Summer Palace Walk Around
I had an upcoming photoshoot at the Summer Palace in Beijing. So I wanted to do a walk around to find some nooks to take shots at. I also could tell that there was going to be a very nice sunset. So, win win! I started out at the north gate and ended up at the famous bridge near the east gate.
The blossoms were out and blooming with this gorgeous pink color. I had to wait my turn at this spot as a lot of people were taking photos here. I try to be consciences of other people wanting to take photos around me. I think it's a good practice to be respectful of those around you when taking photos. Just my two cents on that!
As I made my way around the lake, I was super happy to see this golden light on the buildings. I knew that it was only going to get better as I got to an angle where I could see the sun setting.
As I rounded the corner, I got to see this gorgeous golden glow on the water. I'm glad that there was just enough wind to create these little waves that added beautiful texture to water.
I decided to see how the texture played out in a long exposure. I experimented with a few different exposure lengths and eded up liking how a 5 second exposure made the water smooth but not entirely smooth.
The golden glow continued to amaze me even on a simple thing as characters written in water on the ground. The couple in this shot immediately apologized for being in my shot. I kind of liked how they "fit" in this shot.
I loved how the shadows played with these leaves in the wind. Just a quick glance at the sun's location had me stopping for a few shots. I knew where I wanted to end up at sunset & that if I wanted to get a good spot, I had to keep moving. However, how do you not stop when you see this?
As I continued around the lake, I had to quickly snap these gorgeous shots of these silhouettes sitting on benches by the lake. I tried to not linger or intrude on these moments, but I also felt like I was capturing treasures with each shot. By this point, I was really crunched for time. I wanted the angle at the bridge at the east gate. However, I couldn't stop taking these shots. They just spoke to me.
But this is what I really wanted. To get here at this time as the sun set over the mountains to the west.
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