Walking into the ligh
Photo of elderly couple is this week's Big Picture winner
The elderly couple held on to each other as they walked about the town centre near Yuhua Community Club in Jurong East.
The sight caught Mr Wong Chek Poh's attention when he was in the neighbourhood last January, taking pictures for a photography competition.
He trailed and photographed the couple for some 15 minutes until they turned into a walkway where he took this final shot of them.
Although Mr Wong did not win anything in that contest, he was reminded of this image when he saw last week's Big Picture contest theme "Heart".
The 52-year-old education business owner thought it was suitable as there was a call for photos of love and romance in Singapore.
"The picture fits the theme very well because of the loving couple and the backlighting," he said.
"It's like they are walking into the next world. They are happy in this world and still want to be together in the next."
Mr Wong won the weekly $500 contest prize after this photograph was picked as the winner by two of last week's three judges.
The Big Picture is a year-long contest organised by The New Paper and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) to encourage Singaporeans to document everyday life in the city.
The photo was both heartwarming and endearing for judge Mindy Tan who explained that the walls in the photo led viewers to the couple and the backlight amplified their mannerisms.
"Our eyes are inevitably drawn to the way they have held hands as they tread the slippery floor," she said.
"Love, care and tenderness can be observed in the most unexpected places. And for this lovely pair, it is not a show for others, it comes from the heart."
Judge Benjamin Seetor, who was also touched by this image, said: "It's always heartwarming to see elderly couples holding hands.
"The photographer captured the moment with perfect lighting."
THE JUDGES
Ms Mindy Tan is a leading wedding photographer in Singapore. Her images have won international awards and were recently shown at the National Museum. The former New Paper correspondent is also a Society of Publishers Asia award winner for human rights reporting. Her documentary and wedding work can be found on www.mindytan.com and www.mindytanweddings.com
Mr Seah Kwang Peng left his job as a civil engineer to become a photographer. He was with Lianhe Zaobao for most of his career and joined The Straits Times in 2012. His most fulfilling assignments have been the Beijing Paralympics in 2008 and capturing the water supply problems in rural areas in Yunnan, China, in 2010.
Mr Benjamin Seetor, 34, has been a photojournalist with The New Paper for the last four years. He has won numerous awards, including the Singapore Press Holdings 2011 News Picture of the Year for his gripping image of the S-League football brawl between the Young Lions and the Beijing Guo'an teams.
WHAT'S NEXT
Continue sending us photos for "Heart" this week. Show us what love and romance in Singapore looks like and stand to win $500! All entries must come in by Thursday, 11.59pm.
From this Friday, our new week-long contest theme is "On the Streets" as we look out for entries that show us what happens on the streets of Singapore.
Visit tnp.sg/thebigpicture for full terms and conditions. Join our Facebook page, facebook.com/TheBigPictureContest, to find out the latest contest details, and to see the photos of each week's finalists and winners.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
