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Sunlight Photo Studio: Connecting Memories Across Time
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◎Written by Li Siao-ping
◎Translation by Lin Yu-ciao
◎Photos and reproduced photos by Cindy Lee
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In a bygone era when cameras were a luxury and mobile phones were yet to be invented, a visit to a photo studio was a momentous occasion. The Sunlight Photo Studio(日光照相館)in the Shanlin District has now closed its doors and, with it, a treasure trove of memories. The daughter of the studio’s owner, Jhang Chun-siang(張春香), has painstakingly preserved the old photographs as a testament to her family's legacy. These include ID photos, wedding photos, and other nostalgic snapshots. These precious black-and-white images chronicle the Chimei area’s early development and other significant moments in people's lives.
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Photo and reproduced photo by Cindy Lee |
Jhang Chun-siang said that her father, Jhang Ren-kuei(張仁葵), worked as an apprentice at a photo studio in Zuoying when he was young. In the evenings, he diligently practiced retouching film while the senior apprentices went out to watch movies. Unlike other apprentices who took three years to master photography, he became proficient in just three months. He then returned to his hometown to open Shanlin’s first photo studio.
One of Jhang Chun-siang’s most vivid memories was the day when a customer entered the studio with a bruised and swollen face smeared with soy sauce and condiments. It turned out he had just been in a fight. At that time, the police station didn't have cameras, so taking photos for evidence was also one of Jhang Ren-kuei’s jobs.
In his spare time, he enjoyed taking his camera on motorcycle rides, capturing countless moments of his family and himself. In doing so, he documented an era of the streets and daily life.
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Reproduced photo by Cindy Lee |
Chi-Mei Community University(旗美社區大學)hosted the "Shutter Across Time-Shanlin Sunlight Photo Studio: Retrospective Exhibition of Father and Son, Jhang Lian-you(張連有)and Jhang Ren-kuei.” The exhibit showcased old photographs from the Sunlight Photo Studio. President Jhang Jheng-yang(張正揚)of the Chi-Mei Community University reminisced, "I grew up in Meinong and never knew that Meinong Lake used to have boats on it. Without these old photos, I would never have known what the past was like.”
Jhang Ren-kuei's photography is like a window into the past, capturing the timeless landscapes of his era. His daughter, with a heart full of memories, plans to continue exhibiting his old photographs at the original site of Sunlight Photo Studio. This will allow the public to step into a visual time machine, rekindling their own stories and revisiting the Chimei area's development throughout the years.
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Reproduced photo by Cindy Lee |
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