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Interview: Travel Photographer Highlights China’s Traditional Cormorant Fishing

By Jessica Stewart on September 3, 2019


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Travel photographer Peter Yan left behind a successful career at Apple to pursue his work as a respected visual storyteller. In a few short years, the Chinese-born Australian photographer has built an impressive following on Instagram, where over 150,000 people follow his inspiring imagery from around the globe. In particular, one image that was taken on a trip to Yangshuo, China has caused the internet to sit up and take notice. In the photograph, a cormorant fisherman stands on his simple wooden raft, ready to work while his two birds are perched next to him.




호주 사진작가, 중국 양슈오( Yang) 가마우지 어부를 클로우즈업 시키다


여행 사진작가 피터 옌은 존경받는 시각적 스토리텔러로서의 그의 작품을 위해 애플에서 성공적인 경력을 남겼다. 


몇 년 만에, 중국 태생의 호주 사진작가는 인스타그램에 인상적인 팔로우들을 만들어냈다 그 곳에는 15만 명이 넘는 사람들이 그의 감동적인 이미지를 보기 위해 전세계에서 몰려들고 있다. 특히 중국 양슈오( Yang)를 여행하면서 찍은 한 장의 사진은  그를 주목하게 만들었다. 사진에서 가마우지 어부가 그의 단순한 나무 뗏목 위에 서서 그의 두 마리의 새가 그의 옆에 있는 동안 일할 준비를 하고 있다.


가마우지 낚시는 중국, 일본, 한국에 깊은 뿌리를 두고 있는 고대 전통이다. 이 기술은 보통 강에서 행해지는데, 어부는 그들의 새들이 목에 걸린 물고기를 잡고 배로 돌아오도록 훈련시킨다. 이 방법은 중국 수나라의 역사에 관한 636년 CE문서에 처음으로 기술되었고, 한때는 수지맞는 산업이었다.


황기철 콘페이퍼 에디터 큐레이터

Ki Chul Hwang, conpaper editor, curator

edited by kcontents


Cormorant fishing is an ancient tradition with deep roots in China, Japan, and Korea. The technique is typically practiced in rivers, with fisherman training their birds to catch fish in their throat and bring them back to the boat. The method was first described in a 636 CE text about the history of the Sui dynasty in China and, at one time, was a lucrative industry.




Now, cormorant fishing is typically practiced for tourism purposes, which makes Yan’s photograph all the more special. Through one viral photograph he’s been able to bring awareness back to an important cultural tradition that is slowly fading into obscurity. And at the same time, given Yangshuo’s incredible mountainous landscape, he’s exposed his followers to a new side of China that they may not otherwise have discovered.


We had the chance to chat with Yan about his transition into full-time photography and the story behind his exceptional photograph of the cormorant fisherman. Read on for My Modern Met’s exclusive interview and shop the photos via Yan’s Society6 store.


Cormorant fishing by Peter Yan Travel Photography 


What first pushed you toward pursuing photography?


Most people thought I must have been a photographer for years, but the truth is I only started shooting landscapes as a hobby about three years ago. Before I quit my full-time job last year, I used to go overseas on vacations at least once a year, so I bought an Olympus E-M10 because it’s inexpensive and much lighter to travel with. But what got me excited about photography was the introduction of drones.


Once I got my first drone (DJI Phantom 3 Standard), I became obsessed with it as it gives me different perspectives of the world no traditional cameras can provide. I started to post on Instagram consistently, and after a year of pursuing this part-time “hobby,” my Instagram account took off and gained not only a lot of followers but also brands who reached out to me wanting to collaborate.




I loved my full-time job, but as my photography “work” became more serious, I had to make a difficult decision to focus on one thing, and I chose travel photography full-time. My biggest fear at that moment was regret. I didn’t want to wait till 55 and then regret not trying it sooner. I’ve always wanted to have the freedom to be able to travel whenever I want, without worrying about returning to work.


What is it in particular about travel photography that you find so stimulating?


I get to travel around the world, and experience different cultures and eat a variety of food. Most importantly, I get to create beautiful visual content and document life moments through my lens and then to share with the world on social media.


Yangshuo China Landscape


Yangshuo China Landscape

Traditional Cormorant Fishing in Yangshuo, China

Cormorant fishing in Yangshuo by Peter Yan Travel Photography

Fishing with birds in China


Cormorant fishing by Peter Yan Travel Photography

Yangshuo China Landscape

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