All the Stars align for Photography at the Forbidden City
I planned a trip to the Forbidden City with a few friends last weekend and we were expecting the usual large crowds, but when we turned up in the early morning we were happy to see that there was hardly anyone else there. We were also lucky enough to have some really beautiful skies and nice light as well although Beijing is starting to get pretty chilly (oh those Beijing Autumnal winds).
So all of these conditions allowed us to take our time to appreciate the grand scale of this amazing place along with the beautiful intricate details that are on every single item in the Forbidden City.
Here are some of my favourite photos from the trip.
Forbidden City Archways, 145mm, F11, 1/250th of a second, ISO 500
I was trying to capture the beautiful symmetry and depth that is shown in so many sections of the Forbidden City here. I had to be really patient in getting my lines lined up and waiting what felt like an eternity for one person with a backpack to move before I could get this photo. The wait was so worth it.
Lady in the Forbidden City, 200mm, F6.3, 1/250th of a second, ISO 80
I was trying to capture the scale of the Forbidden City here and the best way I thought of doing this was to include a person in the photo and this lady with her dress made the perfect subject. The focal length helped to bring the subject and the background much closer together here which I feel also helps to capture all of the layers of the place.
Lady with Parasol in the Forbidden City, 135mm, F6.3, 1/250th of a second, ISO 80
Again I was trying to capture the scale of the Forbidden City, but this time I went for the wider focal length of 135mm to try and capture some more of the scene and she just so happened to be holding a traditional Chinese Parasol which I think adds to the scene.
Pagoda Ceiling, 20mm, F8, 5 Seconds, ISO 64
I have tried to photograph this ceiling which is inside of the many pagodas in the Forbidden City before and failed miserably. Thankfully one of my friends let me use his travel tripod for this one and I was able to take my time to line the shot. the light was coming through the ceiling windows which helped to light the beautiful dragon sculpture and all of the beautifully painted tiles. I had to spend a lot of time lying down on the floor and it took many attempts, but I think it was worth it.
A Courtyard within the Forbidden City, 85mm, F4.5, 1/400th of a second, ISO 64
There are so many courtyards within the Forbidden City and it is really hard to explain the scale of this place, but it is apparently it is 10 times larger than the White House and 5 times the size of Buckingham Palace, and 1/3rd larger than the Vatican City. Anyway I tried to capture these beautiful courtyards and these grand buildings that bookend each courtyard with a wide angle lens but my favourite attempt was taken by stitching 16 photos taken with my 85mm lens.
A collection of other images from within the Forbidden City.
