SINGAPORE - Photography enthusiasts were given the chance to learn the fundamentals of the art and apply their newfound skills to their mobile phone cameras.
On Saturday (June 23), more than 100 participants turned up at the Supply & Demand Bar @ Esplanade to take part in a photography masterclass where they were taught the basic rules and techniques of photography.
The Straits Times (ST) Deputy Tech Editor Trevor Tan and photojournalist Mark Cheong shared their expertise, teaching participants about the basic parts of a camera.
They were also coached on how to operate in different conditions, such as in low light, and learnt skills needed to take photos of a moving subject using a mobile phone.
"For a good photo, there should be context...a good photo on a phone camera should also make the best use of the available light," said Mr Cheong.
At the event, participants also learnt about the features of the Samsung S9 phones and were given the opportunity to snap photos with the device.
Mr M Devar Ganesan, a Samsung product trainer, shared some of the unique camera functions of the S9 phones, such as the dual aperture feature.
"The dual aperture lens works like the human eye - it automatically expands or shrinks between various lighting conditions to give you a clear photo whether in the day or at night," said Mr Ganesan. He added that it is currently the only phone camera in the market with the feature.
The masterclass was organised by ST in partnership with Samsung. It concluded the Samsung Galaxy S9 campaign which ran in ST.
The campaign included the weekly series themed "The Good That People Do", in which ST photojournalists captured moments of people doing good deeds using an S9 phone, as well as the nine-week long "After Dark Photo Challenge" in which participants challenged each other to take the best night shots at a particular location.
Registration for the masterclass was free and offered on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Mr James Kua, 50, who is self-employed, said that prior to the masterclass, he knew little about photography. But the sessions taught him how different elements affect the outcome of his photographs, especially lighting.
Mr Kua said: "In the past, I would just sit back and randomly take a picture, but now I will pay more attention the pictures I take."
