the wall effect and air-ventilation Photo

Photographer’s Note

This photo was taken in the North Point district of Hong Kong Island.

It was taken from a 'show flat' that my wife and I were looking at in 2005. The property agent seemed curious as to my I was taking photos out the window.

I feel that this photo demonstrates what people are calling the 'wall effect' in Hong Kong. Were all the tall buildings are creating poor air-ventilation for the people living in the city.

This week the Planning Department has proposed a 100-metre building height restriction across North Point - which might knock off about HKD 4 billion from a waterfront site that is currently vacant.

Hong Kong's tallest building is 2IFC at 415 metres.

My photo conspicuous consumption and tiny flats was taken from outside this building - which can be seen in the reflection.

Update:

My photo a Hong Kong showflat with TV in bed shows the inside of the showflat where this photo was taken from.

papagolf21, ktanska, pamastro has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

christian_v (801) 2007-06-14 3:15

Bonjour Andrew

Fantastic and impressive angle of view.
Thank you
christian

ancient-strider (153) 2007-06-14 3:34

Dizzyfying (invented word) POV. Love the angle as it pull ones eyes down to the street.
Regards
Bernard

papagolf21 (57029) 2007-06-14 4:27

Cher Ami Andrew,
Une image impressionnante, cher Andrew, le cadrage donne l'impression que le ciel n'existe plus. L'effet est saisissant et votre note nous fait mieux comprendre la vie dans les villes.
Excellente image, mon ami.
Amitiés.
Philippe

ktanska (16759) 2007-06-14 6:05

Hi Andrew,
Very strong vertical effect with almost countless floors and and the street cutting the scene vertically. This also shows that high rise buildings over there don't always mean luxury or offices of mulninational corporations. But with these tight corners there isn't much room to enjoy about architecture anyway.
Kari

bwiti (402) 2007-06-14 8:14

I like very much this urban picture, the point of view is Impressive and these drawn up bars bring a strange and beautiful atmosphere in your image congratulations...

Fis2 (46747) 2007-06-14 11:31

Witaj Andrew!
Yuor photo is nicely. I like the composition and frame. Perspective make impresion. Curious colors. Good work.
Greetings from Poland
Krzysztof

happypoppeye (4064) 2007-06-14 18:20

Quintessential Hong Kong...

...and I'm really not exactly sure what quintessential means or if I'm spelling it right.

Good point of view here. The composition really works well, especially creating a sense of the "wall effect". Close enough to the street to see alot of detial but far enough to catch all the buildimgs. Nice color, DOF and sharpness also. Great work. A different kind of photo, more information type but it works well.

John

giorgimer (21710) 2007-06-15 3:24

Hi Andrew,

well composed image, an interesting claustrophobic effect with no ending vertical lines

Compliments

Giorgio

rhizomes (15325) 2007-06-23 10:50

Hi Andrew,
Nice almost aerial view ! Great picture giving an idea of how life can be in these buildings...
Not nice constructions, but good picture !
Christophe

pamastro (7215) 2007-07-04 13:41

That's a lot of concrete. I love the sort of desaturated look of the shot. I don't know if you did that or if it's just because of all the drab concrete and lack of sunlight to create contrast. Whatever it is it sets the mood of this street. Even the trees look not quite healthy, although I suppose they should be happy here with all the carbon dioxide. The lack of people and even only a few moving cars on the street further adds to the drabness. It's like there's all this housing but no one around, even though it's completely the opposite. As is it's sort of ghost-like.

fanni (9045) 2008-08-08 12:56

Hi Andrew,

Fantastic perspective view of the tall residential buildings and of the rather narrow street. Wonderful "hong kong-style" colours... the POV even makes me feel a bit giddy :)
Thank you!
regards,
Elena
PS. I like Hong Kong, even though I heard it's often called "concrete jungles" by its citizens.