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Seoul - Modern & Classic

Robert Koehler

Photographer from USA

Bukchon Hanok Village
Written by Robert Koehler

zoom
MODE Landscape
LENSES 135mm F2.0
CAMERA NIKON
D 750
DIAPHRAGM F2.0
SPEED 0.004 sec
ISO 200
EXPOSURE Aperture
priority
BRIGHTNESS 135mm
FOCUS F2.0
PHOTOMETRY Multi-segment

Bukchon Hanok Village is a place
where people live.

Though this might seem obvious, surprisingly many people seem to forget it. Seoul’s most iconic neighborhood of tile-roofed homes, or Hanok, is one of the city’s most visited tourist destinations. According to city statistics, about 10,000 tourists visit the neighborhood a day, with foreigners accounting for about 70 percent. Come here on a weekend, and you could probably crowd surf from one end of the neighborhood to the other with your feet never having to touch the ground. Nevertheless, Bukchon is a residential neighborhood, and always has been. This is no folk village. It’s a living, breathing community, albeit one struggling with endless herds of tourists and ever-rising rents.

Though I live in another part of Seoul, I’ve been lucky enough to work in the Bukchon area for over the last 10 years. I spend more time here than anywhere else in the city, making it my home, at least in a certain sense. It’s certainly one of my favorite places to shoot, too - even stroll during my lunch hour yields plenty of photographic opportunities.

Coffee break

Though rainy nights are my favorite time to shoot, I spend rainy days in cafes. There are worse ways to spend a day than relaxing in a coffee shop, sipping an espresso. At any rate, it’s an opportunity to catch up on reading. One of my favorite coffeeshops is a renovated Hanok just a minute’s walk from where I work. I go there at least three times a week, sometimes more. The place has been around for years. Though many cafes now pursue minimalism, sometimes to a fault, this one creates a warmer, more personalized vibe, an intimate space almost like your grandmother’s home. One rainy morning, I went to this cafe to get some work done. No matter how hard I tried to concentrate, however, my eye kept returning to the rear window. The window serves as a frame for a painting or photograph, bringing into the room the view of the tile roof of the house next door. Though I’ve seen it hundreds of times, the view mesmerizes me every time. Sipping my coffee, I watched rain water drip from the eaves.

zoom
MODE Indoor
LENSES 135mm F2.0
CAMERA NIKON
D 750
DIAPHRAGM F2.0
SPEED 0.004 sec
ISO 200
EXPOSURE Aperture
priority
BRIGHTNESS 135mm
FOCUS F2.0
PHOTOMETRY Multi-segment

Rainy season

zoom
MODE Landscape
LENSES 135mm F2.0
CAMERA NIKON
D 750
DIAPHRAGM F4.0
SPEED 0.006 sec
ISO 200
EXPOSURE Aperture
priority
BRIGHTNESS 135mm
FOCUS F2.0
PHOTOMETRY Multi-segment
zoom
MODE Landscape
LENSES 135mm F2.0
CAMERA NIKON
D 750
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 0.005 sec
ISO 200
EXPOSURE Aperture
priority
BRIGHTNESS 135mm
FOCUS F2.0
PHOTOMETRY Multi-segment

Bukchon has more than just Hanok houses. Like any neighborhood, it has many restaurants, grocery stores, laundry shops and other businesses. Though rising rents are forcing many to close, many persevere, supported by patronage from loyal local customers and the ever growing number of visitors.

They alleyway in front of our office, for instance, boasts plenty of restaurants and shops. Some, like an instant noodle shop I frequent, have been around for decades. Others are of much more recent vintage. Ordinarily, tourists would fill this street, but thanks to the rain, it was blissfully quiet - just a loan woman and her umbrella.

