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There are not many controversial topics that I touch on in this blog. I keep it confined to photography and do not delve into other potentially divisive issues. That said, there may be a bit of controversy in this post, for some, so be warned.

There is an official brand term used in Singapore Airlines called the “Singapore Girl”. This refers to a female flight attendant dressed in the traditional sarong kebaya uniform, embodying the airline’s ideal of graceful service, poise, and hospitality. This is what ChatGPT told me. The AI also admitted that, while there are other broad factors, Singapore Airlines “unofficially” hires an attractive cabin crew. Examining Singapore Airlines’ criteria and process for selecting their crew, it appears to be similar to what U.S. Airlines did in the 1960s. For context watch the TV Show Pan Am.

Given this context, I asked the flight attendants if I could do a short portrait shoot later in the flight when they were not busy. They were more than happy to oblige. Given the dark conditions, terrible lighting, and plane vibrations, it’s far from the best place to make portraits. But I tried. I busted out the Fujifilm GFX 50S II because it has a better image stabilization system than the Sony A7C. The GFX also has better high ISO performance. Considering these technical factors, despite the slow f/4.5 to f/5.6 lens, I used the Fujifilm for both pictures.

The pictures turned out okay, given the conditions. I also enhanced the lighting via Topaz Photo AI.

I quickly shot some frames, and a minute or so later, the entire business class crew joined in for a group portrait. The level of service and the attention to the customer are unmatched. Luckily, I’m a fast photographer, so I was able to shoot everybody in about five minutes. I was conscious of not taking too much time out of their busy schedule.

By the way, notice the color difference of the uniforms, which determines the rank or seniority. Blue is for Flight Stewardesses (Junior Rank). Green is the Leading Stewardess (mid-level) and Red is the Chief Stewardess (Senior Rank). For male flight attendants, the tie patterns and jacket details determine the rank. The tie colors follow the colors of the female uniforms.

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