Photography Tips for Wuzhen Ancient Town

Wuzhen, located in Tongxiang City, it is the Golden Triangle of Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province and Shanghai. It is 60 kilometers away from Hangzhou and 106 kilometers away from Shanghai. As one of the four famous towns in south China, it is an ancient town with a long history of more than 6,000 years. Wuzhen Ancient Town carries the breath of Chinese Ink Wash Painting, with the white walls, black tiles, small bridges and flowing streams. And it witnesses the vicissitudes of history with the carved beams, painted building, stone alleys and old houses. The following article would show you some photography tips for Wuzhen Ancient Town.


Wuzhen Ancient Town
 

Best Photography Places in Wuzhen Ancient Town

 The river system in the shape of a cross divides the town into four areas: the east part (Dongzha), the south part (Nanzha), the west part (Xizha), and the north part (Beizha). Dongzha and Xizha were developed into the scenic area, while Nanzha and Beizha is undeveloped residence area. Most of the tourists are concentrated in Dongzha and Xizha for the well-planning and management, but Nanzha and Beizha still owns the advantage of the overflowing atmosphere of the vivid living scenes and the pure style of the ancient town.


 

Wuzhen East Scenic Zone

Wuzhen East Scenic Zone maintains the original water town lifestyle. Workshops display many traditional crafts. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery while shopping and tasting delicious local food. The streets of East Zone are formed by rivers and connected by the bridges. The houses are built along rivers, which reflect the humanistic thought of the harmonious beauty of Chinese classical dwellings. With a rich flavor of life, there are many handicraft workshops and traditional shops, so the East Zone is very suitable for the living scenes and the theme of humanity. East Zone is closed at night, so the photographers choose to take photos in the daytime.

The recommended sites for photography in East Zone include:
 

• Hong Yuan Tai Dyehouse: Here you can see the introduction process of the traditional dyeing. It is a good scene to take photos of culture and humanity.
   
• Ancient Bed Museum: It is the first museum in China to collect and the ancient beds. If you loved to take the photos with details, the museum is a good place.
   
• Fengyuan Bridge: It is an excellent spot to see the view of Wealthy Bay, which is one of the most beautiful scenery in Wuzhen.
   
• Ancient Stage in Guanqian Street: It was built in the Qing Dynasty. The patterns of birds between the pillars are delicate woodcarvings, which is a high artistic value. It plays Tongxiang Drum Opera every day. You could draw some materials about local customs.
   
• Gongsheng Workshops: Vats of wine are placed in the open courtyard, which is surrounded by mottled white walls and hung with moss in the corners. It is a valuable and historical scene for photos.
   

Wuzhen West Scenic Zone

Compared to East Zone, West Zone is far better preserved by achieving the harmony between human beings, environment and architecture. And West Zone combines sightseeing with recreation and experience. Xizha consists of 12 small islands which are connected by more than 70 bridges. The density of rivers and the number of stone bridges ranks No.1 among the ancient towns in China. The natural scenery is unsurpassed, and the night scene is magnificent. There are a variety of homestays and hotels in West Zone, so it is recommended to stay overnight there for photography of night view. Wuzhen West Scenic Zone is an oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the city, offering you a perfect vacation resort.

The recommended sites for photography in West Zone include:
 

• Tongji Bridge & Renji Bridge: They are the most beautiful bridges in Wuzhen on the momentum and shape. At night, the double bridges are more beautiful under the lights. Standing at the top of the bridge, you can see all the scenery of the town.
   
• Xishi River: It is the place where the lights are concentrated at night in West Zone. Boating along the river, it seems to wander in the river of lamps and enter a magical world. Passing through the stone bridges is like a time warp with the feeling of going back to ancient times.
   
• Spirit Water House: It is not only the largest landscape garden in West Zone but also the combination of culture, architecture and gallery. The photographers could always find a suitable theme here.
   
• Water Stage: The background of the stage could inspire your creation with the blocks of ancient Qing-dynasty buildings, the broken bridge and old pagoda.
   

Photography Tips for Wuzhen Ancient Town

In Wuzhen, the unique natural environment, ancient and exquisite historical buildings, and the distinctive local cultural landscape is excellent photographic elements and materials. To show the aura and beauty of Wuzhen through the photos, it will let you get a double result if you could choose the right time and use the practical skills.


 

Best Time for Photography

• At Early Morning

The photos can reflect the quietness and harmony of the town when there are no tourists and the shops are still closed. Early morning is often the time for local activities, such as school children and chatting people, so it prime to photograph the humanities. Generally, ancient towns are surrounded by mountains and rivers, so it is easy to have fog in the morning. There is a hazy beauty for the dense ancient town. The light of the sun in the morning is relatively soft, so it is very suitable for portraits.
 

• At Dusk

Sunset is always the perfect time to shoot. The wide-open field view is suitable for sunset pictures. The gorgeous colors of the sunset will brighten up the ordinary scenes.
 

• At Night

When the night falls, the light will stress the buildings while the chaotic background is swallowed by the darkness so that it could form a simple and pure picture. It would be an excellent chance if you met at the local festival.
 

Practical Photography Skills

• How to Shoot the Objects and Scenery

1. It is recommended to use a wide-angle lens to shoot the panoramic view of the whole town, which could display the scene of space, the perspective relationship of objects, and show the scale of the town.
2. It is recommended to use the medium-focus lens to shoot the individual buildings so that the image deformation would be decreased and the perspective would be comfortable.
3. It is recommended to shoot the panoramic view with an overlooking angle.
4. Most of the ancient towns are near the water. When the water is calm and clear, the reflection is taken to form a symmetrical picture.
5. The picture would be a bit monotonous for only scenery. Adding a suitable figure would activate the photo.
    

• How to Shoot the Humanity

1. The scenery is still, while the characters are vivid. The camera should always be on, so it would not miss the wonderful moment.
2. Go to places where there are many local people, such as the mouth of a well or by a river, where you will often see local women washing vegetables.
3. Choose the right background to highlight the theme. The historical pavilion serves as the background, which is perfect harmony with the elders in one picture.
    

Plan a Trip to Wuzhen with Top China Travel

Reading this article may inspire you to plan a trip to Wuzhen. Please feel free to contact us, and our travel consultants would be pleased to help you.


Wuzhen
 

• 4 Days Hangzhou and Wuzhen Water Town Tour: West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Six Harmonies Pagoda, Hu Qingyu Traditional Pharmacy, China Tea Museum, Wuzhen Water Town
   
• Tailor-made Wuzhen Tour: share your travel ideas with us, and we'll tailor-make a wonderful Wuzhen tour for you