[Leica] IMGs: A night on the Pearl River in Guangzhou

[Adam Bridge]

Our first five days in China were spent in Guangzhou (GZH from here on). We stayed in an Air BnB about five blocks from the Pearl River.

On our third night we took an evening cruise along the river. It was amazing, perhaps the most amazing experience I had in China.

Illumination is everything. The bridges, the buildings, the boats are all brilliantly lit.

Here’s a bridge:

<https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Travel/2018-China-Adams-Cut/i-66MFWqz/A>


These buildings faced with LEDs and programmed to display videos are really something.

Here’s a mountain forest:

<https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Travel/2018-China-Adams-Cut/i-VH5JHgn/A>

and flowers that panned along the faces of the buildings:

<https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Travel/2018-China-Adams-Cut/i-qX34tBX/A>

But the most amazing I wasn’t able to capture: a deep blue background with bright orange coy that swam around a building and then swam seamlessly on to the next building and the next. I was thoroughly boggled.


One bridge had its towers painted with this LED array that changed into an advertisement for the sponsoring company.

<https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Travel/2018-China-Adams-Cut/i-DNXhBsF/A>


The Canton Tower is a graceful structure illuminated in an every-changing pattern:

<https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Travel/2018-China-Adams-Cut/i-fKnnPbR/A>

<https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Travel/2018-China-Adams-Cut/i-LsQSwsc/A>


And, of course, the cruise boats are also illuminated. This particular one was the brightest on the river.

<https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Travel/2018-China-Adams-Cut/i-k5j8bWf/A>

These were all shot with the Sony A7Riii and the 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens. Exposure data available with each image.

Thanks for looking.

I learned a lot about attempting to shoot lighted buildings at night. I’m glad the Sony had a useful exposure setting to help with it!

Adam Bridge