hong kong night time 209.jpg

hong kong night time 209.jpg, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

With the wonderful, clear weather we have been having lately; I decided to go out last evening and take some night time shots - this is one of them.
To all of you who know Hong Kong, this will be recognisable as the dragon-clawed phallus that dominates the Hong Kong skyline. For the rest it is IFC2, which at the moment is Hong Kong's tallest building.

Hong Kong twilight

hong kong twilight 153.jpg, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

After the rain, yesterday, there was a really clear twilight. Although, cloudy the sky took on a really blue colour.
I took this photo from my balcony with the wonderful 35mm f1.4 L lens by Canon. The beauty of this lens is the sense of perspective that you get from the shot

Fountain

Fountain, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

Kids playing in the fountain at Hong Kong Park. I used a longer exposure to blur the movement of the water, and the kids always make good subjects.

Conservatory roof

Conservatory roof, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

This shot is taken whilst looking up from the dry plant room in the conservatory at Hong Kong Park. I really like the detail in this photo and the monochrome tones, although it is a colour photograph.

Beach Hawker

Beach Hawker, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

I like this photo, because of the repetitions and patterns created by the sunshades.

Cactus

Cactus, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

Peanut was feeling a bit prickly today. Thought I would share it with you.

Found some food on the beach

Found some food on the beach, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

These two ladies dig in the sand below the tide line to look for small shell fish that they fry up and eat. Peanut looks on eagerly.

concentration

concentration 006, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

concentrating on those pesky camera settings

Flamingoes

Flamingoes, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

Hah! If you were expecting a photo from the fleshpots of Pattaya, you will just have to wait a few days. As I have been busy doing other things, than taking photos.
This photo was taken at Hong Kong Zoo. I was quite pleased wih this photo beccause it was taken through the wire of a cage; but, by shortening the depth of field I have managed to make them disappear. It wasn't a particularly long lens either.

Big

Shop Name, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

In the olden days the shop names were displayed inside the shop. Now on the outside, usually in relief.
I like the colours in this photo as well as the 3-D look.

I am away for a few days - I will keep trying to post daily photos, but no promises!

Club Rio

DPP_0002, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

This lady works at Club Rio in Phuket, and works really long hours, but always manages to be immaculately turned out, as well as being remarkably pretty.

Gage Street Noodle Shop

Gage Street Noodle Shop, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

Site where Yang Quyun was murdered (52 Gage Street). Yang Quyun was the president of the Hong Kong Xing Zhong Hui, but was murdered in his school on 10 January the following year.

House of Orange

House of Orange, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

This building can be found in Sheung Wan, not far from Western Market.
The strange looking angles on this building are not caused by the camera perspective, it really does have a strange shape. I like this and I like the blue canopy contrasting with the orange paint.

Orchid

Orchid, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

I took this picture in the botanical garden's greenhouse the other day; wonderful colours, and I like the drops of moisture.

Bulldog Bar LKF

Bulldog Bar LKF, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

After all that walking, on Saturday, I needed a drink; so I headed to my local watering hole.
I like this photo, because of the reflections in the surface of the bar, the depth of field shown by the bar stools and the way the line of bar stools draws your eye to the bar entrance. Infortunately the road outside is overexposed.

Kom Tong Hall

Kom Tong Hall, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

Kom Tong Hall is a historic building at Mid Levels, Central. It was accorded status Grade II historic building in 1990 by the Antiquities Advisory Board (AAB).
The Hall was built in 1914. It was named after the former owner of the Mansion, Ho Kom-tong, who was a younger brother of the prominent philanthropist Sir Robert Ho Tung. The Ho family is the first Chinese family permitted to live in the Mid Levels in the early colonial period.
In 1960, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased the building. The Church used the Hall for worship services and other local Church activities as well as for administration of its Asia area humanitarian, building and other programs. As a result of Church growth, locally and throughout Asia over the last four decades, the Church’s headquarters were moved out of Kom Tong Hall and into a much larger new 14-story building in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
The Church no longer had need for the building and was looking to sell the property. It soon became apparent that a vacant lot would yield a far higher amount than if the property were sold intact, and the Church considered demolishing the building. In fact, in October 2002, the Church actually submitted an application for a demolition permit to the Building Authority. However, after hearing concerns raised by friends in the community, and a series of negotiations with the Hong Kong Government, Church officials reached a consensus in selling the property in tact and preserving the building. [1]
After the Government completed the purchase in 2004, efforts began immediately to covert the 92-year-old historic mansion into a museum honoring Chinese revolutionary figure Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. The converted museum was officially opened on 12 December 2006.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Sun_Yat-sen_Museum]

Wellington Street

Wellington Street, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

I do like these buildings on Wellington Street, they are so ornately decorated. Look under the evs of the building. Every where you look you will find a little bit of something, of interest.

Pottinger Street above Wellington Street

Pottinger Street above Wellington Street, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

I took another route from work to LKF, yesterday afternoon. One to avoid those horrible camera shops on Stanley Street. Instead I went up the escalator, then along Wellington Street. This is a shot I took looking up Pottinger Street from Wellington Street.

Suay makmak

ef80mmf180411, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

In a vain attempt to rack up a few more hits, here is another brace of Thai beauties. I just love that hair over the eyes look.

Kangaroo Bar Staff

DPP_0006, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

Judging by the fact that I get more hits on days when I post pictures of lovely ladies, I guess you must like these more than the other stuff.
Being a great believer in giving my viewers what they want to see, here we go again. More lovely ladies from the Land of Smiles.
I am rapidly running out of these, so I guess I will have to go back there and get some more photos!

Peanut and the potato head

Peanut and the potato head, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

Last year I took Peanut to Disneyland, and took this photo of her in the store with the potato heads. At least I can tell which one id the potato head - the one with the green hat.
I like this photo because the smiles are infectious. I have to say that disney do a wonderful job of making their sites camera friendly.

Maid's day off

Maid's day off, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

I love walking around on Sunday's, when any possible public place is taken up by the domestics, sitting down with their friends, sharing food, doing each others' hair, singing, dancing and just having fun.
I wanted to take some pictures of the steps withthe gas lights on, yesterday, but I was beaten to it by the maids.
Taken with the wonderful Canon EF135mm f/2.0 L lens.

Peter Ustinov's Mercedes 36/220 1928

Peter Ustinov's Mercedes 36/220 1928, originally uploaded by Octopuscard.

Here is on of the exhibits at th British Motor Museum. Now what is a German car doing there?

Western Beans

Wandering around Western District, the other day, I came across this local shop that had these sacks of beans or lentils, I don't know the difference. I liked the colours and the textures of the sacks and the beans in them, so I took this photo.

The Clifton Suspension Bridge

Late last year, I went back to the UK, and went to Bristol to visit the ex. and the kids. Whilst out and about I took several photos, and I particularly liked this one of the Brunel designed suspension bridge, over the Avon Gorge. What did I like about this shot? The patterns of the bridge railings and supports, the rule-of-thirds composition, and the natural pathway caised by the bridge, drawing the eye to the tower at the far end of the bridge.

Up to you

Another Thai maiden for you to admire. Keep smiling, guys!

Labour Day

Wasn't it a lovely day, yesterday? I took this photograph out of one of the back windows of my apartment. After that I went over to Kowloon and took some more photos, before getting a few more in Hong Kong Park, just before sunset.

I have put in the sidebar the photos that received the most comments last month; OK the only photographs that received any comments last month. The plan is to have a record of each months favourites. Of course if you don't leave comments, then I will have to use another method of guaging success. I may have to resort to collecting votes on Flickr, or something totally uncool like that. You don't want me to be uncool do you?