Sunday, January 15, 2012

Hong Kong rainy day photography


This foggy (as well as rainy) day shot of the Aqua Luna
gets me
thinking of the legend of the Flying Dutchman!

Rain drops keep falling... including on this leaf

For a few days each year, Hong Kong has weather that an English friend and I agree reminds us of the kind of weather -- gray (foggy even), cold and damp -- that used to get us down when we lived in England. Although my hiking companions and I had hoped otherwise, this weekend turned out to be among those days.

So, unlike another friend who went ahead with her hiking, only to text me later in the day that "we gambled that it wouldn't rain and lost big time"(!), I stayed in the urban sections of the Big Lychee today. But rather than remain cooped up in my Hong Kong home (whose high ceilings makes it several degrees cooler in winter time than it is outdoors), I did go ahead and do a couple of the things I previously suggested that people do when it rains here!

Over on the comments thread of that October 2010 blog post (which, more than incidentally, was a follow up to one of this blog's most popular entries), the blogger behind Horsoon's Photography suggested that one other worthwhile activity to do when it's raining in Hong Kong is to go about taking photos.

To be honest, I wouldn't recommend taking out one's camera and snapping some shots in the more crowded streets in rainy weather -- not least because the space often gets much too filled with individuals wielding umbrellas in such a way that they risk poking other people in the eye with their umbrellas' end tips! At the same time though, it's also true enough that there are vantage points -- including insides of buildings and vehicles -- that are happily free from this hazard.

And should you find yourself in less crowded areas of Hong Kong when it's raining or just after the rain, one really can sometimes be presented with some cool sights. Among the more memorable for me have been water drops delicately balanced on thick spider webs and butterflies that seemed to have been lulled into slumber by the rainy weather (spotted while hiking on Tung Lung Chau some years back). Also, yes, I do indeed find water drops on stalks of grass and such like to be pretty visually appealing and worthy of photographing! :b

11 comments:

Ross said...

Lovely pictures! Love the rain. It's so romantic. : D

ewaffle said...

Terrific picture of the "Aqua Luna" in the fog, a real keeper. The Flying Dutchman though always makes me think of the shortest and (some say) most accessible of Richard Wagner's stage musical works.

Susan Demeter said...

Love the first pic, it does evoke the mysterious :)

YTSL said...

Hi Ross --

Have to admit that I've never looked upon rain as romantic -- but, then, I'm super unromantic in so many regards! ;D

Hi ewaffle --

I've not yet seen Richard Wagner's opera. Rather, my main idea re The Flying Dutchman comes from watching scary "In Search Of..." type TV shows in my youth! ;O

Hi Sue --

Thanks for commenting. It seems the first pic has fans... ;b

alejna said...

I have realized that I really love photos with water drop elements. (I have a growing collection in my photo library.) Your leaf photo above is beautiful! As are the others that you linked to.

At some point a few months ago, I came across work by Christophe Jacot, a photographer who has several series of cities in the rain. I just looked him up again, and see that he included Hong Kong. Have you seen them? They are quite striking.

Rambling Woods said...

Oh my those rain drops are beautiful.....

kitliew said...

It's so so hot here. Send us some rain!

kitliew said...

The leaf reminds me of TOTORO. Don't know why :)

YTSL said...

Hi Alejna --

Thanks for introducing me to the work of photographer Christophe Jacot. Agree that his Hong Kong rainy day photos are quite something to behold. :)

Hi Rambling Woods --

I'm glad you (and Alejna) like the rain drop pic. :)

Hi Kit --

You want some cool weather? Come over to Hong Kong! And heheh... now that you mentioned Totoro, you've got me thinking of the waiting for the bus(es) in the rain scene in "My Neighbor Totoro"... ;b

Horsoon said...

Looks like rainy days can't stop you from snapping pictures :) These are 2 outstanding shots!

Here's wishing you an early Happy CNY 祝你新年平安快乐!

Celebrating in HK?

YTSL said...

Hi Horsoon --

Am glad you like both those rainy shots. Thanks for the early Happy CNY greetings -- and yes, I'm celebrating in Hong Kong. Are you celebrating in Malaysia? In any case, kong hee fat choi to you! :)