Emma

Photography is a powerful way of telling a story, as it allows us to capture not only moments but also the essence of a place and the people within it. In this report, I am presenting two photographs that I have taken in Hong Kong: one I have taken at my school on a disposable camera and the other I took on my phone while hiking up Lion's Rock. These images were carefully chosen out of other photos I have recently taken, as I feel they convey a message about the unique charm of Hong Kong, its contrast between rural and urban lifestyle, and its captivating essence. Through these photos, I aim to reflect on the reasons behind my choices, the messages embedded within the images, and the ethical considerations that guided my street photography practice.

Places photo 

I chose this photo that was taken in lion's rock, as I feel it strongly conveys Hong Kong’s charm which lies in its contrasts, of the dense urban centers, and lights set against lush and a fast-moving society that still finds time for reflection for nature. This photo uses framing which helps draw attention to the city of Hong Kong, while keeping the mountains and trees in the foreground. It also helps to add depth and dimension to the photo, as it includes foreground elements as well as creating layers in the image, as the trees and power lines frame the city in the background. The message of this photo is to convey a sense of perspective of Hong Kong and the contrast between the natural foreground and the loud cityscape which highlights the uniqueness of the coexistence of nature and urban life in Hong kong. This allows the viewer to pause and appreciate the complexity of Hong Kong and its beauty, as it captures the juxtaposition between urbanisation and the natural environment. I ensured that this photo is ethically appropriate by not including anyone in the photo and was careful to make sure I did not disrupt anyone on the hike when trying to capture the photo. 

People photo 

I chose this photo that I took of my friend at school, because it captures a powerful moment of freedom, energy and optimism. Her arms are open above her head in the photograph. This gesture symbolizes her embracing the possibilities and excitement of the future. The message of this photo is one's empowerment as the subject is standing in the middle of the street with her arms wide open, which conveys a sense of readiness to face challenges and embrace new, exciting opportunities. This reflects the spirit of the youth who are eager to learn and grow. This photo depicts the charm of Hong Kong by showcasing the energy of the subject within an urban setting, with the buildings on the left hand side and the trees on the right hand side. The use of rule of thirds in this image places her in the center of the photo, therefore making her a significant focal point of the image. This photo was taken on the driveway at my school, King George the 5th school. The inspiration behind this photo is my friend a year 12, upsdell student hettie mei whightman. To ensure that this photo was ethically appropriate I got a constant from my friend before I took the photo and explained why I took the photo and how this image would be used. I took care to make sure that others were not in the photo.

Both of my images use composition techniques such as rule of thirds and framing to draw attention to the subjects of the photo and add depth which enhances the viewer's connection to Hong Kong. Together these photographs celebrate Hong Kong's unique charm with its contrast between nature and urban life, and capture this remarkable city. 

REFRENCES 

• FreeImages. (2024, August 13). The importance of framing in photography: Techniques and tips. FreeImages. https://blog.freeimages.com/post/the-importance-of-framing-in-photography-techniques-and-tips

• UNC Global Affairs. (n.d.). Ethical global photography guidelines. University of North Carolina. https://global.unc.edu/our-work/carolina-global-photo-competition/ethical-global-photo-guidelines/#:~:text=You%20should%20always%20ask%20for,it's%20appropriate%20to%20photograph%20them

• Photo Education. (n.d.). Image analysis - photography. Weebly. https://photoeducation.weebly.com/image-analysis1.html