Under the veil of night, as the sea and sky merge into one, the brilliant Milky Way spans the night sky, as if opening the gate to the universe. After waiting for one or two months, the photographer Ray Chen finally pressed the shutter and captured “The Gateway of the Milky Way.” On January 27th, this piece was selected as a finalist in the 5th NTD International Photography Competition and exhibited at the Salmagundi Club in New York.
Ray Chen, hailing from Taiwan, is currently pursuing a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at a graduate school. During his senior year, he took up a photography course, sparking his exploration into the world of photography. Over the past one or two years of shooting experiences, “The Gateway of the Milky Way” represents a significant creative endeavor for him.
The piece was captured on an island off the coast of Australia. To achieve the optimal lighting and composition, Chen drove over a hundred kilometers to the coast in the middle of the night, carrying heavy equipment and making his way down to a rocky formation that resembled steps next to the sea. He described the location as “quite a dangerous-looking place.”
Chen’s aim for the artwork was to capture the subject – the Milky Way appearing in the right position under natural light. “The Milky Way happened to be positioned just above that island, giving a sense of extension,” he explained. On that particular evening, as the sky was filled with twinkling stars and the waves crashed nearby, he patiently waited for the perfect moment.
“As time passed, the Milky Way would move ever so slightly,” Chen recalled. On that day, he took hundreds of photos and finally selected one that he was most satisfied with. “It was quite a rare moment to capture,” he said. “The positioning of the Milky Way, at a slant, perfectly traversing the entire frame.”
The final entry, “The Gateway of the Milky Way,” displays a night scene where the sea meets the sky, a Milky Way streaking across the night sky, its bottom meeting the island by the sea, resembling a bridge connecting heaven and earth. It is like a key in the night, unlocking the door to exploring the vast universe. “It looks very spectacular,” Chen felt a sense of reverence towards nature and the universe in the face of human insignificance.
Participating in the NTD Photography Competition for the first time, reaching the finals surprised Ray Chen, who expressed that he still needs to “put in more effort.” He also admired the works of other finalists, praising them, “They are really talented, their works are quite beautiful!” Chen could empathize with the effort put in by each participant, understanding the challenges of photography.
He fully supports the purpose of the competition, particularly resonating with the emphasis on “natural state.” With a deepening understanding of the art of photography, he increasingly respects the authenticity of a photo and reduces post-processing. “At the moment of taking the picture, the photo should reflect nature as it is,” he said. “I try to reproduce what I see with my eyes as faithfully as possible.”
To capture subjects as realistically as possible, he started acquiring auxiliary equipment like filters, relying less on post-production adjustments. Chen believes that the essence of photography lies not in embellishing photos but in remaining “natural” and “real.” He mentioned that although post-processing can simulate natural effects, he prefers to “capture the scene as it is in the moment.”
Chen has his own pursuit in the art of photography: “To restore the original, is to restore nature.”