Letting Light Speak: Inside BoQuan Chen’s Photographic Practice

BY Sylvester February 09, 2026

BoQuan Chen | New York Photography Awards

BoQuan Chen

Originally photographing as a way to record journeys, BoQuan Chen gradually developed a personal visual language shaped by patience and close observation. His travel and landscape images favor simplicity and natural light, inviting viewers to pause and experience a sense of stillness rather than spectacle.

I am from Taiwan, and photography originally began as a way to document my travels. I didn’t start taking photos with the goal of becoming a photographer; I simply wanted to preserve what I saw and felt in each moment. As I continued photographing, I became more attentive to the emotions and rhythm within an image, and gradually developed my own way of seeing.

This award-winning photograph was taken during my first trip to Tokyo. Tokyo Tower was one of the landmarks I had most looked forward to seeing in person. At the time, I was simply standing between the trees, waiting for a moment when the composition felt balanced. Being recognized for such a natural moment feels very warm and meaningful to me, and it reminds me to continue trusting my own perspective.

I chose a photograph that, even after some time has passed, can still bring me back to the moment it was taken. It may not be the most technically complex image, but emotionally, it feels complete to me.

Travel! I wanted to bring the scenery back with me, rather than letting it exist only in memory.

I enjoy travel and landscape photography the most. They allow me to slow down and observe a place as it truly is.

I prefer simple and natural camera settings, avoiding excessive intervention in the image. What matters most to me is whether the colors and light are close to what I saw with my own eyes.

I hope viewers can feel a quiet moment, rather than just seeing a tourist destination.

Waiting. Waiting for the light, composition, and environment to naturally come into balance.

I am especially drawn to natural elements within cities, such as the relationship between trees, the sky, and architecture.

Travel itself. Every time I visit an unfamiliar place, it changes the way I see the world.

I would encourage photographers to submit work that genuinely matters to them, instead of chasing technical perfection or popular styles.

Take more photos, look more closely, and give yourself time to grow.

Post-processing is a supporting tool, not the main focus. I hope it helps the image return to the feeling of the moment, rather than altering it.

I see technology as a tool. What truly matters is still the photographer’s observation and choices.

I would choose to photograph a quiet moment, undisturbed by anyone. Those moments feel the most genuine to me.

Winning Entry

東京塔

穿過濃密的綠蔭，抬頭望見東京塔聳立在藍天下。它不僅是城市的地標，也是旅行記憶中最難忘的一瞬。

VIEW ENTRY

VIEW WINNERS

Check out Victor Zuñiga: Photographing Movement in the Modern City by clicking here to read about his photography journey, which garnered him an award-winning title.