Travel Photography - Hong Kong Photo tips needed

Hi All,

Am going to HKG next week on MR. Am planning on taking my DSLR, 35mm 1.8, 11-16, and 55-200. My biggest objective is to take night shots (like everyone else :) ) of the skyline from the peak area. Will have tripod as well. I've NEVER taken night photo's with extended shutters. Can some please help with a few tips?

Also, hope to have some time plane spotting at airport, but probably airside only. Any tips there as to best shot opportunities?

thanks much for your help!
Dennis

Mirror lockup + remote trigger or self timer.

Keep the tripod "tall as you need, but short as you can" for max stability. If it's windy, and your tripod has the hook, hang some weight off it.

ISO as low as possible, and if you have a feature like long shutter noise reduction, use it.

Mirror lockup + remote trigger or self timer.

Keep the tripod "tall as you need, but short as you can" for max stability. If it's windy, and your tripod has the hook, hang some weight off it.

ISO as low as possible, and if you have a feature like long shutter noise reduction, use it.

Perfect, thanks! Will study up the manual. Remember seeing long shutter noise reduction. Also have remote for it so I dont have to fumble with timer.

Fast or slow on the lens?

You may also put the camera/lens to manual focus as some cameras may continue to try to focus while the shutter is open. My nikon does this and it took a while to figure out the problem but now all images are tack on sharp !!

as a teaser to you go to flicker and look at; HDR hong kong victoria peak this should get you salivating :D

You may also put the camera/lens to manual focus as some cameras may continue to try to focus while the shutter is open. My nikon does this and it took a while to figure out the problem but now all images are tack on sharp !!

as a teaser to you go to flicker and look at; HDR hong kong victoria peak this should get you salivating :D

Thanks! going to flicker to see what you mean.

Most important HK night photo tip:

PRAY FOR CLEAR WEATHER!

Take photos from the waterfront, not only on the peak. The light show as seen from the Kowloon side looking south is phenomenal.

http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/IMGP1954/254058733_HEkGm-M-1.jpg (http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/3554450_kdgvbS#254058733_HEkGm-A-LB)

http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/IMGP1938/254058728_EH8Zt-M-1.jpg (http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/3554450_kdgvbS#254058728_EH8Zt-A-LB)

http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/IMGP1993/254058734_WV9TX-M-1.jpg (http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/3554450_kdgvbS#254058734_WV9TX-A-LB)

http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/IMGP1643/252789855_RMKUA-M-1.jpg (http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/3554450_kdgvbS#252789855_RMKUA-A-LB)

Beyond that, I completely agree with manual focus and turning off noise reduction. I got most my shots by setting the combination to the point I wanted (.25-4 seconds, depending on the shot) and then adjusting the f-stop to expose correctly. Take extra memory cards and shoot a ton. Sorting through the shots for the good v bad will take some time but better to capture the shots and sort later than be fussing with the gear and miss the shot during the show.

Take photos from the waterfront, not only on the peak. The light show as seen from the Kowloon side looking south is phenomenal.

http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/IMGP1954/254058733_HEkGm-M-1.jpg (http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/3554450_kdgvbS#254058733_HEkGm-A-LB)

http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/IMGP1938/254058728_EH8Zt-M-1.jpg (http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/3554450_kdgvbS#254058728_EH8Zt-A-LB)

http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/IMGP1993/254058734_WV9TX-M-1.jpg (http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/3554450_kdgvbS#254058734_WV9TX-A-LB)

http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/IMGP1643/252789855_RMKUA-M-1.jpg (http://gallery.millerworks.net/Architecture/Buildings-Skylines/3554450_kdgvbS#252789855_RMKUA-A-LB)

Beyond that, I completely agree with manual focus and turning off noise reduction. I got most my shots by setting the combination to the point I wanted (.25-4 seconds, depending on the shot) and then adjusting the f-stop to expose correctly. Take extra memory cards and shoot a ton. Sorting through the shots for the good v bad will take some time but better to capture the shots and sort later than be fussing with the gear and miss the shot during the show.


Beautiful pics, thanks for the advice. Have the extra memory cards so ready to go! Weather forecast shows clear and cool so hopefully good nights for pictures.

Most important HK night photo tip:

PRAY FOR CLEAR WEATHER!

No doubt! so far forecasts show clear weather, with less than 5% cloud cover.

What time is the light show?

I get there at 6p friday, so I figure to go to the peak first (staying and Grand Hyatt on same side, so easy logistics). Then depending how I feel, take ferry to kowloon for other side. Otherwise plan for next day is to go to peak early for daytime photo's then take photos that evening from kowloon side. only in hkg for 1 full day, so limited options.

One other advice for pictures from the peak. The area around the tram station is quite crowded most times - but there is a walkway around the peak with a few platforms from where you can take nice pictures (without any trees getting in the way) like i did during my trip to hongkong this year (you can see the pictures in my tripreport: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-reports/1210584-asiana-lufthansa-f-asia-back-how-spoil-first-time-long-haul-flyers.html)

Oh and as far as camera-settings go: Use the BULB setting for the exposure time - most cameras electronics only allow 30 seconds of exposure time which when using a low ISO setting and a not to open aperture may not be enough.

