Joy at the end of the run

Sports Action, first prize singles

February 12, 2012

West Sumatra, Indonesia

A competitor and his charges reach the finish of a bull race, in Batu Sangkar, West Sumatra.

Pacu Jawi is a 400-year-old tradition in the area, held after the rice harvest once the paddies have been cleared. Competitors yoke themselves barefoot to two bulls using a wooden harness, and drive the animals by gripping their tails. Winners are judged by their ability to run in a straight line, and by whether both animals are cooperating. Some 600 bulls and 50 farmers participated over a number of races in Pacu Jawi in February.

Location: Batu Sangkar, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Photo Credit: Wei Seng Chen

Dr. Wei Seng Chen is a Malaysian freelance photographer. He takes on assignments for local and foreign photo agencies or event management companies, shooting mostly sports events and tournaments.

Dr. Chen began experimenting with photography at the age of 13. He joined his school’s photography club in 1975 and learned all about photography, from shooting and processing film to making prints in the darkroom. However, he had to take a break from photography when he enrolled in medical school.

He got back into photography in 2006 when he bought a DSLR camera. The long hours spent developing film and making prints in the darkroom were no longer necessary because the computer and printer took over the role.

The Internet brought about a market place for Dr. Chen to sell his images as a hobbyist photographer. He began to get freelance work covering events when his images were shared on social networking websites and photography forums. His hobby now allows him to travel to exotic places in Asia looking for interesting local celebrations and traditional sports.

Today he balances his time working as a family physician, researcher, preceptor to a medical school and a photographer.