Features

Singapore’s hawker culture shot on iPhone

These look stunning and appetizing

Published

August 10, 2021

Singapore is known as first world cultural melting pot in Southeast Asia. Despite the multicultural landscape, the country has managed to retain uniqueness, highlighted by their hawker culture.

Celebrating Singapore’s National Day, various local iPhone photographers shared various shots along with tips and tricks on hawker photography.

Lauryn Ishak — @laurynishak

Scene at Ghim Moh Food Centre days just before Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) kicked in. This stood in stark contrast to the more subdued atmosphere at Maxwell Food Center several weeks later, when she visited her favourite ‘Ang Ku Kueh’ stall. Ishak’s tips:

1. Use Portrait Mode to create more focus around your subject. Also, get close! Shooting with an iPhone is less intimidating than a camera and allows your subject to feel more comfortable and natural.

2. Lighting is Key to give your photographs the right mood and emotion. Early morning and late afternoon light have a softer quality that gives your subject more shape, as compared to the flat overhead harsh light one gets in the middle of the day.

3. Use Burst Mode when capturing motion, as it allows you to choose the best movement for your image.

Yudhi Aristan — @aristan89

Aristan is a full-time architect and photography who has a soft spot for geometry and hearty fare. This is showcased through the images he captured of Amoy Street Market. Aristan’s tips:

1. Utilize the new and improved iPhone12 pro max Ultra Wide Camera while shooting in the public domain or small spaces to capture more action in your frame.

2. Turn on Smart HDR mode from the camera settings when shooting in harsh light and deep shadow conditions. The processor will intelligently blend the best parts of your separate exposures into a single photo. Look for unique shadow patterns to enhance the object and give the final image a bit of texture.

3. Portrait Mode is brilliant under natural daylight. Bring your subject outside for your photoshoot whenever you can. The combination of Smart HDR and Portrait Mode creates a highly dynamic range image in an instant. The depth of field can also be easily adjusted to your liking. The lower the depth of field, the more prominent the portrait subject will be.

Melissa Patrice — @Girleatworld

Patrice is known for her food photography. She visited Bendemeer Food Centre during Phase 3 (Heightened Alert) for their variety of cuisines, ranging from authentic beef noodles with recipes from the 1970s to a modern take on Indonesian Curry Rice with queues that never seem to stop. Patrice’s tips:

1. Whenever possible, work with natural, indirect sunlight. Natural sun is by far the best way to create beautiful photos, and this applies to any photos! not just food photos. I also specified indirect sunlight, as direct sunlight tends to create harsh shadows on your photo. It’s not necessarily a bad thing if you’re going for a certain photography style, and iPhone’s Smart HDR feature actually would help you out by bringing out as many details as possible from the shadows. But for most photos, indirect works best.

2. When it comes to food photography, consider the colours on the plate to make it as appetising as possible. While this depends on what dish you are shooting, adding a range of colours helps. For example, if the dish is mostly brown, try adding a contrasting orange or yellow to spruce up the dish. You can even add the colours using background accessories. Did you know that a colourful dish tends to be naturally more nutritional too?

3. Portrait mode is not just for shooting people! Experiment with Portrait mode in food too, and you might just walk away with a photo that looks like it was shot by an expensive camera instead of your iPhone.

Yais Yusman — @yaisyusman

Street photography is Yusman’s thing and he loves interplaying light and shadow. He visited Golden Mile Food Centre and Kampung Admiralty Hawker Centre late in the evening, and came out with interesting vantage points to photograph the food centres and captures some stunning images. Yusman’s tips:

1. Framing is one of my favourite shooting styles. It creates an illusion of depth and draws focus to the subject in the photo by using any elements around me or any objects I carry with me. Start finding simple framings like windows or fences and then move on to finding more unique ways to create frames.

2. The exposure function on iPhone native camera apps is an important tool to create a different mood in my photo. I specifically like to reduce exposure to increase the darkness of the image and focus on the main subject of the focus.

