On April 17th this year, my photography classmate Mark and I journeyed to Tianchi (a lake) in the Siaosyueshan National Forest Recreation Area. Mark kindly drove us up the mountain while we shared our passion for photography and anticipation for the day ahead. The sky was exceptionally clear that day, with gentle sunlight filtering through the mountain forests, seeming to promise a wonderful photography adventure.
Thanks to Mark’s experience, we decided to set out early in the morning. This wise choice meant we encountered very few visitors around Tianchi. The natural world appeared to be our private exhibition, allowing our cameras to capture the most authentic moments without disturbance.
When we reached Ruixue Pavilion, nature presented us with its most precious gifts. In this tranquil environment, I was fortunate enough to photograph a Formosan Reeves’s Muntjac, a Flamecrest, a Coal Tit, and the beautiful Formosan Rhododendron (Yushan Rhododendron) in bloom. Among them, the muntjac peacefully foraging was especially memorable.
It was calmly eating plants by the lakeside, with adorably puffy cheeks that captured my heart. Each time it lowered its head to nibble, those round chubby cheeks made me press the shutter button without hesitation. Watching the muntjac resting, I felt an indescribable peace and joy—its cuteness truly made my heart skip a beat!
The Formosan Rhododendron, Taiwan’s endemic alpine flower, added splashes of vibrant color to the mountain landscape, creating a perfect backdrop for wildlife photography.
In this highland realm, sharing this photography journey with Mark and encountering wildlife so intimately, capturing their most natural living moments, was an incredibly special experience. The morning light at Siaosyueshan Tianchi, the mountain forests, the wildlife, the endemic flowers, and the friendship between us—all these elements wove together to create this precious April day.
