/ 2026 / Press / Feature Story

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Ta-Chun Lo, Taiwan
• Date of Photograph
  2026/05/07

During Taiwan's annual Beigang Mazu Pilgrimage, nationwide volunteers converge to shoulder centuries-old palanquins. For three days and two nights, they endure relentless bombardments of firecrackers ignited by devotees. Fearless amidst deafening blasts and blinding smoke, the bearers press forward, their faces coated in the ashes of devotion. Upon returning, they disband, bound by a silent vow to reunite and carry the tradition again next year.

My name is Ta Chun Lo, an independent photographer based in Taiwan dedicated to documenting traditional religious and cultural heritage. Motivated to preserve fast-disappearing traditions for future cultural revival, I capture the depth of local faiths through my lens. I currently serve at the Sihu Zantian Temple, creating a vital visual record of traditional practices from an insider’s perspective.

Awards 2025

Taiwan Yunlin County Outstanding Youth Award

National Geographic Photography Contest (Taiwan Category) | Finalist

GPA (Global Photography Awards) | 3 Platinum, 8 Gold, 9 Silver

EPA (European Photography Awards) | 10 Gold

MUSE Photography Awards | 5 Platinum, 1 Gold

LPA (London Photography Awards) | 4 Platinum, 6 Gold, 1 Honorable Mention

PX3 (Prix de la Photographie Paris) | 1 Silver

NYPA (New York Photography Awards) | 1 Gold

TIFA (Tokyo International Foto Awards) | 6 Honorable Mentions

BIFA (Budapest International Foto Awards) | 2 Honorable Mentions

2024

IPA (International Photography Awards) | 1 Honorable Mention, 2 Official Selections