time assuming such a role. For this self-professed introvert, being thrust into a situation where she had to take care of young charges was absolutely daunting. "I was afraid of encountering generational communication barriers. As a self-taught amateur photographer, I was also worried I wouldn't be able to answer the participant's questions."
It was Shay Ching's first time taking on the role of a facilitator. (Photo by Alden Boon)
The days leading up to the third session where she had to bring her group to RDA Singapore all by herself, Shay Ching was riddled with stress. "I had to escort a group of young strangers to meet another bunch of strangers — all at a place I had never been before. And they would be speaking in English, a language I'm not proficient in." All the unknowns weighed heavily on her. To prepare herself for the task ahead, she played out different scenarios in her mind and anticipated how she would react to them.
During the car ride to the location, the unfamiliarity of the situation gnawed at her. Would the participants run amok? Adding to her anxiety was the heavy rain. "The moment we got out of the car, we were all drenched." Thankfully, the friendliness of the RDA Singapore staff put her at ease. The youths too showed enthusiasm for their works, lapping up every opportunity to snap photos.
Reflecting on her experience, Shay Ching said she had undergone a breakthrough. "In the past, I'd go all out to avoid social situations because I did not want to deal with the tension. Now, I think even if I don't enjoy a certain activity, I should still give it a go, and this is important especially if I am to achieve my goals in life. Thanks to my time as a facilitator, I think I have not only stepped out of my comfort zone but also expanded it."
A successful first run
Overall, Trybe and Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre are pleased with the outcome of LOI’s first run. “All the participants learnt something new,” said Alison. “Some gained technical skills while others gained greater awareness about their own abilities and interests. Some changed their perceptions and deepened their understandings of the job roles they documented. Some learnt they are more creative than they thought they were. LOI has no doubt been a small but significant part of their journeys to learn more about themselves and their places in the world.”
*Names have been changed to protect the participants' identities
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