Revisiting the Roots of inspiration

THEY say the grass is always greener on the other side. But while most say it without any experience to back it up, photographer ND Chow is one who can prove it.

Born and raised in Singapore, Chow has spent the last 16 years in Japan, where he has carved a successful career for himself as a commercial portrait photographer.

In fact, he regularly shoots for magazines such as GQ, Elle, and Nylon, and has been asked to take portraits of high-profile American bigshots such as Cyndi Lauper, Pharrell Williams, as well as Japanese celebrities Ayumi Hamasaki and Kitano Takeshi.

It's not something he could have pulled off if he had stayed in Singapore, says the 39-year-old over the telephone from Japan.

"If I had stayed in Singapore, maybe I would have become a tour guide instead!" He laughs. "When I was younger I dreamt of being an engineer, but after travelling, I thought maybe being a tour guide could allow me to share experiences with more people." Chow studied mechatronics engineering at ITE College Central.…