G9 Travel Guide to Shanghai: Architecture
Pudong Skyline.
- The Shanghai Skyline from the catwalk of the World Financial Center.
Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong are complete playgrounds for architecture photographers. On a clear day standing on the viewing catwalk of the second largest building in the world, the World Financial Center allows for a break-taking overview of Pudong and the eastern Shanghai.
Pudong is packed with an amazing assortment of skyscrapers. The Oriental Pearl Tower features 11 spheres, big and small. The tower has fifteen observatory levels. The design of the building is said to be based on a verse of the Tang Dynasty poem Pipa Song by Bai Juyi about the wonderful sprinkling sound of a pipa instrument, like pearls, big and small falling on a jade plate
Jimao Tower from WFC Building
Pudong Skyline at Night
The Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
Also located on Pudong is the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, showcasing some amazing modern and clean lines. The museum features exhibits on cloning, robotics, space exploration, and information era. Super progressive topics.
The intricate spirals of the main dome.
All the way on the other end of Shanghai is the Hongqiao Railway Station. Massive and modern in every way.
Hongqiao Railway Station
A solo traveler.
Old China
Architecture has always played an important role in China. The Ming Dynasty built a fortified city that dates back to the 11th century which still to this day includes the City God Temple and Yuyuan Gardens.
Old vs. New Shanghai
Intricate Temple Roofing
- City God Temple
For stock and print inquires please contact: marc@gammanine.com
Stay tuned for the next post: Guilin, China.
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Gamma Nine: Viewfinder 
Lots of great shots but the Solo Traveler is fantastic!
Outstanding! Your photos are gorgeous and inspirational.
Thanks Meredith, travel photography is a perk when doing location shoots. Wait until you see the real campaign shots from there, I can’t share them just yet.
History and traditional has been far away from us, what is left to our descendant is noly the reinforced concrete.
Great pictures – I especially like the black and whites. And did I see a little bit of blue sky in one shot? In China?!?
Thanks 🙂 There was smidgen of blue sky one day…
I was fortunate when I was in Shanghai a couple of years ago to have nothing but blue sky and blazing sunshine! Back next year I hope.
Spent many very enjoyable times working in China, but my all time favorite city is Shanghai. Your first panoramic shot of the city and the river, shot from what we referred to as the Bund side, for all the banks and financial houses located there. The large 80+ story hotel in the background is where I always stayed. Great place, great service, and views from the restaurants/bars on the top floors were wonderful.
Thanks for sharing
nice pics?why have not been to Yunnan?
We spent time in Yangshuo shooting for a clothing brand, but didn’t have time to visit Yunnan (much to my chagrin). The Yulong and Yangshuo images will be posted next week. Stay tuned.
Your pictures are detailed and awesome. After watching it Shanghai has been added to my must visit list. Great work 🙂
Thank you Jatin. Have you been to Hong Kong? You might have to add that to your list to, I’ve been working on those edits and that city is equally as impressive.
Shanghai in B&W is so beautiful!
Looking forward to see your HK photos. 🙂
No Marc, I haven’t been out of India but I plan to explore these cities soon 🙂
Just looking at the photos I can smell the lead/arsenic/formaldehyde/tar-rich cigarette fumes.
Future New York?
Hong Kong seems to be leading the pack to a future NYC.
Wow! Love this. I went to Beijing last month and now I want to visit Shanghai too one day. Your post makes me want to go there even more!
Simply awesome!!!
This is the best city on the planet – I’ve been here 5 years now and am loving every single day of it! Thank you for sharing the pictures, they are beautiful and made me feel very proud in a way of the place I chose to be my home, even though I am not Chinese.
Those of you who want to visit – you most definitely should, this place is like nothing else out there…
My wife and I went to Shanghai with her family a few years back and they do have a lot of beautiful architectural buildings. We rode a boat that toured as around the Shanghai bay at night and the skycrapers with their lights magnificent light were spectacular. great post. congrats.
Thanks.
Shanghai is definitely a cool place to visit. 😀
Wow! Awesome pics. The architecture throughout Asia in general is breathtaking
Amazing juxtaposition in “Old vs. New Shanghai.”
There’s also a copy of the Wall Street Bull made by the original designer.
It’s by the Bund facing the Pudong skyscrapers across the river.
The New New York.
Beautiful windows, also some places can not let you know . “Red terror hid in Shanghai“
Stunning, pictures of Shanghai architecture and skyline:)
Awesome pictures and wow 🙂
Loved the architectural marvel, more so the old architectural heritage. After I saw “The story of Maths” on BBC, I realized how much math is required to build such brilliant forms.
All the pics are great. The Pudong Skyline pic is gorgeous! 🙂
Great Pics!!!
Shanghai was one of my fauvorite places i’ve visited in Asia 😀
its fantastic.. nice pic..
after watching your pics i thought that God has give a great mind to people.your pics are amazing.
