Photobooks are more than just objects on a shelf. They are spaces where images breathe, where stories unfold in silence, and where the act of looking becomes a form of reading. Each spread carries rhythm and emotion: the way one photograph follows another, the pause of a blank page, the deliberate balance between light and shadow. Every decision a photographer makes — sequencing, pacing, typography, paper choice — shapes how we encounter their story.

In an age where images move faster than thought, photobooks ask us to slow down. To hold. To see. To listen.

At Zontiga, we’ve long believed that to truly appreciate photography, one must also learn to read it. This belief became the foundation for our new initiative, Reading Photographs, a series of communal sessions where we gather to experience photobooks together. It’s a simple format: a small group, a few books, a table, and time. But within that simplicity lies something transformative, the joy of shared looking, of discovering how differently we each interpret the same image and work, and of realizing how deeply photographs can speak when given attention.

Our first session was held recently, and the response exceeded all expectations. Participants engaged with openness and enthusiasm, contributing observations that revealed new layers within each work. Some noticed recurring motifs of distance and intimacy; others spoke about sequencing as emotional architecture, how one image could shift the entire mood of a narrative. What began as quiet viewing turned into lively conversation, as each person added their voice to the collective reading.

For this first gathering, we focused on four photobooks from Taiwan, each offering a distinct narrative and emotional tone. One explored the restless energy of youth, a portrait of transition, freedom, and uncertainty. Another turned inward, offering quiet, reflective images that unfolded like fragments of a dream. A third followed two brothers growing up and taking diverging paths, a meditation on family, time, and identity. The last was a diaristic journey, a deeply personal work woven from memory and solitude. Together, they revealed the depth of Taiwan’s photographic voices that are honest, diverse, and deeply human.

These stories resonated with us because they echo Zontiga’s broader mission: to honor stories from home and across the region. Southeast Asia, and Asia at large, is rich with photographic voices that deserve to be seen, read, and remembered. Yet many of these voices often remain within local circles, rarely crossing borders. Through projects like Reading Photographs, we hope to open space for these narratives, not only to showcase them, but to experience them as living conversations that connect us to our neighbors, histories, and selves.

Photobooks play a vital role in this. They sit at the intersection of art, publishing, and storytelling, accessible yet profound. They democratize photography by giving image-makers a tangible, lasting form to express their ideas without needing gallery walls or large-scale exhibitions. In many parts of Southeast Asia, where resources for the arts can be limited, the photobook has become a powerful medium of independence and self-definition.

To read a photobook is to encounter a photographer’s inner rhythm, their way of seeing the world and arranging it into meaning. It’s not a linear reading like text; rather, it’s intuitive, sensory, and interpretive. You might flip through quickly, then return to linger on a single image. You might notice the texture of the paper, the smell of ink, or how a photograph fades into white space like breath. Reading photographs requires time and care.

This act of slow engagement is precisely what Zontiga hopes to nurture. For years, our focus has been on connecting communities through photography, from exhibitions and workshops to talks and book-making. The Reading Photographs series extends this philosophy into a more intimate, reflective form of encounter. It’s not about critique or theory, but about presence, about looking together and learning from each other’s ways of seeing.

The strong response to our first session affirms that there is a growing curiosity and appetite for this kind of collective engagement. Most of the participants expressed how refreshing it was to sit with images without rushing, and how hearing others’ perspectives expanded their own understanding. Encouraged by this, we’re already preparing more sessions ahead, exploring photobooks not just from Taiwan, but from Malaysia, Southeast Asia, and beyond. Each session will introduce new voices and visual languages, broadening the map of our shared photographic culture.

Ultimately, reading photographs is about empathy. It’s about entering another person’s world through their gaze, their memories, their choices. And when we do this together, we begin to see how photography connects us beyond geography or background. We begin to see that the stories of our region are not isolated, but intertwined.

At Zontiga, this belief drives everything we do. Whether through publishing, exhibitions, or education, we remain committed to nurturing photography as a language of care and understanding. Photobooks, with their quiet endurance and intimate scale, embody this perfectly. They remind us that stories, especially those from home, matter. They remind us that looking, when done attentively, becomes a form of listening.

So as Reading Photographs continues to grow, we invite you to join us. Come with open minds, bring your curiosity, and sit with us in the act of looking. Together, let’s keep reading, and through that, keep honoring the stories that shape who we are.