Fan Ho‘s new Thoughts On Street Photography, available @devedo.hk
From the publisher of Portrait of Hong Kong and Photography. My Passion. My Life., Hong Kong publisher WE Press presents a reprint of Thoughts on Street Photography — a recreation of Fan Ho’s acclaimed 1959 photographic methodologies.
Illustrated with 64 images, this book takes readers on an expedition through Fan Ho’s conceptual and practical foundations of street photography. Sixteen insightful essays, originally published in the Hai Kwang Fortnightly, are presented alongside self-written prefaces, a short autobiography, and a reorganization of his iconic, award-winning photographs.
This edition also features a curated selection of previously unpublished original negatives, newly scanned and printed. Dive into the creative process behind each photographic work, and be guided by his principle: move yourself and touch others.
“The real good picture is not about the camera, but in yourself, in your eyes, in your thoughts, in your heart; it was never about that unsympathetic machine.” – Fan Ho.
In 2025, photographer Chan Dick will celebrate the 10th anniversary of his series, CEMENT-ERY. This collection not only reflects his thoughts on the redevelopment of Yue Man Square in Kwun Tong, the community where he grew up, but also preserves the memories of his mother, who passed away earlier this year.
In this special moment, the Hong Kong photography platform PhotogStory curated a small exhibition titled “CEMENT-ERY” for Chan Dick, showcasing this series of photos that combine wall surfaces with Hong Kong’s urban landscapes for the first time. Familiar landscapes emerge through the remaining wall marks like reflections, encouraging viewers to contemplate the delicate relationship between urban redevelopment and preservation.
In 2015, as the Kwun Tong Town Centre Redevelopment Project progressed rapidly, Chan Dick returned to Yue Man Square on a quiet afternoon. He wandered back into the familiar community and, out of curiosity, stepped into Yue Wah Mansion, which was already empty and desolate. Strolling through the staircase, the wires that once cluttered the corners had been removed, but their traces were still clearly visible. At that moment of inspiration, the twisted wire marks reminded him of the mountains’ outline and inexplicably brought to mind the scenery of the Tsing Ma Bridge.
The South 淺水灣
As he carefully explored the walls, he noticed wave-like indentations on another wall that resembled the waves of ukiyo-e, matching the view from Hung Hom towards Central. That day, the photographer took seven photographs, some depicting clouds resembling cotton candy, while others look like long-exposure star trails. When I interviewed Chan Dick years ago, I was deeply captivated by this series of works and amazed that he could envision so many landscapes on mottled walls through his extraordinary imagination. However, these photos, created concurrently with his iconic work “Chai Wan Fire Station,” had never been exhibited before.
Returning to Yue Man Square a decade later, Chan Dick saw that Yue Wah Mansion had been demolished, leaving behind a pile of black rubble mixed with debris. Imagining these were the traces left behind by the building, he picked up stones and held them in his hand. They were heavy and dark, stirring a wave of nostalgia and mixed emotions within him. It is time to sort through these thoughts intertwined with memories and feelings of familial affection.
Chan Dick — CEMENT-ERY
Date: March 15 – April 13, 2025
Time: 11am-1pm, 2pm-6pm (Tuesday to Sunday)
Venue: Lumenvisum LUMOS Mini Gallery, L2-2, JCCAC, 30 Pak Tin Street, Shek Kip Mei
About Chan Dick
Chan Dick studied graphic design and first became involved in photography when given his graduation assignment. As a still-life and architectural photographer, he is devoted to creating personal works, often touching on social issues and everyday life discoveries.
While fascinated by simple lines and minimalistic compositions, Chan’s works emphasize the ambiguous attraction between reality and illusion. His iconic series “Chai Wan Fire Station” earned him first prizes respectively at the Tokyo International Foto Awards and the Hong Kong Photo Book Awards. This series was exhibited in Japan and the Netherlands and collected by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and Japan’s Irie Taikichi Memorial Museum of Photography Nara City.
Chan also collaborated with the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong by photographing their collection of human specimens. He produced an aesthetic set of images called “The Trek,” which challenges the general public’s shared perception of the topic. The work was published as a photo book and won a Gold Prize at the Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA).
About PhotogStory
Hong Kong-based Photography platform PhotogStory was founded by photography writer and curator LAU Tung-Pui. The platform introduces local & international photographers’ artwork, the history behind classic images, and photo books.
PhotoStory’s curated exhibitions include Hidden Town at Wure Area (Kowloon Bay), Chun Wai’s solo exhibition at Kubrick (Yau Mai Tei), Mak Fung‘s solo exhibition at EastPro Gallery (Causeway Bay) and co-curated group exhibitions at Boogie Woogie Photography (Wong Chuk Hang) and at Fine Art Asia 2024.
2018年初，一班本地攝影愛好者成立攝影組織「Ménos 心象社」，不定期舉辦攝影講座及Photo Walk等活動，2019年結集逾10位成員作品推出攝影集《Prologue》，首期主題是「Hong Kong Street」，收錄眾人的街頭攝影作品。事隔五年、經歷過疫情，第二本攝影集《也無風雨也無晴 The Weight of SilhouetteI》也於2024年底出版。
書名《也無風雨也無晴》出自北宋文學家蘇東坡的詞作《定風波》，是一種在逆境中憑心境自樂的豁達精神，回想過去數年的疫情歲月，許多人經歷過無助與憂鬱，一句「也無風雨也無晴」既是安慰，也是一種豁達。英文名稱「The Weight of Silhouette」也頗有意思，虛幻的剪影本無重量，但攝影師的拍攝注入情感，觀者也會結合個人記憶而觀看，為相片增添意義，令那刻的光影也彷彿有了重量。
Hong Kong Photographer Mak Fung (1918-2009) began photographing in the mid-1940s and documented the city’s street views and grassroots for more than half a century.
