2025 Dajia Jenn Lann Temple Mazu Pilgrimage

This series was created during the pilgrimage of Dajia Mazu, a sacred journey rich in ritual, chaos, devotion, and collective energy. Traditionally, my photographic style has leaned heavily on vivid, saturated colors—a way of echoing the intensity and spectacle of the event. But this year marked a quiet rupture. Having stepped away from the official temple photography team, I found myself unbound by documentation duties. That distance allowed for a more introspective, personal gaze. I began to explore black-and-white photography—not as a stylistic choice, but as a necessity. In removing color, I was able to listen more closely to the moment. The noise softened; the essence sharpened. Black-and-white imagery, in this context, becomes a form of distillation. Faces, hands, movement, and light take on new weight and meaning. Without the distraction of color, the ritual becomes more universal, and paradoxically, more intimate. These images are less about recording, and more about remembering—not just what happened, but how it felt. In a way, this work reflects a transition—not just in my practice, but in my relationship to faith, space, and narrative. It is, above all, a return to seeing.