Actor Chow Yun-fat, showing his photographs of Hong Kong, says ‘It works when it’s right’

Hong Kong actor talks about blending into a crowd to take street photographs, his inspiration, and his new show at Harbour City

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Detail from an example of Chow Yun-fat’s street photography, seen in his exhibition at Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui. The actor often goes out in urban Hong Kong in the early morning before the hustle and bustle of a typical working day begins. Photo: Harbour City

Published: 7:15am, 23 Dec 2024

Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-fat’s new photo exhibition reveals he may have more in common than we realised with his 2000 signature film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Comprising 30 images of flowers, streets and people, “Hong Kong Morning” shows Chow’s passion for photography and his uncanny ability to hide among civilians.

“Making movies brought me to different places, which is how I got into photography. Aside from acting, it has become another major part of my life,” says the three-time Hong Kong Film Awards best actor winner.

“The world of photography is fun – it’s all about the right time, the right place, the right people. It works when it’s right.”

An older man sips from a cup outside a cafe in Hong Kong’s Central district, as captured by Chow Yun-fat. Photo: Harbour City

Chow Yun-fat removed the aperture blades from the lenses of his camera to create a shallow depth of field, sharpening a photo’s subject and softening the background. Photo: Harbour City

Chow often wakes up at 5am to catch the quiet streets. His shooting location of choice is Hong Kong’s Central business district, a “snapshot of the city where I can observe all kinds of people”.