Old Christmas Memories

[KopiOkaya]

Prompted by Amberture's interest in Christmas decoration during the late 80s and 90s, I started digging out old Christmas photographs from my private archive.

There were no affordable digital cameras and camera phones then. Most of these images were captured the old-fashioned way - using a film camera, Fujifilm films and printed on Fujifilm papers.

Let me walk you down the memory lane to revisit the Christmas of the past.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Centrepoint1988.jpg
Centrepoint, 1989


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Centrepoint1989.jpg
Centrepoint, 1990


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Centrepoint1990.jpg
Centrepoint, 1993


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Centrepoint1994.jpg
Centrepoint, 1994
[photos: KopiOkaya]

[KopiOkaya]

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Orchard-Scotts.jpg
Junction of Orchard Road and Scotts Road, 1989 (before Wheelock Place was built)


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/CuppageRoad.jpg
Orchard Road, 1989 (the current site of Orchard Central and 313@Somerset, before Hotel Phoenix and Specialists' Shopping Centre were demolished)
[photos KopiOkaya]

[coolsigg]

wah! damn retro man...

[KopiOkaya]

Anybody still remembers Doremi cafe (possibly the first shopping mall food court in Singapore) on the 6th floor? I used to eat there often after lessons at Yamaha Music School. And shopping at Yaohan was a must then.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/PlazaSingapura1988.jpg
Plaza Singapura, 1989 (before the major renovation and face-lift)


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/PlazaSingapura1990.jpg
Plaza Singapura, 1990



http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/PlazaSingapura1993.jpg
Plaza Singapura, 1991
[photos: KopiOkaya]

[KopiOkaya]

Raffles City had a face-lift too. I missed the SOGO department store there.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/RafflesCity1990.jpg
Raffles City, 1990


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/RafflesCity19902.jpg
Raffles City, 1990 (interior)
Under CapitaMall Trust, these fountains seats were removed to expand retail space. I remember I used to sit there to wait for friends.


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/RafflesCity1989.jpg
Raffles City, 1993
[photos: KopiOkaya]

[KopiOkaya]

From Centrepoint kids to Marina Square kids. The Marina Square area changed a lot too in the past 20 years.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/MarinaSquare.jpg
Marina Square area, 1989 (before Citylink Mall, Suntec City, Millenia Walk, Millenia Tower, Centennial Tower, Conrad Centennial, The Ritz-Carlton Millenia, One Raffles Link and Esplanade were built)


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/MarinaSquare1988.jpg
Marina Square, 1989 (interior)


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/MarinaSquare1990.jpg
Marina Square, 1990


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/MarinaSquare1989.jpg
Marina Square, 1993
[photos: KopiOkaya]

[KopiOkaya]

These buildings no longer exist.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/SSC1990.jpg
Specialists' Shopping Centre, 1993 (before it was torn down to built 313@Somerset and Orchard Central)


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/SSC1995.jpg
Specialists' Shopping Centre, 1995


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/ShawHouse1988.jpg
Former Shaw House, 1989 (before it was demolished and rebuilt to the present Shaw House)


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Promenade1990.jpg
The Promenade, 1991 (this building was torn down and built into an extension to Paragon)
[photos: KopiOkaya]

[bluffname]

wah! damn retro man...

Ha ha, you said it right. Damn retro. Thanks KopiOKaya for sharing. Now we can also see how much your photos have improved since 1980s/90s :clap:

[KopiOkaya]

Now we can also see how much your photos have improved since 1980s/90s :clap:

Last time my images were all shot on film and, they were always at the mercy of the photo lab. Once the lab started to get busy (especially during Christmas and New Year), they would 'anyhow whack'.

My photography actually did not improve much until I went overseas to study. It was an eye-opener for me to be able to see the works from real photo maestros and to have the privileged to work with some of them. My whole perspective towards photography changed within 6 years (from 1998 to 2004).

[KopiOkaya]

In my opinion, this is the ONLY building along Scotts Road/Orchard Road that does not change much.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/GoodwoodParkHotel1990.jpg
Goodwood Park Hotel, 1990
[photo: KopiOkaya]

[amberture]

In my opinion, this is the ONLY building along Scotts Road/Orchard Road that does not change much.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/GoodwoodParkHotel1990.jpg
Goodwood Park Hotel, 1990
[photo: KopiOkaya]

Agreed. Not much changes.

Thanks Bro KopiOkaya for all these photos. Brought back many memories.....

Cheers:coolnod:

[andikong]

Twenty Yrs ago, I was at your age now, and perhaps older and times really fly and I find it rather fast. I wish I could be much younger and do more photography and creative works.

During those days, each year I always look forward to see the new Christmas theme at the Centre Point and Robinson display, indeed the best in Orchard.

I was thinking why don't we do a Christmas night photography at the Goodwood Park Hotel, the only neo classic hotel around.

