Photography in Hong Kong! Recommendations for one day?

<p>This month I am very much looking forward to spending one day in Hong Kong. My plane will arrive around noon, and my next plane will leave shortly after midnight. So I have only one short day, or one long afternoon, to spend in HK and taking pictures.<br /><br />I was wondering if any of the photo.net forum members with experience of HK could recommend me some places to go, which may have some good opportunities for taking pictures? Especially considering the very limited time!<br /><br />What kind of photography I do: I like to call it "street photography" as I am in the street, shooting street scenes, but it is certainly not street photography in the sense of "hardcore street photography". I.e. I don't shoot so much strangers in the street but rather street scenes which I like, city scenes, little overlooked details or just interesting storefronts, signs or public artworks. Especially I would like to make some photographs which show some remnants of the "old" HK, if something like this can even be said to exist.<br /><br />I could ask on a general travel forum but my question is especially about doing photography in HK, so I prefer to ask here at photo.net.<br /><br />Thanks.</p>

<p>Mongkok, Sham Shui Po, Yau Ma Tei etc - tons of street stuff. I was up there today. Just wander around and get lost.</p>

<p>Thanks Iain, I'll check out Sham Shui Po for sure!</p>

<p>I grew up in Hong Hong in the 1960's and 1970's, so I have a lot of childhood memories there. Exactly a year ago, my wife and I went back to attend her highschool reunion, and we spent a week there. You can see some of the images I captured last year in this folder: <a href="/photodb/folder?folder_id=1045914">http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=1045914</a><br>

The hilly street is Wellington Street in Central, Hong Kong Island if you like that kind of images.</p>

<p>My favorite for Hong Kong is the night scene across the harbor; something I never photographed when I was a teenager there. Therefore, it was a high priority for me and I brought a tripod on that trip. I captured the night scene mainly in the Tsim Sha Tsui area on the southern tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, looking towards Hong Kong Island.</p>

<p>Hong Kong is a small, very crowded place. You can move around on the subway/underground trains (or "the tube" as they say in the UK, I think) fairly quickly. However, expect a lot of people during rush hours if you are there on a weekday. Mongkok (it actually sounds more like Wong Kok) literally means "busy corner." True to its name, it is always crowded there unless it is 3am.</p>

<p>I enjoyed the views from the top of the Peak Tram when I visited several times in the late 1970's. I'd expect things have changed a lot since then and this may not fit timewise. "Old Hong Kong?" I'd also expect the Wanchai district has also changed a lot since then. It was kind of a low class area, cheap sailor bars bar girls cadging drinks, guys getting slipped mickeys, buying drugs. But it was popular with sailors and it was more interesting to be on Shore Patrol than on the ship on duty days.</p>

<p>The weather right now is the best in years. Completely clear everyday. Nice change from the normal smog that had the gov't come up <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/hong-kong-tourists-use-fake-skyline-backdrop-during-high-pollution-days-photos-1396217">with this ridiculous idea</a> a few months ago.</p>

<p>You don't have a lot of time. I highly recommend shooting the Hong Kong skyline across the harbor from Kowloon at the Star Ferry area that Shun mentioned. To the left of the clock tower is a raised promenade where you can view the magnificent skyline and set up a tripod. The skyscrapers look best to me during twilight.</p>

<p>I would also recommend "Time Square" of Causway Bay on the Hong Kong side. This place should be nicely decorated at this time of the year. When I visited last year, I loved to shoot the throngs of people crossing the crosswalk. The sight was incredible, especially when shooting down from a higher platform.</p>

<p>Thank you very much all for your recommendations. I was in HK now for two days. Especially thanks Ian, Sham Shui Po is pure awesome!</p>

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<p>Sham Shui Po is pure awesome!</p>

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<p>Interesting. When I was growing up in the 1970's, that was a middle-class residential area. There was a street where they used to sell a lot of electronics parts, and I visited it often. I understand it has evolved into a market for computers, electronics, and software. I suppose from the point of view of Western visitors, it can be very unusual and exciting.</p>

<p>Anton, it would be great if you could post a few of your images, perhaps in your portfolio here.</p>

<p>Enjoy Hong Kong.</p>