THE PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY
Go beyond the view
Photograph the eastern United States' autumn forests, mountains, coastlines and historic buildings. Explore seasonal colors and light alongside rural architectural details; foliage depends on conditions that year.
About the route
Autumn in the eastern United States brings color to forests, mountain slopes and coastal landscapes. Soft seasonal light and historic countryside settings offer varied subjects for landscape photography, from broad woodland views to smaller architectural details.
The journey in pictures
Photographers linked to this route: Owen Ou →
Itinerary images · Select a photo to enlarge
PHOTOGRAPHY LEADERS
A different way of seeing
Owen Ou
Graduated from the Photography Department of South China Normal University in 2009. Specializes in landscapes, property environments and commercial portraiture. He has worked with the Shenzhen procuratorate, land bureau, Shenzhen Library, cultural centers, China Merchants Bank, Standard Chartered, Agricultural Bank of China, China Telecom, China Mobile, Guosen Securities, Topway Video, and BMW and Porsche owners' clubs. Photography journeys He regularly leads organizations and photography schools on trips to the Balkans, Iceland, Germany, Greenland, Cuba, South Korea, Canada, Kenya, Laos, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Morocco, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, Japan, Chiang Mai, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, Semporna and New Zealand. Chinese destinations include Anhui, Beijing, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Henan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Inner Mongolia, Shanghai, Sichuan, Suzhou, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Yunnan and Zhejiang. Selected awards Outstanding Work award at the 2009 Pingyao International Photography Festival; silver in the art category of the 2014 Guangdong provincial exhibition; gold in the monochrome category of the 2014 Al-Thani International Photography Competition; Zeyida Photography Club's 2022 Outstanding Instructor award and a 2023 instructor appointment issued in 2022; Fujifilm's 2022–23 Club Gardener Award, received in 2023.
THE DAYS AHEAD
A rhythm shaped by light
DAY 01Oct 13 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 1: October 13 — Various departure points–Niagara Falls
Reference flights: Hong Kong–Chicago CX806/12:10/13:55 Chicago–Niagara UA1335/18:00/20:47
DAY 02Oct 14 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 2: October 14 — Arrive at Niagara Falls
• Local overview: A natural wonder on the US–Canada border. Autumn cooling changes the riverside vegetation's colors, while mist from the immense drop readily creates rainbows in the low autumn sun. • Photography tip: Terrapin Point toward evening. Use an ND filter and long exposure to contrast silky water with the texture of surrounding red foliage.
DAY 03Oct 15 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 3: October 15 — Water-level perspectives in the Finger Lakes
• Local overview: A band of long, deep lakes formed by retreating glaciers. Watkins Glen is a photographic highlight, with layered waterfalls between stone walls. Autumn leaves float in its pools, creating a profound atmosphere. • Photography tip: Use a circular polarizer (CPL) to remove glare from wet rocks and enhance red foliage saturation.
DAY 04Oct 16 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 4: October 16 — Vermont: Covered bridges and early-autumn towns
• Local overview: The soul of New England autumn. Outdoor billboards are prohibited here, preserving a 19th-century sense of purity. Woodstock has several protected red wooden covered bridges. • Photography tip: Seek out Middle Covered Bridge. Use it as a frame and compose with perspective to photograph the colorful forests beyond.
DAY 05Oct 17 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 5: October 17 — Vermont: Outstanding pastoral farms (the itinerary's key photography day)
• Local overview: Classic American countryside. Rolling green hills are surrounded by fiery maple woods, with white church steeples and red barns as visual focal points. • Photography tip: Reach Jenne Farm early to capture the farm's lines in slanting light; photograph Sleepy Hollow Farm's iconic S-shaped curve in the morning.
DAY 06Oct 18 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 6: October 18 — Vermont–Boston
• Local overview: A starting point of American history. Harvard, MIT, and the banks of the famous Charles River are covered in golden ginkgo and red maple foliage in autumn, creating a strongly academic atmosphere. Red-brick buildings and riverside fall colors form a distinctly scholarly panorama. • Photography tip: Charles River Esplanade. Use a telephoto lens to photograph reflections of MIT or Harvard buildings across the river, framed by colorful woodland.
DAY 07Oct 19 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 7: October 19 — Boston–New York City
• Local overview: Photograph Boston's streets early, then travel south to New York in the afternoon. Beacon Hill's red-brick lanes appear particularly soft in morning light. • Photography tip: Acorn Street. Before tourists arrive in the morning, shoot low to capture cobblestone textures with golden-autumn flower boxes lining the street.
