Shawan Ancient Town | Guangzhou, China

A Day in Panyu: Discovering the Streets, Small Shops and Everyday Life of Guangzhou

I spent the day exploring Panyu, Guangzhou, visiting Shawan Ancient Town (沙湾古镇), Haiou Island (海鸥岛), and Lianhua Mountain (莲花山).

I didn’t have a strict plan or a list of places I wanted to photograph. I simply walked around, looked at the streets, and stopped whenever something caught my attention.

What I enjoyed most was discovering the smaller details. Old buildings, narrow streets, small local shops, traditional decorations, handwritten signs, cafés, and people going about their daily routines. Some streets were quiet, while others were full of activity. There were interesting things almost everywhere, even in places that might look ordinary at first.

I spent quite a bit of time photographing shop displays, traditional Chinese objects, old walls, plants, and small corners of the neighbourhood. I also enjoyed watching how people interacted with their surroundings. These everyday scenes often tell more about a place than its most famous landmarks.

For this photo walk, I took my Fujifilm X-Pro3 with the Fujinon XF 35mm f/2 lens. I like this combination because it keeps things simple. The 35mm equivalent field of view feels natural for the way I photograph streets, buildings, and people. It allows me to focus on individual scenes without carrying too much equipment.

What I particularly liked about this day was the variety. Within one area of Panyu, I could find traditional architecture, small local businesses, busy streets, quiet corners, and details that reflect everyday life in southern China.

I didn’t come back with a collection of perfect postcard photographs. Instead, I came back with images of places, people, and little moments that caught my eye along the way.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what I enjoy most about photography: walking without rushing, looking around, and finding something interesting in the ordinary.

Thank u!

My reddit: @yukophotographylife