So, what exactly are DSLR cameras?

DSLR cameras – otherwise known as Digital Single Lens Reflex- is the type of cameras that most professional photographers use as compared to a Point-and-Shoot (PnS) camera. So, are DSLR cameras better than PnS cameras? Personally, I will say yes and no. Below are some disadvantages and advantages of DSLR cameras (I understand that this is not Photo IG, but it will be good to know as it will help you immensely in your editorial work):

Disadvantages: DSLR Camera

• It’s heavy: DSLR cameras are heavy. It is not for people who wish to travel light. Most of you probably wouldn’t pack a DSLR when travelling hundreds of miles, although travellers who love travel photography wouldn’t mind clocking miles with a DSLR, due to some advantages, which we will discuss below.
• It’s costly: DSLR camera – on the whole- is not cheap. In recent years, this has been changing, with prices dropping gradually. In fact, the technologies of conventional PnS and DSLR cameras are converging for some brands, which make DSLR affordable. Even then, the price is still considered quite steep for most brands.
• “Live-view” function: All if not most PnS camera users have the luxury of having a “live-view” function on your cameras. What does “live-view” mean? It refers to the little screen that you see at the back of the camera when taking photos, such that camera users need not manually look through the view-finders in their cameras when taking photos. Do note that some DSLR photographers prefer to snap shots using the view-finder over the “live-view” function and of course, they love the shutter sound, which is often absent in PnS cameras but makes photo-taking so satisfying.
• It’s complicated: DSLR cameras have some complicated (but interesting) functions and  features, such as sophisticated ISO settings, aperture adjustments, shutter speed, depth of field (DOF), white colour balance, different lens, multiple accessories (which includes the classic tripod] and tons of stuff that will scare any new photographers away. Personally, I will advise all of you not to worry about this, since most DSLR camera have specific functions for specific purposes (e.g. “Portrait” mode, “Nature” mode, “Sports” mode etc). However, if you really want to learn photography, I will recommend the ”Manual” mode. When we use this mode, we will make lots of mistakes and experience lots of disappointments. But this is the natural cycle of learning photography, as in most things in life. Having said that, do use selected modes when capturing photos for events as we usually do not have the time to make the appropriate adjustments using the “Manual” mode to increase the photo’s aesthetics value.
• Sensor dust: Since most DSLR cameras allow the use of various lenses, constant change of lens is the norm for DSLR photographers. However, in the midst of changing the lenses, the interior circuitry of the DSLR camera is usually exposed, thus providing opportunities for dust to seep in. Over time, DSLR photographers will find that there are “spots” in their images, which can only be removed using image editing programs or a more effective solution will be sending your camera for regular servicing and maintenance.

Now, we have reached the interesting segment:

Advantages: DSLR camera

• Wide variety of lenses: Unlike PnS cameras, DSLR cameras enable its users to select and change the lenses of their preferences. Most DSLR cameras have a wide range of lenses, ranging from zoom lenses to telephoto lenses to prime lenses to wide-angle lenses to macro lenses. This increases the flexibility of DSLR photographers when it comes to capturing images and allows these photographers to take more creative shots. To illustrate my point, take a photo of a printed piece of patterned paper using a PnS camera at very close range. You will probably get a very blurred shot. You will probably not see the patterns clearly. Now if you use the right lens (in this case, a macro lens) with a DSLR camera, you will get a very clear shot, and you can see the patterns clearly.
•  High-resolution image: Images captured by DSLR cameras usually have very high resolution. Usually, you should be able to develop up to at least A3 in size. Of course, there are variations, depending on the lens and the megapixels of the camera.
• Images are captured instantaneously: Personally, I feel that this is the best edge that DSLR cameras have over PnS cameras. DSLR cameras capture images once the button is clicked. For PnS cameras, there is a few seconds’ lag time. Most PnS camera instruction manuals will recommend pressing the button halfway for the camera to self-focus before pressing the button fully for the shot. This takes time and if you are an enthusiast of portraiture photography, the expression on the subject’s face that you want to capture would have been lost by then. DSLR cameras provide the advantage of the instant capturing of images with all adjustments made. DSLR also has something known as “FPS”, which basically means Frames per Second (FPS). This refers to the number of shots that a DSLR camera can take within a second, which usually range between 3-10 FPS. This is useful when capturing “in-the-moment” shots and sports. 
• More control: Remember that one of the disadvantages of DSLR cameras is their complexity in their functions as mentioned above? We can see this in a more positive light. While it takes time to master all the functions and features of a DSLR camera (yes, the learning curve is steep initially), I will advise that you make the effort to learn them well, since mastering these aspects of DSLR cameras gives you more control over photography. PnS cameras may beat DSLR cameras in terms of convenience and user friendliness but they will probably never beat DSLR cameras in terms of control. If you are an aspiring photographer who want to go professional, it will be great to get a DSLR camera and use it on “Manual” mode. Of course, PnS is still the preferred choices of most consumers primarily due to the ease of us and convenience.
• Stronger flash:  PnS cameras come equipped with a fixed flash. Try taking a shot of the buildings from across the street during any festive seasons in the late evening and you will see the limitations of the fixed flash. Try capturing images of performances on stage with a PnS camera and you will see similar limitations. DSLR cameras come equipped with a flash but it’s not strong either. But, for DSLR cameras, you are able to fix a bigger flash (in recent years, flashes are going remote as well, but for a higher price, of course) that is able to capture the night scenes well. This makes all the differences.

