Shoot during the golden hour before sunset, and when boarding the boat, choose a seat on the west side.

Boat Tours at the Old Summer Palace

Use a centered composition with the lotus bud positioned in the middle of the frame to highlight the subject. Shoot from a level angle, incorporating surrounding lotus leaves in the background and foreground to add depth. Utilize a shallow depth of field to blur the foreground, making the subject stand out more sharply. Additional tips: Visit in the morning around 9 AM or after 3 PM for soft, non-backlit lighting.

The Old Summer Palace Ruins Park - Lotus Flowers

Place the main ruins in the center of the frame. The composition should include the foreground of stone blocks and grass, the main ruins, and the background of blue sky and trees, to showcase the environmental atmosphere. Emphasize the grandeur and historical significance of the ruins.

Travel Tips:
① Ticket Price: 25 RMB;
② Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday.

The Old Summer Palace Ruins Park - photographing the stone pillars and ruins of the historical site.

The photographer is positioned behind the model, shooting at eye level. In terms of composition, the rule of space is applied, with the model placed slightly off-center at the bottom of the frame, leaving a large amount of negative space above.

Travel Tips:
Ticket Prices: General admission is 10 RMB, and the combo ticket is 25 RMB.
Opening Hours: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM.
Best Time to Shoot: 6:00 PM.

Old Summer Palace Ruins Park - Lawn

Photo by The Old Summer Palace - Capturing the autumn leaves on stone pillars through an archway.

The Old Summer Palace - Capturing the autumn leaves on stone pillars through an archway.

The photographer is positioned directly in front of the subject, using a central composition to place the person wearing elaborate Tang-style Hanfu at the center of the frame. 

Ticket price: 10 RMB per person.

Old Summer Palace Ruins Park - Lawn in the Woods

The photographer captures the scene from a low angle using a telephoto lens, incorporating the locust tree branches and the blue sky into the frame, with the tree branches as the main subject, taking up the majority of the image.

Travel Tips: The entrance fee is $10, and the site ticket is $15, which grants access to the Western Building Ruins area.

Old Summer Palace Ruins Park - Locust Blossoms

The model is seated beside a screen, slightly turned towards the camera, with the photographer shooting from a slightly elevated angle to create depth and highlight the model's elegant posture. The composition follows the rule of thirds, with the model positioned on the right one-third of the frame, while the screen and vase form the foreground. Willow branches naturally droop in the background, adding another layer to the scene.

Pose: The model gently rests one hand on the screen and the other on a flower branch, creating a graceful and refined posture that enhances the classical charm of the image.

The Old Summer Palace - Riverside Screen

Photo by The Old Summer Palace - Cherry Blossoms

The Old Summer Palace - Cherry Blossoms

The model stands among the flowers, while the photographer shoots from a slightly elevated angle, using the rule of thirds to place the model on the right one-third of the frame, creating a balanced composition.

Travel Tips: Operating hours are from November 1 to March 31 of the following year: 6:30 AM - 7:30 PM. Ticket sales start at 7:00 AM and stop at 5:30 PM, with no entry allowed after 5:30 PM.

The Old Summer Palace - Peony Flower Sea