Read Your Photography | A Duel Beyond the Fence | Focus #670

In 'Read Your Photography,' we focus on the narratives behind photographs—stories that cannot be discovered by simply looking. Alongside works gathered through the organized by cizucu and via social media, cizucu Magazine translates the backgrounds and unique moments behind each image into 12 languages and delivers them worldwide.

Choosing to keep a story to yourself is one option. Yet, those feelings may quietly touch someone else's heart and inspire a new sense of wonder.

This time, we present the works of five artists from around the world.
Let us gently peer into these singular stories.

蔡秉錩

📷 FUJIFILM X-H2
📚 01

The birth of this photograph can be described less as a technical approach and more as a projection of my state of mind. At the time, I felt as though I was suspended in an in-between moment. Behind me were endless exams and the pressure of advancing to the next stage of education; before me stretched an unseen future. In that moment, standing on the streets of Kumamoto, I simply wanted to quietly watch the interplay of light and shadow flowing along the tracks.

As an outsider, a student, and a tourist, I had no idea where that train was headed. It felt like an unknown future, or perhaps a metaphor for my own life ahead. Even though it seemed there were many options, I couldn't tell which path would truly lead to where my heart wanted to go.

Looking back now, I realize this photograph was, in fact, a letter to my future self. If, one day, I lose my way again while chasing the future, this russet light and shadow will remind me: it's perfectly fine to walk slowly along my own track.

cizucu Editorial Team
This image captures light and shadow gliding over the tracks as a "letter to the future." The sense of standing still, pressed by the weight of exams and the uncertainty of direction, quietly resonates with many. The russet train embodies the will to keep moving forward, even in doubt. Not to travel far, but to affirm one's own path—it's okay to move forward at your own pace. Such gentle affirmation radiates from this work.

Ryan

📚 02

It was an ordinary afternoon. Yet, for a boy who had traveled thousands of miles to see this city, it may have felt a little extraordinary.

At the world's busiest intersection, in the square in front of Sydney's QVB in Australia, a street artist, with a bag of chalk in hand, slowly sketched an image from his heart, stroke by stroke, amidst the bustling crowd. The parades and passing cars meant nothing to him.

That day, the boy passed by the spot many times. From midday until dusk, the artist's absorbed figure always made him pause for a long while. As night fell and he passed the square once more, the artist had already swept away his work and vanished without a trace. He left no evidence, accepted no reward, as if nothing had happened that afternoon.

Yet in the boy's memory, the artist and his concrete canvas represented the city's greatest beauty and the purest love for life. Both the artist and the boy, each with their own passion, painted the most beautiful picture in their memories.

cizucu Editorial Team
In a corner of a bustling intersection, a solitary figure draws with chalk, indifferent to the city's pace as his own time flows quietly. Even if the artwork disappears without a trace, the memory of those present retains its color. Pouring passion into a fleeting moment without seeking reward or acclaim may have become "the most beautiful thing encountered in this city" for the traveling boy.

Peter Lin

📷 FUJIFILM X-S20
📚 03

This photograph was taken in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in January 2024. At the time, I was riding my scooter around the city and often passed by a basketball court in a residential neighborhood. Curious, I parked nearby and decided to walk around.

I had only recently purchased this camera, and it was about half a year after the end of the pandemic. Many people were still wearing masks when going out. Amidst this, I noticed two children, one of whom was playing basketball while still wearing a mask. That left a strong impression on me.

Despite wearing a mask, he was completely focused on the game. Seeing this, I decided to document their play and took this photograph. To me, it conveys the message that even with a mask, their dedication and competitive spirit shine through.

cizucu Editorial Team
Through the fence, the court captures both the post-pandemic atmosphere and the unwavering seriousness of play. Even with faces hidden by masks, the intensity of their gaze and movement is unmistakable. In an ordinary residential neighborhood, these moments of small contests and deep concentration quietly radiate a subtle heat. In this "in-between" world, the children are already looking forward and running ahead—a certain hope is captured here.

AllenChen

📚 04

This scene captures the retirement ceremony of Taiwanese professional baseball player Lin Chih-sheng. If one can accomplish a single thing in a lifetime, that alone is a fulfillment of merit.

Lin Chih-sheng devoted his life to baseball, achieving his singular goal of "playing baseball." As playwright Lee Kuo-hsiu said, his merit is already complete. When the time comes to bid farewell to the field due to declining physical strength and to step down as a player, he deserves to be celebrated with a grand retirement ceremony and to receive the applause of all players and a packed stadium.

At the end of the ceremony, many players tossed him high into the air, celebrating this precious moment and marking the close of his 22-year professional career. From now on, he will transition from player to coach, but while his role changes, his love for baseball remains unchanged.

cizucu Editorial Team
The years of dedication are distilled into a single airborne moment—the heat of the retirement ceremony is palpable in this image. As teammates reach out and the lights of the crowd shimmer, the player smiles with his whole being, saying, "I've made it this far." The lightness that only comes from accomplishment and the will that is passed on. Even as roles change, the time spent loving baseball continues. This work reminds us of that enduring passion.

LEE PEI SUNG

📚 05

This was the afternoon I first met fellow photography enthusiasts and shot as a group. About seven or eight of us gathered, each with a different camera brand, yet sharing the same passion for photography.

This image was also my first attempt at a street snap composition, inspired by my peers. I sat on the steps beside a shop, using a low angle and slow shutter speed to capture the everyday flow of people through the alley.

The frame was enveloped in blue tones, evoking a sense of certainty and the steady flow of daily life.

cizucu Editorial Team
This image captures the excitement of an afternoon spent shooting with friends for the first time, and the "flow" of the alley itself. The slow shutter transforms the presence of people into blue afterimages, while the bicycles and city details in the background remain quietly in place. "Everyday in motion" and "a place that truly exists" coexist here. The photographer's new challenge and the shared moments with like-minded friends overlap, making the photograph itself a "memento of encounter." It gently marks the beginning of a journey that will continue through future shoots.

What did you think?

We want to focus on the allure that cannot be fully expressed by visuals alone. 'Read Your Photography' is a project that turns attention to the thoughts and emotions behind photographs, receiving them as stories.

What is captured is just a fleeting moment. Yet behind it, there is a flow of time and unspoken feelings.

Please savor these works as you would read a photograph, as you would turn the pages of a book.

On cizucu's Threads, a "photography theme" is occasionally posted.
Simply reply with "your image" that fits the theme.

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