Still curious about the advantages and disadvantages of PnS cameras and DSLR cameras? Then it will be good to read an article by clicking here. I find it to be a very well-written piece.

All right, below are three more photos that might be of interest to you:

• Francisco Gonzalez Carbonell’s “Entre Amigos” (Please click here for the image):  Remember the times when you are taking photos of someone but the sun is behind the person, and thus their faces are in the shadows? Most photographers consider this as a mistake. But this photo informs us otherwise. Through the use of silhouettes, a photo can stand out as well.  This technique is useful when the identities of the subjects are not important or obvious, but the outlines tell us something. As photographers, we can make use of silhouttes to juxtapose the outline of the subjects with the skyline, as shown in this photo. However, it is important to note that the background colour must contrast strongly with black (which is the colour of the silhouette).  In this case, the photo works because black contrasts strongly with orange. If the sky is grey in colour, there may be an issue.  This photo will probably not stand out in this case. If this photo is in black and white, it will probably not look good as well. 

Situations when the use of silhouttes is useful:

ü  When the identity/facial features of the subject(s) is not important

ü  When the outlines of the subjects are important in the visual message that you are giving your viewers. For instance, it can be observed that the outlines of the three individuals in the photo “Entre Amigos” indicates a man, a lady and an unidentified figure when seen from left to right.  However, viewers should be able to interpret these individuals as a family watching the sunset. Being right when interpreting a photo is not important. What’s important is the fact that through the use of silhouttes, the photographer is given his or her viewers an opportunity to interpret it. This is important.

ü  When brightness contrasts strongly with darkness/shadows.

ü  When you want to project mysteriousness. Remember how frightening it is to watch movies where characters are seen shrouded in shadows? You can also use this technique to create a certain serious/sombre mood for the image.

• Eugenio Eugenio’s Photo (Please click here for the image):  Sometimes, it’s good to place a subject of interest in the focus while shooting a picture, as shown in this image. It can be anything. While this photographer positions himself in a kind of container while taking this shot, it need not always be the case, as illustrated by this photo here (where the front of a boat is used in the foreground instead).

Putting an object of interest in the foreground is useful for the following reasons:

ü  Emphasis on the object of interest in the foreground

ü  Relating the object in the foreground to the objects of interest further away (as shown in this image here). What message is this photographer trying to tell his/her viewers?

ü  It creates a “first-person” perspective on the viewers, thus bringing the existence of the photographer into the viewers’ awareness. This photo-taking technique is useful to photographers when they wish to put the viewer into a particular scenario. In this example, when you look at the first photo, you will experienced a somewhat claustrophobic feel while for the second photo, you will feel as if you are in the boat with the photo, following the boat in front of you. In another words, this photo-taking technique actually adds a sense of realism to what you are seeing. Another example will be Thibault Gregoire’s “smiling sunday” here, where viewers almost experienced the same emotional intensity as the photographer as the boy rush towards him/her with delight and exhilaration.

