Samseongsan: hidden gems
You find me one more time at Samseongsan, up from 염불암 (Yeombulam temple). If you have read my previous story you’ll be familiar with the view of the temple itself, so today I’ll tell you about the natural surroundings and how, with the right conditions things can be just dazzlingly beautiful there. I love that place so much I went back half a dozen times since my previous post! And here are 3 key places I want to show you.
I promised more natural views so this will be the only man made structure set of photos for this post. If you walk up from my starting temple you get to a ridge, and the other side of that ridge presents you with a panoramic view of the western side of Samseongsan and, in the distance, Seoul, Yeouido in particular with its high risers. Of course it is a vista worth going for in and of itself but there is one thing that makes it even more flavorful: you get a perfect view of 삼막사 (Sammak temple), perched near the top of the opposite ridge. That temple is another major one in this mountain and I recommend visiting it for these 2 reasons, besides the temple itself: it offers a wonderful sunset view over everything west of Seoul, and the 2 dogs that live there are just adorable.
Now, that orientation of the temple makes it a sunset shot but I knew from the moment I saw it that I had to come back with rainy or foggy conditions. And I did, during the rain. It would seem like I’m turning into the rainy mountain photography guy! Clouds can turn the most banal places into magical realms after all.
I love how the columns of clouds rising from behind the temple made the place look surreal, as if a different world laid behind there, a far away unknown land that would attract the most adventurous hearts.
And then, as clouds whip by in the front you enter that mysterious world, such a contrast front the concrete immobile character of the city I woke up from in the morning.
The rain clouds formed a ceiling of condensation right above the temple’s altitude, and winds tore wisps of fog to send them downwards and back up again. Conditions were always changing, beauty was ever evolving, I could have stayed there for hours. You know how the sea hypnotizes anyone staring at it? It was the same, the perpetual motion just sucked my mind into the scene and my mindless body was left there to observe, still, wet, quiet. An immobile, dancing meditation.
Doesn’t it look like the perfect place to pray? You couldn’t be much closer to the heavens. Just bring your umbrella! I love how the negative space on top forces my eyes to look for something to rest on, even if it’s hidden in the mist.
Back into the land of “mistery” now, where the fog has holes through which you can get a glimpse of what lay beyond.
If you are wondering about what the view from that boulder perched pavilion is, click here.
Let’s leave wind and rain for a moment and dive a little in the cover of trees. The only rain here are big drops falling now and then from leaves higher up. Here there is no wind, here there is no rain, here there is no fury, in there is only fog, in here there is only you. Indeed, except for a few moths, fauna is on hold until the return of sunny conditions, hiding away for the rain, taking a long silent nap. You won’t find hikers either, it’s almost like rain drops annihilates humans’ will to go out, when it’s just water and views are absolutely worth seeing in the rain too! However what you will find is yourself. Finding compositions in the fog is more of a contemplative, philosophical search than a photography search. That fog only reflects your image, it is up to you to go on and find what you seek. In the mountain you can’t hide, you can only shine.
I liked how curves in the rock and lines from the trees create that center bubble of light. Simply a compositional image for once!
I love the rock texture and the different layers of contrast in this view. Also for those who have seen those ginseng advertising pictures: this rocks looks so like a lying ginseng root^^
However, the cloud covered forests are only a temporary relief from the storm outside. Because no matter how long you want to look for yourself among branches and rocks you eventually have to come out of it! And then... well your rain poncho becomes a very temporary relief as well! Enough for me to tell you that there is this spot there, a couple of pine trees growing out of a rocky bump in the ridge line. And I consider them my favorite place in this mountain now. I visited them several times already and they just make for a perfect picture, a perfect view and a perfect resourcing spot.
But for now let’s go back to the storm. I’m on the opposite ridge from my new friends, trying to shelter myself from the wind and rain behind a boulder my size. I’m operating a manual 200mm lens, the wind is blowing straight at my face, no escaping it, I hope my gear is waterproof... more than my poncho at least! The task is hard. Trying to capture my friend duo across the valley with interesting cloud formations, handholding my gear in the battering rain and wind. It is intense. Like with the temple pictures above I had to be patient, enduring...
Nah, in reality, it was awesome! I rarely felt more alive. I let out a loud wooooh every now and then^^ Adrenaline was rushing through me, the focus high was back but this time it was exhilarating! Wind and rain is just the best combination for an invigorating time! I just didn’t want to stop shooting. I realize now that very few things can make you feel this way, for me climbing/exercising and fighting the elements with a camera are the only two. I wonder if those work for more people too... Anyway let me introduce you to my new best friends:
I love how the tree duo breaks the ridge line, especially when they stick out of the clouds like that.
And only a second later the clouds engulfed the whole scene and they look even more mysterious. It only makes me want to cross and go see them up close.
A different framing, taking advantage of negative space again. Can you see the apartment complex way back in the clouds?
Now let’s cross the ridge to get closer and hopefully I will manage to make you understand why I love them so much. I suppose I could go full lyrical, as I usually do, about this gift of nature but I feel it is one of those times when the images suffice themselves. You can probably come up with all sorts of feelings and curious thoughts of your own simply looking at the shots and see, maybe something different than I see in them, but still see beauty in them.
The rain was slowly dying so the clouds went up enough for me to capture this image. I love how the trees stand out thanks to the mist.
That was the last rainy weather photo for this post, instead let’s switch to a hazy sunset. Clearly the best time of day to admire the couple of wise conifers in all their splendor.
A tighter crop would have emphasized the trees beauty but I wanted to show them to you in their environment. The pool of light at the foot of the trees' and the texture on the rocks are just amazing to zoom in a look at. This place is such a gem!
Shooting these trees is actually harder than it would seem, you need to go off road and I had to raise my arms up as high as I could to place my camera at the right height, so that the background ridge doesn’t cut off the top of the trees. But in spite of that I would love to go back any time, just to watch the sunset spreading warm light on the glowing, patterned tree bark.
Originally I planned on ending this post here but I decided to add the following treats to finish on a bright note.
Remember I was sheltering myself from the fury of the rain behind a boulder across the valley from my tree friends? Well it happens that that boulder is just one of a decent size chain of rocks. And among that chain, two have a particular feature that I will show you now:
Looking up to the highest boulder chain now, those clouds randomly formed for a perfect X, combined with the tree line. Nature sometimes gives the best framing and you just need to shoot. Also, can you see the name carved on the top rock? That’s feature #1!
And here is feature #2, a cracked rock! It’s actually fairly small, and the pine growing in front is only a baby. But both bathed in warm sunset light just are such a beautiful combination.
This last cracked rock was really hard to shoot, I had to invert my tripod column to shoot mere centimeters from the ground and I had only room for my tripod and my feet because this spot is on top of a flatish rock, above a few meter drop. The blood rush after 45min of squatting was massive! But I managed, and the result was worth it. Even the sun was in the right position. What more to ask?
As a final word I wanted to state a very mundane thing but yet true: mountains, even around Seoul have gems, they are well hidden or only visible under specific conditions so it is our job to find the time, the weather and the angle to make them shine. It can be hard but again, it is the same in every aspect of life, we have to look for all the pieces of the bigger puzzle, make them work together and realize after all the work that that is the gem may be inside of us.
Thank you very much for reading this far. If you want to see those spots for yourself or find new ones follow my alltrails itinerary.
A bientôt!