14-Year-Old Junior High Student Wins the National Geographic Taiwan Photo Contest – Ecological Sustainability Category with Outstanding Macro Photography Work

In collaboration with National Geographic magazine, the Wistron Foundation has reinstated the National Geographic Taiwan Photo Contest since 2022; this year, a new category, 'Ecological Sustainability,' was introduced to the competition. The winner of this category was 14-year-old Ting-Chung Kuo, who won with his series of five macro photographs capturing various aspects of spider behavior. Kuo's work, captured through a macro lens, documents different spider behaviors, including mating, hunting, and egg-carrying, narrating a compelling story through these five images. The judges applauded his remarkable proficiency in showcasing his self-taught techniques through meticulous observation. In October, with the support of the Wistron Foundation, Kuo will receive hands-on photography guidance from renowned environmental documentary director Chin-Yuan Ke, refining his skills in ecological photography and more.

In the 'Ecological Sustainability' category, participants must convey a complete story through 5 to 10 photographs. Given this requirement, Ting-Chung Kuo's exceptional work, achieved through meticulous observation and self-taught photography techniques, is truly remarkable. Renowned environmental documentary director and photographer Chin-Yuan Ke shared, 'In ecological photography, incorporating elements such as observing animal behavior and environmental changes can depict the interdependence among various species in the natural world, resulting in works that are profound and visually rich,' highly commending Kuo’s performance.

This year, the internationally renowned photographer Frans Lanting, a member of the judging panel, pointed out that macro photographers possess a unique skill to recognize and capture the beauty and complexity of nature at a microscopic level. He expressed his deep appreciation for many impressive macro works seen in this competition. Furthermore, remarkable entries featured thought-provoking pieces. For example, French participant Jimmy Beunardeau used multiple black and white photographs to document the garbage and waste left behind by humans in the mangrove ecosystem. Another entry by Jun-Da Lin captured the silent watch of the national forest firefighters, depicting the ecological tales of the tug-of-war between humanity and nature through the lens.

During the awards ceremony, Joyce Chou, CEO of the Wistron Foundation, expressed her gratitude to all participants for their dedication to photography. She emphasized that this competition was not merely a photography event. Beyond the competition results, it aims to convey positive ideas, raise public awareness, and harness the power of imagery. Through each high-quality photograph, the competition sought to deliver the message of social consciousness and foster a positive impact.

Fourteen-year-old ninth-grade student Ting-Chung Kuo recorded the behaviors of spiders through macro photography. He likened their head to that of the soccer star David Beckham. Only upon magnifying the images and studying them thoroughly, he discovered that the spiders were mating. Participating in the competition has enabled him to accumulate a wealth of ecological knowledge.

The standard of submissions in the 'Ecological Sustainability' category significantly improved this year, with complete series of photographs telling compelling ecological stories. An incredible 1,085 entries were submitted in 2023 — a noteworthy accomplishment. We invite our colleagues to go online and enjoy the award-winning works! The complete list of winning entries is available at:

Photo credit: National Geographic