Golden opportunity captured

PHOTOS BY RAYMOND ZHOU AND AGENCIES

Shutterbugs in Hangzhou are having a field day as the city emerges in a sharp azure splendor and the normally dense crowds become more manageable.

Shortly before the G20 Summit, a vantage point on the southeast side of West Lake had rows of photographers lined up, their lenses targeting the Leifeng Pagoda.

The structure in evening glow is one of the city’s top 10 scenes, as selected back in the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

"It has become much easier to get a perfect spot, now that the traffic flow is so much smaller,” said a photography lover surnamed Lin, who was trying different lenses for the perfect shot.

Hangzhou residents are given a week off for the big event and, with tourist attractions in neighboring cities and provinces offering deep discounts or free passes, many have opted to enjoy a vacation out of town.

For those who want landscape shots without too many heads cropping up in the foreground, this presents a golden opportunity.

Then there is the blue sky, said photographer Qiu Jianhua.

"The better the air quality, the better the photos will be,” said the amateur-turned-professional, who had 30 of his works shown in Switzerland in 2009 and had a solo exhibition in Hangzhou three years later.

Qiu’s focus of interest is natural scenery, but he is also fascinated by human stories.

In the past week, he has combined the two while photographing people striking poses at scenic areas — people young and old, fashionably clad and lending themselves readily to the allure of the environment and the camera.

"The prevailing aesthetic for Hangzhou is simple elegance,” he said. "But against this backdrop can be a flare-up of passion. You can detect poetry and history in this place.”

That’s why the Hangzhou residents, regardless of age, show a madcap aspect in his photos, yet still manage to project exquisiteness and refinement.

Among Qiu’s trove of photos of locals celebrating the summit on their doorstep are mass scenes of people snapping moments of the city’s new glitz.

Unlike them, however, he still uses film in addition to digital media.

To welcome guests to the summit, he has compiled a digital guide to Hangzhou, generously interspersed with shots he has taken over the years of his hometown.

PHOTOS BY RAYMOND ZHOU AND AGENCIES