I’ve been taking photographs for years, but joining Photowalkers Taiwan, which organizes walks for enthusiastic photographers, has encouraged me to shoot much better pictures of Taiwan. I never expected Taiwan would in her subtle fashion become my photography teacher.
Lesson 1: Pinglin Farmer’s Passion
Tourists often visit Taipei City’s tea farms in the southern hills of Mucha District, located just 22km southeast on National Highway No. 5 lies Pinglin District, New Taipei City, where the tea business is a way of life. Few manage to reach the farms there as they are located up steep mountainous roads in captivating scenery.
On a recent photography trip, I was fortunate to meet a devoted tea farmer, Mr. Yu San-he, who eagerly demonstrated his philosophy of using traditional and organic tea cultivation methods. Then he generously shared his delectable rare teas. His passion became my first lesson: I would likewise devote myself to photograph composition and developing.
Lesson 2: Temple Craftsman’s Conscientiousness
Taipei has many renowned temples, yet our photowalk took us to the unique and less-frequented Hongludi Nanshan Fude Temple in Zhonghe District, New Taipei City. Situated precariously on the side of a mountain overlooking Taipei basin, the complex hosts a massive Earth God statue, amazing cityscape views, and exquisite temple decorations.
There I watched a craftsman delicately applying gold leaf to interior ceilings. While I was pondering his intense demeanor in my viewfinder, I panned around to see hundreds of similarly adorned ornaments. Such meticulous attention to detail is essential for my photographs.
Lesson 3: Soak up the Atmosphere
Attending the 2017 BurnMyEye Photography Workshop in Dadaocheng, Tatung District, I knew little of Dadaocheng’s role in the history of Taipei City as I wandered along Dihua Street. Famed for its Lunar New Year staples and diverse dried goods market, I stood embracing the street’s vibe before clicking away. Later I explored Dadaocheng docks, Dadaocheng Theater, Yongle cloth emporium, and Taipei Xiahai City God Temple dedicated to peace and prosperity. I reveled in its rich history and character.
“Don’t be discouraged by Instagram’s glossy images! Find and pursue your own photographic muse”, advised St. John Craig Dunn, a skilled photographer living here. That summed up my last lesson.