Two Young Women

After founding the Taiwan Provincial Photography Research Association in 1963, Den Nan-gwang enthusiastically promoted events for amateur photography buffs, especially activities such as taking portrait photos of females or conducting outdoor photo-shoots of models. He put in a great deal of effort into this work, and even held a portraiture contest, inviting camera enthusiasts all over the island to join photography research associations and learn the art of taking pictures. In the 1960s, the China Photography Research Association, the Taipei Municipal Photography Research Association, and the Taiwan Provincial Photography Association were collectively known as "Free China's three great photography research associations." The photo is from an outdoor model shoot. Most shots of this type featured a single model, or two or three or more in a setting, gracefully posed in a variety of postures; seldom do the pictures have a plot or story behind them. Here, the young woman on the left, sweet and wistful, seems to be thinking of her lover, while the girl on the right appears open-hearted, natural, and relaxed, without worries or cares; together they form an elegant contrast, each on one side of a large boulder. A review of digitalized files of photos Den Nan-gwang took throughout his life found the negatives, taken with a Leica 135 miniature camera and Minox subminiature camera. The angle and the different emotions expressed in the picture testify to a master photographer's abundant creativity.