Trolley Delivery
Minox 35ML, Holga 400
I’ve always been attracted to iron curtains. Some in HK are absolute works of art (not those) but any of them make fantastic backdrops in my book. This photo is a little grainy, but I think that adds to its retro charm, don’t you?
Scrapers within Scrapers
Minox 35ML, Ilford FP4+
High risers are so dense in Hong Kong that with the right light you can see them all reflected within each other. This is something I was fascinated by early on when I arrived in Hong Kong, and I did many such shots. This is one of the best despite (or maybe because of) the minimalist setup of the Minox.
Street Food
Minox 35ML, Holga 400
On the summer before I moved to Hong Kong I asked my father if e still had his film camera from the 70s. He dug into his boxes and couldn’t find it, but he did find a Minox 35ML, still in its box. Some German customers gave it to him as a gift in the 80s. I decided to try it out and it was love at first sight. Sure, it’s minimalist, but its so tiny that you can carry it around anywhere, and while focusing is a mostly random exercise, the lens is super sharp. I started adjusting to hyperfocal techniques and over the course of the first few weeks in HK, I shot half a dozen rolls. When they came back though, I found out that this notoriously unreliable camera had crapped out on me. Two of the rolls were blank, and two others were partially exposed only. I stopped using the Minox since I couldn’t find anyone to get it fixed. Still, I got some really good shots out of it, including this shot of a street food stall in Causeway Bay.
Stitching
Minox 35ML, 35mm, f/5.6, 1/100s, ISO 100
Film: Agfa CT 100
I don’t know if this street tailor is part of the Tai Hang ecosystem of garages (in other words, he stitches car seats) or just a street tailor that happens to be established in Tai Hang. I love the idea though. In Europe, finding a tailor is something very specific that you only do for custom made clothes. Here it has a broader appeal I guess (although street vendors offering tailor made suits are a dime a dozen in Kowloon!)
Mother and Child
Minox 35ML, 35mm, f/8, 1/100s, ISO 100
Film: Agfa CT 100
This is probably my most successful shot in this series. There’s a good dynamic (I think) with light and shadows, the mother and baby and the guy smoking by the bar.
Yellow Sign
Minox 35 ML, 35mm, f/8, 1/60s, ISO 100
Film: Agfa CT 100
One of the reasons I love the CT 100 slide film is that the colours are vivid but stay really natural. In Tai Hang there are many colourful signs, shopfronts, etc. so it’s a good combination.
Walking Down the Street
Minox 35 ML, 35mm, f/5.6, 1/60s, ISO 100
Slide Film: Agfa CT 100
I recently rediscovered my Minox 35ML film camera. It’s a tiny tiny camera with a truly great lens. Sadly it’s very fragile and after shooting just a few rolls it crapped out on me. But I shot a full roll of my favourite slide film Agfa CT 100 in Tai Hang and they came out great. This is a really classic street composition I guess, but I love how the light hits her. The focus isn’t exactly spot on, that’s hyperfocal at f/5.6 for you…
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