Just discovered your blog, and it is really fun to read about your adventures traveling in China-because I am currently living in Tianjin, China, as an oral English teacher!! Your pics are awesome, and your stories are cracking me up! Hope your adventures in China were great 🙂
Your photos are amazing. Good job on showcasing Shanghai’s architectural wonder. Congrats on being FP also! 🙂
Gorgeous photos! You have a wonderful eye and I agree, the Solo Traveler is quite special. Have a wonderful day!
Unique, stunning images 🙂
Beautiful city. Have been to China 7 times in the past 3 years but never made it to Shanghai – definitely will the next time. Thank you
Your pictures are nice ones. The evening is more beautiful than day actually because the sky !
Outstandigly!
i had been to china a few years back, but i miss not being a photographer then. you pictures kind of fill that gap for me..kudos..!!
Здравейте и от мен. Поздрави за хубавата статия- отдавна не бях чел нещо хубаво по темата. Продължавайте в същия дух :))
Beautiful pictures…. Loved it 🙂
I always thought this comparison photo was amazing…
What 10 years difference can make…
Amazing pic, the change is drastic! Thanks for sharing!
Wow, what a phenomenal city. The photos are just amazing.
Thank a lot for this post…
VERY NICE…!
Best regards,
William
love the sci tech museum pic. great photos and i usually am not a fan of photos of modern buildings.
Which lenses have you used to take the first two pics? they are just impressive!
Congrats!
First shot is a composite of 6 shots stitched together. In the second image I used an ultra-wide Nikon 14-28mm f/2.8 lens.
6 shots stitched together? How did you do that (forgive my ignorance, please!)?
Some amazing shot up there, from the ultra wide fish eye view down to small details.
Nice work,
John
Shanghai is indeed quite a place. I will have to try to return some day to see the things I missed, and take a good camera this time. Looking forward to your shots of Guilin. If I could, I would gladly live in Guilin. You don’t find the same architecture, but they do have those fantastic lighted caverns, beautiful views, water buffalo, and comorants.
Nice pics….I love the striking architecture. Have always wanted to go to Shangai….sadly, much of the old is being replaced by modern-looking architecture.
We’re also contributing pictures from China to BiPolar Photo where we compare and contrast images everyday from Thailand, China, and the USA… stop by if you have a moment.
http://www.bipolarphoto.com
Haha! They have thier own space needle!
This is some GORGEOUS architecture. Love the design of those Chinese buildings.
Stunning photographs.. planning a trip there and wonder what other treasures there are to photograph!
There are tons of treasures waiting to be discovered, definitely a urban photographers dream.
Very cool shots!
Awesome shots with great angle and compostion! Wonder what kind of lens are you using?
I pretty much used an entire arsenal of nikon lenses. You can check out all the gear we brought here: https://gammanine.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/g9-guide-china/
Good work!
That is some amazing architecture, modern buildings and not so modern buildings. It seems like the solo traveler would be a bit lonely up there. I think my favorite is the Shanghai Skyline from the catwalk of the World Financial Center.
amazing, terrific photos!I think Shangai is a must to visit in the new millennium era.Old and new lines and outlooks are mixxed. I hope ti visit China, one day.
very nice work. are these HDR? I have never done black and white HDR but may try now thanks to your great work here…
I have my own site, mainly dedicated to vegas as thats where I live, but love to see Asian cities.
Thanks again!
none are HDR, although I love HDR images, there’s just a little selective work in photoshop, but nothing really major.
thanks, very useful info,,
Incredible photos
Some of the best photos are in black and white. Stark in themselves but with a clarity.
awesome pictures:D
the incredible shanghai!
Nice one…
woa nice pics and great article….
That’s great!! I’m a chinese….i like china very much…
Beautiful photos – you have really captured the old and the new! We’ve been living in Shanghai for the last two years and this is indeed an amazing city!
I love your pictures! I was just in Shanghai a month back and I raved in almost all my posts about the gorgeous architecture (and food!).
oh the food, we’ve been craving shanghai dumplings since we left
Contrasts the ancient and new China.
Great pictures. The old architecture is amazing.
super dope photos! im very big into architecture and these buildings look awesome nice job capturing them
The pics, clarity, compositions, appropriate color saturation, point of view and lens selection…living guide to budding photographers. Cant choose one, but the temple roof (three arches- one above other) is my choice. I don’t think I have seen Shanghai is such splendor anywhere.
Really really great shots!!! I like the picture of old vs new Shanghai the most.
A good Job, Bro…
I see the wonderful/magnificient of China from Your pictures… The combination between technology and art (ancient heritage) is truely owesome….
Tks for a good articles.. : )
Good Evening –
I lived in Hong Kong in 1993 and the building boom to the sky was well underway at that time. Of course, they were governed and controlled by the UK back then. Look at what’s happened to China the past 18 years and its skyline. Amazing, huh? Awesome architectural photos. Love them. Happy Saturday evening. 🙂
Beautiful pictures and architecture!
Great pictures!
