Neil Wade was the co-winner of the peer-judged award for best photography blog in the 2009 Taiwan Blog Awards. His blog features great images of his travels in Taiwan and further afield as well as advice about photographic techniques. Read what he had to say to Taiwanderful.
Blogger - Neil Wade
About the blogger - Photographer, Adventurer, Mental Case
Blogs - Taiwan-Photography-Blog.com
Years in Taiwan - four and a half years
Years blogging - One
Blogging platform - WordPress.com
Country of Origin - USA
Age - 36
Could you please tell us little about your background? What brought you to Taiwan?
The travel bug was set into me early. Between the summer of 11th grade and graduating university, I drove across the USA 5 times, went to Europe twice, Central America once, and spent literally months in a car driving to mountains to go snowboarding.
After I graduated university, I decided it was time to go someplace new. Asia sounded exciting, so I booked a one-way ticket to Bangkok and spent the next 6 months on the road. Wanting to stay in Asia, I found out that Taiwan was a great place to live with a low cost of living. From Taiwan I can take short trips to interesting places or use it as a base for longer trips. It's just about the perfect place for someone who always wants to be on the move.
What do you like about living in Taiwan?
There are many things that I like about Taiwan, but the number one reason is the easy access to the mountains. I love that I can spend nearly every weekend hiking or riding my motorcycle. I love that I can spend the day in the mountains, then retreat to some hot springs or the beach for the evening. I love that, after over 4 years here, I haven't even begun to understand the culture. Every day I see something exciting or am surprised by something new.How long have you had a blog and why did you start blogging?
I started my blog about one year ago. In the beginning, I just wanted a creative outlet, something to keep me motivated with photography and traveling.
You blog about photography. What are some of the most interesting things you have photographed in Taiwan?
The mountains and the culture. I'm amazed at all of the beautiful things that we find in the mountains here. Sometimes my friends and I feel as if we've "seen it all" when we're hiking, only to be surprised at what we find around the next corner. Recently, I've photographed beautiful natural hot springs and remote grottos that have blown my mind. It's really a wonderful island, both naturally and culturally.
Is your blog for a personal record or does it also help you promote yourself professionally?
It's a bit of both. I started it as a personal creative outlet, but it's definitely turned into a way to attract new clients and sell stock photography.
Have you had any special or unusual things that have happened as a result of writing your blog?
I've found that becoming part of the Taiwan blogging community has been rewarding. I feel like I've made a whole new group of friends and rewarding relationships with people that I hardly ever see face to face, but I enjoy all the same. It's great to see what other people are doing and helps me get motivated with my own projects.
Do you have any advice for new bloggers?
Just blog about something that you're really passionate about. It takes a lot more work than I originally thought it would, but I enjoy the good feeling I get when I publish something that I'm proud of, and they should too!
What are some of your favorite Taiwan blogs?
