The Ugliest Most Beautiful City in Asia (Exploring Taipei on 35mm Film)
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- Опубликовано: 26 июл 2024
- Shot on Leica M6.
Follow me on one of my favorite hobbies: Taking photos of the ugly beauty of Taipei!
ft. Leica M6
shot on Portra 400
Is Taipei the ugliest city in Asia? That was the thought going through my head when I first arrived in Taipei. While living in the states I had built up all these great asian cities in my head. Tokyo, Beijing, Bangkok, Taipei... Did I just choose the ugliest asian city to come live in?
From the airport I was taking the bus into the city, full of excitement. I was in Asia! It was my first time in Taiwan! I was excited for the many adventures ahead of me. But, on the other hand, I was also thinking, hm.... Taipei is actually kind of ugly. This didn't take away from any of the excitement that I was feeling; it was more of a side note, a first hand observation of the city that'd I'd call my home for a while. I just kept passing by these grimy buildings with no personality, barbed wire everywhere, gated windows, metal rooftops, it just wasn't aesthetically pleasing.
Fast forward to 9 years later. I have been back in forth between Taipei and the states many times, spending time in both places. Every place is different, every experience unique, and now looking back onto my years in Taiwan, I realized that my initial opinion of it being ugly quickly changed. And that Taipei is a very beautiful city.
What quickly became one of my hobbies was to shoot what some people might feel were the ugly parts of the city, but what I now felt were the unique parts that added to the cities character and beauty. I could walk the streets for hours, getting lost, soaking in the ugliness and sometimes not even bringing a camera but just enjoying living in such a unique place.
For this episode I did bring a camera. My favorite street shooting camera the Leica M6. I also wore a Gopro on my chest to kind of see what walking around the city taking photos would look like. I personally quite enjoyed it and hopefully will have time to go out and shoot again, because everyday is different.
I love the personality, quirkiness and the beauty of Taipei. From the people, to the atmosphere, to the food, culture, art, safety, health care, public transit, I could go on and on; I quickly fell in love with the city and feel honored to call it my second home.
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translated by: Hsu Shao-Hung
#travel #lifestyle #vlog #taipei #mikesun #taiwan #leica #kodak #filmphotography #streetphotography #POV
It's an incredible place.. Spent 5 months there this year and it grew on me immensely. Really looking at moving there
Go for it (:
I’ve always been fascinated by the older buildings and street of Taipei but never quite found ways to describe why. You described that feeling perfectly in this video. It is messy and old and ugly, but I like it a lot. Doing street photography in Taipei is so much fun because of all that.
Good photos indeed. Keep it up bro💯
I love your narration behind each photo/scenery. It’s really poetic.
Seriously loved the aesthetic and editing of this video. Look forward to your other content!
Appreciate it!
Great content mate. Please keep them coming!
duude ... this video aesthetic and your photos had me hooked.
Can't wait to skate through some of the places you showed~
Appreciate it man!
The music,the photo's,the editing…
Just amazing…
I just grab my camera and walk outside from home to re-recognize the city that I live after watching this video.
Thanks a lot! ya get out there and shoot!
The mismatched architecture on the large commercial streets that lead into secret residential alleyways is what makes Taiwan so charming. I love the juxtaposition of urban chaos and peaceful retreats all crammed together. It is a place that looks and feels 'lived in'.
definitely feels lived in. organized chaos is another way that I like to look at it. Sometimes it aint pretty, but it works ha
At this very moment I'm in home quarantine here in Taipei. Had nothing to do so I was looking up what to visit after I'm done with the isolation. And your video poped out. Long time I haven't seen emotion in vlogs. Yours has:) Keep doing it. Amazing!
Appreciate it! Enjoy Taipei once you get our of quarantine
Wow! Glad I stumbled upon your channel!
I live in Germany and my mom also grew up in Taipei. I was lucky to go there every two years. All that greenery on the houses is what I love so much about Taipei as well. Actually my grandma too has a rooftop too, where she plants all kinds of stuff, since she grew up in the countryside on a farm. Even a mangoe tree which sometimes causes trouble from the mangoes crashing the neighbours stuff or car 😂
But its just like a mini picture book jungle up there. With small buckets of water and lotus flowers in it. And tons of mosquitoes....
Keep up with your good work! It’s awesome!
So glad to have stumbled upon your video....just had to subscribe. I hope you continue to make these.👍
Thank you! I'll try my best
Michael. This was DOOOPE. Heartfelt and very much describes the sentiments of how I saw Taipei: ugly. But it's go so much character. Just like the moss that seems to grow on everything due to the humidity, the place has grown on me too. :)
thanks man! though I miss the states, this place has really grown on me, even more so since the pandemic. Hope you and your family are staying safe!
Wow I love this video man. Hope to see more of this type of videos 😊
appreciate it!
Touching script and real good views of Taipei. Love this one & thanks for sharing.
Taipei is one of those cities thats better to live in than visit. I'm extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to live there for several years.
Me too, love this place
Taiwan is beautiful.
I have lived in chihu with locals for 40 years.
Awesome place.
God bless Taiwan.
Holy shit, you are underrated af. Crazy quality videos!