Beautiful shots, thank you for sharing. I never realised China had such stunning buildings. It’s sometimes easy (especially where I live) to appreciate the marvels of Nature and forget about the exquisite beauty of human creations, including buildings.
Congrats on Freshly Pressed. Looking forward to more pics.
x
Great pictures! Such clever work and reporting! Keep up the great works guys Ive added you guys to my blogroll. This is a great article thanks for sharing this informative information.. I will visit your blog regularly for some latest post.
wow… beautiful…..
A very interesting range of images from Shanghai. Some of the temples are very nice.
My husband and I have moved to Shanghai for work and there is so many interesting buildings here in Shangahi. All of China is actually pretty interesting and each city seems to want to one up the other with something new and spectacular! Shenzin has the “model” an oblong buildin with a narrow middle like a model’s figure! Hong Kong is also amazing, but I must say Shanghai has the most interesting — even the apartment buildings. We live in Pudong -the newer part of the city and we have an amazing view of the skyline. Furthermore in our neighbourhood we have the “lego buildings” -ones with coloured balconies or detail, the “lipstick buildings” -look like tubes of lipstick and one that looks like a spaceship on top.
Many fellow co-workers have gone threw Dubai as they have travelled here and said Dubai is even crazier for architecture… its so surreal.
Dubai is on the list for 2012. Can’t wait! The “lego buildings” sound interesting, share some pix with us 😉
welcome to china. : )
amazing picture, lovely shanhai. next time i go there. 🙂 thanks for share
hmm,,,someday i will visit shanghai..=)
wspaniała Architektura!
i just arrived in Shanghai 2 days ago…i’ll be here for a month.Your post it’s just perfect and the pictures just made me want to see al those places…startng tomorrow 🙂
Amazing post
awesome! great photos!
Great pictures. I was there recently but it was so overcast and misty (polluted?) that it was hard to take any good shots.
A challenge we faced in Hong Kong, but sometimes you can create more mystery with those conditions.
Great pictures!
terrific!
thx for sharing
You must have had to little abit harder for older Chinese architecture. Glad you’re enjoying the city –one learns alot just by consciously taking photos of certain things!
do you like shanghai jaja？
Your photography is unbelievable! I just came back from a month long stay and work trip in Shanghai, took hundreds of pictures and trying to stack them together in articles about Shanghai. You are right, it is a paradise for photography, especially the combination of very new and modern with very old and mysterious. Love it! Beijing and Hong Kong are amazing as well.
Well done!
Monica
Thanks Monica, you’ve some pretty incredible photos too! I love the shot of the boat with the dragons at night.
Our Hong Kong post is coming soon, pretty unbelievable there too.
I am sincerely humbled by all of your support, thank you all for the kind words and I look forward to sharing more imagery with everyone.
Great photos…..Really like the old vs new. I love looking at photos so will see when you add more. Thanks and have a stunning day.
Great camera work…
This is beautiful.
i must admitt, shanghai was never on my list of top 25 places to visit. these photos have bumped it up significantly. thanks!
Amazing collection of photos monsuier 🙂
These pictures are incredible because I’ve been living in Shanghai for years and these look better than anything I’ve ever seen here.
Great photos! I can’t believe how intricate and yet how clean and simple the architecture is on that last photo… trust Shanghai to manage to make something look incredibly ornamental but not overblown at the same time. 😀
Hello! Such beautiful pictures! I was wondering if I could link to this blog post? I’m an admin for a fan blog for Daniel Henney who is currently shooting a film in Shanghai with Bill Paxton. I’d love to link to this post to show some of the beautiful architecture to his fans who’d like to see bits of Shanghai. Thanks so much. I look forward to hearing from you! -Marianne (Hermosa USA Admin)
Hi Marianne, thank you for asking, you are more than welcome to link this post. Thank you for stopping by and seeing what we’re up to!
No problem and thanks for letting us link to this post! Your photography is AHH-MAZING! ^_^ Congrats on being “Freshly Pressed”, as well…that’s so awesome! Have a wonderful week, Marc! I’m reposting it now.
WOW! These shots are AWESOME!
I hope I can go those places,,,,
Very nice photos. I felt like I was looking at a brilliant coffee table book totally mesmerized!
I thought Jimao Tower is Taipei 101. Very nice photos btw!
Picturesquely amazing! Shanghai is one of the best places in China.
very nice work. are these HDR? I have never done black and white HDR but may try now thanks to your great work here…
I have my own site, mainly dedicated to vegas as thats where I live, but love to see Asian cities.
Thanks again!
Beautiful photos – you have really captured the old and the new! We’ve been living in Shanghai for the last two years and this is indeed an amazing city!
Really interesting. I had been trying to come up w/ some decorative ideas for some of my more uniquely shaped liquor bottles. Thanks.
Really good pictures
lovely pics….and very informative !
cool pictures bro..
Невероятна фотография Има много красиви места са заснети и в много красив момент със светлината.
That’s professionals. Very well taken. Beautiful land with the buildings and lights.