A Cold Dawn Photo Walk in Chadong Village

December 24, 2025

A Cold Dawn Photo Walk in Chadong Village

The photo walk began in Chadong village before dawn, where the pre-dawn chill was palpable. A rugged mountain dominated the skyline, its silhouette a sharp contrast against the fading night, its outline softened slightly by the nascent light and intervening branches. The scene was one of deep stillness, soon to be replaced by a foggy morning that unveiled the quiet village, still shrouded in cool mist, nestled between the imposing mountains.

Following a meandering road, I ascended the mountainside, leaving the village behind. The path led past hills dedicated to tea cultivation, then skirted a field where the meticulously tended tea plants gave way to a striking stretch of tall, dry yellow silver grass. This diverse landscape unfolded against a dramatic backdrop of towering peaks and the peaceful settlement below.

Despite the persistent cold, life in the tea garden was resilient. I noticed a tiny, tenacious Persicaria hydropiper flower clinging to a branch. Closer examination revealed a small white Camellia Sinensis flower, glistening with the morning dew. Nearby, a Camellia Sinensis branch showed a mix of open blossoms and tight buds, a promise of future blooms. Even a frosted leaf hosted a miniature world—tiny Eriophyid mites—a cold, vast landscape viewed in extreme close-up.

The dirt path eventually transitioned into a paved road, marked by a bright, rainbow-painted stripe drawing the eye toward the distant peaks. I paused here to photograph the mountain range, patiently awaiting the sunrise. Near the ground, clusters of white Erigeron flowers with bright yellow centers provided a cheerful splash of color. A single Erigeron bloom, wet with dew and captured in close-up against a blurred background, highlighted its delicate beauty.

Continuing along a dirt track, the dominant mountain view remained my focus. Suddenly, a welcome burst of color appeared: a mountain vista framed by a few trees and the delicate, blurry pink of cherry blossoms in the foreground. A branch heavy with these same pink blossoms offered the first, tentative sign of spring amidst the lingering winter atmosphere. The walk concluded with a full, majestic view of the mountain range, its slopes dotted with trees, with the small village resting serenely at its base.

Gears & Settings

Gears & Settings	Figures
Camera	Sony A6700
Lens	Sony E 30mm F3.5 Macro
Creative Style	VV2
Date	18 December 2025
Location	Xinfeng County, Shaoguan, Guangdong, China

Downloads

Support my work by downloading images through these platforms.

shutterStock adobeStock iStock depositPhotos

Photos

#: 1 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 1000 | F: 3.5 | +/-: -1.0 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A mountain with a clear blue sky and a few branches in the front at dawn

#: 2 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 320 | F: 4.0 | +/-: -1.0 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A foggy morning in the village surrounded by the mountains at dawn

#: 3 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 200 | F: 4.0 | +/-: -1.3 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A hill with a few tea gardens a road in the village to the mountains

#: 4 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 400 | F: 4.0 | +/-: -1.3 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A field of tea trees, silver grass, and a village with mountains in the background

#: 5 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 1000 | F: 4.0 | +/-: -0.7 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A small Persicaria hydropiper flower is growing on a branch in the tea garden

#: 6 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 400 | F: 4.0 | +/-: -1.3 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A close up of a small white Camellia Sinensis flower with water droplets on it

#: 7 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 200 | F: 4.0 | +/-: -1.7 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A close up of a Camellia Sinensis with flowers and buds on it

#: 8 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 320 | F: 4.0 | +/-: -0.7 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A close up of a frosted leaf with Eriophyid mites on it

#: 9 | SS: 1/160s | ISO: 100 | F: 4.0 | +/-: -1.0 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A field of dry yellow tall silver grass

#: 10 | SS: 1/320s | ISO: 100 | F: 4.0 | +/-: -0.7 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A paved road with a rainbow painted strip to the mountains

#: 11 | SS: 1/500s | ISO: 100 | F: 5.6 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A mountain range in the distance before sunrise

#: 12 | SS: 1/80s | ISO: 100 | F: 5.6 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A bunch of white Erigeron flowers with yellow centers

#: 13 | SS: 1/80s | ISO: 100 | F: 5.6 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A close up of a Erigeron flower with water droplets and a blurry background

#: 14 | SS: 1/400s | ISO: 100 | F: 5.6 | +/-: -0.3 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A dirt road with a mountain in the background

#: 15 | SS: 1/125s | ISO: 100 | F: 5.6 | +/-: 0.3 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A view of a mountain with a few trees and blur of cherry blossoms in the front

#: 16 | SS: 1/160s | ISO: 100 | F: 5.6 | +/-: 0.3 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A branch with pink cherry blossoms

#: 17 | SS: 1/160s | ISO: 100 | F: 5.6 | +/-: -0.7 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A view of a mountain range with a few trees

#: 18 | SS: 1/640s | ISO: 100 | F: 5.6 | +/-: -2.0 | FL35: 45mm | Caption: A view of a mountain range with a few trees and a small village at the foot