Here’s the camera gear I use as well as my updated Camera Recommendations!
Friends ask me from time to time what I recommend for their first time visiting Asia and I nearly always include a stop in Hong Kong just because it’s distinctly Asian but at the same time so approachable for westerners. Of course, it has a pretty amazing skyline and literally thousands of skyscrapers crammed onto a relatively small series of islands. Everything about it seems so…exaggerated, I guess that’s the best way of putting it.
Anyway, Hong Kong has some of the most well-known photography spots out there and it’s one of my favorite places to take pictures (as I showed you in my Five Favorite Pictures post about Hong Kong). One of my favorite pictures of all time is this one, of a hugely dramatic sunrise over a Hong Kong that almost looks like it’s still asleep.
I was so happy I found that spot and have since revisited that exact location on almost every return trip to Hong Kong. It’s a place called Lugard Road. While the weather won’t always be this clear the view is simply hard to beat. About a year ago I put together a video on how you can find this exact spot to take an epic picture at sunrise or sunset!
(a word of caution: the spot is becoming more and more well-known, so expect for other photographers to be there and make some friends! I’ve found that sunrises are less crowded than sunsets.)
Here are a couple of other images I’ve taken from that exact spot:
The video is pretty clear on what you need to do to find it, but one detail I left out is that you will need to take a taxi to The Peak if you’re going for a sunrise shoot, since the Peak Tram doesn’t start running until 7am, after sunrise.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the video if you’ve never seen it and let me know if you have any questions!
Hello Andy,
Really enjoy your blog. What is your profession that allows you to travel so much?
Anyway you can add the camera settings to your pictures to help us noobies?
Hi John,
I’m a financial software consultant but most of my trips are purchased using points and miles, not money. I typically include the camera settings on my Picture of the Week articles, but if you ever have questions about a specific picture just let me know and I’m happy to share.
Hi Andy,
Thanks for getting back to me. I am currently studying how to beat the point game so my wife and I can travel more for free. The last picture in this post: did you use a ND filter with time-lasp and at what settings? How much post production work was require and what is your favorite software to use?
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.
Yes, I used a 3-stop ND filter on the lens. The exposure time was 67 seconds at f8 and ISO 100. I actually put together a video on how I edited this image if you want to see exactly how I did it:
That would be great if you could direct me to the video.
Welp, I just used your tips and photographed sunset on Lugard Road. Awesome awesome times. Thanks for spelling it out for a dummy like me!
Yes! Awesome to hear, can’t wait to see it!
I used your tips on getting to this spot last January, and was met with an angry giant boar at 5a. Be aware of your surroundings on the mountain!
Dear Andy
We are amazed of your pictures.
My wife especially loves the one showing the hugely dramatic sunrise over Hong Kong that almost looks like it’s still asleep.
Can we get in email contact with you?
Regards from Switzerland
Michael