[littlegenie]

Thanks for sharing and bringing back the old memories. :thumbsup:

[amberture]

Thanks for sharing and bringing back the old memories. :thumbsup:

SO nice to have our admin to drop by Fujifilm thread. Indeed there is miracle in Xmas. Sgshoots rocks!

Cheers,
:coolnod:

[TheChef]

I feel like crying after seeing these pics. How time flies.

[amberture]

Twenty Yrs ago, I was at your age now, and perhaps older and times really fly and I find it rather fast. I wish I could be much younger and do more photography and creative works.

During those days, each year I always look forward to see the new Christmas theme at the Centre Point and Robinson display, indeed the best in Orchard.

I was thinking why don't we do a Christmas night photography at the Goodwood Park Hotel, the only neo classic hotel around.

On... let make it happen on another day. Xmas is a month events. Good about it, we focus on photoshooting "FOC" rather the comercial aspect of Xams.

Let's feel the joy, sharing and giving in this Xmas.

Cheers,



:coolnod:

[littlegenie]

SO nice to have our admin to drop by Fujifilm thread. Indeed there is miracle in Xmas. Sgshoots rocks!

Cheers,
:coolnod:

Lol. Do continue to share more photos.
These photos are quite nostalgic.

[amberture]

I feel like crying after seeing these pics. How time flies.

mee tooooo.

[bluffname]

My whole perspective towards photography changed within 6 years (from 1998 to 2004).

Oh! So recent arh. I always thought it was longer ago. Yeah big change.

[KopiOkaya]

theme at the Centre Point and Robinson display, indeed the best in Orchard.

If you noticed, I did miss Christmas 1992. That is because I was serving my BMT then.

I was thinking why don't we do a Christmas night photography at the Goodwood Park Hotel, the only neo classic hotel around.

Yes, why don't we do an ad-hoc outing this week to Goodwood Park Hotel?

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/GoodwoodParkHotel1989.jpg
Goodwood Park Hotel, 1989
[photo: KopiOkaya]

Sorry, bad composition and camera shake I know. But this is the only picture of the hotel I have from 1989 that is not underexposured.

I feel like crying after seeing these pics. How time flies.

That is the whole point of us walking down the memory lane together. I, too, feel old after looking at these Christmas pictures.

Do continue to share more photos.
These photos are quite nostalgic.

Thank you. :)
I am glad that you like them.

Oh! So recent arh. I always thought it was longer ago.

I started my photography journey in 1978, but my training was restricted to those from my father, my father's 'saloon photographer friends', and from reading books. It wasn't until 1998 that I was formally trained and exposed to different genres of photography.

[KopiOkaya]

A tribute to Fujifilm photographic products for preserving our memories and keeping them timeless.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Paragonfujifilm.jpg
Paragon, 1991
[photo: KopiOkaya]

[KopiOkaya]

One more thing I notice did not change... The amount of trees across CK Tang.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/CKTangs1988.jpg
CK Tang, 1989


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/CKTangs1990.jpg
CK Tang, 1990
[photos: KopiOkaya]

[KopiOkaya]

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Takashimaya1993.jpg
Christmas caroling from Faith Methodist Church at Takashimaya Square, 1993


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/OrchardPoint1994.jpg
Orchard Point, 1994
[photos: KopiOkaya]

[bluffname]

I was thinking why don't we do a Christmas night photography at the Goodwood Park Hotel, the only neo classic hotel around.

Heh heh, Goodwood Park is not the ONLY neo-classic or old-architecture hotel around. There are lots of others, eg Art Noveau style, once you look beyond 5-star ;)

As for shooting Goodwood, I would encourage FUNees not to think so much of shooting something nice / beautiful like the Goodwood. The greater challenge in photography is to bring out the beauty and specialness of ordinary scenes, eg King Kong's very French wet street reflections.

But yes, sure can go shoot Goodwood. And then look out for that something extraordinary rather than shoot another straight facade. Because however well you shoot the facade, it will be another of the thousands of Goodwood facades that many have shot before.

[KopiOkaya]

And then look out for that something extraordinary rather than shoot another straight facade.

Nothing extraordinary about the Christmas decoration at Goodwood Park Hotel this year. Just a small Christmas tree at the main entrance and some lighting.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/GoodwoodParkHotel2009.jpg
Goodwood Park Hotel, 2009
[photo: KopiOkaya]

[bluffname]

Nothing extraordinary about the Christmas decoration at Goodwood Park Hotel this year. Just a small Christmas tree at the main entrance and some lighting.

Wah, you go to recce already? Maybe they bo song this year, or bo lui :confused1:

[KopiOkaya]

Wah, you go to recce already?

Just went past there this morning. Shot that picture from the bus.

[KopiOkaya]

Buildings which are currently undergoing major face-lift.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/CrownPrinceHotel.jpg
Crown Prince Hotel, 1990 (Will be known as Grand Park Orchard Hotel once it opens next year)


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Scotts1990.jpg
Scotts, 1990 (The new building will be known as Scotts Square)