And one very important thing: Pray for a clear sky...

Main thing to do at The Peak is not to hang out with all the mainland visitors near the Peak Tower and Peak Plaza. Lots of places both east and west of that area with great views for photography.

You can go east and walk along Findlay Road to Plantation Road and Severn Road. Or you can go west and walk along Lugard Road. About 1/2 mile out on Lugard Road, you'll get to the point where the road is basically hanging outside the hillside, with incredible views of the harbor. Or you can also go up Mt Austin Road, and there are great places for views as well.

A flashlight/torch (depending on which side of the pond) is handy to have for checking the camera setting and your surrounding.

I keep one of this in all my camera/computer/travel bags:

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-95-113-Tripod-Keychain-Flashlight/dp/B000C13Y2S/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1322503285&sr=1-3-catcorr

Take ....

Spectacular photos!

A flashlight/torch (depending on which side of the pond) is handy to have for checking the camera setting and your surrounding.

I keep one of this in all my camera/computer/travel bags:

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-95-113-Tripod-Keychain-Flashlight/dp/B000C13Y2S/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1322503285&sr=1-3-catcorr

Great idea! I have a small keychain flash light with a red bulb. that should work well I think.

What a great collection of photo-tech talk!
One more thing I might add is to bring along a ND filter for taking really looooong exposures (like boat lights in the harbor).
Thanks to rrkwan's account of locations, some of them are new to me. I will check them out on my upcoming trip next month. Here are a few shots from the past:

http://stefanofoto.smugmug.com/Travel-China/Hong-Kong/12619172_KTRN2j#982594829_jdkGn

For a new perspective in panorama, go check out the ICC's Sky100 Observation Deck. See here:
http://www.sky100.com.hk/

What a great collection of photo-tech talk!
One more thing I might add is to bring along a ND filter for taking really looooong exposures (like boat lights in the harbor).
Thanks to rrkwan's account of locations, some of them are new to me. I will check them out on my upcoming trip next month. Here are a few shots from the past:

http://stefanofoto.smugmug.com/Travel-China/Hong-Kong/12619172_KTRN2j#982594829_jdkGn

For a new perspective in panorama, go check out the ICC's Sky100 Observation Deck. See here:
http://www.sky100.com.hk/

very Very nice photos. thanks for the tip on the nd filter. I'll see if I have time to get one!

Just got back from HK. Pollution is much worse than last time I was there a few years ago. During the daytime I didn't even bother trying to take any distant landscapes because all it would be was a greyish-brown haze.

Thanks for the info people

Just got back from HK. Pollution is much worse than last time I was there a few years ago. During the daytime I didn't even bother trying to take any distant landscapes because all it would be was a greyish-brown haze.

It wasn't that bad by HK standard. Air quality has improved in the last 2 years. If you had come in the winter in the mid-00's you'd have found much worse.

Main thing to do at The Peak is not to hang out with all the mainland visitors near the Peak Tower and Peak Plaza. Lots of places both east and west of that area with great views for photography.

You can go east and walk along Findlay Road to Plantation Road and Severn Road. Or you can go west and walk along Lugard Road. About 1/2 mile out on Lugard Road, you'll get to the point where the road is basically hanging outside the hillside, with incredible views of the harbor. Or you can also go up Mt Austin Road, and there are great places for views as well.

I did that 5 years ago, walked around, away from the Tram station. It was during the day.

Last Thanksgiving week, I went this time at night (tried to get there just before sunset but the lines were long). It was very windy, which made taking long exposures very difficult.

I was kind of discouraged and didn't venture too far from the Tram station, which was packed, even with the windy conditions. People mostly taking photos with compacts or phones, using their flash to take pictures of the skyline below.

Here are the results from my visit:


Skyline at Sunset (http://boardingarea.com/blogs/lufthansaflyer/?p=1725)

Pictures from the Peak (http://boardingarea.com/blogs/lufthansaflyer/?p=1793)

Just got back from HK. Pollution is much worse than last time I was there a few years ago. During the daytime I didn't even bother trying to take any distant landscapes because all it would be was a greyish-brown haze.

Yeah I was there Thanksgiving week. Most of the time it was overcast but the haze was always present, sunny or cloudy.

Here are some pics:

https://picasaweb.google.com/wco811/HK

Here are the results from my visit:


Skyline at Sunset (http://boardingarea.com/blogs/lufthansaflyer/?p=1725)

Pictures from the Peak (http://boardingarea.com/blogs/lufthansaflyer/?p=1793)

Those are great, especially the night shots in the first set. Very little sign of haze there yet in the shots from the Peak, you see the haze.

Did you post-process to boost the contrast to minimize the haze? Maybe the primes helped over using zooms too.