Went to do some street shoot together with my friend James.
Accidentally almost went into alley that has some special operations cause I was too engross in shooting. Felt like someone is staring at me, when I finish taking a few shots for the back of the stalls, as I turn around, yup, 2 big guys are staring at me.
They didn't do anything, just stare, my guess is because I was wearing a photographer's vest with 2 cameras hanging, shooting in the opposite direction of where they are guarding.
Looking at seas of people at Little India makes my wonder do Singaporean Indian still goes there at the Eve of Deepavali? I believe that as much as 75% of people there are foreign workers.
I had some experience in working with foreign worker in production line. They came to Singapore to work, hoping to make more money for their family, remitting the money once they receive their salary. As such, they are more than willing to work from morning to morning, taking on 3 jobs if they can.
More often than not, their salary for 1st 2 years are paid to the middle-man, with little to send back home and even less to make the ends meet.
I have seen, day after day, they eat either a packet of instant noodle (normally ladies as they eat less and when they are too tired to cook, note that instant noodles are expensive), else they cook rice with some veg, and some tiny bits and pieces of meat if times are good (ie, previous month did some OverTimes).
There are also those who are much less fortunate. Their quarters living standard is what most of us will find repulsive, inhumane. Else, they are being constantly ill treated by their superior, who haul verbal abuse, physical abuse or extort money from them. Those with rock bottom luck finds themselves with no money to even eat as the company owes them their rightful blood and sweat salaries.
Some Singaporean looks at them as though they are rubbish, but please understand that without them, our clean "Garden City" will cease to exist. Just look at the amount of rubbish left behind after every festive celebration. The false impression that Singaporean had learn to keep the city clean shows some of us are in denial.
Please visit my multiply site for the complete series
http://denniskee.multiply.com/photos/album/53/Deepavali_Eve_at_Little_India_261008
Taking a much needed rest. Most of them work as hard labor, doing as much over time as they can, taking on 2-3 jobs when given the opportunity. Their working hour? 9-5? guess again, it is more like morning to morning,
Family photo
A cultural difference. I still find it hard to accept if any man were to hold my hands while walking down the street or crossing the road. So I always remind my fellow colleagues from India (excluding ladies of cause), never hold my hands when walking and crossing the road.
Festive stalls
Remitting money back home so they can celebrate the Festival of Lights. They came here in hope to get a job, to better their family's live and make enough money to build a house (my friend did it). But more often than not, big portion of their 1st 2years salaries goes to the middle man who brought them here.
Accidentally almost went into alley that has some special operations cause I was too engross in shooting. Felt like someone is staring at me, when I finish taking a few shots for the back of the stalls, as I turn around, yup, 2 big guys are staring at me.
They didn't do anything, just stare, my guess is because I was wearing a photographer's vest with 2 cameras hanging, shooting in the opposite direction of where they are guarding.
Looking at seas of people at Little India makes my wonder do Singaporean Indian still goes there at the Eve of Deepavali? I believe that as much as 75% of people there are foreign workers.
I had some experience in working with foreign worker in production line. They came to Singapore to work, hoping to make more money for their family, remitting the money once they receive their salary. As such, they are more than willing to work from morning to morning, taking on 3 jobs if they can.
More often than not, their salary for 1st 2 years are paid to the middle-man, with little to send back home and even less to make the ends meet.
I have seen, day after day, they eat either a packet of instant noodle (normally ladies as they eat less and when they are too tired to cook, note that instant noodles are expensive), else they cook rice with some veg, and some tiny bits and pieces of meat if times are good (ie, previous month did some OverTimes).
There are also those who are much less fortunate. Their quarters living standard is what most of us will find repulsive, inhumane. Else, they are being constantly ill treated by their superior, who haul verbal abuse, physical abuse or extort money from them. Those with rock bottom luck finds themselves with no money to even eat as the company owes them their rightful blood and sweat salaries.
Some Singaporean looks at them as though they are rubbish, but please understand that without them, our clean "Garden City" will cease to exist. Just look at the amount of rubbish left behind after every festive celebration. The false impression that Singaporean had learn to keep the city clean shows some of us are in denial.
Please visit my multiply site for the complete series
http://denniskee.multiply.com/photos/album/53/Deepavali_Eve_at_Little_India_261008
Taking a much needed rest. Most of them work as hard labor, doing as much over time as they can, taking on 2-3 jobs when given the opportunity. Their working hour? 9-5? guess again, it is more like morning to morning,
Family photo
A cultural difference. I still find it hard to accept if any man were to hold my hands while walking down the street or crossing the road. So I always remind my fellow colleagues from India (excluding ladies of cause), never hold my hands when walking and crossing the road.
Festive stalls
Remitting money back home so they can celebrate the Festival of Lights. They came here in hope to get a job, to better their family's live and make enough money to build a house (my friend did it). But more often than not, big portion of their 1st 2years salaries goes to the middle man who brought them here.
Last edited:
