Photography

In a suburban area in Taichung, Taiwan, a retired soldier has adorned an entire neighbourhood – walls, streets, doors – with colourful paintings. For this reason, the area has been dubbed Tsai Hung Tsun (‘Rainbow Village’). Many pictures from this place are shown on the page Culture: Wall and rock art.

Erosion from sea and wind has shaped the soft Daliao Sandstone rocks in Yeliou Geopark, northern Taiwan, creating fantastic formations, including some which resemble gigantic mushrooms. (Photos copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Formerly, a common practice in many countries was to be photographed in a studio. Below are 6 of my family pictures.

My father’s father Peder Christian Pedersen was born in 1890. He was drafted to the army 1911-17, but due to Denmark’s neutrality he never took part actively in World War I (1914-18). This studio photo from c. 1915 shows him seated. He died of cancer in 1925, only 35 years old. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

In the old days, the Vietnamese traditional dress, called ao dai (‘long shirt’), was worn by both sexes, today only by women. It consists of a tight-fitting silk tunic, worn over trousers. A very popular trend among Vietnamese women is to be photographed, wearing an ao dai.

Professional photographer at work near Lake Hoan Kiem. I think he took 30 photos before he was satisfied with the result. For some reason or other, it is popular in the Far East to show the V-sign when being photographed. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

In January, the tree species Idesia polycarpa, of the willow family (Salicaceae), displays an abundance of red berries, which are much coveted by various bird species. In Dasyueshan National Forest Recreation Area, central Taiwan, a group of these trees are situated near the road, and it is possible to photograph the birds when they feed on the berries, which draws photographers to this area from near and far. Pictures from this spot are shown on the pages In praise of the colours red and orange, and Animals – Birds: Birds in Taiwan.

When a bird photographer observes a rare bird, he informs his friends by an sms on his mobile phone, who inform their friends, etc., and in no time a dense crowd of photographers are gathered at the spot, where the bird was last seen, hoping to get pictures of it.

Bird photograhers, gathered at a group of trees, in which Eurasian siskins (Spinus spinus) and bramblings (Fringilla montifringilla) are feeding, Taichung Metropolitan Park, Taiwan. Both these birds are rare winter visitors to Taiwan. (Photos copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Presumably, it had been decided that the high-altitude Hohuan Shan parking lot in central Taiwan would provide a romantic setting for wedding pictures. Unfortunately, the great day turned out to be foggy and with near-freezing temperatures, so the poor bride must have been frozen stiff in her airy garment, while posing for several minutes in front of a team of professional photographers, clad in down jackets.

The rocks in this river near Jinguashi, northern Taiwan, have been dyed orange from deposited minerals, washed out from former mining shafts. The place has been dubbed Huangjin Pubu (‘Golden Waterfall’). (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Danish postcard from c. 1920, depicting a little girl, dressed up for a studio photograph. (Public domain)

These young people gave my companion Lars Skipper and me a lift to the Mugua River Gorge, eastern Taiwan. Many people in the Far East show the V-sign when being photographed – I wonder why. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Mobile phone mania

The most widespread ailment in the world is boredom, closely followed by the ‘selfie syndrome’ – this strange habit of taking pictures of yourself with your mobile phone all possible and impossible places – for what purpose is a mystery to me.

The mobile phone is an excellent invention to convey short messages, to search for hotels and the like, or to call for help if you are in trouble. But the abuse of the mobile phone has spead like a wildfire across the world. In cities and countryside alike, in buses, trains, planes, and everywhere else, you observe people, young and old, rich and poor, with their nose or ear in close contact with their mobile phone. If they don’t talk, they send unimportant sms’s, watch emails, scroll through endless features on Facebook, Tik-tok, or other so-called social media, or admire pictures of themselves.

Once, during a busride in Nepal, I noticed a young fellow on the opposite seat, who very carefully combed his hair and then took a selfie. This act was repeated about eight times, before the result was satisfactory.

Today, many people’s major contact with others is through so-called ‘chatting’, i.e. you send an sms to others, mostly meaningless nonsense about what you have done, what you are doing, or what you intend to do.

Reminds me of the story of a man who thought that he didn’t have much contact with his teenage son, so he suggested him that they have a chat. “Allright,” said the son, whipping out his mobile phone to start chatting.

Below is a collection of pictures, depicting mobile phone users of all ages around the world.

This couple are taking a selfie, squatting in a delicate carpet of fallen flowers of the mu oil tree (Vernicia montana), Sanyi, northern Taiwan. The gorgeous flowering of this tree is described on the page Plants: When the mu oil tree is flowering. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

While waiting for customers, it is now a widespread habit among street vendors to kill some time by staring at your mobile phone.

This vendor in Janakpur is selling puris (bread, made from unleavened wheat dough, which pops up when deep-fried), samosas (thin pancakes wound around a potato or vegetable curry, and then deep-fried), and pakoras (deep-fried vegetables or cottage cheese, dipped in a chickpea batter). (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

(Uploaded January 2026)

Kaj Halberg - writer & photographer

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Photography