Lin’s color photos took on his consistent mastery of composition as well as arrangement of light and shadow. His most reputed theme of pastoral scenery is also elevated by his mastery of color harmony and contrast.
Photographer Chang Chao-tang wrote on a website to praise Lin Chuan-tsu’s research spirit and his status as a pioneer in color photos, and also commented on the historical and artistic value of his works. Chang said, “looking at these photos again, in addition to the characteristics of the colors, his plain, unrestrained and introverted local style has conveyed a continuous call of the homeland. Such sentiment and imagery are hard to find nowadays, and they are also a precious testimony in the color photos in the history of photography in Taiwan.”
Cattle is a symbol of the countryside and one of Lin’s favorite subject matters. In Calf Milking, a cow breastfeeding leisurely in the frame, showing the warmth of motherhood in nature. The foreground, middle ground and background are composed with abundant elements, and the tones are brilliant instead of scattered. In addition to the soft prairie, Lin’s signature reflection is placed at the foreground. The water surface reflects the blue sky and the dark silhouette of the cow, making the composition rich and static. The sky and clouds in the background make up a more expansive layout. Daylight and wandering clouds in the sky bring out the warm theme of the mother-child relationship, and also highlights Lin’s mastery of lyrical narratives.
Sun Wei-xuan, “2021 Compilation and Research Project of Metadata in Photography.”