Hong Kong Photographer

Over the years, as King & Country's 'Streets of Old Hong Kong' series has grown and developed a major source of inspiration has been a whole library of photographic books documenting in pictures, mostly black and white, the people, places and events that have shaped this amazing city that I am proud to call home.
Among my favourite photo books are those that cover the period between 1890 and 1914 when traditional Chinese dress for both men and women was the daily norm. Recording these Hong Kong residents and the clothes they wore as well as their homes, favourite modes of transport and all kinds of other details, both simple and elaborate, were a legion of photographers - some expatriate but the majority local Chinese all with an eye for detail and originality.
This latest addition to our 'Streets' series portrays a young Hong Kong photographer going about his business. Although dressed in the simple but practical Chinese fashion of the day he still wears his hair long in a 'queue'. This featured a long braid of hair at the back of the head while the top of the scalp is shaved back.
As a nod to modernity this young Hong Kong photographer is also wearing a Western-style 'Straw Boater'. These hats were a semi-formal summer hat for men and were popular from the late 19th century until the early 20th century. They first arrived in China and Hong Kong on the heads of Westerners as a lighter alternative to the 'Solar Topee' or sun helmet.
While in some Asian societies the 'Solar Topee' was seen as representing foreign colonialism the more modern 'boater' was more acceptable and more widely worn by Asians of all classes.
Here our Hong Kong photographer is about to take a photo with his glass plate camera mounted on a simple wooden tripod.
These vintage, large-format cameras used a coated sheet of glass as the negative or positive instead of flexible film.
The entire process required photographers to coat, sensitize, expose and develop the plate - a highly tactile process much-prized today for its exceptional detail and unique aesthetic.
On the ground, at his feet, is a large travelling box containing additional glass plates and a selection of chemicals to be utilized in this process.