Jamie 專欄 #148｜鏡頭下，先說文化再談真實

我在拍攝異文化空間時，經常思考：鏡頭下的世界，究竟是屬於空間本身的原貌，抑或是經我主觀過濾後的文化投射？

當文化邊界在鏡頭裡浮現，攝影師便不再只是記錄者的角色，而成了一位介於兩端、進行文化轉譯的「譯者」。設計師以空間陳述故事，攝影師則必須透過氛圍的細膩感受與結構的語彙去理解這種語言。然而，語言之間並不存在完全對等的翻譯，這使得攝影工作從根本上就具備了獨立觀點與文化自覺的責任。

最終，鏡頭前的每一個選擇，都隱藏著一種審慎的判斷：我選擇了用何種方式去理解一個文化，同時也決定了什麼會被留下。

When photographing spaces across different cultures, I often wonder: Is the world within the frame the space’s unvarnished reality, or a projection filtered through my own cultural subjectivity?
As cultural boundaries emerge in the viewfinder, the photographer ceases to be a mere recorder and becomes a "translator" bridging two ends. Designers narrate stories through space; photographers must interpret this language through the nuance of atmosphere and the syntax of structure. Yet, no perfect translation exists between languages. This inherently burdens photography with the responsibility of independent perspective and cultural self-awareness.
Ultimately, every choice made before the lens conceals a deliberate judgment: how I choose to understand a culture determines what is preserved.

拍攝前，先學會觀看與聆聽文化

我曾拍攝過許多不同文化的空間。每到達一個地方，我不會急於尋找角度，而是先停下腳步觀察：這個空間是希望被人靠近，抑或是要求保持距離？它的姿態是沉穩緩慢，還是帶著快速流動的生命力？這些空間想傳達的內在感知，決定了我在何種角度下捕捉主體。

歐美的空間攝影，常以結構設計與光線明暗來強調對比與力量感，畫面乾淨而直接。亞洲的拍攝語法則相對柔軟，總能感受到他們讓時間「滲透」進畫面的方法，追求的是一種含蓄且引人停留的韻律感。

這些差異，並非來自攝影技巧的優劣，而是文化長年累積的習慣與潛在語彙。當我開始意識到這些無形的存在，也更能理解：攝影不只是呈現外貌，而是呈現攝影師「看世界的方式」及其背後的文化濾鏡。

First, Observation and Listening
I have photographed spaces across many cultures. Upon arrival, I never rush to find angles. Instead, I stop. Does this space invite approach, or demand distance? Is its posture grounded and slow, or vibrant with rapid flow? These internal perceptions dictate how I frame the subject.
Western spatial photography often employs structure and chiaroscuro to emphasize contrast and power—clean, direct. Asian syntax, by comparison, is softer. One can sense time "permeating" the image, pursuing an implicit rhythm that invites the viewer to linger.
These differences stem not from technical proficiency, but from long-accumulated cultural habits. Realizing this allows me to see photography not just as visual presentation, but as a reflection of the photographer’s "way of seeing" and their underlying cultural filter.

「再現」的本質：挑戰超越真實的界線

在多年的跨文化拍攝經驗中，我常遇到設計師希望畫面能「忠實」呈現空間，但我們所理解的「忠實」卻不斷被現場的氛圍所挑戰。有時，現場光線比預期更為柔軟，空氣中甚至多了一層獨特的溫度感。我會依照現場情況給予最終判斷，有時保留這份微妙的柔和感，比僅僅複製結構更為重要。

這些經驗讓我真正體會，「忠實」不只是單純的複製與還原，而是讓設計師的思維和作品精神，在攝影師的獨立觀點中被重新理解並透過影像傳達。尤其在 AI 技術高度發展的當代，對空間「真實」的像素級複製已非難事。AI 可以完美複製結構，但卻難以捕捉那份「獨特的溫度感」與背後的文化思維。

Beyond Mere Representation
In years of cross-cultural work, designers often ask for a "faithful" representation. Yet, our understanding of "faithfulness" is constantly challenged by the onsite atmosphere. Sometimes, the light is softer than expected, the air holding a unique temperature. My final judgment often favors preserving this subtle softness over merely replicating structure.
True faithfulness, I’ve realized, is not simple reproduction. It is re-interpreting the designer’s spirit through an independent viewpoint. In an age of AI, pixel-perfect replication of structure is easy, but capturing that unique "temperature" and cultural thought remains elusive.

