Honorable Mention / 2024 / Special / Night Photography

Prayers

  • Photographer
    Joseph Lai, Taiwan
  • Instagram

In the dimly lit interior of a temple, the soft glow of incense sticks stands out against the darkness, the tiny red tips like miniature beacons of contemplation. The air is thick with smoke, swirling upwards, carrying the prayers and questions of the faithful towards the heavens. I envision each glowing tip as a question or a hope, flickering with the uncertainty and earnestness of the loyal disciples. In the background, the green figure represents prayers that have been answered, a symbol of life, growth, and renewal. The red figure, in contrast, signifies the prayers that remain unfulfilled

I was born in Taiwan and raised in New York. After receiving my MBA from New York University, I returned to Asia where I worked and lived in Shanghai before co-founding a public relations firm with my wife in Taiwan. We work with luxury brands in the fashion, beauty, automotive, and alcohol/spirit industries.

I found passion in street/documentary photography during the pandemic and like to explore the urban scene for content.

I am inspired by photographers such as Rinko Kawauchi, Raymond Depardon, Jesse Marlow, Yasuhiro Ogawa, Evgenia Arbugaeva, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Andreas Gursky, etc.

Awards New York Photography Awards 2023 - Silver, People Photography, Street.
New York Photography Awards 2023 - Silver, Nature Photography, Sunset.
Annual Photography Awards 2023 - Honorable Mention, People, Streetlife.
Tokyo International Foto Awards 2023 - Honorable Mention