Floating Light

Name: Floating Light
ISBN: 9787549565252

吴明益Guangxi Normal University Press · ChinaDec 2021

4.1

Word count: 89K words
Chapters: 10
ISBN: 9787549565252

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Summary

Floating Light is a work of photographic essays by Wu Mingyi, a renowned Taiwanese writer. Taking the history of photography and its key figures as its thread, it writes of the beauty of nature captured through the photographer's eye, and of the self-reflection and rediscovery that images bring to humankind. Ever since his university days, Wu Mingyi had dreamed of becoming a photographer; instead of burying his head at a desk, he took up a camera and returned to the mountains, forests, streets, and the life of society. Through his own photographic practice, and reflecting in both image and word, he explores the meaning of photography and the hope that lies within human nature.

Editor's review

In this collection of photographic essays, Wu Ming-yi offers neither a guide to equipment nor a lecture on the history of photography. Instead, taking the history of photography and its key figures as a thread, he writes of what he saw and thought after picking up a camera and returning to the mountains and forests, the streets, and social life. Words and images sit side by side, capturing the beauty of nature while asking how images can turn us back upon ourselves and lead us to rediscover. Since university the author had dreamed of becoming a photographer, yet rather than bury himself at a desk he sought the meaning of photography and the hope of humanity through firsthand practice, which gives the book the warmth of a walker rather than the idle speculation of a study. For readers who love nature writing and thinking about images, it offers a slower way of seeing: look at the photographs first, then read the text, and let each set off the other. It also suits photography enthusiasts as a book for reflection, reminding them to think, beyond pressing the shutter, about why they look.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who love nature writing and photographic essays and enjoy reading image and text together
Photography enthusiasts willing to reflect on “why we photograph”
Readers drawn to themes of images, humanity, and self-discovery
Readers looking for a book to leaf through slowly on weekends, without needing to read it straight through

Not a good fit for

Beginners who want to systematically learn photographic technique, composition, or post-processing
Readers who need a complete framework of photographic history
Readers who prefer strong plots or fast-paced narrative

Reading tips

Look through the photographs first and then read the matching text, letting the images linger in your mind for a while.
There is no need to read in order; each time, choose a chapter about one photographer or one scene.
As you read, think about when you last looked carefully at something, and jot down a few lines.

About the publisher

Guangxi Normal University Press China · Founded in 1986

Guangxi Normal University Press is a publisher known for literature, foreign literature and history titles. Its 1,175 books in the database show a solid accumulation in classics and prose collections, including foreign literary works such as Les Fleurs du mal: Annotated Poems of Baudelaire, Snow Country, Dubliners and The Wild Palms, as well as modern prose compilations like The Complete Prose of Zhou Zuoren. History and philosophy also hold a notable share, with titles such as Running Dogs: Clerks and Runners in Qing County Yamen and The History and Thought of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom reflecting attention to Qing local administration and modern history. In art literature there is the 16-volume Ten Bamboo Studio Painting and Calligraphy Manual. Its author resources include foreign writers Charles Baudelaire and Yasunari Kawabata, translators and annotators Liu Nanqi and Zou Bo, and scholars such as Zhong Shuhe, Bradly W. Reed and You Chenjun. As public information is limited, this characterization is based only on the books in the database, which together present a profile balancing Chinese and foreign literary classics with academic works in the humanities and social sciences.

版权信息
序当我偶然从窗户瞥见
光与相机所捕捉的
稍纵即逝的现象
对场所的回应
美丽世
我将是你的镜子
论美
后记生于火，浮于光
附录

FAQ

Can this book be used as an introductory photography book?

It cannot replace a technical tutorial. It discusses figures in photographic history, the meaning of looking, and the self-reflection images can prompt; it does not teach aperture, shutter speed, or post-processing. If you want to learn technique, you will need another textbook. But as a book for understanding “why we photograph,” it is very illuminating.

What is the relationship between the photographs and the text?

The photographs present Wu Ming-yi’s photographic practice, while the text thinks through the history of photography and its key figures; the two set off each other. When reading, you can first treat the photographs as independent works, then read the text, and sense what the images and the words each say.

Will it be hard to follow if I am not familiar with photographic history?

Not too hard. The author takes figures and his own practice as threads rather than telling it as a chronological history, so you can read it even without prior knowledge. When a key figure comes up, you can look up the background as you go, which may open up further interests.

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About the author

吴明益 Author

Wu Ming-yi is a Chinese-language literary writer. The only work by him currently recorded in the database is a single collection of prose and miscellaneous writings titled Fuguang (Floating Light). Public information about his nationality, dates of birth and death, education, and awards is limited, so no speculation or supplementary details are offered here. Based on the available material, Fuguang is classified as prose and miscellaneous writings, which suggests that his writing leans toward the essay and notebook tradition, with subject matter and approach closer to personal observation and the ordering of everyday experience than to fictional narrative. This category generally calls for careful attention to language and structure, as well as a sense of measure in how the author observes and expresses the details of life. With only one work in the database, it is not yet possible to present a full picture of his writing; readers who wish to understand his style and influence would need to consult more public materials and works.