I traveled to Hong Kong and Shanghai several times in the last half of 2024. These are the analog film photos from those trips.
This year I started working on a new project that became an extended video requiring drone video footage. More on that later. I decided to practice flying the drone while I traveled to other cities, which required drone licenses in three countries.
My son joined me during my first 3 months in China and we traveled a little during his visit. We went to Shanghai for a weekend and also had a good time in Hong Kong (until I got the flu).
I was in Hong Kong three times on my summer 2023 trip. The last time on vacation with Covid. That kinda sucked. The photos below were all taken with either a Zeiss Ikon ZM, Bessa R2 or a Hasselblad Xpan (panoramic images) on Portra 400 or Cinestill 800T film.
Well, that was a long 3 years… All Photos were shot on 35mm film using three different cameras (Leica M6, Bessa R2, Zeiss Ikon ZM).
I zig-zagged in and out of Hong Kong a few times on this trip, each time taking analog photos and getting the film processed/scanned at Dotwell in TST. I used both a Hasselblad C/M and Mamiya 6 for these – which is why everything is square. I really enjoy shooting the old neon signs in […]
I’ve been in Hong Kong six times since the protests began in June – and haven’t seen a single protest. I’ve seen the graffiti and the missing bricks in the sidewalks (used to block traffic), but not a single protest. I’m starting to feel like I bring calm to the city. I also spent a […]
This was the summer of protests in Hong Kong and I saw evidence of them, but never actually saw any protesting. I left HK on the first day of of the protesting at the airport, but my plane left before they actually began.
Everything was shot using one lens – the amazing Fuji 16mm f1.4. One of Fuji’s finest lenses.
So, I’ve gone all-in on analog photography, having purchased several film cameras in the last few months – including medium format, 35mm and a point-and-shoot. I’ve started developing and scanning my own negatives to speed-up the cycle. I’m really enjoying the “craft” of photography again.
After resisting the urge to reenter the world of film photography for the last two years I decided to jump in with both feet. My Christmas present to myself was a mint condition Nikon F2 film camera from Ebay.
I was in-and-out out of Hong Kong a few times in September & October, but the more memorable stop was during Typhoon Mangkhut on September 16th. WOW.
I made three stops in Hong Kong during my five-week summer trip. Plenty of time for some photos in the extreme heat and humidity. I used a USB-powered lens warmer to pre-heat my lens so it didn’t fog up when I left my air-conditioned hotel room.
I typically dedicate posts to a single location on a trip, but this post is dedicated to a single f-stop – f0.95. Mitakon makes a 35mm lens with a wicked-fast f0.95 aperture. Shooting wide open with this lens yields a razor-thin depth of field.
Two quick passes through Hong Kong on this trip – arriving and departing on a three week trip to China. The weather in October is always amazing. No humidity or big heat.
Five-mile street photography walk + strained knee ligament = real pain. But worth it.
I enjoyed a whirlwind photo walk in TST and Mong Kok for a few hours before flying home. I logged 9.2 miles of walking and got some interesting close-up shots. I used the 14mm f2.8 lens on the Fuji X-Pro2 for all of these images.
The weather was GORGEOUS and I was able to spend 5 hours enjoying some street photography before my flight back to the US. I was staying in TST and took the MTR up to Mong Kok to grab some shots in the shopping district.
We took a great walk through the Ladies Market in Mongkok before dinner. I love the energy of that area of Hong Kong. It’s an incredibly target-rich area and home to a couple great camera stores. What else could you ask for?