Last Sunday, I decided to spend my afternoon at Chinese Garden, not just for a walk, but to practice taking videos for my TikTok posts. This year, I’m taking videography more seriously, and TikTok feels like the perfect training ground. The app is intuitive, easy to use, and (honestly) it has so many sound options that can instantly change the mood of a clip, from cinematic to funny to chill.
Lately, I’ve been doing little pockets of research here and there, watching short tutorials, learning basic techniques, and trying to understand why certain shots feel “wow” while others feel… flat. I’m still very new to all of this, but the learning part is getting really interesting the more I practice. It’s like unlocking a new way of seeing places I’ve visited before.
For this outing, I wanted to feature the Cloud Pagoda, easily the most imposing landmark inside Chinese Garden. There’s something about it that just pulls your eyes in, its layered roofs, the bold silhouette against the sky, the way it looks different depending on where you’re standing. It’s the kind of structure that makes you stop mid-walk and think, “Okay… I need a shot of that.”
The only challenge? The crowd.
It was so busy that taking videos became a patience exercise. Many times, I had to wait for the exact moment I pictured in my head, when people cleared from the frame, when the steps looked less packed, when the background didn’t feel too noisy. And when I finally stepped into a good spot, I could already feel the pressure from other visitors waiting behind me for their turn. You know that feeling when you’re trying to be creative but also trying not to annoy anyone? 😅 It’s awkward… and kind of funny at the same time. Like, “Yes yes, I’m almost done, please don’t hate me” LOL.
Still, I think I spent more than an hour just scouting around the pagoda, testing angles, deciding if I wanted movement in the shot, and figuring out how to make the scene feel more dramatic. I played with simple ideas: slow walking shots, steady pans upward, wide-to-close transitions. Sometimes I’d record a clip, watch it back, then immediately realize what was missing, either the timing was off, or the framing didn’t feel balanced, or the camera moved a little too fast.
The good thing is: Chinese Garden is huge, so even when the main area was crowded, there were still plenty of spots where I could capture the pagoda from a distance. Those wide-angle views were honestly my favorite. I love shots where the pagoda looks far away but still commanding, while the foreground elements, flowers, leaves, lamps, pathways, appear huge and almost cinematic. It adds depth, and it makes the viewer feel like they’re stepping into the scene with you.
By the time the sky started shifting into evening tones, the whole place felt softer. The pagoda looked even more striking against the changing light, and the garden paths felt calmer even with people still around. It wasn’t just practice anymore, it became one of those slow, satisfying walks where you feel grateful you showed up.
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSm4uU1ct/
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSm4uh4gq/
Overall, it was a great experience, and now I’m already planning where to go this coming weekend for another round of filming. One thing I’m learning is that improving doesn’t always mean getting the “perfect” video, it just means showing up again, trying again, and noticing more each time.
