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Yip Cheong Fun (; 1903 – 16 September 1989) was an influential Singaporean documentary photographer, best known for his photograph "Rowing at Dawn", which was taken in 1957 in celebration of Singapore obtaining self-government, and which in his words, was to show "the dawn of a new day, new hope and new life for Singapore". Although better known and admired for his seascapes, Yip Cheong Fun also took a lot of other award-winning photographs depicting different facets of Singaporeans' life with keen observation and a humanistic understanding of the people and events around him. In 1984 he was awarded the Cultural Medallion for his outstanding achievements and contributions to photography, for his work "identified with the Singaporean society and mirrored the nation's way of life and history". == Biography == Born in Hong Kong in 1903, Yip arrived in Singapore with his migrant parents when he was seven months old. His father died when Yip was four, and his mother then had to find work to support herself and her son. But times were bad and, finding it difficult to earn a livelihood, she sent her six-year-old son to Dongguan, China, where relatives could look after him. However, the relatives were uncaring and Yip was neglected in the subsequent four years. Some kind-hearted neighbours at the house in Gongchai Street in Chashan, Dongguan, found the child starving and sick. They fed him for a while and contacted his mother in Singapore to inform her about the boy's condition. He was then brought back to Singapore, where he stayed with his mother at Sago Lane in Singapore's Chinatown. Later, he studied at a private school in Chinatown. Yip began working as a mechanic in his younger days and later joined United Engineers as a technician and engineering supervisor. He resigned from United Engineers in 1943 when he discovered the firm was manufacturing arms for the Japanese military. He then started his own engineering workshops at Kreta Ayer Road and Kallang in 1942. In later years, he worked for Tien Wah Press as an engineering supervisor. After retiring at 70, he worked at a sundry shop with his wife, Leong Lin, in Chinatown. Yip was passionate about photography, which started as a hobby to him when he was in his twenties. While working with United Engineers, he saved up enough money to buy his first camera – a Rolleiflex – so that he could take photos for his family album. From then on, his love for photography grew. His keenness to notice change in his surroundings helped him to record part of the cultural landscape in Singapore before the onset of urbanisation. During the Japanese Occupation, he volunteered for service as a leader of ARPs (Air Raid Personnel) in Chinatown. His photography was disrupted because the Japanese confiscated his camera, but he took it up again when World War II was over. Yip's interest in photography began as early as 1936. But not until 1964, when he became a member of the Photographic Society of Singapore, at the age of 50, did he pursue photography seriously and send his works for overseas competition. Over the years, he won more than 50 world-wide awards, including those listed below: 1971: Honorary Excellence Distinction conferred by ''Federation Internationale de l'art Photographique'' (International Federation of Photographic Art) 1974: Honorary Fellowship conferred by the Photographic Society of Singapore 1980: Elected as the Honorary Outstanding Photographers of the Century by the Photographic Society of New York City 1984: Awarded the Cultural Medallion for his outstanding achievements and contributions to photography. As Vice-president of the Photographic Society of Singapore from 1966 to 1974, and as adviser to the Kreta Ayer Community Center Camera Club since 1976, Yip played an active role in inspiring and guiding many young people in the art and techniques of photography. On 16 September 1989 he collapsed on an MRT train at around midnight, after taking pictures of the Lantern Festival at the Chinese Garden, clutching a loaded camera on his hands as usual. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Yip Cheong Fun」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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