Capturing the Spirit of the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Festival: A Photographer's Guide to The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Festival in Hong Kong.
- Derry Ainsworth
- Sep 29
- 6 min read
Where: Wun Sha Street and Tung Lo Wan Road, Tai Hang, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island When: Sunday 5 October 2025, 7:30pm-10pm
Monday 6 October 2025, 7:30pm-11:30pm
Tuesday 7 October 2025, 7:30pm-10pm
About the festival:
The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Festival is an annual cultural celebration in Hong Kong's Tai Hang neighborhood. Dating back to the late 19th century, it originated from a fire dragon dance performed to ward off a plague and restore harmony. Held during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the event features a 67-meter-long fire dragon made of incense sticks paraded through the streets at night, accompanied by drums and gongs. Participants in traditional attire perform intricate dances, creating an electrifying atmosphere. This festival celebrates cultural heritage, resilience, and tradition, attracting both locals and visitors as a highlight of Hong Kong's cultural calendar.
Capturing the Festival:
The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Festival, a dazzling celebration of culture and tradition in Hong Kong, presents a unique opportunity for photographers to capture the vibrant energy and rich heritage of this spectacular event. With its mesmerizing fire dragon, rhythmic drumbeats, and lively crowds, the festival offers a wealth of photographic potential. However, to truly encapsulate the essence of this festival, photographers must master the art of low-light photography and adapt to the fast-paced action that unfolds before them.
Arrive early - Picking a location to shoot from:
If you don't have access to the parade inside the barriers, the most important thing to consider is your location to shoot from. It is critical to arrive early to get a good spot as this festival draws huge crowds full of photographers. 2-3 hours early is ideal, some photographers go even earlier during the day to secure their spots. Bring some food for the wait. The fire dragon dance passes through King Street, Sun Chun Street and Brown Street, and Wun Sha Street is the best shooting location among all these areas as the dragon stays longer at this spot so there is a higher chance for a nice capture.
Positioning yourself strategically along the parade route is down to what part of the parade you want to capture. Whether it's the starting moment where the dragon is ignited, the pre-parade performances, or the big hero shot of the coiled up dragon - each part of the parade has its best spots to shoot from. Please note once the parade has started it is very, very difficult / impossible to reposition for another shot due to the intensity of the crowds.
Please see this map for some suggested good photo locations (suggestions - green stars):
Consider scouting the area in the days beforehand to identify the best vantage points. If you know someone that lives in Tai Hang - elevated positions, such as balconies or rooftops, can offer amazing unique perspectives.
Do not attempt to fly a drone here, it is illegal and you endanger everyone in the crowd below. I saw someone crash last year into a tree, not sure what happened to him, but he's lucky the drone got caught in the branches and didn't fall. Don't risk it, your drone sensor isn't good enough for low light action photos anyway.
Embracing Low Light Photography:
The festival takes place at night, when the streets of Tai Hang come alive with the glow of incense and the flickering flames of the fire dragon. This creates a challenging environment for photographers due to the low light conditions. To capture stunning images, it’s essential to understand the principles of low-light photography.
Equipment Essentials:
Using a fast lens with a wide aperture can help gather more light, making it easier to achieve sharp images. Prime lenses with an aperture of f/1.8 or lower are particularly beneficial. Additionally, increasing the ISO sensitivity can allow for faster shutter speeds, although it’s important to balance this with the risk of introducing noise into the images.
My equipment: Sony A1. Sony 50mm F1.2 GM. Sony 135mm F1.8 GM.
Adapting to Fast-Paced Action:
The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Parade is a flurry of movement, with participants dancing and maneuvering the dragon through the streets. As a photographer, being adaptable is crucial. Quick reflexes and the ability to anticipate the action can make all the difference in capturing those perfect moments. If you manage to get access to shoot inside the barriers with the parade, you need to stay ahead of the action and out of everybody's way. I can't stress enough how important it is to not disturb, or get in the way of, the performance / parade. Learn to get your shot and get out, or use a zoom lens to shoot from a safe distance. From a safety perspective you will also notice how hot and smoky it can get, be sure to drink plenty of water and take breaks when you feel tired.
Continuous Shooting / Focus Mode:
Continuous shooting mode can be useful for capturing a series of images in quick succession, ensuring that you don’t miss any fleeting expressions or dynamic poses. This is especially effective during pivotal moments, like the dragon being waved through the crowd or dancers interacting with onlookers.
When shooting action photography, selecting the correct focus mode is crucial for capturing sharp, dynamic images. Most modern cameras offer various focus modes, but for fast-moving subjects, using Continuous Autofocus (AF-C or AI Servo) is ideal. This mode allows the camera to continuously adjust focus as the subject moves, ensuring that you maintain sharpness throughout the action. Pairing this with a high drive shooting mode, which enables rapid firing of multiple frames per second, can significantly increase your chances of capturing that perfect moment. This combination allows you to track fast movements smoothly.
Shutter speed also plays a vital role in action photography, as it directly affects how motion is captured. I personally would not shoot higher than a shutter speed of 1/500 due to the low light nature of this event. I would recommend somewhere between 1/200 - 1/500 - But because this event is in low light, to shoot high shutter speeds without making your image too dark, you need a low aperture lens (f1.2-f2) or camera with a good high ISO performance.
Try slow shutter speeds too, they can create motion blur from the dragon and allow more light into the photo. See more about that below.
By mastering focus modes, high drive shooting, and appropriate shutter speeds, you can effectively capture the excitement and energy of action-packed moments.
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