Located in the central Yuzhong district, is a Buddhist temple built around 1,000 years ago and rebuilt in 1945 after the Second World War.
The temple is nestled among Chongqing's famous skyscrapers, and somehow this millennial temple perfectly fits Chongqing's urban aesthetics. In this central area, there are several unique urban spots that differ from one another, such as Hongyadong Cave, the National Arts Center building, and Kuixinglou Square, making the serene and peaceful Luohan Temple a unique spot by contrast.
Outside the temple, the streets are busy with street vendors, locals, tourists, monks, and all elements from a hectic city. Inside, the atmosphere changes, from an urban megalopolis to a serene environment full of hidden corners, shade and shadow, and windows that make perfect natural photography frames. A vintage brownish and muted color palette creates a special, airy atmosphere in the early mornings, when the temple is relatively empty with fewer tourists and crowds.
One photography tip is to reach the upper floors of one of the many cafés outside the temple, giving an aerial overview of the temple from the outside letting you take in the architecture, scale, and structure from an external point of view.
The last photography tip is to walk around the temple at night. The temple is closed, but it is lit up, offering different photographic and visual opportunities, especially if you have interest in night photography.
For travel photography, Luohan Temple is a must-visit spot in Chongqing. Its central location makes it easy to plan and reach, and it provides a striking contrast to the surrounding modern skyscrapers and eclectic streets.
In terms of photography gear, apart from a standard lens, I'd recommend a wide-angle lens to capture tight chambers and courtyards, and something around 85mm to capture longer-range subjects and details. For this specific travel shoot, I used the following gear:
Body: Sony A7IV & A7CR Lens: G Master 14mm f/1.8 | 85mm f/1.4 | 28-70mm f/2.0
Location: 7 Luohansi St, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China
"A wide-angle lens is great for capturing the temple's architecture with the skyscrapers compressed in the background."
All images are copyright of AltSpots.For image licensing inquiries, contact thomas@altspots.com
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