Hong Kong Photo Travel Diary Vol.1
Hong Kong Island edition
Instagramer Johnny ( @johnny777 ), who is active both in Japan and overseas, traveled from Hong Kong to Shenzhen for a week.
He showed me the photos he took along with the trip around two areas of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China. The first is Hong Kong Island.
Please take a look at the scenery of Hong Kong taken by Johnny, who usually shoots various city scenery using iPhone, using the tokyo grapher attachment lens.
start of trip
We landed at Hong Kong International Airport at 4:40 am.
The weather is unfortunately cloudy.
After taking off from Haneda Airport at 1:00 a.m., I was only able to get a light sleep, so my sleepiness has outweighed the excitement of setting foot in Hong Kong for the first time...lol
Let's say you go through immigration and head to the airport lobby.
I thought about taking a nap in the paid lounge, but gave up because it was as expensive as a hotel.
Let's say you find a deep chair in the lobby and use the carry case as an ottoman to rest your feet on and take a short nap.
I was thinking of taking a nap for a few hours and going to the center of Hong Kong to take some pictures, but I slept well and woke up at 9am...
I have no choice but to tell myself, "Well, it's not good to take a picture when you're sleep-deprived and dizzy, so it's better to sleep properly and be in perfect physical condition." smile
The schedule for this trip is 7 days from April 28th to May 4th, of which I plan to spend 2 days in Shenzhen, China.
When I travel, my style is to make a list of the places I want to go to and then wander around the city to take pictures.
It's most efficient to go here first, then here, and then here, but rather than that, it's better to wander around in a different culture without any prior knowledge. It stimulates me, and when I discover a good subject, I feel great excitement and joy.
If I research too much on the internet, when I actually go to the place, I don't feel that much excitement, so I try to expect unexpected encounters while walking.
Hong Kong Island area
Roughly speaking, Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Island area is the central area of Hong Kong with huge office buildings and shopping malls.
The Kowloon area is a lively area where you can see the scenery of Hong Kong
The New Territories area is divided into three areas, one where you can enjoy a more local version of Hong Kong.
On this trip, I visited the Hong Kong Island area and the Kowloon area , and then headed to Shenzhen , China, which can be reached by train from Hong Kong.
Around Central
Central is literally the center of Hong Kong, with skyscrapers lined up in the center of finance and business.
If you want to take pictures in Central...
This place you often see on Instagram just outside the IFC Mall from Hong Kong Station!
I wanted to take a picture of a red taxi running on the yellow line, but I had to wait patiently because the timing for just one taxi to pass by would not come.
If you go a little south from Central Station, you will find skyscrapers such as the Bank of China Tower designed by Hong Kong's leading architect I.M. Pei.
However, unlike the area around the station, I didn't get the impression that there were roads between buildings.
● Sheung Wan
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iPhone XR + Wide Lens -
iPhone XR + Wide Lens
This is Wenwu Temple , located about 400m south of Sheung Wan Station.
Wen Wu Temple is Hong Kong's oldest Taoist temple dedicated to the god of literature and the god of war.
The smoke from the incense wafts in the air, and the sunlight shining through the windows creates streaks, creating a very divine atmosphere.
It was supposed to be, but...
Unfortunately, it was cloudy at the time I visited, so I couldn't see the streaks of light...Let's take this positively as a message from God to say, "Please come again." The warm light of the candles on the altar created a solemn space.
I often use the Wide Lens when shooting indoors.
If you want to capture the whole room, it is better to shoot from the corner of the room as much as possible.
However, if you attach a wide lens, you can capture a wider range, so you can take photos that capture the atmosphere of the room.
Taihei (Victoria Peak)
If you want to enjoy the scenery of Hong Kong Island, you can't miss here Tai Ping Mountain (Victoria Peak) .
A steep slope begins to appear as you head toward Taiping Mountain from Wenwu Temple.
I'm going to climb that slope somehow.
After reaching a fairly high altitude, I was getting tired, so I took a tram * and tried to reach the top of the mountain, but realized that the station was quite far away.
Then let's say you've already climbed up on foot and got off on the tram on the way home.
It was a sweet idea...
steeper slopes.
running out water.
hot.
hard.
However, we have reached a point where we cannot turn back.
I have no choice but to keep my spirit up and climb!
After rehydrating, I walked a little further (1.3km) to a point called Rogil-do Observatory in the middle of the walking course called Peak Circle Walk, which circles the summit.
This is a recommended point because there are few people here and you can take pictures without worrying about the surroundings.
If you look down at the skyscrapers of Hong Kong from this point, the overcrowding will stand out even more.
If using the telephoto lens on your iPhone isn't enough when shooting distant objects, we recommend attaching the Tele Lens to the telephoto side.
Using the digital zoom makes the image grainy, but with the Tele Lens you don't have to worry about that.
However, you need to keep your arms outstretched and your body and elbows on the pillars and handrails to reduce camera shake and body shake as much as possible.
I took a picture and let's go down.
If I'm not mistaken, the tram station was on the map a short distance from the top of the mountain.
