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I have recently changed websites: Please see my new website here: http://paulratje.photoshelter.com

I also have a new blog which is connected to that site: http://www.thefotonomad.com/blog/

Thanks everyone,
Paul Ratje

Recent Photos: September to October 2014

A lone tree on the 7 highway in the mountains of Taoyuan County.

Overlooking Naluo village, Taiwan.

I am no Macro photographer, but this cropped photo of a wasp nest didn't come out too bad.

Ocean lovers enjoy a campfire on the coast near Dulan, Taiwan.

Macaques can be spotted in many places in Taiwan. It is very easy to see them in the South. Here one feasts on some fruit near Taitung.

On a beach north of Taitung, people wander around the washed up twigs.

A man drums at his temple north of Taitung

The beautiful cliffs of Dulan, north of Taitung

A woman places persimmons to be sun dried then baked at the Hsinpu Persimmon cake factory. The 1 ingredient cakes are sold for about 140 NT per box, extremely tasty for being only dried persimmon.

Although it may be cliche to post a photo of Taipei 101, this was the most beautiful time I ever saw it. If you go to Taipei, you should definitely walk up Elephant Mountain at sunset to take in this view.

Long Dong: My Capitol of Taiwan 龍洞我在台灣的首都

In Taiwan I have been to a bunch of places around the island, many of which I are great and many of which I would never wish to return. Among the all the places I love, Long Dong 龍洞 is the top of my list. Since I lived here we have repeatedly made the trip from Zhubei to Long Dong on a Saturday Morning. Before I never wanted to bring my camera out there for fear of dropping it or beating it up, but I have gotten a little bit of inspiration recently and decided to take it out and try and get some better photos of the climbing and landscape there. I would like to really get into some climbing photography, even rigged from above, taking action shots of climbers hanging on by a finger. But that is in the future. For now, I have a few shots:

Cosplay at Hsinchu Big City 新竹巨城

We ended up at the Cosplay event 2 weeks ago at Big City in Hsinchu. There were your fair share of characters to be photographed. Each had their own unique pose. I wanted to try and get some candid shots of the characters, but sometimes I think the Taiwanese have a six sense when a camera is around to pose and throw a V sign as fast as they can. Anyway, pose or not, I had a good time taking these.

Hsinpu Yimin Festival Shenzhu event: Holy pig 義民節神豬

In Taiwan there are many events that follow the lunar calendar. I had shot the Yanshui fireworks festival, but it left me craving for another event to get a good dose of Taiwanese culture you don't see in everyday life around the streets. 

This festival is kind of a competition to see who can raise the fattest pig in time for the 20th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar. The Hakka tradition has been carried down for generations and is a big part of their yearly celebrations. 

http://www.culture.tw/index.php?option=com_content&task=rdmap&Itemid=262&id=879