• Eugenio Eugenio’s Photo (Please click here for the image): Another technique often employed by photographers is what I call the “tunnel” technique, whereby the left and right border of the frame is occupied by some architectural structures, with the top frame often being covered as well. This photo-taking technique seeks to draw the viewers’ attention and focus within the confined space in the middle of the frame, as shown in this photo. When one looks at the photo it almost seems that there is a distance that goes way beyond the photo, as if we are able to walk right into it. To photographers, this is known as adding “depth” to the picture. Do note that this photo also plays with light and shadows, and displays a stark contrast of dilapidation against modernity.

We can often see this technique being employed on singer’s/band’s albums where the singers/artistes are often seen standing, sitting, squatting against the side of a wall, alternating between the left and right, between the foreground, “middle ground” and background. Thus, this photo-taking technique breaks the image into 3 planes of reference: in front, middle and at the back, this placing more emphasis on the distance.

Exercise 1 (Silhouettes): All right, now is the time for some practice. Try to capture objects of your interest in shadows with bright backdrops. Experiment with the effects and see what happens. Which is the best angle? Why? Can you achieve the same effect with another shot using the technique that you have identified earlier? Now, try capturing the silhouettes of people. What happen? Does it work? What do the outlines of the people tell you?

Exercise 2 (Observing cinematography in movies): Now, I will like you to watch movies. And when you watch movies the next time, observe the cinematography, which is defined as “the art or technique of movie photography, including both the shooting and development of the film” by theFreeDictionary.com While most of us have the tendency to draw a line between video and photography, this is a wrong thing to do. Photography is merely a stilled image of a video, yes? I believe this is how movie stills which are often used for publicity are created.

So, watch more movies and observe – not the entire but specific scenes – which you may find memorable. Watch these specific scenes repetitively. What makes them memorable to you? Movie posters are also a good source of inspiration for photography, although most of them have been edited. You can click here for some examples of movie posters. Click on this movie poster here.

Exercise 3 (Placing object(s) in the foreground): Try practising taking images while placing objects in the foreground. You can even try snapping pictures through hollow containers and behind tree trunks. Experiment with the angles and determine how much space within a single frame that you want the object in the foreground to take.  Try taking various images and have fun! Examine the photos afterwards and see if pictures interest you more. It will be good to ask yourself why this is so.

Exercise 4 (Tunnel Concept): Try to capture pictures within a confined space on the left and right frame (with the top covered as well, preferably). You can also experiment with light and shadow here. Maybe the tunnel in the middle of the frame is dark while the outside is bright, like this (Giuseppe Pasquali’s “Crossing the Bridge (Venice – Ponte della Paglia)”) and this (Giuseppe Pasquali’s “(Nuovo) Cinema Paradiso – San Pietro”). 

Exercise 5 (Interior Structures): Practice taking photos of the interior of architectural structures. It is often dark inside and bright outside. What angle and images can you capture that will create an impact on your viewers. Are you able to send a message to your viewers with just one photo while evoking their emotions? If you are able to master this, you will have already mastered the art of photojournalism.

Some photography Tips:

• Always charge your batteries the day before the photo shoot
• Always format your CF card/ Memory stick etc before every photo shoot
• Always keep your camera in a dry and safe place. Moisture kills the lenses.
• Do not try to determine your shots when snapping photos. Prioritise your gut feel over any form of technical precision. It often happens that our best shots are usually taken candidly, although extreme care in technicalities does result in some great shots as well
• Always take photos with no pressure (such as time constraints etc). Just take the full day and enjoy the shoot. You can cultivate a habit of taking a photo per hour, per day etc. This will help you to improve your photography skills
• Learn image editing skills (in Photoshop etc). Even great photographers makes some mistakes at times, and technology – in this case- is every digital photographer’s saving grace

This is a self-enrichment article on photography. As I believe that all of you have a fundamental knowledge of photography, I will choose to bypass the basics and proceed straight to the analysis of photos.  I will primarily be focusing on portraiture photography.

