This journal brings together Lingzi Kong‘s text-led photography content, including guides, curated collections, and visual travel notes.
Explore the latest posts below, or visit the Gallery and Yearly Albums to browse photos directly.
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Best of 2025: Travel Photography Highlights Across China
Looking back, 2025 was a very special year for me—my first gap year, which gave me the time and space to slow down, travel, and photograph more intentionally. This “Best of 2025” collection highlights my…
Editor’s Picks
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A Year-End Temple Morning in Hangzhou: A Quiet Winter Route from Faxi to Lingyin (Without Missing the Highlights)
Read more: A Year-End Temple Morning in Hangzhou: A Quiet Winter Route from Faxi to Lingyin (Without Missing the Highlights) -
Tower Photography Tips: 4 Ways to Capture City Landmarks Better
Read more: Tower Photography Tips: 4 Ways to Capture City Landmarks Better -
Views Over Planes: Aerial Photos from Airplane Windows
Read more: Views Over Planes: Aerial Photos from Airplane Windows -
3 Things That Improve Your Travel Photography Experience (Without Ruining the Trip)
Read more: 3 Things That Improve Your Travel Photography Experience (Without Ruining the Trip) -
Washington, DC Cherry Blossoms: A Tidal Basin Photo Collection
Read more: Washington, DC Cherry Blossoms: A Tidal Basin Photo Collection -
Beijing Traditions Photo Guide: 6 Photography Locations
Read more: Beijing Traditions Photo Guide: 6 Photography Locations
Browse by Category
Photo
Colletctions
Curated photo series from cities, landscapes, and everyday life—image-led, with light context and mood.
Photo
Guides
Practical photography notes on locations, light, and composition—made for travelers who love to shoot.
Travel
Journal
Personal travel stories with small observations and takeaways—written to remember moments and share meaning.
All Journal Posts
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Travel Portrait Photography: 3 Practical Tips for Better People Photos
I’ll be honest: portrait photography isn’t the genre I’m most confident in—most of my “people” shots happen when I’m traveling with friends or family, or when I quietly photograph everyday life on the street. But portraits are often the images that hold the strongest memories, because they preserve emotion, energy,…
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Alaska in Winter: Northern Lights & Snowy Landscapes (Photo Collection)
After years in the U.S., I somehow never made it to Alaska—until winter 2024, when I finally stepped into that vast, icy world at the edge of the map. This photo collection brings together some of my favorite moments from the trip: long winter roads, mountains under soft blue light,…
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Find Chinese Traditions in 4 Cities: Beijing, Xi’an, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou
China’s traditions aren’t “one thing”—they look different across regions, dynasties, and everyday local life. If you want to feel Chinese history through travel (and photography), visiting multiple cities helps you see how culture takes shape in architecture, rituals, streetscapes, and small details. In this post, I’m sharing four cities—Beijing, Xi’an,…
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Beyond Beijing, Shanghai & Hong Kong: 3 Places to Visit in China for Travel and Photography
China is a massive country—geographically and culturally—so if you’ve already done (or want to skip) the classic “big city trio” of Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, there are many other destinations that feel more textured, more relaxing, and often more rewarding for photography. In this post, I’m sharing three places…
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China’s Greater Bay Area (Hong Kong, Shenzhen & Beyond): A Photo Collection
The Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Greater Bay Area is one of China’s most energetic regions—coastal, fast-moving, and incredibly varied in a short distance. This collection brings together moments from Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Zhuhai, where futuristic skylines, waterfront light, and pockets of traditional culture all coexist in one trip. Because…
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Xishuangbanna, Yunnan: A Tropical Nature & Dai Culture Photo Collection
Xishuangbanna sits in the southernmost part of Yunnan and feels like a different world—warm, humid air, lush tropical greens, and strong Dai cultural influences that can remind you of Southeast Asia. This photo collection features moments from the Green Stone Forest Scenic Area, the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, and Manting…
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A Year-End Temple Morning in Hangzhou: A Quiet Winter Route from Faxi to Lingyin (Without Missing the Highlights)
Temple-hopping has become a surprisingly popular way for young people in China to reset their minds—but for me, end-of-year temple walks started long before it became a trend. This post is a personal travel journal (with a practical route) from Hangzhou in winter: how I began in the dark at…
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Fujian Tulou in Rural China: A Nanjing “Four Dishes and One Soup” Photo Collection
On a day trip from Xiamen, I headed into the mountains of Nanjing County (Zhangzhou, Fujian) to see the famous Fujian Tulou—UNESCO-listed earthen buildings built by Hakka communities. This collection captures the drive up winding roads, the quiet villages along the way, and the iconic Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster—often nicknamed “Four…
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Chaoshan Moments: A Teochew Culture Photo Collection
Chaoshan—often associated with Teochew culture in eastern Guangdong—felt surprisingly “international” to me in a way I didn’t expect. This photo collection captures a few moments from Chaozhou, Shantou, and Jieyang: vibrant street scenes, folk traditions, and everyday food culture that made me realize, again, how incredibly diverse China can be.…