Trumpet vines

Despite having grown up in the United States, I do not know the English names of many flowers and trees. Often, I’m forced to look them up in the dictionary after learning the Korean names first. As I came to Korea when I was just 21, I never had the opportunity to experience those flowers, those trees in the land of my birth. It was only after coming here that I could experience their beauty. One such flower is the trumpet vine. Every summer, these creapers with large, orange conical flowers cover fences and walls all over Bukchon Hanok Village. They make for great photographs - this time of year, my Instagram feed fills up with shots of the flowers, and I’m always running into young couples taking selfies beneath the vines. Despite seeing them every summer for at least the last decade, however, I didn’t know what they were called in English until this year, when I finally decided to look up their Korean name - neungsohwa - in the dictionary. Interestingly enough, the trumpet vine is indigenous to the eastern regions of North America, where I was born and raised. Yet

zoom
MODE Landscape
LENSES 135mm F2.0
CAMERA NIKON
D 750
DIAPHRAGM F3.2
SPEED 0.003 sec
ISO 200
EXPOSURE Aperture
priority
BRIGHTNESS 135mm
FOCUS F2.0
PHOTOMETRY Multi-segment

31 Gahoe-dong

When people think of Bukchon, the first image that comes to mind is that of 31 Gahoe-dong. Often likened to Lombard Street, San Francisco’s iconic road of hairpin turns, 31 Gahoe-dong is a hillside community of terraced tile roof homes and narrow alleyways winding up and down the heights. The view from the top of the hill is one of Seoul’s most symbolic as the glass and steel of the city’s future loom over the tile roofs of its past.

zoom
MODE Landscape
LENSES 135mm F2.0
CAMERA NIKON
D 750
DIAPHRAGM F2.0
SPEED 0.003 sec
ISO 125
EXPOSURE Aperture
priority
BRIGHTNESS 135mm
FOCUS F2.0
PHOTOMETRY Multi-segment

That such a beautiful place attracts many tourists should come as no surprise. From morning to sunset, this road is clogged with large groups of tourists, many dressed in rented Hanbok, Korea’s traditional attire. So many visitors descend upon the place, in fact, that some residents are moving out because of the noise and other inconveniences. Other are taking to the streets in protest, much as angry locals have in other heavily touristed cities such as Venice. Nowadays, multilingual signs plaster Bukchon’s alleyways, banners pleading for tourists to keep quiet and respect their privacy. The city recently announced measures to limit the hours tourists can visit the neighborhood, though this may prove difficult to enforce.

As I often have to come to work early, I sometimes walk Bukchon’s alleys in the dawn hours, when the tourists are conspicuous by their absence. As the morning sun casts a warm hue on the roof tiles and a wind chime rings in the breeze, the weight of the world lifts from my shoulders. In that moment, at least, it becomes clear why people chose to live here, why they continue to live here despite the availability of more modern, more convenient residential options

zoom
MODE Landscape
LENSES 135mm F2.0
CAMERA NIKON
D 750
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 0.0025 sec
ISO 200
EXPOSURE Aperture
priority
BRIGHTNESS 135mm
FOCUS F2.0
PHOTOMETRY Multi-segment
zoom
MODE Landscape
LENSES 135mm F2.0
CAMERA NIKON
D 750
DIAPHRAGM F2.5
SPEED 0.005 sec
ISO 200
EXPOSURE Aperture
priority
BRIGHTNESS 135mm
FOCUS F2.0
PHOTOMETRY Multi-segment

Doors

The more time your spend in Bukchon, the more you come to appreciate its many quirks. Take the front gates of its homes, for instance. At first glance, the handsome wooden entrances may seem the same, but look closer, and you’ll see that the locks, doorknobs and decorative metalwork differ from house to house. Many doors mix traditional locks with more contemporary security measures, too.

You can also find sets of handwritten Chinese characters pasted on some doors. These characters, wish people health and good fortune in spring. In the old days, posting such banners to your gate was commonplace. Nowadays, however, you’re more likely to see signs asking tourists to keep their voices down or to stay out.

zoom
MODE Landscape
LENSES 135mm F2.0
CAMERA NIKON
D 750
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 0.0003 sec
ISO 180
EXPOSURE Aperture
priority
BRIGHTNESS 135mm
FOCUS F2.0
PHOTOMETRY Multi-segment

Bukchon
Cultural Center

I sometimes come across the unexpected as a stroll around Bukchon. One hot day, I stepped into the Bukchon Cultural Center to rest a bit. In one of its courtyards, some women were gathered under the shade of a wooden pavilion. They were wearing Hanbok, and gathered before them were a variety of colorful teas and rice cakes. They were holding a Korean tea ceremony, they told me, offering me a cup of refreshing lotus blossom tea.

Built in 1921, Bukchon Cultural Center was originally the home of an aristocratic family. Since 2002, the city has used it as a tourist information center and as a meeting place for the local community. Despite its new role, the old mansion retains its original grace, every angle demonstrating the sophistication and elegance of traditional Korean architecture.

zoom
MODE Landscape
LENSES 135mm F2.0
CAMERA NIKON
D 750
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 0.0004 sec
ISO 200
EXPOSURE Aperture
priority
BRIGHTNESS 135mm
FOCUS F2.0
PHOTOMETRY Multi-segment

Where the Simpsons meet rice wine

Like any gentrifying neighborhood, Bukchon has more than its fair share of Instagram-friendly cafes and trendy eateries serving carefully presented dishes from all over the world. And yet, you can also find places that have withstood the test of time, shops that continue doing things the old way because, sometimes, the old ways are still the best ways. Wangjjanggu Sikdang, for instance, has been serving cold Korean rice wine, or makgeolli, and candied sweet potatoes for as long as I have worked in Bukchon. Bukchon Sikdang takes pride in its simple, family-style Korean meals - rice, soup and side dishes. If you pass the Daegu Sesame Oil shop at the right hour, you might get a nose-full of the rich aroma of its oil, oil it has been producing for over 40 years. These shops remind people that as much as neighborhoods change, some things never do.

zoom
MODE Landscape
LENSES 135mm F2.0
CAMERA NIKON
D 750
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 0.0003 sec
ISO 110
EXPOSURE Aperture
priority
BRIGHTNESS 135mm
FOCUS F2.0
PHOTOMETRY Multi-segment
zoom

Robert Koehler writes and takes photograph for Seoul-based publishing company Seoul Selection, where he is the editor-in-chief of the monthly magazine SEOUL. A native of Long Island, New York, he has lived in Korea since 1997.

You can find his work on Instagram at @rjkoehler74
and on Tumblr at rjkoehler.tumblr.com

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Samyang’s Guide to Achieving the Optimal Angle of View

The perfect spacing and distance are always necessary when shooting all kinds of subjects, including people, to give them a proper relationship with the beautiful space around them. So, what’s the exact distance that helps you best appreciate a work of art, or a photo?

The correct answer is the diagonal length of the full frame of a subject.

표준화각 자료 이미지
표준화각 자료 이미지

The best standpoint from which to appreciate the full view of a subject is the distance of the diagonal length of the subject frame. This wider angle is superior to standing closer at a 50 degree angle to get a more detailed view. This notion of an ideal distance or view point is also applicable in the world of photography.

For still images, keeping a distance equal to the diagonal length of the full image surface is recommended. The full frame sensor of a digital camera is 36 x 24mm and the diagonal length is 43.26mm so any distance close to this number is nearer to the ideal than the currently accepted industry standard of 50mm.

Back when film cameras were common, 45mm was the industry standard and this continued as reflex cameras needed extra space to fit a mirror. However, as mirrorless cameras become more popular again, there has been a need to return to this industry standard…which is the impetus for the Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 FE. With less distortion than a 35mm lens and wider angles than a 55mm lens, the Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 FE is a perfect lens for portraits, landscapes, architecture photography, and pictures of pets.

What is Preset Aperture Control Function?

On the Preset Aperture Control function, the aperture blade operates smoothly like a "De-clicked lens", which is advantageous for video recording.
Fujifilm cameras are engineered to control the aperture according to the minimum exposure value(F-stop), so when the camera controls the aperture, it blinks momentarily to set the proper exposure.

AF 75mm F1.8 X intentionally disconnects the communication with the camera body and the lens itself on the Preset Aperture Control function, so it is possible to smoothly adjust the exposure without flickering. ISO and shutter speed are adjusted according to the changed exposure by controlling the aperture, so the exposure value can be changed even with the 1/2 F-stop.

What is Preset Aperture Control Function?

On the Preset Aperture Control function, the aperture blade operates smoothly like a "De-clicked lens", which is advantageous for video recording.
Fujifilm cameras are engineered to control the aperture according to the minimum exposure value(F-stop), so when the camera controls the aperture, it blinks momentarily to set the proper exposure.

AF 75mm F1.8 X intentionally disconnects the communication with the camera body and the lens itself on the Preset Aperture Control function, so it is possible to smoothly adjust the exposure without flickering. ISO and shutter speed are adjusted according to the changed exposure by controlling the aperture, so the exposure value can be changed even with the 1/2 F-stop.

What is Recommended Settings for Preset Aperture Control Function?

The Preset Aperture Control function operates only when shooting video(Movie mode) and the focusing mode of the camera is set to AF mode. Please set the aperture at f/1.8 before switching the "Custom Switch" to "Mode 2. It is recommended to set the "Exposure mode" as A mode (Aperture Priority AE) or M mode (Manual Exposure).

* How to use the “Preset Aperture Control” function?

1) Camera Body Setting
      AF Mode → Video Mode ('A' or 'M' mode) → Set the Aperture @F1.8
(2) Lens Setting
      Switch your "Custom Switch” to “Mode 2(M2)"
(3) Now, you're ready to use the Preset Aperture Control function with your focus ring

What is Recommended Settings for Preset Aperture Control Function?

The Preset Aperture Control function operates only when shooting video(Movie mode) and the focusing mode of the camera is set to AF mode. Please set the aperture at f/1.8 before switching the "Custom Switch" to "Mode 2. It is recommended to set the "Exposure mode" as A mode (Aperture Priority AE) or M mode (Manual Exposure).

* How to use the “Preset Aperture Control” function?

1) Camera Body Setting
      AF Mode → Video Mode ('A' or 'M' mode) → Set the Aperture @F1.8
(2) Lens Setting
      Switch your "Custom Switch” to “Mode 2(M2)"
(3) Now, you're ready to use the Preset Aperture Control function with your focus ring

[What is Dolly Shot? How to Shoot Easily]

[What is Dolly shot?]

A dolly shot, also referred to as a tracking shot or trucking shot, is a camera movement technique used by cinematographers to track and follow a subject in motion. To achieve this, the camera is mounted on a device called a "dolly," which facilitates smooth tracking movement. The dolly can move in front of, behind, or alongside the subject, which can be a person, a location, a product, or any other object of focus in the frame. Through this, you can control the emotional distance between the subject and the viewer by highlighting the audiovisual and dramatic effects.

[How to take a Dolly Shot simply by handheld]

Tip. If the moving distance is long, the camera may shake, so please shoot at a focal length between 35 and 100mm.
1. Stand at a distance of about 1.5 to 2 meters away from the subject.
2. Set the custom switch to MF and Mode 3 and adjust the focal length to about 100mm.
3. After focusing on the subject, set the aperture to F8~16.
4. Slowly turn the zoom ring to the left (towards the wide-angle end) while using your upper body and arms to move the camera toward your subject.
5. Dolly Shot complete!
※ When shooting from a farther distance from the subject, use a cart or gimbal for more stable shooting.

DSLR / Full Frame
1D X Mark Ⅱ
1D X
1Ds Mark Ⅲ
1Ds
5DsR
5Ds
5D Mark Ⅳ
5D Mark Ⅲ
6D Mark Ⅱ
6D
DSLR / APS-H
1D Mark Ⅲ
1D
Mirrorless / APS-C
M6
M5
M10
M3
M2
DSLR / APS-S
7D Mark Ⅱ
7D
80D
70D
60D
30D
D60
D30
77D (9000D)
760D (8000D / Rebel T6s)
1300D (Kiss X80 / Rebel T6)
1200D (Kiss X70 / Rebel T5)
200D (Kiss X9 / Rebel SL2)
800D (Kiss X9i / Rebel T7i)
700D (Kiss X9i / Rebel T7i)
100D (Kiss X7 / Rebel SL1)
650D (Kiss X6i / Rebel T4i)
600D (Kiss X5 / Rebel T3i)
550D (Kiss X4 / Rebel T2i)
500D (Kiss X3 / Rebel T1i)
1000D (Kiss F / Rebel XS)
450D (Kiss X2 / Rebel X냐)
DSLR / Full Frame
D850
D5
D810A
D4S
D810
D750
Df
D610
D4
D800
D800E
D600
D3s
D3x
D700
D3
DSLR / APS-C
D7500
D3400
D500
D5600
D7200
D5500
D3300
D7100
D5300
D5200
D7000
D300s
D300
DSLR / Full Frame
Z6
Z7
D810A
D4S
D750
D810A
DSLR / APS-C
D7200
D500
D3300
D5500
D5600
D3400
D7500

* Cameras released within 5 years from 2019 are tested.

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