Using a straight-on shooting angle, the photographer stands directly in front of the stone stele, aligning with the height of the relief. Place the dragon-patterned relief in the center of the frame, ensuring all the carved details are fully captured. The composition should focus on the full view of the relief, with a small amount of trees in the background to avoid clutter. Travel Tips: ① Admission Fee: 60 RMB; ② Opening Hours: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM (Closed on Mondays)

The Palace Museum - Stone Stele Dragon Pattern Relief Carving

Use a centered composition with the subject placed in the middle of the frame to highlight the main subject. Shoot at eye level with the photographer standing directly in front of the model, ensuring the model’s posture is proper. Include the background of the colorful brick wall and the eaves of the ancient buildings, and retain the details of the wooden bench armrests in the foreground to add depth to the environment. Travel Tip: The admission fee is 60 RMB.

The Palace Museum - Bench

Using a symmetrical composition, the plaque “Lan Dian Yan Xi” is placed at the center of the frame, with decorative paintings and cabinets symmetrically arranged on both sides to highlight the solemnity of the setting. The photographer stands in front of the throne, slightly tilting the camera upward to capture the floral patterns at the top, the central calligraphy and couplets, and the throne below. The framing should include the entire arrangement, ensuring a balanced composition of elements on both sides. It is recommended to use a wide-angle lens to fully showcase the layout of the hall.

The Palace Museum - The Plaque and Couplets at the Hall of Imperial Supremacy

The photographer highlights the facial texture and mane details of the qilin by taking a close-up shot, recommending a telephoto lens to compress the background and blur secondary elements, enhancing the subject’s texture. Travel Tips: The peak season entrance fee is 60 RMB, while the off-season entrance fee is 40 RMB.

The Forbidden City - Close-up of the Kirin Bronze Sculpture

The photographer uses a level shooting angle and centers the composition to place the peculiar rock in the middle of the frame, highlighting its honeycomb texture. The background includes red walls and the top of the eaves, while the foreground incorporates green railings and small grasses, adding depth and fully showcasing the integration of the peculiar rock with the ancient architectural setting.

The Palace Museum in Beijing - Coral and Strange Stone Landscape

The photographer stands below the stone steps and takes a photo looking up, using leading lines in the composition. The steps guide the viewer's gaze upwards to the main building, while the branches of trees on both sides form a natural frame, enhancing the sense of depth. The foreground includes the stone railing and steps, while the background captures the roof of the building and the sky, retaining the branches of trees to enrich the layers of the image. Travel Tips: ① Ticket Price: 60 RMB per person; ② Opening Hours: Opens at 8:30 AM, last entry at 4:00 PM, the Treasure Gallery and Clock Gallery stop admitting visitors at 4:10 PM, and the museum closes at 5:00 PM.

Forbidden City - Qin'an Hall Stone Steps, Green Plants, and Architecture

Stand directly below the sundial and use an upward angle to highlight the top structure of the sundial and the layers of the blue sky. Apply the rule of thirds, placing the main body of the sundial in the lower one-third of the frame, while leaving a large area of sky and clouds above to balance the composition. Include the sundial's dial, base, and a complete sky background, avoiding any clutter.

The Palace Museum - Sundial and Blue Sky

The model stands on the right one-third of the frame, holding a fan with her side facing the camera, looking towards the red wall of the palace. Her natural pose enhances the atmosphere. In the foreground, the model is clearly visible, with the moat's water in the middle ground and the red walls, palace rooftops, and sky forming distinct layers in the background. The photographer used a level shot to capture the full view of the water, red walls, the entire palace, and the sky, showcasing the grandeur and poetic charm of the Forbidden City in the snow.

The Palace Museum - Taking a group photo by the moat during a snowy day.

The photographer should crouch down to shoot the front of the clock head-on, ensuring the clock face is centered in the frame to avoid any tilt. Use a centered composition to make the clock the absolute focal point, highlighting its symmetrical beauty. It is recommended to use a 50mm focal length (2x on a phone) to keep the background clear and free from noticeable distortion.

The Palace Museum Clock Exhibition Hall - In front of the ancient clocks and watches display

Photo by Yanhe Gate - Upward Shot of the Plaque

Yanhe Gate - Upward Shot of the Plaque