Ian led a team of 3 member guides on 27 Sep 2025 on an enrichment program for OWN's (Our Wild Neighbours) volunteers. OWN wanted to introduce macro photography to its volunteers as approached NPSS for guidance.
OWN is a multi-stakeholder initiative launched in April 2022. It seeks to promote coexistence with wildlife in Singapore, empower members of the public with wildlife etiquette knowledge, and educate the public about ongoing rescue, rehabilitation and release efforts.
Most OWN volunteers are not photographers and new to macro photography. During the 2-hour photowalk at Hort Park, Ian and Jia Bao shared techniques and best practices in utilising smartphone and compact cameras to photograph macro subjects. This included the use of complementary gadgets and accessories to enhance the quality of photos taken.
The practical session was followed by Ian's workshop to further develop the field experience in a more controlled classroom setting. Various macro subjects were set-up for the participants to better grasp the imparted fundamentals like composition and lighting. In addition, interchangeable lens cameras with macro lenses were also made available to allow the participants to experience the differences between compact set-ups and dedicated macro photography rigs.
We also took the opportunity to share the society's values towards ethical nature photography in the form of guidelines when engaging with wildlife subjects out in the field.
A big thank-you to Ian, Jia Bao and OWN for organising the session!
Contributor: Ryan Tay, Editor: Benjamin Koh