Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape Photography Locations => Topic started by: shadowblade on July 22, 2015, 12:39:58 pm

Title: How to get around in Hong Kong - shooting outside the city area
Post by: shadowblade on July 22, 2015, 12:39:58 pm: I'm considering spending a few days shooting in Hong Kong in a fortnight's time and have been playing around with Google Earth and TPE to find some perspectives for landscape/cityscape shots. I like the following perspective for a sunrise shot over Po Toi O, near Clearwater Bay (facing roughly northeast, so sun will be rising in the background in August) but am at a loss as to how to actually get there for the sunrise and what to tell the taxi driver - and, just as importantly, how to get back once I'm done shooting (presumably the taxi won't want to wait there for an hour while I'm shooting).

I don't want to go to Po Toi O itself, but need to be on a hillside overlooking it on the other side of the bay, as per the map.

Any ideas on how to get there (from locals, or others familiar with the place)?
Title: Re: How to get around in Hong Kong - shooting outside the city area
Post by: Jimbo57 on July 24, 2015, 02:28:49 pm: Hong Kong taxis are cheap and will happily wait for an hour.

But - check that you are not asking them to leave Hong Kong itself. Although it is part of China now, they still drive on the correct side of the road, UK-style, while the rest of China drives on the right. Also vehicle tax is separate and I don't know if HK taxis are permitted to ply their trade outside of the "Special Administrative Region".
Title: Re: How to get around in Hong Kong - shooting outside the city area
Post by: shadowblade on July 25, 2015, 05:16:51 am: Quote from: Jimbo57 on July 24, 2015, 02:28:49 pm
Hong Kong taxis are cheap and will happily wait for an hour.

But - check that you are not asking them to leave Hong Kong itself. Although it is part of China now, they still drive on the correct side of the road, UK-style, while the rest of China drives on the right. Also vehicle tax is separate and I don't know if HK taxis are permitted to ply their trade outside of the "Special Administrative Region".

It's within Hong Kong - from what I can tell, it's part of the New Territories. Not sure what to tell the taxi driver though, since the location I'd be shooting from isn't a building or a landmark and doesn't even have an address. As far as I can tell, it's part of the Junk Peak trail, but I'm not sure if the taxi driver would know where to go if I said, 'Take me to the far end of the Junk Peak trail' at 4.30am...
Title: Re: How to get around in Hong Kong - shooting outside the city area
Post by: Jimbo57 on July 25, 2015, 05:56:23 am: OK - I see the potential problem.

So why not rent a car and drive yourself?

http://www.avis.com.hk/ (many others are available)
Title: Re: How to get around in Hong Kong - shooting outside the city area
Post by: Tony B. on July 29, 2015, 03:04:10 pm: I think your hotel would be able to call a taxi and arrange everything.
But, I would take multiple google map prints at different zoom levels to show taxi driver as google maps has english/chinese wording.
Also, maybe staying in a hotel in the Kowloon East area would make it easier.
Title: Re: How to get around in Hong Kong - shooting outside the city area
Post by: shadowblade on July 30, 2015, 09:30:31 am: Quote from: Tony B. on July 29, 2015, 03:04:10 pm
I think your hotel would be able to call a taxi and arrange everything.
But, I would take multiple google map prints at different zoom levels to show taxi driver as google maps has english/chinese wording.
Also, maybe staying in a hotel in the Kowloon East area would make it easier.

I'm staying on Hong Kong island, since I have quite a few shots planned from various locations there. But it's not like it's too hard to get from one to the other...
Title: Re: How to get around in Hong Kong - shooting outside the city area
Post by: drmarkf on July 31, 2015, 07:39:12 am: Be prepared these days for ghastly yellowish smog. Can look OK in B&W conversions, but getting the lovely clear landscape shots I got 30 years ago is bedevilled these days with aerial rubbish blowing in from the factories in Shenzen.

I don't know if you've been there before, but it's just a little bit warm and humid at this time of year so an a/c taxi or hire car would be good!
Title: Re: How to get around in Hong Kong - shooting outside the city area
Post by: shadowblade on July 31, 2015, 11:11:29 am: Quote from: drmarkf on July 31, 2015, 07:39:12 am
Be prepared these days for ghastly yellowish smog. Can look OK in B&W conversions, but getting the lovely clear landscape shots I got 30 years ago is bedevilled these days with aerial rubbish blowing in from the factories in Shenzen.

I don't know if you've been there before, but it's just a little bit warm and humid at this time of year so an a/c taxi or hire car would be good!

The forecast is for wind blowing from between SSW and E (i.e. from the sea) so, hopefully, that will blow the smog away rather than over the city.
Title: Re: How to get around in Hong Kong - shooting outside the city area
Post by: shadowblade on August 10, 2015, 08:46:15 pm: Got the shot. It was an extremely challenging shoot on many levels - will post details once I get home and process it.