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Darkelf Photography
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One of the most interesting places in Beijing and also most visited ones is the Forbidden City. It was no surprise that this is where our group went on the first day of sightseeing in China. It was obviously very busy with visitors scouring all around the massive compound and I kept looking for one or two quieter spots where people were not prominent in the scene.
I found one such spot on the side of one of the main squares inside the palace grounds. It looks empty but one had to be quick to take a photo without distractions. There were always people about and, as is common in touristy places, no one really cares that someone might be taking a photo and they just walk right in front of the camera.
I liked the arrangement of old buildings, the path leading up to them and the cauldrons scattered throughout. The texture of the pavement also suited my vision for a monochrome image. I also felt that gentle warm sepia would work better here than the traditional colder black and white. It added a touch of aged look to the photo to emphasise the fact that there structures were built a few hundred years ago. The light was the usual harsh midday sunlight but the sun was not at its highest yet and it worked reasonably well to give the scene good dimension through the shadow areas present in the image.
One really feels the passage of time in locations such as the Forbidden City, walking through the ancient grounds and trying to imagine what life must have looked like in reality all those years ago. I hope that this photo takes you back in time as well and makes you wonder about the past like it made me feel when we were there.
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