(This is reproduced from the posting I made on my Facebook Page on 2nd July 2026.)

I still remember my first camera – a small, basic Canon. My parents bought it for me when I was in Form 3, with their meager savings. Back then, I was a member of the school photography club and a freelance contributor for the Borneo Bulletin in Brunei. I would send photos and write-ups of school activities or local happenings to the then weekly newspaper.

Though that old-fashioned camera was basic, it was my pride, my biggest asset, and my ticket to being the “richest” kid on the block! With contribution fees of RM30 to RM50 a month, I felt incredibly generous, often treating my favored classmates to plates of noodles during class breaks. Later, when my career progressed and I became the chief editor of The Borneo Post, my company upgraded me to a Nikon.

When we fast forward to today, we see a massive shift. Nowadays, everyone carries a high-resolution camera right in their pocket. With smartphones, Photoshop, and AI, anyone can instantly edit, alter, or completely manufacture photographic content. But as technology advances, I find myself looking back.

Long before filters and AI edits, there was patience, timing, and the raw thrill of getting the perfect shot. There was an unique beauty in capturing the ordinary exactly as it was. Those early days of doing photography the old-fashioned way remain vivid in my mind – because back then, we didn’t just capture images. We captured moments.

What was your very first camera? Do you miss the days of film?