23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Sunset Beams: Abandoned Cement Factory

This photograph captures a fleeting moment inside an abandoned cement factory in Shanghai, where the late afternoon sunlight streams through broken windows, creating visible beams of light across the dusty interior. The interplay of sunlight, dust, and industrial structure evokes a dramatic atmosphere, highlighting textures, depth, and the passage of time. By observing and framing this natural effect, the image conveys a sense of quiet solitude, the beauty of decay, and the poetic interplay between light and architecture.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2024
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Shanghai, China
Copyright: © Nanncie Zhu