I'm still figuring out this activity of taking photos. After buying a pretty good camera and taking lots of pictures, I do find I'm more aware of what goes into a picture, camera angles (which applies to drawing too) and also how to adjust colours in a photo. But the big problem I'm still trying to solve is - what do I do with all the photos I shoot? Keep them in my hard drive? Display them in a blog? Print the nice ones out? All this can take time away from my main interest of drawing, painting, creating comics. I've not come to a satisfactory solution how I can integrate photography into my daily life where it is meaningful and useful. But here is something I tried and I did enjoy- Using my photos as drawing reference.
I've been so used to drawing from direct observation, urban sketcher style, for so long that I often think that choosing to draw from photos is a lesser option. But when I drew from these photos, I approached it with the mindset that I only needed to use the photos as a loose reference. I wasn't going to aim for a photo-accurate picture. I could alter it any way I like. I didn't need to make it photo realistic. The freedom to re-interpret the photos (take out things, change the colours) made it fun. I won't say these are fantastic. But I do like the direction it is going.
The first one of my mom was drawn on location, sitting with her. But the others were drawn from photos which I will attach below. I used colour pencils, chalk pastels and Sennelier oil pastels.


This is the janitor who has been cleaning the exterior spaces of my apartment block for years. She is super friendly and has such an wonderful spirit and smile. She let me take her picture that morning.

My wife solving some work matter on her phone. Or maybe she was doing online shopping.

My boy sitting on the kitchen floor in the morning.

This is Ah Seng. His family and him runs Straits Art Co., one of my favourite art stores in Singapore. He is like Q from James Bond. Over the years, he will show me some new art tool, nibs, paint, pen or brush that he has brought in from overseas. And sometimes, he'd make or modify tools himself.