Beijing - Where to shoot


jungle_sg

Member
Jun 11, 2006
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Will be going to Beijing end of this month on package tour. Would like to take the opportunity to take some night scenes, night cityscape and if time allowed sun rise shots. Tour agent has not confirmed which hotel we will be staying.

Any suggestions on this will be much appreciated.
 

the 'birds nest' olympic stadium and water cube are must see at night.
 

zarray said:
the 'birds nest' olympic stadium and water cube are must see at night.

It seems we only visit during day time, I also thought of visit it during the night. What is the name of the oval shape building? I think it's opera theater, would like to shoot that at nite too.
 

the beijing subway leads right to the olympic park so its easy getting there as long as you stay near any of the subway stations.
Not too sure about the oval building as I didn't go there.
 

The light off for bird nest n aquarium is ard 10pm. If you follow tour, go light on equipments. Cause if you going to climb the great wall, it best to be light. Tour group mostly back at hotel after dinner. Any night activities, otot. Wear gloves, cold over there n try to use heat pack for camera, esp battery drain fast. Anyway, enjoy ur trip.
 

BBTM said:
The light off for bird nest n aquarium is ard 10pm. If you follow tour, go light on equipments. Cause if you going to climb the great wall, it best to be light. Tour group mostly back at hotel after dinner. Any night activities, otot. Wear gloves, cold over there n try to use heat pack for camera, esp battery drain fast. Anyway, enjoy ur trip.

Thks bro on your comment, no problem on gear, I am using micro 4/3! :)
 

Was in Beijing in Oct, apart from those already suggested by others, you may want to consider:

1. Jin Shan Garden - this garden is at the exit gate of Forbidden City. There is a hill overlooking the entire forbidden city. Evening or early morning if the light is right, it is a beautiful view.

2. Summer Palace: this is NOT in the central, probably located northwest corner of Beijing fourth or fifth ring road... A palace use by the Emperor for his summer vacation! Sunset view is nice

3. Try Tian Dan (Heavenly Template) and any of Beijing Parks (Bai Da, etc) lots of locals doing their stuff. Good photo taking opportunities if you are into 'street' photography.

Place to stay: This is just beside Tian An Men so is convenient. Otherwise stay near Wang fujing or hotel in HuTong around Wangfujing.
酒店名称:北京天安瑞嘉酒店
酒店地址:东城区南河沿大街华龙街天安大厦(近天安门广场)
酒店电话:010-85110088

PM me if you need more information. Have fun
 

1. Flag raising ceremony in Tiananmen Square very very good for people shooting . Check the timing.... i think about 5am at this time of the year. Shoot quick and get back to hotel for breakfast before your group moves off

2. Beihai area at night .... bring a flash

3. the old hutong district next to Qianmen area all day and night .... its a maze of little alleys with homes, shops etc etc etc .... Qianmen is behind Tiananmen (walk AWAY from the gugong in directly opposite direction or ask for directions to Qianmen Dajie)

if you have the Great Wall as a place to visit.... PLEASE you guys gang up and tell the tour guide NOT to bring you to Badaling section of the Wall. Its BS and too extensively rebuilt and too many hawkers that the experience is very plastic..... ask to go to Jinshanlin, Gubeikou, Simatai or at least Mutianyu points of the Wall .... these places will give you a better appreciation of the greatness of the Wall and the amount of death and suffering involved in building it

so many places to shoot in Beijing
 

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Fishlee said:
Was in Beijing in Oct, apart from those already suggested by others, you may want to consider:

1. Jin Shan Garden - this garden is at the exit gate of Forbidden City. There is a hill overlooking the entire forbidden city. Evening or early morning if the light is right, it is a beautiful view.

2. Summer Palace: this is NOT in the central, probably located northwest corner of Beijing fourth or fifth ring road... A palace use by the Emperor for his summer vacation! Sunset view is nice

3. Try Tian Dan (Heavenly Template) and any of Beijing Parks (Bai Da, etc) lots of locals doing their stuff. Good photo taking opportunities if you are into 'street' photography.

Place to stay: This is just beside Tian An Men so is convenient. Otherwise stay near Wang fujing or hotel in HuTong around Wangfujing.
酒店名称:北京天安瑞嘉酒店
酒店地址:东城区南河沿大街华龙街天安大厦(近天安门广场)
酒店电话:010-85110088

PM me if you need more information. Have fun

Thks for the info, I hope my hotel is located nearby!!!
 

ed9119 said:
1. Flag raising ceremony in Tiananmen Square very very good for people shooting . Check the timing.... i think about 5am at this time of the year. Shoot quick and get back to hotel for breakfast before your group moves off

2. Beihai area at night .... bring a flash

3. the old hutong district next to Qianmen area all day and night .... its a maze of little alleys with homes, shops etc etc etc .... Qianmen is behind Tiananmen (walk AWAY from the gugong in directly opposite direction or ask for directions to Qianmen Dajie)

if you have the Great Wall as a place to visit.... PLEASE you guys gang up and tell the tour guide NOT to bring you to Badaling section of the Wall. Its BS and too extensively rebuilt and too many hawkers that the experience is very plastic..... ask to go to Jinshanlin, Gubeikou, Simatai or at least Mutianyu points of the Wall .... these places will give you a better appreciation of the greatness of the Wall and the amount of death and suffering involved in building it

so many places to shoot in Beijing

Thks Eddie for this valuable info, hope to be able to shoot some which u mentioned, my wife is worried abt me wondering alone by myself, so I told her will ask if anyone wants to join me.
 

Was in Beijing in Oct, apart from those already suggested by others, you may want to consider:

1. Jin Shan Garden - this garden is at the exit gate of Forbidden City. There is a hill overlooking the entire forbidden city. Evening or early morning if the light is right, it is a beautiful view.