3. I use the ultra wide camera to show more space in the surrounding. It’s specifically useful to use it in a tight space giving it a whole new story to my photos.

Jason Lim — @jsnjnr

iPhone photographer and Instagrammer Jason Lim captured the story of 33 years old Thomas Koh who had taken over his family business of six decades, Pig’s Organ Soup stall at Tiong Bahru Market at age 25. Amid the crowds staying thin, Thomas continues to persevere to continue his heritage. Lim’s Tips:

1. Press and hold the screen on your subject, to lock your focus.
2. Make use of grid lines when using the camera, allowing you to position your subject following the rule of thirds.
3. Use the wide-angle lens to include more details, but ensure that your subject focus does not get lost in the picture. Make sure there is contrast and proper framing.

Craving some hawker food? Here are apps to get some delivered to you: WhyQ Hawker Delivery, Hungryy: Halal Food Delivery, Burpple – Food Reviews & Deals, and Chope – Discover, Book, Save.

Related Topics:Apple Hawker iPhone Singapore

Cameras

What HYROX Hong Kong looks like up close

Photographed on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III.

Published

June 11, 2026

MJ Jucutan

HYROX drew people from all over the world for a single purpose: finish the course. In Hong Kong, athletes showed up at AsiaWorld-Expo ready to run, row, and push through 8 stations of pure functional fitness.

So, we brought the Canon EOS R6 Mark III to capture one of the most demanding fitness races on the planet.

The Expo floor is a lighting nightmare, a mix of harsh overheads and deep shadows, but the 32.5MP sensor handled the contrast without breaking a sweat.

The 40fps electronic shutter and Pre-continuous shooting meant we were already capturing the moment half a second before we consciously decided to press the shutter.

Covering a race means staying mobile, and the 8.5-stop IBIS let us move freely alongside athletes without losing the shot. The Dual Pixel CMOS AF II stayed locked on athletes even when they were squinting through the final stretch.

What came out were stories of triumph and determination. Even when their bodies were screaming, they pushed through anyway.

This is what HYROX Hong Kong looked like from the inside.

Words by MJ Jucutan. Photos by Sky Rodillas.

Buyer's Guide

Buyer’s Guide: Xiaomi Pad 8 Series

Do you need the base or the Pro?

Published

June 8, 2026

MJ Jucutan

Choosing between the Xiaomi Pad 8 and the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro feels like picking between a “sweet treat” and a “full-course meal.”

It’s deciding between a reliable travel companion and a specialized workstation. Both tablets rock a slim 5.8mm profile and a manageable 485-gram weight, and a 9200mAh battery.

However, under the hood, they are playing in different leagues. Especially since the “Pro” moniker adds serious muscle to the internals, and a solution for that glossy screen distraction.

Specs at a glance

Product	Xiaomi Pad 8	Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro
Processor	Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 (4nm)	Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm)
Display	11.2″ 3.2K IPS LCD (144Hz)	11.2″ 3.2K IPS LCD (144Hz)
Surface	Ultra-Glossy Glass	Optional Matte Nano-Texture
Storage/RAM	Up to 12GB LPDDR5X / 256GB	Up to 16GB LPDDR5T / 512GB
Rear Camera	13MP	50MP
Front Camera	8MP	32MP
Charging	45W Turbo Charge	67W HyperCharge
Pricing	Starts at PhP 20,999	Starts at PhP 38,999

Why you should pick the Xiaomi Pad 8

The standard Pad 8 is that “Goldilocks” device, hitting that sweet spot between price and premium hardware.

It’s ideal if your tablet usage is centered on media consumption and light productivity. Since it shares the same 11.2-inch screen size as the Pro, it fits perfectly on an airplane tray table, making it a dream for frequent flyers.

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is no slouch; it still runs titles like Racing Master at 60fps on Ultra-High settings. If you’re a fan of XG or KiiiKiii, you’ll appreciate the quad-speaker setup and Hi-Res Audio support without needing to pay the “Pro” tax.

