When I arrived in Hong Kong, I felt as though I were on a movie set. The whole city feels like a director – with a fetish for neon – has lit up the city for the next Jackie Chan vs. the Triad movie. Photogenic people hustle through the streets at all times of day and night, and they all seem to be eating street food. The views from the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and Victoria Peak are some the most dramatic city views on Earth.
Since everyone in Hong Kong is given a giant DSLR camera at birth, no one seemed to pay attention to me shooting photos in the street. Needless to say, I had a great time taking photos there.
Below is a photo gallery from our trip last December. Click on any photo to open a slideshow view.
Hong Kong: A Photo Tour
The cinematic streets of Kowloon in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Two men solving the world’s problems.
Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade at night.
Kowloon street scene.
On the tram to Victoria Peak.
The selfie stick – ruining selfies since 2013.
Hong Kong in the rain.
Watching the sound and light show.
Giving an offering to the spirits, who evidently like booze.
On the iPhone while waiting for a customer.
Street food.
Look right.
Women of Hong Kong.
Contemplating life while waiting for a customer.
Planet Bell 
Just love your photography! I want one of those wide-angle lenses. And the camera to go with it 🙂
Alison
Thank you Alison. The wide-angle is certainly nice for some of those city scenes. I shot the tighter images with the 50mm.
I would never want to live there, but I’d love to visit for a thoroughly exhausting 3 days.
Totally agreed. I could never live there. It is one of the most orderly and efficient cities on Earth for sure. The lack of green space would be killer for people like us, although just outside the city limits is tons of parkland.
That would give me quite a case of sensory overload! Too many people and too much “noise”, but great images.
We had a lot of sensory overload, especially having been on the island of Sulawesi the day before.
Great shots Jeff. Hong Kong is not a place I have ever had an interest in visiting & yet so many rave about it.
I enjoyed it, but I wasn’t sure if I would. It has a lot of character in Kowloon and grand, modern sights on the island. I think it is worth a 3-4 day visit if transiting through Asia.
Looks like a place to visit for sure.
It is a great place to visit for a few days, and convenient as a layover destination like we did.
Your night pics are spectacular…and my favourite is the 2 men solving the world’s problems 😉
Thanks Kat! I like that photo too. I caught it at the right time.
Great photos as always Jeff. I’ve always thought that it was a very good thing that many flights to SEA go through Hong Kong, because it forces people to stop an see it. The city is such an incredible clash of the old and new, and the crush of people is at once exciting and stifling. It’s an unforgettable place to be sure. ~James
Very true about the stopover. It only cost about $50 I think to stop on the way back from Indonesia so it made sense. Great city, but not that close to other major sites.
Jeff, those are some fabulous shots! When you live in Hong Kong it’s easy to lose sight of how cinematic it is after nightfall. I have to say that you and Kristi picked one of the most photogenic neighbourhoods as your base – Jordan really is the setting for countless action movies. About two weeks ago I was having dinner in an Indonesian warung and they were playing a Hong Kong movie on TV. The opening scene was a classic shootout on the rooftops, high above the night market on Temple Street!
We mainly picked that neighborhood because it was cheap. We didn’t realize it was in the Red Light District! If was fun to shoot street photos there – it was gritty and colorful. We really enjoyed HK. Thanks again for showing up around.
How is your trip going?
My trip with Bama has been amazing so far – Indonesia is full of surprises and I have repeatedly maxed out my camera’s SD cards. We are flying to Jakarta today for a long layover before heading out east to the Spice Islands. Hopefully they will have WiFi there!
I have to ask James to take me to some of those places in your photos — with slower pace. 🙂
HAHAHA. Yes, Kowloon is meant to be taken slowly.
I LOVE the wide-angle shot of Hong Kong at night. And you have such an knack for taking very cool shots of people. Do you carry a duck blind to hide behind when you travel and walk the streets?
We waited up on Victoria Peak for a long time and the light got better and better. I think that was the last photo I took of the night.
Here are my 6 tips that I guarantee will make you a better street photographer. https://planetbell.me/2014/02/10/six-unconventional-tips-for-better-street-photography/
Sometimes patience and waiting is what a photographer needs most.
Tips: the only one that I actually new about was the “carry a gun” tip. I think every photographer knows that one don’t they?
Yes, I think most photographers, especially most ‘Murican photographer, know about this.
Great photos. I am going there at the end of the year. Love the energy of Hong Kong you have captured.
Enjoy. It is a fun city with lots to do.