How many steps?

China’s Karst Peaks

China’s famous karst peaks are found in the South China Karst region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its unique “tower” (fenglin) and “stone forest” (shilin) landscapes. Our location in Guilin in the Guangxi province is one of the areas that features these dramatic limestone peaks. This is not something we will find in Arizona!

You’ve seen these as the back drop for Jeff’s post, “Welcome to the Show.” The mountains are stunning, and they make the scene spectacular.

Our next outing was a landscape shoot with the karst mountains as the main subject. Would nature put on show for us?

“How many steps?”

You may have read the recent post, “The Great Wall“, a location that was just “steps” of all sizes in all directions. Or perhaps, you skimmed the post on, “Yellow Mountain,” where even getting to the hotel required hiking up 100’s of stone steps.

When we arrived in Guilin, I thought the “stair” portion of our photoshoots were behind us. I should have known better.

As we were briefed for our sunset shoot, I heard “700”. I must have heard incorrectly. I asked again, “How many steps to our sunset location?”

“Only 700 steps”, the guide repeated. Yes, I had cameras, lenses, tripod and water. The gear bag had not gotten any lighter. And, if I was shooting at sunset, it meant the hike down would be after dark. I added the headlamp and a power bar to the gear bag.

Despite the overcast skies and light sprinkles, I convinced myself the sunset would be awesome. (The tricks we play in our mind to overcome obstacles.) It was hot and muggy and there was no breeze. I began my climb. Going one step at a time, I eventually reached the top.

One of the viewing platforms on the top of Cuiping Hill. Can you spot Jeff on the corner in a green shirt?

The view was beautiful, the sunset was not. The clouds hung low.

Despite my high hopes, nature did not deliver.

At dinner, we were told about our morning shoot. Our sunrise viewpoint at Xiangong Hill was “only” 400 steps, but since it was a popular location, we needed to get there an hour before sunrise. There always seems to be more steps than they say, and I certainly wasn’t going to count them. The headlamp and the power bar stayed in the bag as we’d be hiking up in the dark long before breakfast.

Very early the next morning, at the start of our hike, I was pleasantly surprised to find our stairway’s “lit” (no headlamp needed). The stairs were also covered with outdoor carpeting which meant they felt cushioned, and there was a hand rail most of the way up. If you have to hike up, it’s much nicer with these extras! Life was looking up.

My first shot was captured long before sunrise. A mix of clouds, stars and street lights made for a good starting image:

The sky is starting to brighten in the distance. The Li River is in the foreground. The streets lights provide a nice leading line through the scene.

Blue hour, the time just before sunrise with the blue-pink coloring of the sky and mountains.

As the sky lightened we could see were blessed with a mix of clouds and sun – nearly perfect. And what a scene spread before us.

Just after sunrise – I love the God Beams going high in the sky and into the valley

I was lucky to capture the double starburst just after sunrise

Using the long lens, I zoomed into the peaks for a different perspective.

I love the layers. This ended up being one of my favorite photos from the morning.

When the photography elements align (sky, color, sun, clouds), it makes for an amazing experience. This is why I love landscape photography. The beauty and the experience outshine any of the challenges encountered to get there.