#humansofsg

"After a certain point, money and job doesn't matter. You fill basic need, after that, happiness comes from other things. For me, it's family. For others it's something else. But I can tell you after a certain point, it will not be money."

"It amazed me that every day, 2.8 million people take the train, but even though they're so physically close to each other, mentally and emotionally they've never been more separated out. So when I took the first picture in 2011, that's the feeling I wanted to capture inTransit." "What's the most interesting thing you've noticed?" "Well if you look at trains, they're basically metal containers taking people from point A to point B, point B usually being their jobs. Most people are pretty unhappy about their jobs, and yet they do it over and over again - every single morning." "Why do you think that's the case?" "I guess it's about being comfortable. This is a harsh analogy, but if you look at our bird park, the birds fly back because they've been given a nice environment to live in. It's the same for us, everywhere we go we have AC, we have every convenience possible, and that puts us in a comfort zone. And we forget that it's possible to stretch our wings and explore what's outside." "What would you suggest is the solution?" "There's no single solution. My only hope is that people are forced to think about this when they look at my pictures. It's why I'm not very attached to the number of likes and comments that my pictures get - I don't care if people like them. I care that they look my pictures and think - 'Huh, that looks just like me in the morning.' I care if people relate and embrace the fact that they're not so different from each other, and that maybe it is possible to spread their wings and break out of the routine - just like I did, when I first started taking pictures for a living."

"Do you mind if I take her picture?" "Sure, but she never looks at the camera."

Love.

"I’ve grown up to become a man who puts values above religion or tradition. Values of love, humility, trust, and respect.” "Was there a time when it was hard sticking to these values?" "Well yeah, in my twenties when I was still not confident of my self and my opinions. So my mom is a super religious lady, and I would argue a lot with her on that. Why does she have to go to every mass and do everything that religion demands. But after growing up I realised those arguments were really baseless. If I have a preference on my beliefs, I can’t expect her to agree on that, that’s not respecting her and her beliefs. But time and travel have really opened up my mind and now that I have my own family, I’m so happy to see both my boys growing up to be better humans than I was at their age.”

“What’s the best thing about your girlfriend?” “That she pushes me to be happy. She makes sure I do what makes me happy, even if that means that sometimes I do things she doesn’t like.” “When did you do something that she didn’t like?” “This tattoo. Honestly, I don’t remember why I want in the first place. For so many years I just consider to get full arm tattoo. But my mother think not good. My girlfriend also afraid that her parents don’t like it. Then one day my girlfriend say it’s okay if I really want it, people who love me will still love me. So I go with her and just get the tattoo I always dreamed of.”

"What was the happiest day in your life?” "Five years before today I come to Singapore. And everyday from then is happy day.” "What’s one thing you don’t like about living in Singapore?” "No one thing. Nothing. Singapore give me chance to earn money. I work in a ship-yard. You see sometime I miss Bangladesh but I work hard, earn money, go to Jalan road on off-days, eat makan with friends, travel to Malaysia then don’t miss Bangladesh any more. I think money is start to everything nice and everything happy.”

“What was the happiest day of your life?" "Each day I spend with my son. I am a single mom and he studies away from Singapore. He’s coming over for summer, I can’t even tell you how happy I am already.” "Tell me about your fondest memory with him.” "Oh I know... He’s 14 this year. And for a long time I was so afraid that I’m losing him. First of all, you know how teenagers are - they start growing apart from their parents. Secondly, he has always been an introvert - you know every time we meet I am the one who talks my heart out, he just listens to me. So yeah, I used to dread everyday that I’m loosing my son. But then last summer, we were just walking around and I saw him be so excited looking at the latest edition of Jordan sneakers. And I started crying- because I am a huge nerd that way. I keep a track of limited edition Jordan sneakers and things like that. He was confused why I was crying so I told him how happy I was to know we have something in common. And he told me - 'Ma, you’re a very cool mother.'”