In addition, although the technicalities of photography are deemed to be crucial to most professional photographers, I will like to prioritise the factor of composition (Please click here for a brief introduction to composition) over the rest (such as ISO speed, aperture settings, shutter speed etc) for two primary reasons, the first of which is the fact that you will probably be bored and dozing off by the time I am done with all the technicalities.

The other reason lies in the aspect of your roles and responsibilities. Being a writer, you are responsible for your reader’s understanding of the articles that you are writing. As such, the element of composition is crucial to achieving this objective. All other elements and technicalities are secondary.  In fact, in a real-life scenario, photographers – especially news photographers – usually do not have sufficient time to control and/or adjust the technical aspects of their camera since they are often caught in the heat of the action. What’s left is often merely the art of placing all essential elements in the photo in a manner comprehensible to their readers (i.e. composition). And this is often a split-second decision. You will probably face the same scenario in most instances, such as taking photos of singers on stage where every moment counts.

However, I am not sidelining the technicalities of photography but merely putting them aside for now. Should you have any enquiries in these areas, do feel free to email me about it.

Now, let’s get back to the analysis of photos with emphasis on the composition and in a way, the photographers’ storytelling skills. I will like to begin the analysis of photos with two photos, as follows:

• Dorothea Lange’s “Migrant Mother” (Please click here for the image): This image probably evokes nurturing feelings in us. Society has often regarded males as the protector and provider of the family. However, this photograph has only included a mature lady and two children huddled close to her, thus leaving the possibility of the existence of a husband (or a family provider) open to interpretation. Viewers are only left with the individuals in the photos to work out their interpretations. From the clothing of the individuals in the photo, they seem to be impoverished. The wrinkled and dry skin on the mature lady’s face seems to reinforce this. Both the children have turned their faces away from the camera, thus the viewers are almost compelled to focus their attention on the lady’s facial expression, which speaks of desperation and of loss.  From a metaphorical perspective, the fact that the children are facing away from the lady seems to imply their reliance on her and the fact that she is looking ahead reflects her determination and acceptance of life. 

As the readers’ eyes scan the photo, their eyes will probably fall on a sleeping infant on her lap. So, there are three children and not two! Feelings of empathy will probably increase at this point.  It’s interesting that as photographers, we are able to spring some surprises on our viewers as well. As to the ways that you are able to achieve this, it’s up to your creativity.

• Giuseppe Pasquali’s “2 singles 3 couples” (Click on the photo here):  This photo is beautiful because it uses the concept of symmetry. What’s even more beautiful about this photo is the use of not one but various layers of symmetry.  Notice how the singles and couples are seated on benches that are nicely aligned with the curve of the road. Note also the converging pattern between the curve of the road with the downward-inclined line on the wall in the photo. From a metaphorical perspective, one can interpret the two lines as the coupling of singles towards marriage. Note also the use of shadows in the photos, which also form a nice symmetry along the curve of the road. The man in the foreground along with the lady on the second bench from the left completes the picture with a touch of singlehood.  Together with the few couples that line the side of the road, the image speaks of romanticism and lifelong relationships.

For practice:

Exercise 1 (Identifying elements of interest): Try to practice taking photos and selecting those that you find appealing personally and analyse them in details. Ask yourself why do you find them so memorable and show these photos to your friends. Do they share the same sentiments?  If most of your friends like the photos as much as you do, ask them to identify the elements that make them attractive and memorable.  Do your friends share the same reasons for liking the photos as yourself? If so, you have hit on something. Save the photo and tagged a note to it with your comments on the reasons for the photo’s memorability. Use it for reference when you next embark on a trip to snap some pictures.

Exercise 2 (Observing body language of subject(s)): Now, emotions and body language are never mutually exclusive, which means that they go often go together. If a person is happy, he or she will not slouch. If a person is angry, his or her body will be not be relaxed but tense. Thus, when trying to capture the emotions of someone, we should observe their body language.  Try to increase your observation power when you next walk along the streets. Look at the people around. What are they doing? Are you able to assess their actions and what are their states of mind as they go about their lives? A strong observation power is a quality that all if not most great photographers have. And it will be good to hone this skill over time.

Exercise 3 (Anticipation):  Anticipation is another quality possessed by most photographers. This is especially so when capturing images of human portraits or even group photos. Why do we need to anticipate when capturing portraits or group photos? Because we want to capture emotions. And we want genuine emotions. Have you noticed how someone – especially those whom we do not know well- whom we want to take a shot become stern or act unnaturally when they realised that someone is taking their photos in a public event (assuming that you are an event photographer)? There are many reasons for this such as shyness or introversion or merely the fact that they feel that they are not photogenic. But let’s not digress. What we want in a portraiture photo is the person “in the moment”. That is, when they are laughing, they are really laughing. When they are deep in contemplation, they are really thinking about something. This is what makes portraits of individuals or group so powerful and memorable. Thus we need to anticipate. If a group of participants are waiting for the results in a contest and when you know that this group will be among the winners, focus your camera on them and get ready. Once they have realised that they have won, they will most probably jump with joy. This is the moment that you should capture. If you were to look at the winning entries of photojournalists, you would have realised that most of these winning entries have captured “in the moment” shots of such people or groups, usually set in historic moments. In your photo-taking journey, try to anticipate moments of people and then capture these images. If done successfully, these will be among the most beautiful images you will ever capture. Try it and see.

I understand that this is a lot of hard work but as in most things in life, success in photography comes only with constant practice and self-reflections. Now, here is something interesting: we share the same basic emotions, which is happiness, sadness, anger, frustration, joy etc. Now photos are usually a good medium to use when it comes to expressing emotions (just have a look at how global photojournalists achieve this with great effect with their photos). We can thus express our emotions through photographs and enable our viewers to see the world through our eyes. Try it and see.

Exercise 4 (Understanding details in photographs):   I will like you to take pictures with more details than what you perceive your viewers will be able to capture when they take their first look at your photos. In another words, I will like you to capture images with vivid details, such that your viewers will feel compelled to look at the image more out of necessity than by choice. It can be a photo of parents and kids playing at a carnival or merely a “densely populated” image. Try to practise taking photos that makes the viewers’ eyes linger a moment longer than expected on a photo thorough a composite shot. This will prove useful to you when you capture images during a festival where there are groups of people celebrating. This is more challenging than it sounds, so do practise often.

Exercises 5 (Use of proxemics): Now, I will like you to take some photos but instead of clamming everything together, try to select your subjects of interest that are placed far from one another. Experiment with angles and distances. Take numerous shots of your subjects of interest and see which image is the best. It will be good to note that when it comes to photography, distance is your friend. How you determine the distance depends entirely on what you want to portray in your photo.

Exercise 6: (Colour versus Black and white):  Why is it that some photographers have often chosen to display their photos in black and white? What is the distinctive feature that black and white photos have that colour photos lack?  I will like you to take some photos in black and white as well as colour. Capture the same shots so that you are able to do a comparison. What’s so special with black and white photos and under what circumstances should they be used? I will leave it to you to find out the answers but here are some clues:  observe the use of light and shadows.

Photography is an art and will always remain as an art. The only way to improve is through constant practice.

Have fun!

Throughout the years, photography and video have existed alongside each other with their own strengths. However, it seems that video is slowly replacing photos. Read the details here.

Below are some questions that you might like to ask yourself:

• How is this development going to affect my career (as a media professional)?
• How does this change affect/impact the field of journalism?
• What is the future of photojournalism?
• Will there ever be a day where one is able to work as a “videojournalist”? And how do you define the profession of “videojournalism”?
• Should video replace photo, what aspects of photojournalism will be lost?

The same can be said of magazines, many of which have both a print and online edition. Just think of Newsweek and Time magazine. For some magazines, readers are also encouraged to visit the magazine’s official website via a specific web address (URL) to check out on updated online content. This is one of the strongest indicator that print is no longer able to keep up with the internet when it comes to information updates.  Another example will be the announcement of Oscar winners online. While the radio used to be a good medium for the announcement of the results, people are now going online to check the outcome. And this is very convenient for online users who have internet access.

With this media convergence, consider the following:

• What does this media convergence means to you, both as a media consumer and a media professional?
• What insights can you draw from this recent media development?
• What are the implications of this media convergence?

