Hi Theroo
Taipei, Taiwan is generally a safe city. Just don't leave your valuables hanging around unguarded. Use of DSLR snapping around is ok.
Great location to shoot includes
- Yang Ming Shan
- Taipei 101
- Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall
- Shihlin Ye Shi
i find taipei not very scenic to shoot. National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall (previously known as Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall) and taipei 101 become very cliche shots that does not usually derive innovative angles. i last heard that chiang's statues are all moved to a certain park outside taipei city, and thought that may be a view to see the congregation of statues, as well as to denote the story behind the legacy of this ex-dictator. you might want to google further.
however adjacent to the memorial hall, there is an open ground in front of the National Theater where family may bring children there to play with fountain water, which may be interesting if you shoot streets candid and children.
shilin market and ximending are only good for eating and shopping, and are too crowded to take pictures with isolated subjects and simple composition.
within an hour of mrt, damzui (danshui, fisherman's wharf) is not bad for sunset.
in my opinion, the better parts of taiwan is the mountains, the farms and the nostalgic parts. i have not really explored the latter two and would plan for them subsequently.
in nearer vincinity of taipei would be
1. yangmingshan: onsens, sulphur spring, beautiful cafes, night scene overseeing taipei.
2. jiufen & jinguashi: rejuvenated towns that prosper during the previous colonisation under the japanese, in relation to gold-mining. jiufen is a small crowded touristy places that have a lot of renovated teahouses and old taiwanese food (what they call gu1 za1 bi2). jinguashi is nice with old japanese quarters that is all black in color.
there are other locations which i'm not sure if your itinerary would allow as they are mostly in the central mountains and eastern coast.