DAY 08Oct 20 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 8: October 20 — New York: Manhattan skyline at blue hour
• Local overview: A global visual arts centre. The Hudson and East rivers provide countless perspectives on skyscrapers. • Photography tip: DUMBO. Capture the classic view of the Empire State Building framed by the Manhattan Bridge's steel cables. City lights are most enchanting at blue hour.
DAY 09Oct 21 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 9: October 21 — New York: Central Park's golden forest
• Local overview: A photographic oasis in Manhattan's centre. The famous Mall is lined with hundreds of American elms, forming a magnificent golden avenue in autumn. • Photography tip: Bethesda Terrace's fountain and reflections. Use contrasts of light and shade in the arcade to create photographs with a classic film feel.
DAY 10Oct 22 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 10: October 22 — New York: Modernist perspectives and elevated photography
• Local overview: Exemplified by the World Trade Center and One Vanderbilt. Modern steel structures and mirrored glass provide excellent material for reflective and geometric compositions. • Photography tip: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt observation deck. Use the fully mirrored environment to create futuristic, surreal inverted city images.
DAY 11Oct 23 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 11: October 23 — Philadelphia: The textures of history
• Local overview: The birthplace of the United States. Red-brick buildings and Revolutionary War sites appear solemn and historic in autumn sunlight. • Photography tip: Philadelphia Museum of Art steps, the Rocky Steps. Look down the long axis of Benjamin Franklin Parkway to photograph the city's orderly structure.
DAY 12Oct 24 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 12: October 24 — Washington, D.C.: Grand narratives and the centre of power
• Local overview: America's political centre. Landmark buildings, including monuments and Capitol Hill, are surrounded by extensive green spaces, where autumn colors complement white marble architecture. • Photography tip: The National Mall. Photograph reflections in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Toward evening, photograph the Jefferson Memorial from the Tidal Basin. Inside the Library of Congress, use a wide-angle lens to capture the lavish dome and galleries, then head to IAD/DCA airport for the return journey.
DAY 13Oct 25 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 13: October 25 — Washington–Various destinations
Suggested flights: Washington–New York CX7609/06:00/07:27 New York–Hong Kong CX841/10:00/14:10+1 day
DAY 14Oct 26 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 14: October 26 — Arrive home
Trip staff
- Photography leader · Owen Ou
- Up to 8 travelers
- IncludedPhotography guidance from the local instructor;
View trip staffing details
Photography leader · Owen Ou Up to 8 travelers Included · Photography guidance from the local instructor; Excluded · Driver-guide tips of USD 20 per person per day; Excluded · Additional charges for requesting driver work beyond the itinerary: a normal working day is 10 hours, with overtime at USD 70 per hour;
Transport
- IncludedA luxury 15-seat high-roof Mercedes vehicle with dual air-conditioning systems and internet access, vehicle insurance and third-party vehicle liability insurance;
- ExcludedMajor transportation between participants' departure points and the United States, round trip;
Photography
- IncludedPhotography guidance from the local instructor;
- IncludedPhotography course fees for the accompanying instructor throughout;
Photography details
About the route Autumn in the eastern United States brings color to forests, mountain slopes and coastal landscapes. Soft seasonal light and historic countryside settings offer varied subjects for landscape photography, from broad woodland views to smaller architectural details.
Accommodation
- 13 nights
- IncludedStandard twin rooms in four-star hotels in the United States or the best locally available hotels listed in the itinerary, except within scenic areas;
- ExcludedMeals are shared expenses, including breakfasts not taken at the hotels;
Accommodation details
13 nights Included · Standard twin rooms in four-star hotels in the United States or the best locally available hotels listed in the itinerary, except within scenic areas; Excluded · Meals are shared expenses, including breakfasts not taken at the hotels; Excluded · Single supplement;
Meals
- IncludedBreakfast at the hotels;
- IncludedDaily mineral water for each participant, with no waste permitted.
- ExcludedMeals are shared expenses, including breakfasts not taken at the hotels;
Meal details
Included · Breakfast at the hotels; Included · Daily mineral water for each participant, with no waste permitted. Excluded · Meals are shared expenses, including breakfasts not taken at the hotels; Excluded · Meals during free time and items marked as self-funded, plus all personal expenses. Examples include luggage handling and laundry;
Visa
- To be confirmed by the operator
A CLEAR PICTURE
Know what is included
Deposit in the operator’s published information
per personThis amount reflects the payment terms in the operator’s published information. When booking through this platform, follow the payment schedule shown at checkout.
Public prices may change. Checkout quotes expire at a stated time; your confirmed order records its price and payment deadlines.