Hong Kong Once Was: 1946-1980s, a tribute exhibition to Mak Fung, was inspired by his 1997 photo book. It is an exquisite collection of photographs of old Hong Kong taken by Mak Fung from 1946 to the 1990s.
Hong Kong was a small fishing village. In Mak Fung’s photos, images of sampans in Aberdeen and drying salted fishes in Tai O remind us of its past. As a colonial city, Hong Kong’s architecture, such as the third-generation General Post Office in Central and Hong Kong Club Building, is reminiscent of history. Mak Fung’s lens also captures the street scene of Hong Kong and the daily life of ordinary people, such as the Graham Street market and the peddler on the street.
The exhibition showcases over 20 silver gelatin prints made in the 1990s and Mak Fung’s publications.
Hong Kong Once Was: 1946-1980s
Mak Fung Photo Exhibition
Date: 7-21, Dec, 2024
Time: 2:30-7pm(Wed-Fri), 2:30-6pm(Weekends)
Venue: Eastpro Gallery, 9A, Hyde Centre, 223 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay
攝影師陳的 (Chan Dick)，香港著名攝影師，攝影集包括《探 The Trek》、《I SEE 吾見》及代表作《柴灣消防局》，曾獲2016年東京國際攝影獎的專業藝術攝影集首獎，作品曾於日本及荷蘭展出，也被香港文化博物館和日本奈良美術館收藏。
顯影 PhotogStory 香港攝影平台「顯影」，從事攝影寫作，近年開始策劃攝影展覽，包括《工廈角落》、秦偉個展《異域狂歡──香港的南看台》，以及聯合策展邱良逝世25週年紀念展《百變香江》及攝影聯展《My Hong Kong 我城》等。
Chan Dick ”Chai Wan Fire Station“ 10th Anniversary Photo Exhibition
2024 marks the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong photographer Chan Dick‘s iconic work, ”Chai Wan Fire Station.“ PhotogStory is pleased to present a special exhibition of this marvelous series.
It all began with curiosity. For over six years, Chan Dick had been in his studio with the ventilation window closed. The outside world had never piqued his interest until a sudden howl pierced the silence one day. Intrigued, he approached the window and saw firefighters enjoying a volleyball game.
His studio window overlooked Chai Wan Fire Station and offered a vantage view of assemblies, washing up fire engines, pupils’ visits, and volleyball games. That tiny window opened up a brand new chapter of a curious journey.
Initially, his gaze was drawn out of sheer curiosity, and he spent a month simply observing. The more he saw, the more he was captivated. Chan Dick dedicated 15 months to meticulously documenting the Fire Station‘s daily routine, sifting through 1,500 images to curate a collection of 40 that would become the photo book Chai Wan Fire Station.
致力推廣攝影藝術的Boogie Woogie Photography與香港攝影平台「顯影 PhotogStory」攜手於Fine Art Asia呈現特別展覽《昔日香港》(Hong Kong Once Was)，展出法國攝影師Raymond Cauchetier、香港攝影師何藩與鍾文略於二戰後在我城拍攝的照片。
Step back in time to the vibrant streets of post-war Hong Kong. In this era, traditional values coexisted with the rapid changes brought about by economic growth.
Boogie Woogie Photography and PhotogStory are pleased to present an exclusive collection of photographs by Raymond Cauchetier, Fan Ho, and James Chung. Their pictures provide a unique opportunity to explore a city in transformation, showcasing the cultural fusion and daily lives of Hong Kong’s residents during this pivotal era. The resilience and ingenuity, as depicted in these images, laid the groundwork for the dynamic metropolis we know today.
These photographs are not just nostalgic images but vital testimonies of a golden era. Junks, colonial buildings, rickshaws, and signboards in Chinese characters—each picture tells a story of hope and vitality, reflecting people adapting to new realities while honoring their rich heritage.
The city has undergone tremendous changes over the past half-century. Many colonial buildings have vanished, and these images are increasingly rare. We invite you to embark on this magical journey through time, where every corner reveals a memory, and every photograph whispers the tales of a city in transition.
Hong Kong Once Was transcends a mere exhibition; it stands as a homage to the enduring spirit of Hong Kong and its people.
同樣在1997年創作的《大選美》(The Great Pageant Show)，是「Hollian Thesaurus」系列中最多人認識的作品。肖像攝影是黃楚喬的重要創作，早於1981年，她便以4×5大片幅相機身邊的藝術家朋友拍攝肖像，包括導演許鞍華、攝影師梁家泰、作家蔣芸、詩人關夢南、藝術家麥顯揚及梁巨廷等（這系列作品被香港文化博物館收藏），地點則她與同是攝影師丈夫的李家昇在中環成立的攝影工作室。
Renowned Hong Kong artist-photographer Holly Lee (1953-2024) passed away recently in Canada at 71.
Holly pioneered conceptual photography in HK and experimented with Photoshop to create composite photographs that resembled oil paintings. Her most notable series, Hollian Thesaurus, was made between 1994 and 2000 and was collected by the M+ Museum.
Holly Lee has been a professional photographer since the late 1970s. She was one of the founders of Dislocation, a monthly photography journal in HK that was active from 1992 to 1998. She immigrated to Toronto in 1997, where she and photographer Lee Ka Sing set up an art studio space from 2000 to 2018. The duo published an online weekly periodical, Double Doube, in 2019, showcasing their diverse creations throughout the years.
In 2024, Holly presented her new fiction, “Sushi Grass in Paradise,” and three works for The Hollian Thesaurus in a duo exhibition in WMA in Sheung Wan.
