Bongeunsa temple is one of the 14 major temples in South Korea and has a unique location in the skyscraper-rich Gangnam district in Seoul. It was surprisingly tranquil considering its location, and a short walk through its gates you would be forgiven for thinking you were hundreds of miles away from one of the largest cities on Earth.
Having spent the daylight hours of what turned out to be a lovely autumn day in the Northern areas of Seoul, we only made it to Gangnam after the sun had set. Luckily for us, our main attraction here was open until very late so we got to walk around this lovely temple virtually alone. The next time I head to South Korea, visiting this temple in daylight is a top priority.
This being a work trip I didn't have my tripod with me. I managed this shot by shooting with my Sigma 35 wide open several times until I got a steady enough shot. I then tilted up to get another horizontal frame so that I could get the square aspect ratio.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art
Tags: korea asia buddhism temple buddhist square night South Korea Gangnam camera:canon_5d2
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A lovely shopping district in Northern Seoul, shot at twilight.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM Art
Tags: korea seoul market square shopping insadong camera:canon_5d2
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A group of tourists congregate in Gyeongbokgung Palace's courtyard while modern Seoul rises up in the distance.
Seoul is a city of contrasts. There are sections that are ultra modern and put the West to shame and then there are the old markets where you can catch a glimpse of what things were like before it's recent meteoric modernisation. Nothing represent the old Korea more than the massive palaces of which Seoul has two.
This photo juxtaposes not only old structures that once dominated the skyline of this ancient city with the new bold and blue skyline that adorns South Korea's capital city; but our species, that built both and are largely unchanging.
Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul, South Korea, 2014
Sony RX100
Tags: korea gyeongbokgung palace seoul SixteenByNine camera:sony_rx100
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In Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, the view through the innermost gates towards the main throne hall of Geunjeongjeon is a study in architectural symmetries.
Similar to shooting desolate landscapes, capturing tourist attractions is a lesson in patience. Every time you spot a composition that you want to capture you need to wait not only for the light, but for people to either move out of the frame or into a positions that are aesthetically pleasing.
After spending most of the day doing this waiting game in the sweltering sun, I used my old trick of hanging around until the security guards kicked me out. This got me several shots free of people (and sign boards!) including this one, looking back through the last gate to the palace as the sun set in the West.
Although the palace has been rebuilt several times, views like this facing away from the skyscrapers of Seoul make it easy to transport your imagination back to the times of the Joseon Dynasty.
Seoul, South Korea, 2014
Sony a7R with Samyang 14mm f/2.8 UMC
Tags: seoul south korea square palace Gyeongbokgung gates sunset architecture asia South Korea Geunjeongjeon f:wide camera:sony_a7r
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