Guiyang’s Best Photography Spots for Beginners

The light in Guiyang is special. It’s a soft light, often filtered through a gentle mist that settles in the valleys, a light that seems to wrap itself around the lush, green karst mountains. For a beginner photographer, this is a gift. It eliminates the harsh, contrasty shadows of a blazing sun and presents a landscape that feels like a living watercolor painting. Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou province, is more than just a gateway to minority villages; it's a visual playground where ancient traditions, futuristic architecture, and breathtaking nature coalesce. This guide is crafted for you, the budding photographer, to capture the soul of this city without needing a bag full of expensive lenses or years of technical experience. We will focus on composition, light, and the stories that make each location unique.

Embracing the Green Heart of the City: Qianling Mountain Park

Just west of the city center, Qianling Mountain Park (Qianling Shan) is an urban oasis and your first stop for practicing landscape and wildlife photography. It’s accessible, manageable in size, and offers a variety of subjects.

Hongfu Temple: Layers of Serenity

Your primary target here is the Hongfu Temple, a Zen Buddhist monastery nestled halfway up the mountain. As a beginner, this is your perfect classroom for learning about leading lines and layers. The stone steps leading up to the temple gates are a classic compositional element. Use them to draw the viewer's eye into the frame, towards the intricate temple roofs. Don’t just stand at the bottom and shoot; find an angle where the steps curve, or wait for a monk in traditional robes to walk by, adding a sense of scale and narrative. The temple complex itself is a maze of halls and courtyards. Look for frames within frames—shoot through a circular doorway (a moon gate) to capture a statue or a quiet garden scene inside. This technique instantly adds depth and focus to your image.

The Troop of Mischievous Macaques

Qianling Mountain is famous for its troop of wild macaques. They are photogenic but can be bold, so keep your distance and secure your gear. This is your chance to practice action and portrait photography. Use a faster shutter speed (1/250s or higher) to freeze their playful antics. Get down to their eye level for more intimate and engaging portraits, rather than shooting down on them. Capture their interactions—a mother grooming her baby, or two juveniles tussling. The key is patience; wait for the moment, don't chase it. The soft forest light will help you get well-exposed shots without blown-out highlights.

The Urban Marvel: Jiaxiu Pavilion

No photograph of Guiyang is complete without the iconic Jiaxiu Pavilion. This Ming-dynasty tower, perched on a giant turtle-shaped rock in the middle of the Nanming River, is the symbol of the city. It’s spectacular at any time of day, offering different lessons in photography.

Blue Hour Brilliance

The "blue hour"—the period just after sunset when the sky turns a deep cobalt blue—is when Jiaxiu Pavilion truly shines. This is a fundamental lesson in balancing ambient and artificial light. Arrive before sunset and set up your camera on a tripod (or find a stable surface like a railing). As the sky darkens and the pavilion’s lights turn on, you can capture a stunning image where the warm, golden lights of the pavilion contrast beautifully with the cool blue of the sky and its reflection in the water. Use a low ISO (100-400) and a small aperture (f/8 to f/16) for a sharp image from foreground to background. This long exposure will also smooth out the water, creating a glassy, reflective surface.

Classic Compositions from Fuyu Bridge

The best views are from the adjacent Fuyu Bridge. Experiment with different compositions. A symmetrical shot of the pavilion centered in the frame is powerful and timeless. Alternatively, use the bridge's arches or railings as a foreground element to lead the eye toward the main subject. During the day, include the vibrant city life around it—cyclists, pedestrians, and the modern skyline in the background. This juxtaposition of ancient and modern tells a richer story about Guizhou's capital.

A Journey into Minority Culture: Qingyan Ancient Town

Located in the southern suburbs, Qingyan Ancient Town is a well-preserved Ming-era fortress town. For a photographer, it’s a living museum of stone pathways, ancient walls, and the vibrant culture of the Han and Miao people. It’s a street photographer’s dream.

The Textures of Time: Alleys and Architecture

Leave your zoom lens behind. A standard or wide-angle lens is perfect for Qingyan. Your mission here is to capture texture and detail. The town is built of stone—stone walls, stone slabs, stone gates. Get close. Photograph the moss growing between the stones, the worn-down steps smoothed by centuries of footsteps, the heavy iron studs on ancient wooden doors. Look for patterns and repetition. The long, converging lines of a narrow alley, flanked by stone walls and hanging red lanterns, create a powerful sense of depth and place. Shoot from a low angle to make the alley seem even more imposing and dramatic.

Culinary and Cultural Portraits

Qingyan is a famous food street. This is your opportunity to practice food and candid cultural photography. Don’t be shy about photographing the local delicacies—the colorful glutinous rice cakes, the sizzling stinky tofu, or the intricate candy art. Ask vendors politely if you can take a picture; a smile goes a long way. For capturing people, use a longer focal length if you have one, or practice the art of the discreet candid shot. An elderly artisan working on a craft, a group of locals playing cards, a child peeking from a doorway—these are the moments that tell the true story of the town. Always be respectful; if someone objects, simply smile and move on.

The Surreal Landscape: Huaxi National Urban Wetland Park

For a completely different vibe, head to Huaxi Wetland Park. This isn't just a park; it's a vast, engineered landscape where water, islands, and bridges create a scene of serene beauty. It feels like you’ve stepped into a classical Chinese painting.

Reflections and Minimalism

The park is a masterclass in simplicity and reflection. On a calm day, the water becomes a perfect mirror. Look for compositions that use this symmetry. A lone tree on a small island, a graceful arched bridge, or a single boat—all can be captured alongside their reflection to create a balanced, minimalist image. This is a great place to practice the "rule of thirds." Place the horizon line on the lower or upper third of your frame to emphasize either the sky or the reflection. Black and white photography can also be very effective here, highlighting the contrast and textures without the distraction of color.

The Ten-Li River Scenic Area

The core of the park is the Ten-Li River, a waterway meandering through meadows and karst formations. Rent a bicycle and explore with your camera. The scale here is vast, so use elements in the foreground—a patch of flowers, a interesting rock—to create a sense of depth leading to the mountains in the distance. Early morning is magical, when a low-lying mist hugs the water and the first rays of sun break through the peaks.

The Modern Pulse of Guiyang: Guian New Area

To showcase the full spectrum of Guiyang, you must witness its rapid modernization. The Guian New Area, particularly the Apple iCloud data center region, represents a fascinating contrast to the city's ancient roots.

Architectural Abstraction

The architecture here is stark, geometric, and futuristic. The buildings, especially the data centers with their clean, monolithic designs, are perfect subjects for learning about shape, form, and line. Look for strong leading lines in the architecture, dramatic angles, and interesting shadows cast by the structures. Shooting straight up at a tall, minimalist building against a clear blue sky can create a powerful abstract image. This environment forces you to see the world in terms of its basic visual components.

The Dialogue Between Old and New

The most compelling photos from this area often come from capturing the dialogue between the old and the new. Frame a shot where a traditional local farmer's field is in the foreground, with the sleek, glass-and-steel data centers rising in the background. This contrast tells a powerful story about Guizhou’s place in the 21st century. It’s a reminder that the province is not stuck in the past but is dynamically building its future, creating a unique visual tapestry that is ripe for photographic exploration.