Tragedy has struck...
I can't get on the tram because it's under maintenance...
I didn't know...that's what happened...
turn back? Are you going to walk down like this?
It's easier to turn back and get on the bus, but let's walk down here!
In this way, it took more than two hours to get down to the city.
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iPhone XS + Tele Lens -
iPhone XR + Wide Lens -
iPhone XS -
iPhone XS + Tele Lens -
iPhone XS + Tele Lens -
iPhone XS + Tele Lens
However, as a result, I was able to take a good photo on the way down, so it turned out okay! Lol It's important to have a positive mindset that allows you to enjoy unexpected happenings.
It's more memorable, and it's a small story when you talk to people like this.
Let's go to the next point by taxi because we are tired from mountain climbing.
What I felt when I took a taxi in Hong Kong was that it was overwhelmingly cheaper than in Japan.
HK $24 (¥330 in Japanese Yen) for up to 2km
HK $1.2 will be charged for every 200 meters over 2km.
When going to a place 5km ahead (between Tokyo Station and Ueno Station)
HK $24+15×HK $1.2 for up to 2km=HK $42 (approx. ¥580)
Compared to about ¥2,090 between Tokyo Station and Ueno Station, it is ¥1,510 cheaper.
If you are worried about changing trains, it may be better to use a taxi.
Hollywood Road, Graham Street
This is another popular spot on Instagram at the intersection of Hollywood Road and Graham Street .
It is in a good location, about 8 minutes on foot from Central Station and about 6 minutes on foot from Wenwu Temple.
There is a lot of graffiti in this area, so just strolling around is a feast for the eyes.
As you can see in the picture, the flat land with a fairly steep slope is only around the station, but if you go a little towards Mt. Taihei, the slope will appear.
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iPhone XR + Wide Lens -
iPhone XR + Wide Lens
The Wide Lens is useful when shooting graffiti drawn in a narrow alley.
Recommended when you want to capture the whole picture.
By shooting from a slightly oblique angle instead of directly facing it, you can create a sense of depth and the overall atmosphere of the painting and the location.
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iPhone XR + Wide Lens -
iPhone XS
Around Causeway Bay
Next, head to the area around Causeway Bay .
This area is popular with young people because it has everything from well-known brands to reasonably priced brands, and there are large department stores such as SOGO and Times Square, which are directly connected to the station.
There is a lot of traffic, and trams and double-decker buses come and go all the time, making it lively.
By using the wide lens and shooting from a low position, I was able to capture the tram, double-decker bus, and even the top of the building, and capture the atmosphere of the city.
By shooting with a Wide Lens, which makes nearby objects feel closer and distant objects farther away, I was able to create the feeling that the tram lines are continuing in the distance.
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iPhone XR + Wide Lens -
iPhone XS + Tele Lens -
iPhone XS + Tele Lens -
iPhone XS + Tele Lens -
iPhone XS + Tele Lens -
iPhone XR + Wide Lens
I had many opportunities to shoot with Tele Lens around Causeway Bay.
If you use the Wide Lens in a place with a lot of people, you will end up with more unintentional shots than what you want to shoot, resulting in photos that don't really convey what you've shot.
If you want to instantly shoot something that catches your eye while walking, it might be a good idea to leave the Tele Lens attached.
Around Tai Koo
Next, let's go around Tai Koo .
Compared to Central and Causeway Bay, Tai Koo is an area where you can feel a much more local atmosphere.
There are privately run fish shops and greengrocers, and there are people shopping there, and the buildings are old and dirty.
If you're looking for something to do in the Taikoo area, it's about a 3-minute walk from the station, and you'll find the collective housing "Ikchang Daegu" that's familiar on Instagram.
Unfortunately, it's cloudy and a little dark here, but it can't be helped.
First, take a picture with the standard composition using Wide Lens.
If you want to capture the foot of the building more, it is recommended to attach a wide lens and crouch down to shoot.
I was wondering if there was a new way to take pictures other than the standard way, and the photos I took were taken using the reflection of the screen of another iPhone.
I had a hard time finding the best angle to get the iPhone camera lens as close to the screen as possible.
There is a Japanese coffee shop “% Arabica” on the first floor of this building.
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iPhone XR + Wide Lens -
iPhone XS + Tele Lens -
iPhone XS + Tele Lens -
iPhone XS + Tele Lens
Each of the three areas of Hong Kong Island has a different atmosphere, and even if you take pictures, it won't be enough, but next time I'll cross the sea and go to the Kowloon area.
It's been a long time, so I'll continue next time.
looking forward to.
Johnny
Instagram: @johnny777
Born in 1988 Born in Saga Prefecture Lives in Tokyo Graduated from Waseda University Art School, Department of Architecture and Urban Design
Fascinated by shooting with an iPhone, he entered the world of photography.
The main theme is a minimal urban landscape that is conscious of space and scale, light and shadow.
In 2017, it was adopted for Apple's “shot on iPhone” campaign and was posted as billboard advertisements in 25 countries around the world.
2018 Unsplash Awards street photography category winner