Mediacorp has decided to go beyond print when it comes to its magazines with both web-based and television initiatives. You can read about it here. At the same time, four titles will cease publication, namely Lime, Vanilla, Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) and Kids Company (although some of the titles may come back as online editions). With the media moving magazine titles online, it will be good at this point in time to ponder about the following questions:

• Will the internet be the primary platform for the media in the years to come? If so, in what ways are you able to contribute to this growing sector?
• What are the differences between print media and online media?
• What can you foresee about the face of the media in 10-15 years’ time?
• Will the provision of bloggers’ information be able to compare with those provided by the media in the near future (where currently, some bloggers’ credibility is still questioned)?
• In recent years, the media seems to be shifting its business from print to online (with some titles on both platforms). What are the advantages and disadvantages in this?
• In the abovementioned article, it’s mentioned that Mediacorp has came up with a software EasyReader which synchronises and downloads content from any internet connection. It is believed to be the first in Asia. How do you think that this software will change the ways that people make use of the media?

The media is evolving and it will be useful if you continue to keep a tab on its development, considering that all of you are media students.

In the meantime, have an enjoyable learning experience in school.

I believe that there are two causes of groupthink, one of which is due to the personality of specific individuals who take on leadership positions and control the direction that the team is heading. For such instances, it is difficult for any one of us to change the personality of someone. What we can do is advise these individuals on the situation and explain to them the benefits of teamwork (such as the benefits of having more interesting ideas from every teammate). If the issue persists, do inform your facilitator.

The other cause of groupthink is due to the fact that there is no member within the team that is assertive enough to find a direction. Hence, the team moves in a direction upon the first suggestion put forward by one of its members. Such cases are rare but it does happen.  When groupthink surfaces in such situations, team members can encourage each other to discuss further before deciding.

Regardless of the situation, we should avoid groupthink whenever possible.

Personally, I feel that living lives with good values is important not only for leaders but every one of us. However, what are these values? I feel that they are as follows:

• Respect: I figure that I won’t have to elaborate much on this point since all of you have learnt this in your cross cultural communications for two semesters. We have discussed how important respect is when it comes to establishing rapport with others but it’s also important to note the consequences in the absence of it.  Therefore, we should make every effort to respect others as unique individuals with their own strengths and talents.
• Thriftiness: This is a value that is rapidly eroding in today’s society. This is especially so in this day and age where consumerism is becoming more prevalent. In Barry Schwartz’s book “The Paradox of Choice“, the author mentioned that we become less happy when the variety of our choices increases immensely. Therefore, it’s best we think twice about walking into a retail outlet the next time we are in a shopping complex. We should draw a distinct line between what items are “necessities” and what are “luxuries”. This is even more important in recently years where media advertising has somewhat blurred the lines between the two terms.
• Reciprocity: The tendency to reciprocate is losing its impact on society in recent years.  While we used to send season’s greeting cards to friends and anticipating a letter from our pen pal in the past, we are seeing an increased signs of societal isolation in urban society, where urbanites are inclined to listen to a music player than making an effort to talk to their friends. This observation has been given a name by psychologist Daniel Goleman in his book “Social intelligence“, which is “urban trance”. Most urbanites are almost trapped mentally in their own world, and much might be attributed to their bid to avoid the bombardment by media advertising and all the distractions around them. I feel that it’s time that we go back to basics by engaging others in more face-to-face communications.
• Integrity: The value of integrity is also decreasing in value in recent years. You read about it in the papers (cases of embezzlement and frauds), you will observe it in the workplace and you see it in the streets. Personally, I consider integrity as one of the personal values that should be upheld by us because should the value of integrity depreciates drastically, the very social fabric of society will be destroyed, and this will eventually plunge society into a state of decadence.

Personally, I feel that the abovementioned values are good values to hold on to. I hope that you feel the same way too.       

