A Thinking Street Photography Site
What, really, is there to talk about when it comes to street photography?
In the end, we’re capturing our selves.
And the constraints that shape us.
Street photography is another way of thinking.
Another way of looking.
Sometimes the scene seems a bit bare.
Until one encounters a human figure.
The art is long and life so short.
In the meantime, my exhibition is still on-going – come by if you’re in the area.
Camera: Leica M6
Lens: Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 SC
Film: Kodak BW400CN
Here’re some photos of the exhibition opening and setup.
It’s nice of them to make available the exhibition posters and invitation cards as takeaways for guests.
My initial concern was the number of photographs (and hence the display boards) relative to the size of the venue but it turned out to be alright. It’s not too sparse and not too cramped.
I’m grateful to Prof. Victor Chan, Head of Chung Chi College, for opening the exhibition. He’s a composer and conductor and so understands what it means to be immersed in one’s art.
I got to read a few poems. Some of those photographs will be published alongside their accompanying poems in a related book project next year.
It’s a different feeling – having physical prints exhibited, as opposed to looking at images on a screen.
I did get into a few conversations about my choice of subjects.
I organized the photographs in terms of colour vs monochrome, as well as themes (rural, urban, indoors, outdoor, traffic, streets, etc).
I’d admit to feeling nervous when I saw a few people scrutinizing those prints closely…
The exhibition runs for a month and will close on 4th Dec 2015.
Do come by if you’re in the area!
Many thanks to R and K for taking the photos!
My gratitude to R and her colleagues for mounting those photos onto the boards!
Here’s the exhibition poster!
I’ll be reading a few poems at the opening ceremony (5th Nov 2015, 5pm) and some of the photographs with accompanying poems will appear in my forthcoming 2016 book. It’s open to public. Come by if you’re in the area!
I’m here again and again.
It doesn’t look like much – but it has wonderful views.
The environment is a work of art.
The mood is always leisurely.
The debris is zen.
There’s artless beauty here.
I’m happy to be marooned here.
Camera: Contax TVS II
Film: Venus 800
We’re all very space conscious in Hong Kong.
Everyone is watchful.
Are windows for looking in or looking out?
We’re mindful of where not to go.
We know where we are at all times.
Even nature has discipline.
A tree bends to seek a path.
A home is both inside and outside.
Storage space is outside.
A home is a store.
Camera: Contax TVS II
Film: Venus 800
So, I’m in the midst of preparing for a solo photography exhibition, to be held on campus.
And experimenting with various papers I’ve collected.
Photographs on mobile phone/tablet/computer screens are not the same as print photographs.
The materiality of photography is a fascinating thing indeed.
Some printing mistakes, and a few books that inspire me.
I’m teaching an MA course on social media, photography and writing, so many ideas are floating around in my head even as I’m prepping for the exhibition.
It’s all coming together … photography, literature, critique.
Nietzsche, Foucault, etc., have asked that question – how can we live our lives deliberately, such that our lives become works of art?
Sometimes, we need to disappear into that rabbit hole.
To an alternative Hong Kong.
Where you could walk at your own pace and not worry about obstructing others on a crowded pavement.
You could take your time (and not have it taken away from you).
You could just stay put.
Have some peace of mind.
And mental space.
Camera: Contax TVS II
Film: Fuji Venus 800
This has been done many times before.
I really like this wall.
There’s texture, brick by brick.
The colour is luminous.
The window is dark enough.
I’m a fly on the wall.
Nice door.
There’s no end to the stream of individuals.
All deep in thought.
Conversing with their individual humanity.
Camera: Olympus XA 3
Film: Kodak UltraMax 400
There’s nothing new under the sun with street photography.
There are things.
There are people.
There are people.
And there are things.
There are people and there are things.
There’s no end to looking.
Camera: Olympus XA 3
Film: Kodak UltraMax 400
A few colours here are worth mentioning.
Red.
Some more red.
Green.
Some more green.
Don’t forget the blue.
And it’s back to red again.
Camera: Olympus XA 3
Film: Kodak UltraMax 400
Hong Kong Lucida 