/ 2026 / Special / Smartphone Photography

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Yucca Chan, Taiwan
• Date of Photograph
  Apr. 15, 2026

Passing by this hidden workshop on a quiet street corner, I was instantly stopped in my tracks by an irresistible force.
Amidst the shadows and the cluttered space, the old master was deeply immersed in his work. His movements were rhythmic and decisive, bearing an elegance refined over decades of tempering. This shot I took unpremeditated and driven by pure instinct. I wanted to capture the focus that seemed to solidify the air around him. To me, this is not just a record of a craft; it is a raw testimony of the moment I was overwhelmed by the primal energy of life and labor.

Three years ago, shortly before retirement, I began studying photography seriously and soon discovered street photography.
I became fascinated by the ever-changing interplay of light, emotions, gestures, and fleeting moments. Photography has since transformed the way I experience everyday life.
People fascinate me most. Every person is unique, and every moment disappears the instant after it appears. Perhaps that is why Henri Cartier-Bresson’s idea of the “decisive moment” resonates with me so deeply.

Awards My only award to date is an Honorable Mention at the B&W International Photography Awards 2026. The Timeless Passenger was captured during a bus journey across Bolivia.
I was drawn to the face of a woman seated nearby. Illuminated by natural light from the bus window, her weathered features conveyed both strength and serenity. Using my smartphone, I captured this quiet moment—a fleeting connection within a journey that never stopped moving.