🙌
check on old taipei videos and photos of 1930s and 1940s. you will find out who did this to taiwan.
the culture of not maintaining buildings and building illegal structures was introduced to taiwan after 1945.
This is such a beautiful video. I've been to Taiwan once in 2019 and this video pretty much summed up what I felt during that trip.
Btw, I'm your 1000th subscriber. :)
Haha awesome!! Thanks for the support!
I live and do street photography as a hobby in Tainan. Generally, i think there is a shabby look to Taiwanese cityscapes that adds layers and complexity to the image. A lot going on and it can be overwhelming at times, but you always feel like there is something around the corner.
Nice and interesting video, I enjoyed it !
Every city in any country has developed and underdeveloped areas. I don’t know where you are residing but I live in the Nangang Software Park district and it’s very urban and modern. Neihu Hi-Tech Science Park and Xinyi District are also upscale. Even Panchiao has an area similar to them. Taiwan is your country. Be proud of it.
You got it! You got the Taipei I remember. Great job!
appreciate it!
What an aesthetically pleasing vlog, well done!
Thank you!! 😊
台北的市容.....真的醜 醜到變成一種城市印象
Loving these vlogs. Really cool to see your part of the world. Looks like an amazing place. How's the virus situation there? I notice I don't see anyone with masks.
Fortunately the virus situation has always been under control here. When it all started everyone wore masks and social distanced. The government did a great job keeping track of who needed to be quarantined etc., and there hasn't been new case in a couple months, so life is pretty much back to normal here.
Awesome video
It’s not kind of ugly , it’s damn ugly.
Immensely touching.
As a local, I would say that the beauty of this city lies in details. But the city as a whole is just an ugly, tasteless, slimy blob. Great editing though!
Your parents must have thought of this: "This kid... I moved to the states to provide you a better life and now you decided to move back to Taipei", Just joking haha
台北的天空.有我年輕的笑容
Love it
Thanks man
first I also thought it was kinda ugly...now Im obsessed! I love Taiwan!
非常真實的內容 美麗和醜陋同時存在於台北
Taipei doesn't looks that pretty but I love keep visiting.
I've always have very complicated feeling about Taipei's "ugliness" (or Taiwanese cities in general). I like the vernacularism, the intimacy. What if this kind of "ugliness" actually defines a nation?
謝謝你喜歡 台北 我的家~
Taipei ❤️
But one things that i look Taiwan especially Taipei is just like “Tokyo” tho
It's because of lands and buildings are private properties. If you wanna urban renewal, most residents have to agree with it but it is complicated. It became a special view, some historic site and modern buildings are coexist.I don't think it is ugly,if everywhere are new buildings, where is the memory or history of this city or country ?Also, it is democracy,if you wanna my land, you have to my permission. The view maybe ugly but still beautiful in my memory.
why are they ugly in the first place? korea and japan have similar cityscape as taiwan, but much less ugly structures.
taipei was not alway this ugly. please and please check on old photos of taipei in 1930s. it was like a totally different world.
Actually, all Taiwanese totally agree with our buildings are ugly. We also want to do the urban renewal, but the residents do not move or let you demolish their homes.
Well done man! I totally agree with you, both ugly and pretty at the same time
All those wires are for cable TV. Not dangerous. Very ugly indeed. Call your cable TV company and they will move it away from your window.
Do you have a Taiwan passport and ID?
Nice apartment btw
I have an ARC
Taiwan would so much better if people were more concerned about the aesthetics in architecture .
It would be nice. But as an American who has to hear technocrats, nosey neighbors, city officials, urban planners, and so on drone on and on about neighborhood character, delaying projects sometimes for over a decade as a result - with many outright canceled - I assure you, it is 100% better to have people not care than have aesthetics driven NIMBYism infect the city like an inoperable cancer.
不只台北
720
We Taiwanese also know it's very ugly.
haha
true
The ugliness and shabbiness of the buildings is what makes the place so beautiful. Sadly many similar areas on the Mainland are being demolished to make room for new development.
OMG I'm so trriggered by the guy saying those buildings are ugly. I'm making a cyberpunk game inspired by Taiwan architecture and spent my whole trip taking photos. I really like that aesthetic and that dude should just to some other boring country and don't ruin my favourite city lol
Damn I commented before he changed his mind, ok I forgive him lol
台灣市區鄉下多這樣土地私人，有錢人環境比較好
As a Taiwanese who lives in Europe for long time, Taiwan is ugly really ugly ! I am shamed for that : look at Korea look at Hong Kong look at Singapore look at even China who start the development later than Taiwan . How can Taiwan still stay like a 50 60’s ? I have to say that no politician wants to make the law to oblige citizens to remove the ugly iron windows , to clean regularly the buildings, to tell people that the road belongs to everyone not someone ! Make the city beautiful is every citizen’s obligation, shame on our démocratie because our democracy is not real one.
So much bullshit. You should be proud of your country and the democrtic freedom it gained. And like the video says: in the uglyness lies the charm of Taiwan. Yes, Singapore is cleaner and less ugly, but it lacks soul.
Hello 🙋♂️.
Ugly or not - China 🇨🇳 seems to like it to the point that they are prepared to start a war with the 🇺🇸 over its independence !!
Thanks 🙏
James 🫶