鄧南光，本名鄧騰煇，生於新竹北埔，一生橫跨臺灣日治時期、第二次世界大戰及戰後光復時期，是開啟臺灣寫實主義攝影的代表人物。1930年代，鄧南光前往日本法政大學就讀，受到當時日本「新興寫真」強調街頭快拍、客觀寫實的美學影響，開始鍾情於攜帶方便的迷你相機，捕捉街道上形色來去的店家與人流。返臺後，鄧南光以寫實的攝影美學捕捉家鄉的生活景象與常民生活，替當時的臺灣留下富含情韻的影像紀錄，對台灣寫實攝影影響深遠。鄧南光的攝影中充滿了浪漫與落寞，鏡頭單純、直接而觸動人心。鄧南光對於每個取景都有自己對圖像、構圖、層次的概念，以寫實的視角捕捉東京、新竹、台北各異的都市面貌與農村生活。他留下近6000張的底片，包含人像、靜物與風景建築，從繁華熱鬧的社交生活、靜穆的禮俗祭儀到俗常的市井民情，廣泛地記錄了臺灣民間的人文、社會景觀。鄧南光以相機書寫自己的生命史，作品呈現鉅變時代的生活實相，描繪出各行各業社會風景，更保留了臺灣攝影發展史的精粹片段。近年重要個展包括《時代之眼：鄧南光影像紀念館數位典藏特展 》，鄧南光影像紀念館，新竹，台灣（2021）、《Beauty on a Summer Day》，Each Modern 亞紀畫廊，台北，台灣（2018），群展包括《盜夢者》，亞紀畫廊，台北，台灣（2022）、《舉起鏡子迎上他的凝視—臺灣攝影首篇》，國家攝影文化中心，台北，台灣（2021）等。
Famous for realism documentary and female portraits, Teng NanKuang was among the first generation of pioneering Taiwan photographers studied in Tokyo. After returning to Taipei, he opened his studio and led the photography societies in Taiwan until his death. As a leader, an activist, an educator, a critic and a camera enthusiast, Teng was the great figure holding both rationality and sensibility to create fresh photographs with innovative individuation. During the 1930s, Teng NanKuang pursued studies at Hosei University in Japan, where he was deeply influenced by the aesthetics of the Japanese 'Shinko Shashin' movement, emphasizing candid street photography and objective realism. Upon his return to Taiwan, Teng employed a realistic photographic approach to document everyday life and scenes from his homeland. His work leaves behind a rich and emotionally charged visual record of Taiwan during that period. He approached each scene with meticulous composition, capturing the distinct urban and rural landscapes of places like Tokyo, Hsinchu, and Taipei during this transformative era. Teng NanKuang's extensive body of work, which encompassed various facets of society and pivotal historical moments, profoundly influenced the evolution of realistic photography in Taiwan. Selected solo exhibitions include “The Eyes of Times: Deng Nan-Guang's Memorial Image Gallery Digital Collections Exhibition, ”Teng NanKuang memorial house, Hsinchu, Taiwan (2021) and “Beauty on a Summer Day,” Each Modern, Taipei, Taiwan (2018). Recent group exhibitions include PAPRIKA, Each Modern, Taipei, Taiwan (2022) and “Hold the Mirror up to His Gaze: the Early History of Photography in Taiwan,” National Center of Photography and Images, Taipei, Taiwan (2021).