A few weeks ago, I spent several evenings walking through the heart of Chengdu, around Chunxi Road, Taikoo Li, and the surrounding streets, camera in hand. The weather was far from ideal—rain fell steadily, and a thin layer of fog softened the city—but those conditions transformed the streets into something quietly cinematic.
At night, Chengdu reveals another rhythm. Workers pause on ladders beneath glowing façades, maintaining the city while colorful lights pulse behind them. Businessmen walk alone along wet pavements, their reflections stretching across the ground. Narrow streets filled with signage disappear into mist, where shadows slide across rain-soaked concrete.
The rain amplified everything. Neon lights reflected endlessly on the pavement. Large windows bathed the streets in red, turning simple gestures—someone passing by, someone waiting—into fleeting visual moments. Even the busiest roads felt strangely calm, as cars moved slowly through the haze, towers barely visible in the distance.
What interested me most was the contrast between movement and stillness. A man carrying a tire along Hongxing Road. A bicycle rickshaw waiting as pedestrians pass under umbrellas. Anonymous figures crossing light-filled spaces, briefly illuminated before dissolving back into the fog.
These photographs are not about landmarks or grand views. They are about atmosphere, weather, and everyday life unfolding quietly at night. Rain and mist blur the city’s edges, allowing small, ordinary moments to take center stage.
In those conditions, Chengdu feels less like a megacity and more like a series of passing scenes—subtle, reflective, and constantly changing.
Location : Chengdu
Camera :
• Nikon Z6 III
Lens :
• Nikon 24-120mm Z f/4
You can order prints on my Prints page or by clicking the photos and the purchase link for my Getty Images exclusive photos and then choose “Buy the print”.
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