M A Andrew Black and White Photography Blog

In 1957, Richard Mason, a UK writer came to Wan Chai in need of inspiration. He checked into the Luk Kwok Hotel in Gloucester Road, Wan Chai. This hotel became the Nam Kok hotel in his famous novel The World of Suzy Wong.

One of my best selling prints is this one of Connaught Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Its about a 5 seconds exposure taken at around 10 p.m. looking towards Causeway Bay. To the right of this image are the bars and clubs of Wan Chai such as Joe Bananas, Dusk till dawn, Coyotes, Carnegies and Mes Amis. Whilst not as seedy as Mason’s description, Wan Chai, particularly after dark, still still retains a whiff of insalubriousness.

The picture captures the dynamicism of Wan Chai well, I think. Of course half a century ago, this shot would not have been possible on account of the fact that I standing here on land reclaimed from Victoria Harbour.