Shortly after departing from Taichung, we arrived in Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan, just a 2.5-hour drive away.
We made stops at 九分 (Jiufen) and 十分 (Shifen) before finally settling down in Taipei. Most of our day was spent sitting in a 6-seater, drifting in and out of sleep as we journeyed along the roads.
We were surrounded by many other tourists, and it's always during my travels that I start to wonder where everyone else is from and what they had to leave behind just to be here.
The ocean was always there during our short drives. I love looking out the window and seeing the world.
When I'm near the ocean, my feelings change. It excites me, like a child, then brings me peace.
When I'm near the ocean, my feelings change. It excites me, like a child, then brings me peace.
I realise how big the world is. We never know where we're going, like the ocean waves.
We just go with the flow.
We just go with the flow.
Traveling with my family has made me more mindful of my actions. I pick up my camera only because I've actively chosen to capture something special - a vibrant rainbow, intriguing strangers, a memorable street, or my family.
At the end of our visit to 十分 (Shifen), we decided to go to the iconic train tracks, where tourists visit to send their wishes up to the sky. The idea of releasing your wishes towards the vast blue skies seems incredibly romantic to me.
Our family decided to get only one lantern, and everyone had a go at writing their wishes. I realised then that knowing what you want is not as easy as it seems.
Everyone, including other tourists, wished to win the lottery. Everyone wanted to be rich, and they wanted it quickly.
I thought long and hard before finally writing down my wish.
I thought long and hard before finally writing down my wish.
"开心就好" — as long as we're happy.
After a long day of touring around the outskirts of Taipei, we settled into a 2-story homestay just a 10-minute walk away from the bustling 西门町 (Ximending).
The days that followed weren't as exciting as the first part of the trip. We did a lot of shopping in Taipei and I took some off to catch a film with my partner in the local theatres. Leaving the cinema, we found ourselves back on the beautiful streets of Taipei; and we felt as if we walked right back into the set of the film just as the clock was about to strike midnight.
I found myself reaching for the camera less, and it took me a long time to come to terms with the realisation that not everything is meant to be photographed. Moments to be kept to ourselves, like an imprint in our minds.
Sometimes, beautiful accidents happen in the realm of photography, particularly on the streets. They take various forms: unexpected light, intriguing subjects entering your frame, or narratives unfolding unexpectedly.
Like these individuals I happened to photograph by chance. While they might have already known each other or even been a couple, in my eyes and through my lens, I prefer to imagine that they had just met, and I was lucky enough to witness that moment.
