Li Hsiang
 rookie030

Li Hsiang, also known as “Chai Chai”, is a photographer who worked at the post office for nearly 15 years. He is known for recording daily life with a camera. While delivering letters, he would observe the environment and use the lens to capture the changes to the landscape and the people’s lifestyle and emotions every year. His images encapsulate rich human emotions and thoughts. 

When I arrived at Penghu Island, I used the palm-sized camera RX100 VI to capture two signature sceneries of Dong Ji Islet and Xi Ji Islet. 

Dong Ji Islet settlements are scattered around nearby ports with back facing the mountain and front facing the sea. Roads were built as more houses and settlements were constructed, which were connected by intertwining alleys and paths.  

The wharf serves as the only connection to the outside world. The beach next to the wharf comprises of the debris of corals and shells. This is a sanctuary for anglers, especially during the summer. 

I remember when I stayed in Dong Ji Islet for the first time. I had a romantic fantasy about life on a secluded island. I thought about the sea breeze brushing against my face and the harshness of island life leaving a mark on my hands. In fact, I like the optimistic nature of the island people and the humility of respecting and delighting in the beauty of nature. Although there are a lot of anglers and divers now, my special memories of Dong Ji Islet remain intact. 

Baguashan gives a stunning panoramic view of the entire town. It is also one of the best scenic spots to watch the sunset. The RX100 VI has a 24fps burst mode and reliable autofocus that allows you to capture every change as you wait for the sun to set. When the air is good, you can see Dongyu-Ping and Xiyu-Ping in the distance. At the bottom of the mountain is a platform that has been eroded by the sea. You can find different intertidal animals in this spot when it is low tide.

Xi Ji Islet has unique natural scenery. It has the Blue Cave, which is often considered  a hidden paradise. Although you cannot set foot on Xi Ji Islet, you can ask the diving operators at Dong Ji Islet to take you to see the Blue Cave on a boat. Using the RX100 VI at sea level with its 24-200mm focal length and optical anti-shake compensation, you can take pictures of the basalt with clear lines and the natural sea cave. You’ll be amazed by the sunlight, which will create different shades of blue. The awe-inspiring mystery of nature can be captured with the palm sized RX100 VI. 

Chou Po Qian Paul
 Photographer Paul

In 2018, Chou Po Qian Paul started #HowtoMakeTaiwanLookGreat on Instagram to share his video creations. From stills to videos, he has a unique personal style that has generated a lot of discussions on the internet and helps to promote domestic travel in Taiwan.   

As someone who loves to record my travels in videos, it is normal for me to carry a multi-functional camera on all my trips. This time, I took the RX100 VII to take pictures at Xiyu, the largest outlying island in Penghu. 

After crossing a sea-spanning bridge, I arrived at Whale Cave, a giant wave-cut platform that looks just like a whale when viewed from a distance. Legend says that in ancient times, a whale jumped into the cave and died inside as it could not find a way out. The nearby people then went to the cave to carve out the whale meat. That was how the cave got its name. 

I then headed south towards Chixi Rock Waterfall. It is known to be Xiyu's most famous sight, which did not come as a surprise as it is breathtakingly spectacular! However, since it is a popular scenic spot, expect to have a lot of people in your pictures when you visit there. Not too far from here is a secret location that looks great as well: Sanshibi, a giant basalt rock formation. There is an atmosphere of mystery to the place as it is a bit hidden away and it will surprise you with a pool right beside it. 

Head down Peng 5 Township Road and you will arrive at Niuxinshan. While it looks a little barren, don't underestimate this place as you can capture stunning images in every corner of the place. If you are willing to squat down and change your perspective, you will be surprised by something completely different. The RX100 VII's 24mm wide angle focus and flip-over screen can help you create the best photos you can produce from this island. 

The greatest thing about travelling is unexpected encounters. When you've visited the scenic spots everyone has been raving about, try venturing into the unknown. Head to the end of Xiyu and pass Peng 6 Township Road and you will find yourself in the middle of a grassland. There are no man-made objects on both sides of the road, only a very wide landscape. The nearest landmark on the map is Xuanshiyan. You will be surprised by the satisfying view. 

In addition to Xiyu, I also went to the Penghu Aquarium in Baisha. Although it is not that big, I feel that the creatures there are all well taken care of. The aquarium is a low light environment, but the RX100 VII has a one-inch photosensitive component that can clearly capture the place and produce great pictures and videos in such lighting conditions. 

Although the RX100 VII is a compact pocket camera, it has a focal length of 24-200mm. The shooting functions and operations are almost the same as the cameras with interchangeable lens that I usually use for work. It is highly recommended for travel when you don't want to carry a bulky SLR camera around. 

Mao Di
 Mao Di Outdoor Photographer

Mao Di is a freelance photographer who started with landscape photography and wedding photography, business photography and portrait photography. Since 2020, he has fallen in love with the sea after going free diving. He likes to capture the graceful posture of people in water and the wonderful moments where ambient light and shadow come to play. 

