How I Won Over 200 Photography Competitions Before Age 50

When Liew Tong Leng was 23-years-old, he took part in his very first photography competition and won a prize. In the three decades that followed, he participated in more than 300 photo competitions and won more prizes in at least 200 of them—including $30,000 worth of cash and camera equipment on local reality TV competition ‘The Big Shot‘, $10,000 in a Great Eastern photo competition and another $10,000 in a Konota photo contest. He tells LUCK-IT all about his keys to winning and lets us in on what made him the man he is today.

“It’s the process of taking part in competitions that moulded me to be what I am today. There is no short cut.”

Q: How did you start taking part in photography competitions? Which was the first one you participated in and did you win that?

A: I started taking part in photography competitions in 1992 through the influence of friends. I happen to know many photography friends who take part in competitions and I joined them to benchmark myself and also to improve my skills.

How many photo competitions did you lose before you finally won a prize in one?

The first time I took part in a photo competition is also the first time I won a prize.

Which was the first photo competition you won first prize in?

I really can’t remember when I first won a first prize because it was a long time ago and it was still in the film era.

Now that you’ve won many competitions, what, in your opinion, are the key elements that make a winning photograph? And what are the skills a photographer must have in order to achieve that photograph?

I think a winning photo must contain three elements: good lighting, good composition and a good moment. The most important being a good moment. In order to capture a great moment, you have to anticipate and be ready.

How frequently do you take part in photography competitions? Is there a routine you have to keep track of all the competitions going on and if so, what is it?

I take part in photography competitions almost every month. I have a way of archiving all my potential winning photos and categorising them.

How often do you pick up a camera when not participating in photography competitions? What do you usually do with the camera then?

I shoot almost every weekend when I’m free. I don’t wait for a competition to be available to go and shoot. It’s the other way round—I shoot first, categorise them and then select the suitable photos for the theme of different competitions.

How do you presently spend your weekends?

Shooting.

What advice do you have for someone hoping to win not just one but many photography competitions?

Study competition photos. Learn the elements required in a winning photo and keep shooting different genres.

Can you map out a recommended path for people who want to win many photography competitions to follow?

As above.

What key things/people/situations enabled you to win so many photo competitions, in your opinion? Who/What do you believe you never would have succeeded without?

Passion and hard work. Again spending time and being hardworking is my key to winning.

How did winning many photography competitions change you as a person? Or did it not change you?

I always strive to be creative and shoot differently in order to win. Since 1992 when I started photography, I had that passion and till now I’m still burning with that passion to take great photos, but through the years, in terms of photography I see things differently now.

If you could go back and replay all the competitions you’ve ever taken part in all over again, what would you do differently?

No, I think it’s the process of taking part in competitions that moulded me to be what I am today. There is no short cut.

What were you like as a child? What about as a teenager and young adult? How did you change at every decade? Or did you not change?

As a child I was quite an introvert. As I grew and started to win photo competitions, I was known and became more confident of myself.

Which major event in your life has made you who you are, in your opinion? Why do you think so?

Winning the first prize in the TV reality show, ‘The Big Shot‘. The photography competition was quite a major event in my life. I was on national TV and the attention increased. I had to learn to be humble and yet confident in what I do.

Which 3 objects/people in your life can you presently not live without and why?

Camera equipment. Without it, I can’t shoot.

Of all the objects you bought for photography in the past year, which has most positively impacted your life? Why?

Photography equipment is just a tool to take great photos. It doesn’t really impact my life.

What’s the worst advice you’ve been given, or have heard people giving, with regards to photography? And what’s the best?

The worst advice I heard was to fix certain settings while taking a photo. I think the best advice was to explain the reason I do certain things instead of just telling others what to do.

Liew is presently an Airworthiness Manager with CAAS (Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore) and regularly posts his photographic creations on his Facebook and Instagram pages. He is also happy to answer questions on photography so if you have a burning question about photography techniques or competitions for him, drop them in the comment box below.

Photographs courtesy and copyright of Liew Tong Leng. Interviewer: Sy
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