It’s the smart choice for those who want a capable second screen to complement their main laptop.

Why you should level up to the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro

The “Pro” is for those who found the standard model’s limitations — like the glossy screen reflections or the 128GB storage ceiling — to be a dealbreaker.

The biggest upgrade is the Snapdragon 8 Elite, a powerhouse chip that turns the tablet into a legitimate workstation for video editing in CapCut or heavy multitasking in HyperOS 3.0.

Beyond power, the Pro version offers a Matte Glass Edition, which completely solves the “reflection” issue that can ruin your movie sessions or drawing time under bright lights.

You also get significantly better cameras, such as a 32-megapixel front sensor for professional-looking video calls. There’s also a 50-megapixel rear camera for high-res document scanning.

Finally, the 67W HyperCharge means you spend less time tethered to a wall and more time being productive.

Which Xiaomi Pad is your GadgetMatch?

Swipe Right on the Xiaomi Pad 8 if you want the best value for your money.

It’s thin, light, and powerful enough for 90% of users. It handles gaming, writing, and music playback with ease, making it a worthy recipient of a seal of approval for anyone on a budget.

Just be sure to skip the 128GB entry model and go for the 256GB version to ensure you get those faster storage speeds.

Swipe Right on the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro if you are a “power user” who hates screen glare. If you plan to use the Focus Pen Pro for serious creative work or need 512GB of space for a massive game library, the Pro is worth the extra investment.

It’s a high-speed machine that charges faster, captures better photos, and runs every app with flagship-level fluidness.

The Xiaomi Pad 8 starts at PhP 20,999 with Normal Keyboard while the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro starts at PhP 38,999 with Touch Keyboard. Both tablets come with free Focus Pen Pro.

Apps

The No-Nonsense guide to mid-year shopping

Let AI do the heavy lifting for you this Lazada 6.6 Super WOW Sale

Published

June 5, 2026

MJ Jucutan

The mid-year sale season is here, but the days of mindless impulse buying are over.

Shoppers are shifting toward intentional, value-driven decisions, focusing on quality, authenticity, and actual utility over flashy, low-quality gimmicks.

From 8:00 PM on June 5 until 11:59 PM on June 8, 2026, the Lazada 6.6 Super WOW Sale is dropping major discounts. But the real win is using the platform’s tools to maximize your budget.

Lock in the baseline discounts

Before diving into specific items, map out how to stack the core offers.

You can stretch your money by hunting down LazFlash Deals for up to 90% off, collecting up to PhP 3,000 in stackable vouchers, and ensuring every order qualifies for the free shipping offers available throughout the event.

True value comes from combining these three layers of savings on things you already need.

Jisulife: One of the participating, trusted brands you can get from LazMall

Filter for authentic value

Shopping smart means avoiding the trap of “too good to be true” counterfeits that end up in the trash.

Data shows a massive consumer shift toward trusted quality, with LazMall growth vastly outperforming standard listings during major sales.

To ensure your money goes toward genuine products with real warranties, restrict your browsing to official, brand-certified stores.

If you are upgrading your tech, parenting gear, or wardrobe, look to trusted names anchoring the sale like UGREEN, JisuLife, ANTA, Maserati Watches, Momcozy, and O.TWO.O.

UGREEN: One of the participating, trusted brands you can get from LazMall

Outsmart the noise with built-in tech

Don’t waste hours scrolling through endless listings or guessing which product is better.

The smartest way to navigate a massive mid-year event is to let the platform’s built-in features cut through choice paralysis.

Tools like AI Lazzie and AI Picks allow you to instantly compare similar items, analyze prices, and get personalized recommendations based on actual data rather than generic marketing hype.

Smart Shopper Tip: True value is a mix of the right price, verified authenticity, and a seamless return policy. Use this sale period to stock up on everyday essentials and high-quality upgrades rather than panic-buying items you’ll regret later.