Liuqiu is a small island off the coast of Donggang, Pingtung. You can reach it by boat in only 20-30 minutes, which is quite accessible for an outlying island. Even during winter, the climate here remains pleasant with the central mountain range protecting it from the northeast monsoon. It is suitable for travel all year round. Given its onshore and underwater attractions, this place will surely be worth your time! 

For someone who loves diving like me, this place offers something that other islands in Taiwan cannot: sea turtles. That is an important reason why I like diving in Liuqiu! My works involved different underwater creations with sea turtles as the main theme. It is an important driving force for my insistence on underwater photography.

I usually take pictures with the Alpha 6500, which has an accurate and fast focus. This time, I also used the RX100 VII to take underwater pictures for a change. I was satisfied with its performance and can say that its focus system compares well!  

When taking underwater pictures of people or creatures swimming, the autofocus must be precise, otherwise the pictures would easily go out of focus. The RX100 VII’s wide autofocus range covers 68% of the screen. Once it picks up the subject, its focus is almost always accurate (as long the background is not too busy). The focusing speed is another necessary feature to be considered for underwater photography. The autofocus speed of the RX100 VII didn’t disappoint as it is even faster than that of many professional SLR cameras on the market. I was really impressed when I was shooting underwater with this camera.  

For example, when I swam with a sea turtle in Liuqiu, the focus locked on the turtle seamlessly. All in all, the RX100 VII is a high-performance, portable pocket camera and its 24-200mm focal length makes it very useful both on land and underwater! 
 

 KK
 kklivehigh

With 89,000 followers on Instagram, KK enjoys wearing headphones and listening to indie rock music when finding his shot. His photography style stems from his curiosity about everyday life, and he snaps photos intuitively when he sees something beautiful.

Looking at the sea is a relaxing thing to do. 

A while ago, I went to Hengchun and Kenting with a pair of sandals on my feet and a bag on my back with the hope of being embraced by the beauty of the endless sea and sky. 
I remember when I arrived at the homestay that day, I walked opposite the coast next to Shadao Ecological Reserve to watch the sea. I sat on the reef and listened to the sound of the waves until the sun went down as if I owned the entire scenery.

This time, I brought with me the Alpha 7C and FE 24mm F2.8 G (SEL24F28G) and FE 40mm F2.5 G (SEL40F25G), two compact lenses that weigh only 162g and 173g respectively. I took a lot of pictures as I roamed the beautiful shore with the lightweight camera and the two lenses. 

Since they are lightweight, it does not feel much of an effort to constantly switch between the two lenses. At one moment, I was taking pictures of the wide sea and reefs; at the next moment, I was taking a close-up of the waves crashing ashore. With the fast-focusing speed of the camera and the lenses and the convenience of the Alpha 7C's flip screen, it is easy to capture images even at low angles. 

The glow of the sun on Sha Island as the sun set, the white sand of Baisha Bay, the layered waters of Xingsha Bay, the far-stretching Fengchuisha, the composition of the Eluanbi Lighthouse and the sea and sky… I could not put down my camera at all during these few days because I did not want to miss an unforgettable moment. 

Leaving the seaside to return to the old streets of Hengchun Old Town, the lovely Ah Po dry noodles and the lively public market gave me the best moments of my trip where daily life and nature converge. These were kept well in my heart as well as in the camera. 

Despite being lightweight and easy to carry around, the Alpha 7C does not compromise on its image quality. It helps me record all the details of the trip. The highly flexible post-production capabilities offer even more possibilities to highlight the beauty of Kenting in the pictures. 

Celine and Cynthia
 Celine and Cynthia 

With 199,000 YouTube subscribers, travel is a way of life for Celine and Cynthia. As they see different faces on their travels, the girls encourage everyone to step out of the house and see the world around them.  

Hengchun, Kenting, the place that everyone goes to for their graduation trip! The destination that everyone remembers to always be filled with tourists, to us, felt completely different. 

In the winter, the parasols that used to line the beaches of Nawan are gone, tourists on jet skis are nowhere to be found. In their place is a warm sunshine that won't cause a sunburn. We love to bring beers, a speaker and a book and spend an entire afternoon there. 

Staying at a homestead that costs less than it usually does during the peak season and having a floating breakfast while enjoying the sea view—this is Hengchun in our eyes. In addition to this calming scene, the pristine coastline that leans against the mountains and the sea, and the sound of the waves hitting the seashore pebbles made it a paradise! We were so relaxed – practicing yoga in the sea breeze, drinking beer with friends, and listening to music until nightfall. Hengchun is lazy, warm and does not require an itinerary because here, happiness is very simple.  

For this trip, we used the lightweight Alpha 7C with the similarly lightweight FE 20mm F1.8 G (SEL20F18G) wide-angle prime lens. Its fast autofocus and flip screen with the 20mm lens is very suitable for a two-person vlog. Its five-axis anti-shake system and full-frame sensor helped us take pictures with a cinematic feel.  

The Alpha 7C’s night shooting performance is very good as well! Whether it is first-person travel experience, selfie or auxiliary images, the Alpha 7C undeniably equips us to capture the perfect moments that should be encapsulated in time at our favourite location in the south where we were so carefree.