Article published in Map magazine, Nanjing, China
Capturing the Canal Town: > Images of Tongli’s tranquility <
Author - Photography - © Shakti Hurst
Please click photo to enlarge...
One of the ancient water towns of the Yangtze River Delta in China, Tongli has a history of over 1,000years. Being just 200 kilometers from Nanjing and 17 kilometers from Suzhou, it can be easily explored over a weekend. It’s so close, and yet seems so far away from the traffic and high buildings of Nanjing and Shanghai. Tongli is known as a“museum of ancient Chinese architecture”and life there is still lived quietly inside the Ming dynasty water-front buildings and upon its 49 ancient bridges. A sense of tranquility pervades its white- washed walls, wooden boats, and simple way of life. While visiting Tongli, Shakti Hurst a photographer from Australia, wanted to capture that peacefulness through her lens. Here are a few of the images taken that day, and the stories behind them.
The ancient canal town of Tongli is a popular destination for tourists, as it has many scenic and historic attractions. As a photographer, I was attracted to Tongli for the wonderful photographic opportunities the town offers. Viewed through “photographers eyes”, Tongli’s canals, arched bridges, traditional buildings and narrow alleys became fascinating subjects with great visual appeal. Photographing these traditional scenes was a challenging experience as I attempted to capture the colours, textures and light that would show the character and essence of Tongli.
Most people visiting Tongli usually photograph the colourful and active scenes around the main canal area of town. Here it is easy to obtain postcard-like images of wooden boats disappearing through the arches of the lovely stone bridges that span the canals. Also a popular subject with tourists is a local man and his cormorants, which perch on a boat moored in the main canal. Although this area is certainly very interesting I was drawn to more to the less busy and quieter side of Tongli.
I found myself wandering the back alleys that wind through the older areas and homes along the canals. Local people would occasionally peer out from doorways at me, a little surprised to see a foreigner with a camera in hand. Some people seemed curious about me photographing subjects that to them are everyday normal things, but for me, these back alleys were fresh and interesting.
Initially I found it difficult to portray the peacefulness of the alleys and canals. At one point as I was contemplating various angles and composition, I climbed onto and stood upon the side of an arched bridge over a small canal. From this higher angle I was able to compose a picture that included the slate roofs of the traditional homes and the alley and canal below. Looking through the viewfinder, I was pleased to see that the filtered light through the trees showed the details in the roofs and gave the pathway a lovely glow. I watched and waited patiently for an opportunity to include people in this peaceful scene. One of my favourite images I shot at this location is of a man riding his bike alongside the canal.
Another location that provided many opportunities for appealing shots was a very old and beautiful teahouse. A common photography trick to make an image more interesting is to give a subject a frame. Framing can eliminate unwanted grey sky and unnecessary detail. The teahouse’s windows were perfect frames for shooting the canal and alley scenes. Sitting in the teahouse, sipping tea, I was given time to look around the room for interior shots. After observing the natural light streaming through the window, I moved my teacup closer to a table by the window. Stepping back, I then composed and focused to include the table area with the view from the window also in focus. Later, when viewing this image, I was pleased to be able to recall the tranquil feeling of the teahouse.
Staying overnight in Tongli, I was able to view the town in varying light. The changing light from dawn to dusk strongly influences the colours, tones and textures in the buildings and deepens and softens the reflections in the canals. As is usually the case in photography, the early morning and late afternoon light proved to be most ideal. While photographing a canal in the late afternoon sun, I came across two young local boys. They were happy to be photographed, responding in a friendly and cheeky manner. I was happy with the shot as the combination of the boy’s joyfulness and colourful clothing resulted in an image that gives a feeling of warmth.
After two days wandering around Tongli with my camera, I felt relaxed and quite delighted with the many images I was taking away with me. I also knew there was the potential for many more “great shots” that I had not achieved in that short visit. I hope to return again and view the town in a different season. With it’s simple charm, sense of peace and endless subjects to shoot there is plenty in Tongli to keep a photographer happy for quite a few trips.
