THE glamorous world of photography often looks very different from the outside.
For The Star’s photographer Yap Chee Hong, capturing the defining image of Tainan’s Fengyuan Goat Farm meant squeezing through a jostling herd, stepping in manure and standing dead‑centre in a chaotic pen while waiting for the perfect moment to unfold.
His patience was rewarded when a farm volunteer began distributing food pellets.
Sensing the opportunity, Yap swung his wide‑angle lens into position and captured a warm, intimate interaction between handler and livestock – a frame that would go on to win “Best Picture” on the third day of the 2026 Taiwan Leisure Farm Malaysia Media Photography Competition.
The competition, co‑organised by the Taiwan Leisure Farms Development Association and creative tourism platform Kita101, and guided by Taiwan’s Agency of Rural Development and Soil and Water Conservation, marked its seventh edition this year.
The seven‑day, six‑night event brought together 16 Malaysian photographers, each tasked with documenting Taiwan’s rural charm through fresh routes and newly introduced agritourism locations.
For Yap, the goat farm assignment was among the toughest.
The day’s theme – Sentient Beings – required photographers to interpret interactions among living creatures.
“Capturing the scenes at the goat farm was particularly challenging,” he said.
“I had to squeeze through the narrow lanes of the pens and shoot from a high angle to capture the volunteer completely surrounded by the goats.”
Participants were divided into three groups and dispatched across 18 leisure farms in Nantou, Miaoli and Tainan over three days.
Each day carried a new theme, pushing photographers to link conceptual ideas with unpredictable real‑world subjects.
A panel of judges evaluated submissions daily, awarding the “Best Picture” title to standout shots, while the overall champion was determined through cumulative points.
Yap said the greatest hurdle was aligning the themes with the realities unfolding in front of him.
At Luzhuguo Oyster Education Park and Haomei Boat House, where photographers documented clam harvesting, the theme was “Human Strategy”.
“We tried our best to capture the workers harvesting clams, but the challenge was highlighting the trade and their daily routine without staging any shots.
“We just had to be in the right place at the right time,” he said.
Relying on his photojournalism instincts, Yap worked close to his subjects, using natural light and documentary techniques to bring authenticity to his frames.
His consistency across the circuit earned him fifth place overall, along with US$300 (RM1,220). The grand champion received US$1,000 (RM4,095), with runners‑up taking home US$700 (RM2,867), US$500 (RM2,047) and US$300.
Despite the demanding schedule, Yap described the experience as exhilarating.
“As a first‑time visitor to Taiwan, the competition showcased the country’s hidden gems far beyond the usual tourist traps,” he said.
“I didn’t expect leisure farms to be so fascinating, but the event allowed us to experience the entire agricultural ecosystem firsthand.
“We got a genuine look into the daily lives of the locals.
“I’m incredibly grateful to our hosts for their warm hospitality.”
