Cruise on the Qinhuai River

Although this is a close up photo of a cruise ship without much background information, we can still capture some additional information from it to satisfy our visual interest. The ripples on the lake and the water splashes at the stern of the boat indicate that the boat is in motion. The words “Parked in Qinhuai 15” on the hull of the boat indicate that this is a cruise boat of the Qinhuai River scenic area. The overall light and dark shadows in the picture show that the sunlight is shining from the right side at a low angle. In addition, the remaining snow on the top of the boat indicates that it is winter.

Cruise boats running on the Qinhuai River

Indeed it is! At the end of the year 2020 in the solar calendar, a rare heavy snow fell in Nanjing. The Fuzimiao scenic area was covered in silver, and heaven and earth looked so pure and solemn. It was not uncommon for people to come here for sightseeing and photography in the morning after the snow had cleared.

Because the cruise ship is in motion, so I can not think too much must seize the moment in time to shoot. The shooting process went pretty well. What I wanted to convey in this picture – my motive – was mainly from a modern person’s interest in history and retrospection. Of course, the light and dark tones and color contrast in the picture also satisfy my visual interest to a certain extent.

Traditional architecture along the Qinhuai River

These two pictures were taken in Nanjing Fuzi Temple Scenic Area. The common theme they present is traditional architecture.

Traditional architecture along the Qinhuai River

It didn’t take me much time to take these two pictures, they were done almost in a flash. It was probably because the air was clear after the snow, and the photos turned out quite satisfying. This deepened my understanding of photography: a good environment is half the success of photography.

Qinhuai River is one of the most important attractions in the Fuzimiao Scenic Area. It used to be a place of love and sex in history, where many flirtatious gentry and talented women performed a scene of love stories. It is said that during the heyday of the Six Dynasties, a layer of grease was floated in the Qinhuai River.

With the help of photography we can only imagine, and through imagination to make up for those long-dusted historical details, so as to further restore those living human landscapes.

The pavilions in the picture still retain the traditional architectural style, but the things are long gone. To be precise, these buildings are only the result of renovation over the years. However, I don’t regret it. For photography, I have already gained a lot from these historical buildings.

 

Qinhuai river scenery snow

I know that a good photo is often the result of various coincidences, which of course does not exclude the role of the photographer’s personal qualities. But it is an indisputable fact that a good scene is half the success. Of course, I am not saying that my work is good or successful. Rather, from my personal experience, the importance of the subject matter and the shooting environment for a photo is indeed indispensable.

The Qinhuai River after the snow, the water and the sky are one color

The air in the Fuzimiao Scenic Area after the snow was unusually clear, which is undoubtedly an excellent weather for photographers. Because this can reduce the pollution of the picture due to dust, better restore the original appearance of the subject, so that the picture is more pure and transparent.

And it lived up to the expectations! I tried to take a few photos, they are indeed very different from the usual effect of shooting, the picture is more clean. In order to better express the three-dimensional effect of the Qinhuai River, I removed the telephoto lens and replaced it with a 16mm wide-angle lens to increase the depth of field effect. In addition, I adjusted the camera’s visual mode to “Clear”. In this way, the blue sky and the river surface will show a consistent tone. In order to prevent the tone from being too monochromatic, I also let the nearby boats and the buildings along the river into the picture to make it match the warm and cold.

Please remember that good weather is the only way to get good shots.