I have noticed that there is a tendency among some of you to stop midway in your speech when you are presenting your points in class. Below are a few observations that I have made when you are unsure of your points:

• Give up trying to find a way to complete your sentence
• Informing your audience that you are unsure of how to continue
• Abruptly end your sentence with words that you find appropriate with no further elaboration
• Seek assistance from your team mates
• Stay silent and wait for your team mates to take the initiative to either help you or present their points

While I understand that all of us do encounter challenges while presenting, I will advise you not to give up too easily on the elaboration of your points. Being a presenter who can speak well is a skill that can only be improved through practice over time. The five approaches that are mentioned will not help you to improve in this aspect. One of the things that you can do is to be more confident of what you are presenting, which can be achieved through good preparation before your presentation. Try to familiarise yourself with what you are presenting. Then, rehearse your speech several times before your team presentation. During your rehearsal, do say out what you are going to present in your own words. You might like to seek feedback from your good friends as well with regard to your presentation. This will give you more familiarity with the presenting materials and improves the fluency of your presentation. 

However, this is not enough. The most important factor is still missing: confidence.

You must have confidence in yourself that you will do well. Having the thought that you can be a good presenter is not enough. You must take steps and make the effort to achieve what you want to achieve.  For a start, always make the effort to finish all the sentences that you are presenting.

Remember, confidence is important in all aspects of our endeavours in life. If others are not there to give us confidence, we need to instil confidence in ourselves.

The day when we are truly confident is the day when we will excel.

With the easy accessibility of the internet in campus, it’s not surprising to see many of you using internet as the primary source for research and learning. After all, one just needs to key in a search term in any search engine of one’s preference and the information will be found. While online research looks useful, there is one pitfall that most of us are unaware of, which is the lack of structure in our learning.

Let’s consider an example. When we want to learn more about communication skills, it’s easy for us to type in “Communication skills” as the search terms in a search engine, and we get the information that we want. However, the information that the search engine pulls out for us comes from all types of sources. Lack of credibility aside, we also face the issue of having to define what it is that we really want to know about communication skills. And without a structure for learning, it is easy for us to get lost in the tons of information and data that is prevalent in the internet. This is the reason why textbooks still exist in the face of the internet, for they provide the structure that is so crucial to our learning.

Textbook acts as a precursor to our learning, providing the basic structures that guide our learning. Of course, one textbook is insufficient to cover a subject matter that we wish to learn. So, we should source for several textbooks. By providing a structure for learning, textbooks adds depth to learners’ learning. This means that books often enable learners to learn more about a particular subject matter than any online articles can hope to achieve. However, online information adds breadth to learners’ learning, in the sense that online information often provides more perspective on a particular subject matter than any single textbook can hope to accomplish (after all, it is impossible for the author(s) of a textbook to cover the entire scope of a subject matter as compared to countless information sources on the internet, no matter how wide-ranging their knowledge is).

So, how do we combine the use of textbooks and the internet for learning?

I propose that we start with a few textbooks and based on the topics of interests in these texts, we can proceed to source for information on the internet. In this way, we are learning through a properly defined structure (with depth) while enhancing our understanding with information on the internet (thus increasing the breadth of our study).

All of you are fortunate to have a library and internet access in campus, so the abovementioned approach is one approach that you might like to consider when it comes to enhancing your learning experience.

So what are we afraid of?

In a society that recognises achievements and applauds prestigious titles, it’s not surprising to see many of us not daring to undertake challenging tasks like public speaking, coaching/mentoring tasks etc. The challenge is even greater for students who do not have any previous experiences, unlike working professionals who have both experience and credibility. Merely looking at a public speaker’s online profile and/or resume can be intimidating.

Nevertheless, we have to ask ourselves this: how do all these professionals become successful? And we will realise that – like us- these professionals start with nothing and accumulate their experiences over time. But is it smooth-sailing? Probably not. We only see the successful aspect of their careers but we often overlook the obstacles and difficulties that they overcome over time.

As students, have more courage and believe in yourself. Constantly remind yourself that successful people do not become successful overnight. They put in a lot of time and effort before they become successful.  You can do the same thing if you live life with courage.

Life is not smooth-sailing and it can get rough at times. What’s important is not to hope for a life with no worries, because it’s not going to happen. Life’s a roller coaster ride with its ups and downs. We can’t stop the roller coaster from moving but we can definitely brace ourselves for the ride.

As the saying goes, “the night is darkest before the dawn”. If we have the resilience, determination and perseverance, we will definitely get to see the light at the end of the tunnel.