Many of the photographers active on Taiwan during the 1960s were professionals working in studios or photo supply stores. Ch'en Yen-t'ang was one of the younger and more exceptional professionals of that time. He has run a photo studio for sixteen years, doing the "photographing, developing, enlarging, and retouch" all by himself. For a long time he was particularly interested in super mini cameras and used them to capture many street scenes, relying on his expertise in developing to maintain the pictures' quality feel.
Ch'en Yen-t'ang was born in Taipei in 1940. In junior high school he was fond of art and music, but when he was fifteen he had to quit school to help support the family. He went to work as an apprentice in a photo studio, a job that laid a solid foundation for his later work as a professional.
Ch'en worked hard, and was promoted to technician at age eighteen. He worked in the studio for seven years altogether, and did freelancing on the side. After he completed his military service in 1966, he got a job as a medical photographer at a U.S. Navy research institute in Taipei. During his twelve years there, he learned many photographic and developing techniques. In his free time he traveled around shooting pictures of people and places he found interesting, and he also got to know Teng Nan-kuang, whose influence resulted in a greater breadth and freedom in his work.
Ch'en believes that a professional photographer should be capable of trying any form and any style. His own work includes numerous categories, among which portraits, scenes, and documentary pictures make up the bulk. In the last category are many realistic photographs, which were once considered out-of-date and lacking in artistic beauty but which actually reflect the life of the times and are much more meaningful than the empty aesthetics of salon photography.
"A Street Scene in Tamsui" may to many people seem nothing more than an ordinary small-town scene, but the winding, sloping street, the passing pedestrians, the rich background, and the abrupt effect of the old man on the right create an interesting composition. With a casual glance Ch'en seems to have captured the flow of time in the hurrying figures.
"Snake Oil Peddler" displays expertise in the author's camera angle, use of lighting, and grasp of the moment. Our focus of vision passes with interest from the medicine salesman, the chart on the ground, and the object in his hands to each of the faces of the onlookers around him.
"A Cat" and "Stone Steps" reveal Ch'en's heart of a child and his attention to geometrical composition. The opposing lines of vision of the cat and the two people inside the grating produce an interesting effect. And the slight off-focus of the arms and faces of the children running down the steps adds to their liveliness and vitality. The rear lighting makes the children stand out and increases the freshness and solidity of the picture.
An ingenious use of lighting is also apparent in "Smoke." The six people with their different profiles and outlines create a weird, subdued atmosphere, while their somber expressions reflect a silent inner world.
Ch'en has always thought that mini cameras, which are easy to carry and hide, are ideal for snapping street scenes, and he has worked hard to overcome the inevitable graininess of their pictures. He selected the following three photos from his 16mm negatives and enlarged them.
"Lottery Drawing Tomorrow" was taken when Ch'en passed in front of the Confucian Temple of Taipei. The little boy's expression is unforgettable.
"Watching the Show" calmly captures the guileless simplicity of the common people. The dense composition possesses a tense pressure, enriched by the two old men in front flanking the sleeping boy and the man in back with his hand on his chin.
"At the Fair," like a long take in a movie, fixes steadily on the scene allowing the actors to spread around and play their parts. The man and the boy on either side who suddenly discover the presence of the camera add variety and explanation to the picture.
In "Bathing Beach" the wrecked ship sunk in the sand, the sleeping bathers under a cloudy sky, and the two little girls running along the boardwalk form a surrealistic atmosphere heavy with ironic implications.
"An Old Well" also has an unsettling feeling to it. If we look at it long enough, the focus of vision of the two dogs in back seems to be directed at the black hole of the well as though a ghost could emerge at any time.
That some of his works can elicit such nonrealistic associations would seem one of distinguishing features of his realistic photographs. In addition to depicting reality, they also seem to hint at something else. Can you hear it?
In recent years Ch'en has devoted all his energy to running his photo studio and has not done as much outdoor photography as he did in the past. When he was putting his old pictures and photo albums in order the other day, he discovered that over half had been chewed by termites.
In reviewing his past work, Ch'en feels that he was perhaps too broad in approach and should have concentrated on a single direction or topic. Perhaps everyone has to compromise his ideals in some way. In any case, anyone who chooses to "do his or her bit" is deserving of our respect.
[Picture Caption]
Ch'en Yen-t'ang at age 30, 1970.
A Street Scene in Tamsui, 1968.
Bathing Beach, 1970.
Snake Oil Peddler, 1968.
A Cat, 1970.
Stone Steps, 1971.
At the Fair, 1969.
Smoke, 1968.
Lottery Drawing Tomorrow, 1970.
Watching the Show, 1970.
An Old Well, 1968.
A Street Scene in Tamsui, 1968.
Lottery Drawing Tomorrow, 1970.
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