NDP Cameraman Who Scored ‘Money Shot’ Says He Was Just Doing His Job
As NDP 2022 concluded, the image of 41-year-old Azuan Tan shedding silent tears as he sang the National Anthem remained etched on many people’s minds.
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While many lauded him for his passion, what perhaps went unnoticed was the skill and luck required to spot him among a 25,000-strong crowd, which comprised many Singaporeans dressed in red.
The person behind the “money shot” turned out to be 49-year-old Ishak Jamid, a veteran cameraman with 25 years’ experience under his belt.
Image courtesy of Ishak Jamid
Speaking with MS News, the freelance cameraman shared that the man’s face was “glittering” at the time. However, he humbly downplayed the virality of the shot, claiming he was just doing his job.
NDP cameraman who spotted crying man has 25 years’ experience
Having been a professional cameraman for over two decades, Mr Ishak started operating cameras at NDP celebrations 10 years ago.
Image courtesy of Ishak Jamid
When asked about the priceless shot he took during NDP 2022, the 49-year-old told MS News he could feel the “emo” atmosphere at the time and somehow found a person whose face was “glittering” through his viewfinder.
As he zoomed in on the person, the director made the timely decision to feature Mr Ishak’s shot on national television. And everything else was history.
Asked how he could locate the person so quickly using his camera, Mr Ishak said it was “second nature”, given the years he had spent behind the camera lens.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Mr Ishak’s NDP footage has gone viral.
A lady went viral a few years ago after being frequently featured in the NDP 2015 broadcast. That footage, too, was captured by Mr Ishak.
@sgviralvids Ishak Jamid MVP cameraman #NDP2022 #singapore #ishakjamid #azuantan
♬ We Will Get There (Sing Singapore2002 Theme Song) – Sun Yan-Zi
Downplays virality of ‘money shot’
Responding to netizens’ comments claiming the shot was “staged”, Mr Ishak assured cynics that the image was 100% authentic.
Image courtesy of Ishak Jamid
He added that despite the numerous rehearsals before the parade, unexpected things can still happen on the actual day.
When asked how he felt now that his footage had gone viral, Mr Ishak downplayed the reception, saying he was merely “doing his job”.
However, he felt happy and was satisfied knowing he could share the touching visuals he was seeing at the time with the audience.
Never forgetting the people working hard behind the scenes
As with many things in life, it’s easy to forget about the individuals behind the scenes responsible for making things work.
Fortunately, in this case, Mr Ishak’s foresight and preparedness did not go unnoticed, and he got the recognition he deserved.
While such shots require some degree of luck, perhaps he was a skilled man in the right place at the right time.
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Featured image courtesy of Ishak Jamid and adapted from Mediacorp on YouTube.
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