Photo exhibition highlights 'beauty and wonder' of Penghu

Taipei, July 1 (CNA) An exhibition that showcases the natural scenery of the island county of Penghu opened Wednesday in Taipei with a display of 81 photographs taken over two decades, according to the organizers.

The "Poetic Landscape the Beauty of Penghu" exhibition, being held at National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, features the work of Taiwanese photographer Lee Ming-tsung (李明宗), who has been capturing images of Penghu for 24 years.

One of the central pieces in the exhibition is a photo of a small uninhabited islet off the coast of Qimei, the southernmost island in the Penghu archipelago, which was shot on 120 film, a format that dates back to 1901 and is commonly known as spool film, according to Lee.

"The image shows the beauty and wonder of the islet, without revealing its true features," he said.

Another striking photo, shot on digital camera, focuses on the play of sunlight on the ocean, with wind turbines and mountains in the distance.

"This shows the beauty of the sea near Penghu, as the sun creates layers of rich colors when the light hits the water," Lee said.

The 81 photos in the exhibition were shot over a period of 24 years, said Liang Yung-fei (梁永斐), director-general of the memorial hall.

The collection is testimony to the commitment and patience of the photographer, as he sought to get just the right shots, Liang said.

"Looking at his work, I would say the camera lens is his pen and also his language and voice," Liang said. "The photos also show his love and appreciation for his hometown (of Penghu)."

Meanwhile, Lyu Yi-shan (呂誼珊), a section chief at Penghu's Cultural Affairs Bureau, said she hoped the exhibition would help attract more domestic tourists to the county.

The "Poetic Landscape the Beauty of Penghu" photo exhibition will run until July 15 at National Dr.Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei.