Seoul through a 50mm lens.

The cherry blossom season is probably my favorite time of the year. The weather is usually really nice, and plenty of people are out on the streets to get a good look at the blossoms that, sadly, disappear almost as quickly as they arrive.

They make for great subjects by themselves, but what I like most is using them in the background. Seoul has a lot of streets and alleys lined with cherry blossom trees. Places like Uicheon (우이천), Yeouido Hangang Park (여의도한강공원), Seoul Forest (서울숲), and Seokchon Lake (석촌호수) are some of my favorite places to go. The photos above were all taken at those places.

Taking photos is a pretty big part of cherry blossom season in Korea. With so many people already trying to get good pictures of themselves, it’s also fairly easy to find someone willing to pose for you if you’re comfortable talking to strangers. Knowing a little Korean definitely helps your chances, too.

Just don’t be annoyed if someone refuses, and don’t be pushy either. If someone clearly isn’t interested, leave them be.

Besides the photography, I just really like the mood at this time of year. I enjoy walking up and down those roads and alleys during the day, taking the occasional break at a nearby café to recharge. It’s a warm and bustling atmosphere with a lot of smiles.

Autumn in general is beautiful, and of course Seoul is no exception. Hiking trails, parks, and forests become colorful and warm. Not in terms of temperature, though. Fall can actually get quite cold, especially once the wind starts blowing, so if you want to visit during this time, you’d better pack some warm clothes.

I personally enjoy spring more because of the weather. But if I’m thinking purely in terms of visuals, then fall comes out on top for me.

The images above were taken in Seoul Forest (서울숲), Bukhansan (북한산), and Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁). These are all great places to visit in fall, but there are plenty more. Seoul has no shortage of palaces, parks, hiking trails, and mountains that give you great opportunities to see and photograph the fall foliage.

I’ve personally only been to Korea once in fall, thanks to a very close friend letting me stay at his place for free. That allowed me to visit twice in one year, which meant I got to experience both spring and fall.

The photos I took during that trip are a little special to me, mainly because they’re still the only fall pictures I have from Korea. If spring doesn’t really get you excited, then fall would definitely be my next recommendation!

Walking around the streets of Seoul with a camera in hand will naturally have you taking plenty of photos. Some standouts for me personally are Seongsu-dong (성수동) and Hannam-dong (한남동). Both have plenty of cafés, shops, and restaurants, so if you like looking around in addition to taking photos, you can easily lose track of time and spend an entire day walking around. They’re full of life, which can really help bring some energy into your photos.

One thing I also notice a lot in areas like these is how fashionable people tend to be. Fashion in Seoul can be very trend-driven, but that also means you’ll often come across people wearing really interesting and stylish outfits. Obviously, that can be a great thing when you’re out taking street photos.

In addition to the more modern places I’ve mentioned, you can also find traditional streets with a completely different kind of charm. And yes, they usually have plenty of cafés and restaurants as well. Good examples are Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을) and Ikseon-dong (익선동).

These areas have lots of traditional Korean buildings called Hanok (한옥), which make for beautiful backgrounds in photos. They work especially well if you happen to catch someone wearing a Hanbok (한복) while walking through the streets.

Anyway, if you’re someone who enjoys shopping or visiting cafés, exploring these neighborhoods is also an awesome way to come home with some great photos.

Korea’s university campuses are usually freely accessible to the public. Because of that, you’ll often see plenty of people walking around, including older people who graduated from those universities. Education and universities are extremely important in Korea, and once you enter some of these campuses, that becomes quite clear. For us as photographers, these spaces can also offer some beautiful photo opportunities.

The photos above were taken at Korea University (고려대학교), Kyung Hee University (경희대학교), and Yonsei University (연세대학교).

Discovering that these campuses were freely accessible was great. Thanks to that, I found some new subjects to photograph during my last trip. But besides being good photo spots, campuses can also give you the opportunity to connect with people.

At every campus I visited, someone ended up talking to me. Maybe because many of the people there are still in the middle of their education, they tend to be a little more confident speaking English than people you might randomly meet elsewhere. That can make it easier for them to approach a foreigner.

One thing I do want to point out, though, is that I don’t think you should actively go around trying to make those connections. If someone starts talking to you, that’s completely fine. But I wouldn’t recommend approaching students just to get them to talk to you.

As mentioned earlier, education is extremely important in Korea. Many students study incredibly hard and barely have time for anything else. Having someone interrupt their focus while they’re on campus probably isn’t exactly what they need.

That being said, I definitely recommend visiting some university campuses while you’re in Korea. I’m already planning to check out a few more that I haven’t been to yet on my next trip.

The nights in Seoul feel different. Well, I’m speaking from the perspective of someone who grew up and has lived his whole life in a pretty small town that basically turns into a ghost town after 10 PM unless there’s some kind of event going on.

Especially in the busier parts of Seoul, there are usually still plenty of people around until at least 1 or 2 AM. Combined with the large number of CCTV cameras you see everywhere, I personally feel very comfortable walking around late at night. I generally feel safer there than I do in my own hometown.

Having that many people out on the streets also means there are usually plenty of lights coming from open stores, restaurants, and convenience stores. Streetlights obviously help as well. All those different light sources make photography at night incredibly fun. Waiting for someone to pass through a patch of light to get the exposure you want, or waiting for someone to walk through that alley you’ve been eyeing, can be really exciting. And the images that come out of those situations can be great.

Aside from taking photos down on the streets, seeing Seoul at night from somewhere higher up is also amazing. Visiting Namsan Tower (남산타워) or Lotte World Tower (롯데월드타워) can be a great way to get some panoramic night shots. If you want to take photos from Lotte World Tower, though, you’ll need some way to deal with reflections because you’ll be shooting through glass. If you don’t mind looking a little ridiculous, a jacket or sweater can actually do the trick!

Portraiture at night is also super fun. If you can find someone to take photos with, there are plenty of cool places with beautiful lighting that can make your model look great. You can find people for that on Threads, for example. It might take a few tries before someone responds, so make sure to plan ahead if your trip is short. It’s definitely worth the effort, though.

As you can see, there’s a huge variety of photos you can take at night. And if you need a break from walking around, there are usually plenty of restaurants, cafés, and convenience stores still open late.