Included
1. Standard twin rooms in four-star hotels in the United States or the best locally available hotels listed in the itinerary, except within scenic areas;
2. Breakfast at the hotels;
3. Initial entrance tickets to listed attractions;
4. A luxury 15-seat high-roof Mercedes vehicle with dual air-conditioning systems and internet access, vehicle insurance and third-party vehicle liability insurance;
5. Photography guidance from the local instructor;
6. Photography course fees for the accompanying instructor throughout;
7. Daily mineral water for each participant, with no waste permitted.
Not included
1. Major transportation between participants' departure points and the United States, round trip;
2. Meals are shared expenses, including breakfasts not taken at the hotels;
3. Single supplement;
4. Driver-guide tips of USD 20 per person per day;
5. Costs of itinerary changes caused by flight delays, cancellations or force majeure may be charged at cost;
6. Meals during free time and items marked as self-funded, plus all personal expenses. Examples include luggage handling and laundry;
7. Additional charges for requesting driver work beyond the itinerary: a normal working day is 10 hours, with overtime at USD 70 per hour;
8. In force majeure circumstances, such as natural disasters, war or strikes, or exceptional events including flight delays or cancellations and consular visa delays, the organizing team reserves the right to cancel or modify the itinerary. Additional costs, including extended visas abroad, accommodation, meals, transport and national airfare adjustments, may be charged at cost. We will nevertheless try within our ability to minimize participants' losses;
9. Other additional costs not listed under inclusions;
10. Prices above exclude tax. An additional invoice-related tax charge applies if an invoice is required.
Single-room supplements, additional local expenses and the final total must be confirmed in writing.
BEFORE YOU GO
What to know before you go
Availability and booking
Let us know if you’re interested in this trip. Availability is not updated in real time, so please contact us to check whether the trip is confirmed, how many places are available, and the final total and booking terms.
Trip information
[Transport] 1. Flights arranged by the organizing team use economy-class group tickets. Before tickets are issued, check the airline's rules for changes and refunds. 2. Flight, road and boat journey times may vary with conditions on the day. 3. The airlines and flight times listed are for guidance only. Flight changes may require minor adjustments to the itinerary. Please follow the final trip details sent before departure. [Accommodation] The total is based on two people sharing a room. We'll try to match solo travelers with a roommate of the same gender. If you prefer not to share, or no roommate is available, you must pay a single supplement for your own room. [Group meals] We aim to serve meals suited to Chinese tastes. We make sure everyone has enough to eat. [Photography] 1. Photography sessions follow the itinerary, but conditions on the day may affect how long we spend at each location. 2. Read the itinerary carefully and choose a trip that suits your health and circumstances. Skipping part of the itinerary for health or other personal reasons, or choosing not to use the arranged accommodation or transport, counts as voluntary withdrawal from those arrangements. You are responsible for your own safety while not taking part in the itinerary. 3. Stay with the group during photography sessions unless you have permission to leave. This does not apply during free time. The organizing team is not responsible for accidents that occur while you are away from the group. 4. Typhoons, blizzards or other events beyond our control may require changes to the itinerary. [Fuel surcharges] The organizing team reserves the right to adjust the amount payable if fluctuations in global oil markets lead to a substantial rise in fuel surcharges. If the team can absorb the increase, the amount payable will remain unchanged. [Before departure] 1. We'll send your final trip details no later than the day before departure. If arrangements are confirmed sooner, we'll let you know as soon as possible. 2. If the online itinerary differs from the final trip details sent before departure, the final trip details take precedence. [Optional activities at your own expense] Under the Tourism Law provisions prohibiting travel agencies from arranging optional paid activities, please contact the provider directly for details, charges and bookings if you wish to take part. If you need language assistance from a guide or tour leader, any help is provided in a personal capacity, whether paid or unpaid. It is not provided on behalf of the organizing team or the local tour operator. The organizing team is not involved in the payments, transactions or service standards for activities during free time. You are responsible for the outcome of those arrangements. The photographs above were supplied by the local team. They will be removed if we are notified of copyright infringement.
Itinerary notes
Photography locations, accommodations and transportation are subject to final confirmation before departure. Weather and local conditions may affect the itinerary.
[Reference services] The instructor will take the following services: Outbound: October 13: Hong Kong–Chicago CX806/12:10/13:55 October 13: Chicago–Niagara UA1335/18:00/20:47 Return: October 25: Washington–New York CX7609/06:00/07:27 October 25: New York–Hong Kong CX841/10:00/14:10+1 day Before booking transport, please confirm the departure and travel arrangements through this website.
Itinerary dates use Beijing time (Asia/Shanghai). Flight, transfer and other times follow the time zone stated for each location. Please confirm any time without a stated time zone before departure.