2. Summer Palace: this is NOT in the central, probably located northwest corner of Beijing fourth or fifth ring road... A palace use by the Emperor for his summer vacation! Sunset view is nice

3. Try Tian Dan (Heavenly Template) and any of Beijing Parks (Bai Da, etc) lots of locals doing their stuff. Good photo taking opportunities if you are into 'street' photography.

Place to stay: This is just beside Tian An Men so is convenient. Otherwise stay near Wang fujing or hotel in HuTong around Wangfujing.
酒店名称:北京天安瑞嘉酒店
酒店地址:东城区南河沿大街华龙街天安大厦(近天安门广场)
酒店电话:010-85110088

PM me if you need more information. Have fun

Not much use for TS cos he's following a package tour. Should have gone to Beijing F&E

Depending on where the tour houses the group. Flag raising is an interesting event to see @Tiananmen. Check timming at tiananmen.org.cn
 

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shierwin said:
Not much use for TS cos he's following a package tour. Should have gone to Beijing F&E

Depending on where the tour houses the group. Flag raising is an interesting event to see @Tiananmen. Check timming at tiananmen.gov.cn

Cool, will check it out
 

Tiananmen, when you exit, you need your wide lens to be ready if you want to take a photo of it. They will rush you out, no stopping. When you about to take photos, local over there also can be rude n so, beware! My tour mate, old uncle, got shout at when he slow to react when standing near them.
 

It seems the flag raising this time of the year is at 7.10, looks like will not be able to make it. :(
 

BBTM said:
Tiananmen, when you exit, you need your wide lens to be ready if you want to take a photo of it. They will rush you out, no stopping. When you about to take photos, local over there also can be rude n so, beware! My tour mate, old uncle, got shout at when he slow to react when standing near them.

Noted, thanks bro
 

Beijing quite safe as long as you are out in the open, CCTV cameras everywhere. Sometimes petty theft (crowded areas). No problem wondering around in the middle of the night.
Be aware of ladies around the tourist spots (when you're alone) asking you to join them for a cup of tea to practice their English (scam) or inviting you to buy their art paintings (prints :D). Don't give your camera to a 'local' around the tourist spots offering to take a picture of you and your wife. When buying stuff try to give the exact amount as fake money is EVERYWHERE (taxis are quite famous for this and always take one that have a working meter). ONLY use green and yellow striped or blue and yellow striped taxis (most taxi drivers only speak mandarin). Bargaining is very common except in grocery and higher rated shops. Should you visit a local silk market, bargain heavily, they might start on 800RMB for a shirt, bargain 80-90% less. Rather skip branded clothing... And for photography :D you can take a walk (or taxi) to CCTV building and China World Trade Center, quite safe (you might be approached by one or two ladies on the street for a 'massage' though). Can also visit The Place, with it's 250m long LCD screen starting up at 8:00pm, short films every half hour.
 

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Jaco Nikon said:
Beijing quite safe as long as you are out in the open, CCTV cameras everywhere. Sometimes petty theft (crowded areas). No problem wondering around in the middle of the night.
Be aware of ladies around the tourist spots (when you're alone) asking you to join them for a cup of tea to practice their English (scam) or inviting you to buy their art paintings (prints :D). Don't give your camera to a 'local' around the tourist spots offering to take a picture of you and your wife. When buying stuff try to give the exact amount as fake money is EVERYWHERE (taxis are quite famous for this and always take one that have a working meter). ONLY use green and yellow striped or blue and yellow striped taxis (most taxi drivers only speak mandarin). Bargaining is very common except in grocery and higher rated shops. Should you visit a local silk market, bargain heavily, they might start on 800RMB for a shirt, bargain 80-90% less. Rather skip branded clothing... And for photography :D you can take a walk (or taxi) to CCTV building and China World Trade Center, quite safe (you might be approached by one or two ladies on the street for a 'massage' though). Can also visit The Place, with it's 250m long LCD screen starting up at 8:00pm, short films every half hour.

Thank you for taking the trouble to type such a long passage, greatly appreciated!!!
 

just back from Beijing on Sep, went for 5 days.

Day 1: 颐和园(summer palace),王府井(wangfujing)
Day 2: 慕田峪长城(mutianyu great wall)
Day 3: 恭王府(prince gong's mansion. advice get a tour guide at the entrance. interesting history),大董烤鸭电(dinner, this is good)
Day 4 天坛(temple of heaven),奥运会国家体育馆 (bird nest & cube)
Day 5: 故宫博物院(advice get a tour guide at the entrance, alot of interesting story, or else u visit without knowing any meaning. need about 2.5hrs),秀水街(shopping, in my opinion is waste of time. things arent cheap),天安门广场(flag off)

Photo Album on my fb, can take a look has rough idea what place is it.
https://www.facebook.com/thyokel/photos_albums
 

juste_millieu said:
just back from Beijing on Sep, went for 5 days.

Day 1: 颐和园(summer palace),王府井(wangfujing)
Day 2: 慕田峪长城(mutianyu great wall)
Day 3: 恭王府(prince gong's mansion. advice get a tour guide at the entrance. interesting history),大董烤鸭电(dinner, this is good)
Day 4 天坛(temple of heaven),奥运会国家体育馆 (bird nest & cube)
Day 5: 故宫博物院(advice get a tour guide at the entrance, alot of interesting story, or else u visit without knowing any meaning. need about 2.5hrs),秀水街(shopping, in my opinion is waste of time. things arent cheap),天安门广场(flag off)

Photo Album on my fb, can take a look has rough idea what place is it.
https://www.facebook.com/thyokel/photos_albums

Thanks, will check out your fb