Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen appears on the cover of this week’s Asian edition of Time magazine.
The photo has become a topic of conversation in Taiwan. Some people are critical of the photo, saying it makes the 58-year-old Tsai look older than she is.
Time photographer Adam Ferguson said he was originally planning to use a conventional butterfly beauty lighting set up, but then decided against the idea. He said he went for a more dramatic lighting technique that created harsher shadows. Ferguson said this gave Tsai’s face more shape, accentuated her features and promoted a more complex reading of her. He said this was more appropriate for a political figure, as he wanted the photo to be a strong character-driven portrait that speaks about aspiration more than beauty.
Ferguson had 20 minutes for the cover shot. He said he was worried that there wouldn’t be enough time but Tsai was very relaxed and happy to work with him.
Some have compared Tsai’s expression to that of the Star Wars character Yoda. Ferguson has responded to the comparison saying, "If only Master Yoda was at the helm of a few countries!”