Cornerhouses, Hong Kong / Michael Wolf

I thinkg everyone agrees here that photography is a very effective way of documenting things such as

architecture that is soon to be displaced. Looking at the works of <a

href="http://images.google.com/images?&q=Michael+Wolf">Michael Wolf</a>, especially his latest

project <a href="http://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/corner-houses-by-michael-

wolf/2094">Cornerhouses</a>, the slideshow of which <a

href="http://www.wallpaper.com/newgallery/17050245/1">can be seen here</a>, got me thinking of

doing some large-format documentary work in a similar vein. In his project, Wolf documented old corner

buildings in Hong Kong that are soon to be demolished (according to the article, every cornerhouse less

than 11 stories tall is to be replaced). I enjoy browsing through photos like these that uncover subtle facts

that work on a scale larger than everyday life. Like the geology of Earth, architecture of a city can

sometimes change slowly and subtly, yet the implications of this changes can be massive. At the same

time, Wolf's work creates its own typology of cornerhouses, something along the lines of what you find in

a botany textbook. Again, wishing work like that was more prevalent on this forum...

Again, wishing work like that was more prevalent on this forum...

 

Why be so concerned about what other folk are doing or not doing. Do your own thing.

<p>> <i>Why be so concerned about what other folk are doing or not doing. Do your own

thing.</i></p>

 

<p>Because I like this project.</p>

And I think I stated that fact clearly enough in the original post.

It's interesting, since the advent of PS and Capture, that Michael left in the "milky" skies.

 

Forums are tough due to a lot of adverse jealousy and some fall prey to this criticism (milky skies and not "captured to deep blue"). Michael did not and I am glad to see no azure skies due to post processing.

 

Nice shots Michael. Good truth. I love it.

got me thinking of doing some large-format documentary work in a similar vein. In his project,

 

Very good. Just go and do it, why make a song and dance about it. Looking forward to seeing the photos.

I like it too. I'm working in HK these days and have been seeing the large prints in the MTR stations.

Of particular interest is how corners have been been rounded, a feature few modern corner

buildings have. I wonder if this was an architectural style of the period, or was there some

other reason (legal, cultural, etc).

Be nice to see the images large as they actually are. As far as Milky sky's, it's what you would nominally get with the exposure latitude between the buildings and the sky. You'll notice, since you mentioned, that he has tone in each one, just there to separate if from white and the prints are not in a negative way, but slightly struggling a bit to get enough exposure in the buildings because of walking that line with the sky. He really did a good job to strike that balance because then its going to go dark at street level.