Jamie 專欄 #143｜看不見的默契：當文化成為攝影的潛語法

在攝影這條路上，我常自問：鏡頭下的每張影像，究竟有多少成分是屬於自己，又有多少是屬於這個社會與文化？近來，隨著Hey!Cheese在方向上的重新梳理，我更深刻地體會到，除了構圖、光線、材質等可見的技術，還存在一種更為無形的「文化語法」，深深地影響著我們的鏡頭。它像是一種集體潛意識，決定了我們如何觀看，也塑造了我們鏡頭下的空間敘事。

Hey!Cheese從單純的空間攝影，逐漸轉向成為一個更具文化與設計深度的內容平台。這不只是市場策略的轉變，更是因為我們期望帶來深度報導和原創觀點。正因如此，我們選擇踏上一條「浪漫」且「緩慢」的路，專注於提供獨特內容。因為我們深信，唯有獨特性，才是我們真正的優勢，也是我們對社會所能貢獻的價值。

I often ask myself a simple question in my photographic practice: how much of an image belongs to me, and how much belongs to the society and culture that shape me. As Hey!Cheese undergoes a renewed clarity in its direction, this question feels more present than ever.
Beyond composition, light, or material texture, there is an invisible layer that guides the way we frame a scene. I think of it as a cultural grammar, a shared subconscious that informs how we look at the world. It shapes the narratives we create, and quietly influences the spaces that appear through our lens.
Hey!Cheese has gradually evolved from a platform centered on spatial photography into one that carries cultural and design depth. This shift is not simply a strategic move. It comes from our desire to cultivate in-depth reporting and original perspectives.
This is why we have chosen a path that feels both romantic and intentionally slow, focusing on work that is distinct and self-driven. We believe that uniqueness is our true strength, and it is also the most meaningful contribution we can offer to the society we are part of.

鏡頭裡的對話：歐美理性與日式靜謐

不同文化會養成截然不同的攝影語言。當我們在進行國外空間的報導時，常能從照片裡的氛圍感受到它的文化背景。這份感受並非單純來自建築風格本身，而是鏡頭背後那套無形的文化語法在發揮作用。

在歐美，攝影師傾向於強調結構與光影的戲劇性。你會在他們的照片裡看到一種理性的力量，建築的比例與秩序被推到前景，張力強烈而直接。亞洲，特別是日本，則更偏向於追求「靜」與「留白」。他們在空畫面裡保留呼吸的餘地，讓觀看者有時間去體會空間的層次與物件的關係。這些差異不單是攝影技巧上的選擇，而是歷史、教育與生活習慣長期積累下來的默契。

The Dialogue Inside the Frame: Western Rationality and Japanese Quietude
Different cultures cultivate distinct photographic sensibilities. When we cover international architectural and interior projects in greater depth, the cultural imprint often reveals itself through the atmosphere of the images. This sensitivity does not come solely from the architectural style. It emerges from an invisible cultural grammar that shapes the photographer’s instincts.
In Western contexts, photographers tend to emphasise structure and the dramatic interplay of light and shadow. Their images often project a sense of rational force, where proportion and order are brought to the forefront with clarity and impact. Across Asia, particularly in Japan, the approach leans toward quietude and openness. Empty spaces are left intentionally unfilled, giving viewers time to take in the layers of a room and the relationships between objects.
These differences are not merely aesthetic preferences. They reflect histories, educational influences, and long-standing habits of daily life that have collectively formed a shared cultural intuition behind the lens.

這些攝影語言的差異，其實也對應著不同的生活方式。在日本，我特別能感受到他們對「靜謐」的執著。設計師會花時間調整細節，讓光線在空間中緩慢流動；攝影師則習慣用鏡頭留出足夠的空白，彷彿是在邀請觀者靜坐其中。照片的節奏，就像日式庭園裡的流水，緩緩卻耐人尋味。而在歐美的作品中，節奏往往更為快速、更具衝擊力。他們強調結構的穩定與宏大，喜歡用廣角鏡頭直接展現空間氣勢。光影的對比經常被拉到最大，畫面彷彿在宣告建築本身的力量感。

亞洲人習慣在有限的空間裡生活，因此更注重人與物件之間的細微關係；而歐美人則多半生活於較大的尺度，他們所追求的，是建築本身的宏大張力與表現力。

These photographic differences mirror the ways people live. In Japan, there is a particular devotion to stillness. Designers take time to fine tune details so that light moves gently through a space. Photographers often leave intentional openness within the frame, as if inviting the viewer to linger. The pacing of the image feels closer to a Japanese garden, measured and contemplative.
In Western work, the visual tempo is generally faster and more forceful. The focus tends to fall on structural stability and scale, with wide lenses used to articulate the full presence of a room. Light and shadow are pushed to stronger contrasts, creating images that openly assert the power of the architecture itself.
People in many Asian cities live within limited square footage, which heightens their sensitivity to the subtle relationships between bodies, objects, and surroundings. Western contexts often involve larger spatial scales, which naturally shape a preference for images that highlight expansiveness and architectural expression.

