Landmark in the making
Photo of construction workers at Sports Hub is last week's Big Picture winner
A dead end led Mr Suhaimi Abdullah to a different perspective of the Singapore Sports Hub under construction.
While snapping photos of the sports centre for his own collection, the freelance photographer chanced upon a scene of workers at work.
From across barricades near the Kallang Tennis Centre, Mr Suhaimi waited for more than 30 minutes for the workers to be properly lined up before capturing this image.
He sent the photo in for last week's Big Picture contest theme, Made in Singapore, which sought out images of Singapore's industrial and manufacturing sector.
Said the 43-year-old: "The stadium... signifies something Made in Singapore. It is a very apt representation because it will be an international landmark for years to come."
Mr Suhaimi's photo was picked by two of last week's three judges to win the weekly $500 prize for the Big Picture, a year-long contest organised by The New Paper and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth to encourage Singaporeans to document everyday life in the city.
'BEAUTIFULLY FRAMED'
For judge Desmond Lim, it was a "beautifully framed picture".
"It's the kind of photograph which will draw the viewer in for a closer look, and its details make you stop and visually explore every inch of it," he said.
Also impressed was judge Edwin Koo, who said: "The lines make for an interesting composition and the message within can be very layered.
"(An) intriguing attempt to interpret the theme, (and it is) refreshing without being fawning."
The third judge, Mr Chong Jun Liang, picked Mr Hang Loo Ming's photo of the container terminal at Tanjong Pagar juxtaposed against the city skyline as his winning shot.
He explained: "Our ports and financial district have long been strong pillars of our economy.
"The HDB flats represent our citizens, which have been Singapore's strongest assets.
"This well-composed photo of the port, CBD and HDB flats fits the theme, Made in Singapore, perfectly."
To see the photos of last week's finalists, go to The Big Picture website at http://www2.tnp.sg/TheBigPicture
(An) intriguing attempt to interpret the theme, (and it is) refreshing without being fawning
- Judge Edwin Koo
THIS WEEK'S JUDGES
Desmond Lim, 31, joined The Straits Times as a photojournalist upon graduation from Nanyang Technological University's Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information in May 2007. One of his career highlights was the 2009 earthquake in Padang, West Sumatra, where he spent 10 days documenting the plight of victims.
Chong Jun Liang, 33, freelanced for The New Paper and wire agencies before becoming a staff photographer with Singapore Press Holdings Special Projects Unit in 2008, specialising in portraiture and feature photography.
Edwin Koo, 35, is an independent documentary photographer. His long-term projects examine the themes of human displacement and homelands, spanning topics as varied as Nepal's Maoist guerrillas and Pakistan's Swat Valley. He has published a photography book entitled "Paradise", which is now available in major bookstores.
WHAT'S NEXT
Show us the places and spaces that we all share in Singapore for the new fortnight-long contest theme of "Our Commons". The best picture wins $500! Each week's deadline is by midnight on Thursday.
Visit http://www2.tnp.sg/thebigpicture for full terms and conditions. Join our Facebook page, http://facebook.com/TheBigPictureContest, to find out the latest contest details, and to see the photos of each week's finalists and winners.
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