Kong Meng San Temple - January 2026

Recently, I just want to grab my camera and went to places of peace and tranquil to capture moments, memories and just be in peace. I think its been a long while since I last visit Kong Meng San Temple, probably before Covid-19 period, and since I am free and have little gigs on hand, I decided to visit this temple to pray, to embrace the peace and capture images of its current state for memory keepsake.

Last time me and my parents will visit the temple almost every Vesak Day to pray and we will take bus from Bishan Bus Interchange to go there, but now, we have Bright Hill MRT Station from Thomson East-Coast Line which acts like a direct transport from the place I stay to the temple. By the way, I stay at Woodlands, so taking the brown line subway was actually a very convenient transport solution to Kong Meng San Temple.

After you alight at Bright Hill Station, head for exit 2, and you will probably walk for about 20 minutes, cutting through all the HDB areas and current major road construction nearby. I must say the sight of the nearby big constructions, underground drilling really disturb the tranquil and peace of the region…I wonder what project(s) is so important, which the government approves, to disturb the land surrounding this holy and peaceful place.

Anyway, here are the photos.

The Photoshoot That Brought Me Into This Industry

You won’t believe if I tell you I pick up my first professional camera on mid 2023 to document a once-in-a-lifetime reality tv show for memory keepsake, a few months after sharing those photos online, same year too, I started receiving messages from strangers requesting paid photoshoots from me for their events, and that’s how I started my professional photography career.

I may sound like bragging in my opening paragraph but I guess my flying start in this career was exchanged by early life hardship…After serving national service for 2 years, I couldn’t land a decent permanent job, I was in a cycle of temporary contracts for 5 years straight, total 6 jobs and few unsuccessful permanent roles which I quit within months due to very toxic environments.

Back to the main topic, this photoshoot was all about musician buskers in Singapore, called “Battle of the Buskers”. I had never heard of Singapore government or media raising awareness on busking to such level before but I thought this might be once in a lifetime reality tv show and may never happen again, partly afraid that the buzz wouldn’t last long and there might not be sequels because lack of local supports.

I, myself, is also a musician busker, I had applied but didn’t get in….I almost didn’t want to come down to support all the episodes of this reality show because of the fact that I didn’t get in and jealous of those who got in, I even thought I was slightly better than a few of the contestants but didn’t qualify due to lack of online fanbase. I was very jealous but I stop myself from thinking that and told myself I have to put those aside and come down to support local talents and document this event for keepsake.

So here’s the photos that got me into professional photography!

Haw Par Villa Trip - 10 Nov 2025

I always wanted to revisit the places I had been when I was a little boy, probably 20 years ago…yeah I’m an old youngster now haha! Recalling the spooky trip as a child to Haw Par Villa’s 10 courts of hell, there are sound effects which mimics souls screaming in pain from the punishments of their sins committed in the living world, blood and gore everywhere, you know like beheading, gorging out internal organs…ouch and a bit disgusted as well.

Now 20 years later, the place changed so much, no more entrance ticket to this iconic theme park, no more dragon head sculpture on the entrance, it has become a quiet and tranquil park which was a stark contrast to many years ago. Anyway, its a weekday which also explains the super quietness and I bought a ticket to visit the 10 Courts of Hell Museum for myself, and little did I know, when I enter the 10 Courts of Hell, I am really alone, no other visitors in this dark hellish museum….I feel I enter hell alone haha.

Here is the beginning of the 10 Courts of Hell!

Further exploring after exiting 10 Courts of Hell.