在拉扯中誕生的，台灣折衷語法

那麼，台灣的攝影語法又是什麼？我常形容它是一種折衷的語氣。既不像日本那樣極端靜謐，也不像歐洲那樣強調結構張力，而是被迫在兩者之間找到平衡。

這種特質與我們的社會狀態緊密相關。台灣的建築空間因為尺度有限、需求多元，業主與設計師的期待也往往不一致。於是，攝影師必須同時兼顧「拍清楚」與「拍好看」：既要呈現細節，讓業主能確認設計成果，也要營造氛圍，符合媒體與社群的擴散需求。久而久之，這樣的拉扯形成了一套帶有在地性格的語法。

從更大的環境來看，這種「折衷」並不只存在於攝影現場。它其實也反映在我們日常的街景裡：鐵皮屋、五顏六色的招牌、密集的電線與機車……在外人眼中或許顯得混亂，但對我們來說，卻是再真實不過的日常。也正因為如此，台灣的攝影語言往往帶著一種介於秩序與凌亂之間的氣質，那是一種獨屬於此地的文化真實。

A Grammar Shaped by Tension: The Taiwanese Hybrid
So what is the photographic grammar of Taiwan. I often describe it as a hybrid tone. It is neither as meditative as Japan nor as structure driven as Europe. Instead, it exists somewhere in between, shaped by the need to negotiate multiple expectations.
This quality mirrors our social reality. Architectural projects in Taiwan often face limited space and varied needs, and the expectations of clients and designers do not always align. Photographers are therefore asked to deliver clarity and atmosphere at the same time. The image must show details that allow clients to confirm the outcome, yet it also needs to carry a sense of mood that works for media and social platforms. Over time, this push and pull has evolved into a distinctly local grammar.
Seen from a broader perspective, this spirit of negotiation extends far beyond photography. It is present in the landscape of our streets. Corrugated metal extensions, colourful signage, dense cables, rows of scooters. What appears chaotic to outsiders feels entirely ordinary to us. This mixture of order and disorder becomes part of our visual DNA, which is why Taiwanese photography often carries an in between quality. It reflects a cultural reality that belongs to this place alone.

觀看習慣，從何處而來？

我一直覺得，觀看影像的方式不是憑空長出來的，而是被教育、產業和日常生活慢慢塑造的。台灣的設計產業長期受到國際潮流影響，攝影師因此經常需要在「國際美學」與「在地習慣」之間找到平衡。這樣的背景，造就了一種複合的觀看方式：我們熟悉國際的語法，但同時也帶著本地的生活節奏。

然而，我們的生活習慣也深深烙印在影像裡。台灣人習慣在有限的空間裡創造舒適感，會把不同元素混搭在一起，這些特徵最終也滲入了我們的攝影語彙。因此，比起單純強調建築結構，我們更在意的是「人和物之間的關係」，以及空間如何被日常使用。

正是因為這種「雙重視角」，我開始思考：身為一位台灣攝影師，我能不能把這些觀察整理下來，形成更具體的語言？

Where Do Our Ways of Seeing Come From
I have always felt that the way we read images does not appear out of nowhere. It is shaped gradually by education, industry practices, and everyday life. Taiwan’s design field has long been influenced by global trends, which means photographers often need to balance international aesthetics with local habits. This context has created a layered way of seeing. We understand the visual grammar used internationally, yet we carry the sensibilities of our own environment.
Our living habits leave a strong mark on our images. People in Taiwan are accustomed to creating comfort within limited square footage, often mixing elements that feel practical and familiar. These traits inevitably seep into our photographic vocabulary. Rather than focusing solely on architectural form, we tend to pay attention to the relationship between people and objects, and how space accommodates daily routines.
This dual perspective has led me to a question. As a photographer rooted in Taiwan, can I organise these observations and shape them into a clearer language of my own.

從台灣出發，串聯亞洲的文化視角

在這些思索的過程中，我逐漸釐清了自己的定位。身為一位台灣攝影師，我深知無法完全跳脫本地文化的語法，但我能選擇以描繪者的角度，將亞洲的觀看語法勾勒出來。 亞洲並非一個單一體，而是整個區域等無數細緻的差異所共同拼湊而成。而這些差異，正是我渴望整理與分享的。這不僅能幫助我們認識彼此，也能讓國際社會更清晰地理解亞洲獨特的觀看方式。

我希望透過攝影與文字，把這些觀察轉化為更具體的語言。攝影不只在於「拍得好看」，更在於「看得更深」。這是我身為攝影師的使命，也是作為 Hey!Cheese 創辦人，所選擇持續前行的路。

Connecting Cultural Perspectives
Through these reflections, I have gradually come to understand my own position. As a photographer from Taiwan, I know I cannot step outside the cultural grammar that shaped me. What I can do is take on the role of an interpreter and trace the visual sensibilities that define Asia. Asia is not a single identity. It is a mosaic of subtle differences that coexist across the region, and these distinctions are what I hope to examine and share. Doing so not only helps us understand one another, it also offers the international community a clearer view of how Asia sees.
With photography and writing, I hope to turn these observations into a language that feels more concrete. Photography is not only about making something visually compelling. It is also about seeing with depth. This is my work as a photographer, and it is the direction I have chosen to pursue as the founder of Hey!Cheese.