攝影師的價值正在於這份人文的差異。如同我在與許多創作者交流時的共識：攝影師的角色，並非模仿，而是作為一種文化的延續者。將人、環境與文化融入作品，賦予設計師的思考新的生命，並透過自身的攝影語言讓它得以被解讀和閱讀。

以亞洲攝影語彙建構獨特優勢

在與國際創作者或業主的跨文化交流中，我們無可避免地會被賦予「亞洲文化視角」的期待。然而，這個具體到實踐層面的「亞洲文化」在當代語境下究竟代表著什麼？

對我來說，它並不是一種固定的風格樣式，而是一種源於文化自覺的態度。這種態度，讓我並不否認自己被文化所形塑：亞洲文化背景的人往往更著重細節，也更在意氛圍的捕捉。因此，我在構圖時，習慣將注意力放在空間的氛圍延續，而非僅是結構的完整呈現。我會刻意在畫面中留出空間，讓光線得以自然流動。

A photographer's value lies in this human difference. We are not mimics, but cultural continuators. We weave people, environment, and culture into the work, giving the design new life through our own photographic language.
The Asian Vantage Point
In international exchanges, I am inevitably met with expectations of an "Asian perspective." But what does this mean in a contemporary context?
To me, it is not a fixed style, but an attitude born of cultural self-awareness. I do not deny how culture has shaped me: those with Asian backgrounds often prioritize detail and atmospheric capture. Consequently, I focus on the continuity of atmosphere rather than just structural completeness. I deliberately leave space in the frame, allowing light to flow naturally.

當我看歐美語法的作品時，有時會反思：「我是不是顯得太溫柔了？」但慢慢地我理解，這種將感受性置於形式之上、與歐美語法截然不同的呈現方式，不該被視為弱點，而是一種「視差」，它讓我們得以看見同一件事的不同面向。

文化不應是創作的束縛，而是一面內省的鏡子，提醒我為何選擇以這種方式觀看，也讓我明白自己所屬的位置。這份源自成長背景的獨特文化痕跡，正是我們在國際視野中獨樹一幟的創作優勢。

Viewing Western works, I sometimes ask: "Am I too gentle?" But I have come to understand that prioritizing sensibility over form isn't a weakness. It is a "parallax"—a distinct vantage point that reveals different facets of the same reality.
Culture should not be a constraint, but an introspective mirror. It reminds me why I see the way I do. This unique cultural imprint is our distinctive strength on the global stage.

鏡頭下的終極練習：從記錄到文化對話

現在的我，更傾向將攝影昇華為一種理解的練習。

在不同文化之間穿梭，其核心目的不只是為了拍出正確的構圖，更是學習如何去精準地感受與解讀。當我走進一個陌生的空間，我會要求自己慢下來，將心神沉浸於環境的內在訊息中。從光線、氣味、聲音，這些不可見的線索去察覺，聽從它們的引導應如何定調畫面。

攝影，終究不是「呈現某個地方」的單一行動，而是讓不同文化觀點之間，找到能互相交會與理解的方式。

From Recording to Dialogue
I now view photography as a practice in understanding.
The core purpose of traversing cultures isn't just correct composition, but learning precise perception and interpretation. Entering a strange space, I force myself to slow down, immersing my mind in the environment's internal signals. Light, scent, sound—these invisible clues guide the tone of the image.
Photography, in the end, is not the singular act of "showing a place." It is a method for finding intersection and understanding between differing cultural viewpoints.