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Hong Kong – Verticality, Contrasts, and Urban Light

Hong Kong is a land of paradoxes. Between dazzling modernity and persistent traditions, extreme verticality and tiny temples, it’s a city experienced as much from above as from street level. I went there with one goal: to photograph energy, people, and lines.
This diary follows my journey across the contrasting districts of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon: from the Buddhist calm of Lantau to the frenzy of Mong Kok, the reflections of Central to the warmth of Sham Shui Po markets, the misty views from the Peak to the neon lights of Tsim Sha Tsui. A world city, where every street corner is a stage, every temple a breath of silence within the density.

Hong Kong - 香港

Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. It is located on the southern coast of China near the Pearl River estuary.

Hong Kong consists of three parts: Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula which is the mainland part, and the New Territories.

The island and the mainland are connected by several means, including the underwater metro, the Star Ferry, and a road tunnel also beneath the water.

Its population is about 8 million inhabitants within an area of 1,110 square kilometers.

Causeway Bay - 銅鑼灣

Causeway Bay is one of the most lively districts on Hong Kong Island, between giant shopping centers and buzzing streets.

Central - 中環

Central (中環) is Hong Kong’s financial hub, between spectacular buildings, modern galleries, and endless escalators.

Kowloon - 九龍

At night, Kowloon - 九龍 - lights up with neon and becomes a visual playground for urban street photography.

Lantau Island - 爛頭

Lantau - 爛頭 - is Hong Kong’s green lung, featuring peaceful beaches, mountain trails, and spirituality on high.

Mong Kok - 旺角

Mong Kok is one of the world’s most densely populated districts, with neon lights, street stalls, markets, and buildings packed tightly like books on a shelf.

Sham Shui Po – Hong Kong at Human Scale

Sham Shui Po is the city of markets, electronics, fabrics, and street scenes full of character.

Sheung Wan – Between Incense and Design Cafés

Sheung Wan is a district where eras meet: Taoist temples, traditional herbal shops, and arty galleries.

Tsim Sha Tsui – The Bay, Reflections, and Crowds

Tsim Sha Tsui, facing Hong Kong Island, offers the city’s most beautiful skyline, modern museums, and a constant crowd.

Victoria Peak

From the summit of the Peak, Hong Kong reveals itself in all its vertical grandeur, often veiled by a soft, luminous mist.

Wong Tai Sin – The Temple of Wishes

Wong Tai Sin is a living temple where prayers, incense smoke, and Taoist divination mingle in the heart of the city.

Hong Kong - 香港#

Hong Kong - 香港