Namsan
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Namsan mountain is a popular choice to shoot cityscapes. Personally, I think that there are many other places that offer a better view of the city for photography. There are two good shots to be had in my opinion. The first is from the top shooting north towards Myeongdong with Bukhansan National Park in the background. The second is getting a medium shot of the tower itself from a viewpoint along the road to the top.
I haven't been lucky with the air quality and weather to get a nice photo looking north so I have no example to show. However, there is a 24 hour live webcam stream looking north from the tower that I often use as a gauge to judge how sunsets will look. You can find the stream here.
Achasan - Seoul Photo Location
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
This mountain has a special place in my heart as it was the first good night view that I had of the city. My co-teacher took me up one Saturday and I was really happy with the sprawling views all around. At the time, I was living in Suwon and getting to the Mountain was quite the mission but, living in Seoul, it became more accessible.
Starting from Achasan station on line 5 exit 2, it's about 40-50 minutes up to a good spot to shoot. The pavilion is a great location to grab a shot like the one above. Farther up, the path becomes a bit wider and you can enjoy a view of Lotte Tower without trees or power lines getting in the way. Farther still, you can look west to Namsan Tower and most of Seoul.
For this location, I would recommend bringing focal lengths between 50 and 200mm. When shooting Lotte Tower with the Peace Bridge in the frame, I found 135mm to be the ideal focal length.
Lotte Tower - Seoul Photo Location
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Lotte Tower in Jamsil shouldn't be written off just because it is a busy tourist attraction. On a clear day, the tower gives you a panoramic view of the city in every direction. There are three floors and enough space to find an area of the windows to shoot from yourself. Because you are shooting out of the windows of a busy attraction, bring something to wipe the windows and well as a jacket to cover your camera. Cleaning the handprints and blocking stray light and reflections will give the best chance of a clean image.
I recommend going on a weekday. While there are normally long lines on Saturday and Sunday, there were only a few people there on the weekday I went. Keep in mind that it is 28,000 won per person to go to the top.
I would recommend focal lengths above 24mm. There are a lot of opportunity to be creative here. Bring something to cover the window around your lens when you shoot to cut out reflections. As a side note, large lenses are not allowed. I saw a 70-200 at the top but my own 100-400 was refused.
Namhansanseong - Seoul Photo Location
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
This is one of the more difficult locations to get to before sunset if you get off at 6, like I do. I have taken two paths to the top. The first is to go to Macheon station and head towards Seongbulsa temple. From there, you have an hour-long hike for 2km that includes 370 meters of elevation gain. While it takes a bit of effort, it did make the view from the top all the better. The easier and faster way is to take the subway to Sanseong Station and then catch bus number 9-1 to Sanseong-ri. From there, it's about a 20-minute walk to the gate but there is still around 100m of elevation gain.
The reason I love this location so much is that you get Lotte Tower, Namsan Tower, and Bukhansan in one easy shot. In July, the sun sets between Lotte Tower and Namsan Tower for a few days.
There is a road that goes right up to the gate. Due to the ease of access with a car, do not expect to be alone. On a mediocre day, there were still 10 people but on a nice night when I went there were closer to 50, so many that there wasn't enough room for everyone to set up where there is a clear view.
Apgujeong - Seoul Photo Location
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
This is Old Faithful for me. If you are in the Gangnam area or live near line 5, this is a wonderfully accessible area. There are many apartments that are older high-rises and have roof access. When going in, be quick and don't linger. When on the roofs, tread lightly and try to stay over the elevator area. The less bothersome we are, the less likely they are to kick people out.
From the roofs, you are treated to a great view of the river, Dongho Bridge, and Namsan Tower. Once the light fades, Dongho Bridge and Namsan tower light up and become highlighted against the darker surrounding buildings.
I would recommend taking lenses with a focal length on full frame between 24 and 100mm.
Banpo Bridge - Seoul Photo Locations
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
The Banpo Bridge area holds a number of good subjects to shoot. In the summer, water is shot from and lit up on the east side of the bridge. If you can get up to one of the apartment blocks, you can get a good shot of Some Sevit with the bridge and Namsan tower in the background. Looking to the east, there is a clear view towards Yeiudo.
This is one of the faster locations to get to and can be accessed from Express Bus Terminal or Sinbanpo Station.
Be warned, the roof of the building I went up was locked and, after about an hour on the top floor, one of the residents told me off for being there and I left. Your mileage of those buildings may vary. From the apartments that line the edge of the park, it is possible to get a photo similar to the one at the top.
From the park itself, there are many possibilities. The bridge has a water shot at set times for most of the year and is lit nicely at night. There are views looking down the river towards Yeuido. Finally, being closer to Some Sevit allows for more detailed and abstract shots of the colorful building.
Ban Bossy Boutique
A bright cafe three stories up with wonderful hot chocolate and photogenic decorations.
Ban Bossy is a moderately large cafe that is bright and spacious. The floor to ceiling windows and location on the third floor allow for an abundance of natural light that would make for a great place to read.
There is a lot of seating in the space including tables, a couch, and bean bag chair outside. The tables are particularly attractive with the tops made out of sage, grey, and brown colored granite-like material. The chairs on the balcony look like they would be a great place to relax during the summer months.
There are plenty of photogenic decorations scattered around the cafe. In one corner there is a vending machine selling leggings. In the opposite corner, there is a small booth to take photos in that says, "I'm not bossy. I am the boss." No matter where you are in the space, it is easy to get the cafe's nice sign in your photos.
We ordered a banana latte, hot chocolate, and two macaroons. The hot chocolate was the highlight of our order. So much so that I felt as though I could drink a gallon of the stuff. It came in a tall matt black mug. The banana latte was a big disappointment. I had high hopes when it came out in an adorable little teacup but it tasted off and I wouldn't recommend ordering it. As for the macaroons, I never really order them but I found them to be enjoyable.
The look of "I ordered the wrong drink."
During the hour or so of our visit, there was only one other patron so if you are looking for something a bit less crowded than normal this might be a good option.
Hoho Myoll - Hapjeong
A cafe with a VW bus inside.
Hoho Myoll is a medium sized cafe with a full sized VW bus that includes a small floor table and blankets. In the back, there are two large cubbies to sit in and, if you aren't getting photos in the bus, this is where I would recommend sitting as they have the most room. There are also a number of smaller tables throughout the space.
Since I was going last year, they changed the layout a bit so that the coffee bar area sits near the entrance to the cafe leaving the kitchen area exposed. The kitchen wasn't in use during our visit but there were a few signs up and having it exposed was more interesting that it just being a wall.
The real reason I have come back here more than a few times is because I really enjoy the drinks. The creme is delicious and you should get one with it. I always ask the barista if my order comes with it. During one of our visits, my friend just ordered a cup full of creme.
The cafe has been quite busy while we've been there and many of the visitors want pictures in the VW bus and it often one of the first places people sit, so you might have to wait a bit for a turn in it..
Wifi password: hohomyoll
