Golden Light Through the Arches: Photography Tips for the Seventeen-Arch Bridge at the Summer Palace

December 15, 2018 — The Golden Light Phenomenon

I’ve lived in Beijing for seven years now, and I’ve long known that the Winter Solstice is the time to photograph the Seventeen-Arch Bridge. Yet somehow, I’d never managed to make the trip. This year, I was determined to go no matter what. On the 24th, I had a full day of clinic duty. I’d planned to duck out around three, but a sudden wave of patients arrived at exactly three o’clock. By the time I finished seeing them all, it was already 4:17 PM. I rushed to hail a cab and headed for the New Palace Gate at the Summer Palace, only to find the sun already dipping behind the western hills by the time I got out of the car. I didn’t even buy a ticket. What a missed opportunity.

Today, I made up my mind. I finished lunch, wrapped up my work, and headed straight out the door, finally arriving at the Summer Palace a little past two in the afternoon.

I’d done some homework beforehand, but surprisingly few online guides mention specific shooting positions and techniques. The one thing everyone agrees on is that the golden light fills the arches only during a few days around the Winter Solstice each year. After three hours of shooting in today’s biting cold wind, I’ve distilled the experience into the following tips:

1. Position yourself on the island, to the northeast. After crossing the bridge, walk to the right at least thirty meters — that’s the ideal distance. Too close, and the golden glow won’t fill the arches properly, plus tree branches will clutter your frame. Based on today’s reconnaissance, the park administration has placed several metal frames near the shooting area. The sweet spot falls between the third and fourth metal posts.

2. The optimal shooting window is 3:55 to 4:15 PM. If the golden light is going to fill all seventeen arches, it will happen during this narrow window — earlier or later simply won’t work. According to some reports, in certain years the effect occurs slightly before the solstice, which would push the ideal shooting time back by about ten minutes.

3. Arrive early. By 3:00 PM, the place was already packed — all the prime spots were long gone. If you’re serious about getting a good shot, I’d recommend staking out your position right after lunch.

4. Gear considerations. Personally, I felt the sky was a bit too bright while the lake was too dark. A neutral density graduated filter would be a wise investment. Double exposure might work even better — it would allow the bridge itself to glow, significantly improving the overall image. And if you get a few scattered clouds in the sky, even better.

颐和园十七孔桥拍摄经验

2018年12月15日金光穿洞

来北京7年了，早就知道冬至时候要去拍十七孔桥，但是一直没有成行，今年我想无论如何也要去拍，24号我一天门诊，本来打算三点多就请假走人，可是三点钟突然来了一波病人，看完之后已经4点17了，赶紧打个车赶往新建宫门，下车时看到太阳已经快进山了，就没买票，非常可惜。今天打定主意，中午吃完饭干完活就赶紧出门，终于在两点多达到颐和园。

之前做了些功课，但是往上很少有人提及具体的拍摄位置和方法，唯一可以确定的是，每年只有冬至前后几天金光才会布满桥洞，今天在寒风中拍摄三个小时，总结出了以下几个经验：

1、拍摄位置在岛上，东北方，下了桥往右至少要走三十米才是最佳距离，离桥太近一方面金光不饱满，另一方面有很多树枝，影响画面。根据今天的走位，公园管理处在拍摄地点放置了好几个铁架子，第三到第四个铁柱子之间应该是最佳机位。

2、拍摄的最佳时间是下午3：55到4：15分，如果能满一定是在这个时间段，早或者晚都不行，据网上有的消息报道个别年份在冬至前就会满，那么具体的拍摄时间就应该延后十几分钟。

3、必须要早去，三点已经人满为患了，好位置是绝对没有了，如果真正想去拍照的，建议午饭时间就去等着。

4、个人感觉，天空偏亮，湖水偏暗，中灰滤镜应该配备，双重曝光可能更好，这样桥身也会亮起来，整体效果会好很多。如果有点浮云，那就更棒了。