A Guide to Causeway Bay Photography
Causeway Bay (or Casueway Bay, in Cantonese) is one of the busiest areas in Hong Kong and home to many high-end shops, restaurants, and bars. Due to its popularity as both a shopping destination and as a tourist hotspot, it makes for an ideal place to take some stellar pictures with your Leica M9 camera – just be careful not to get distracted by all the beautiful people walking around! We’ve outlined the best time to take photos in Causeway Bay and recommended ideal photography angles in each different location around the area.
Introduction to Causeway Bay Photography
One of Hong Kong’s top travel destinations, Causeway Bay is a shopper’s paradise. While it may not be as glamorous as Victoria Harbour or have as many historical sites as Central and Admiralty, it has plenty of its own appeal. In particular, photography enthusiasts will enjoy shooting in Causeway Bay, especially during daylight hours. With wide streets and bustling crowds, shopping complexes such as Times Square and Lee Gardens offer an array of light-filled perspectives just perfect for picture-taking. For those looking for something more dynamic, escalators and moving walkways provide an interesting chance to capture moments that would otherwise pass you by with barely a glance. Plus, much of what goes on in Causeway Bay happens at night, so photographers shouldn’t miss out on visiting throughout all parts of the day! Our recommendation: set aside at least half a day so you can tour through some of our favorite spots—the times below are suggestions only and do not cover everything that might catch your eye!
How to Get There Physically
You can get there by a variety of methods: metro, taxi, bus or walk. What you want to do will determine which mode of transportation is best for you. For example, if you’re planning on taking pictures from above Victoria Harbor, then taxis or a bus will be your only real option. And if you’re really looking for exercise while getting stunning views of Hong Kong and its beautiful skyline, walking is definitely your way to go!
Overview of Key Attractions
As one of Hong Kong’s most popular attractions, Causeway Bay is a must-see for first-time visitors. During your visit, you’ll want to take photos of some of these notable landmarks and locations—and we can help with that! In our guide below, we’ve outlined some places in Causeway Bay you’ll want to visit as well as some photography advice on how to capture them at their best. If you have any other questions about photography or want more details about something specific, don’t hesitate to contact us via email or phone.
Times Square at nighttime
The heart of Times Square, at 1 Matheson St, is now part of any tourist’s must-see list in Causeway Bay. It’s more low-key than it used to be – most guidebooks now agree that it’s part of prime attraction – but still a worthy stop on your tour. For better or worse, Times Square has become synonymous with Casueway Bay; taking pictures here at night will make an excellent reminder of your trip when you get home. Most people think of Times Square as a great place for visitors to snap some iconic shots at nighttime. But daytime can be equally good. Many guidebooks now recommend a second look at One Times Square in NY: When you walk into Macy’s, try standing against the wall near Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street (the side facing Seventh Avenue). Go down one floor via elevator or stairs and turn left after exiting. Same thing can definitely be done in the Hong Kong's one as well!
Shopping Spree in SOGO, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong - Fashion Photography Center
Fashion in Hong Kong ranges from street fashion, such as hip-hop and chic styles, to upscale items and couture labels from some of Asia's best designers. What started as a casual shopping spree turned into an international fashion destination for high-end clothing and accessories by well-known brands. Today, more than 100 luxury stores occupy three iconic department stores in SOGO Causeway Bay: IFC, The Landmark and Times Square. These three destinations are also known as a fashion forward places that house popular franchises like Burberry or Dolce & Gabbana, or local boutiques like Shanghai Tang and Joyce Boutique where shoppers can shop unique designer items that are difficult to find elsewhere in Hong Kong. An interesting sight during your stroll along these streets is watching numerous tourists snapping pictures with their mobile phones of famous sights, including Causeway Bay Shopping Centre—which is one of HK’s largest malls that dates back to 1963 and includes 2 levels of retail outlets; its center court plays host to an array of performances throughout the year. In addition, you’ll find photography enthusiasts snapping pictures at other spots nearby, including One Island East with its stunning architecture so characteristic of Hong Kong skyscrapers while offering stunning views both day and night.
Causeway Bay markets and side streets - Oldschool Hong Kong Photography
The above picture features the casueway bay’s market. Casueway bay market is one of the oldschool markets in Hong Kong, and it provides lots of great photo opportunities for tourists who like Hong Kong’s oldschool architecture. If you would like to take a good picture of the casueway bay, I recommend taking photos when it is either dusk or dawn in this type of market. In addition to that, I suggest taking pictures in side streets instead of main streets as much as possible because there are so many nice shops and restaurants around casueway bay that give off very unique feeling that can not be found anywhere else in HONG KONG. This feeling will eventually disappear if many people are visiting casueway bay everyday because all of those side street will be covered by tons of different tourist shops and restaurants soon just like what happened on Nathan road where every single store looks pretty much similar.
Recommended Photography Times
Around sunset is a great time for low-light photography, as well as for taking photos of cityscapes and their reflection in Victoria Harbour. If you don’t want to lug around your camera equipment at night, there are some interesting streetside shops that stay open late: Big things that glow in neon colors along Tim Mei Avenue (石塘街), shops selling all sorts of trinkets and knickknacks on Upper Lascar Row (巴士海徑) and jewelry along Western Street (西貢街). Try taking shots using reflections between objects or catch interesting silhouettes of people moving through fountains or light trails behind cars passing by. Some serious photographers bring tripods with them at night because they often want longer exposures to capture ambiance while showing still objects. For instance, 1/2 sec exposures can be used in restaurants with colorful neon lights or signs; especially useful when combined with star filters to create long streaks of light running across images like sparklers! At night, taxis move about swiftly because drivers would rather have a longer route than get stuck somewhere due to traffic snarls.
Recommended Photography Gear
Regardless of what camera or lens you use, ensure that your equipment is designed for low-light photography. You will be taking pictures at night, so you need a camera that can capture detail in dark environments. Your lenses should also be able to focus on objects from far away. Don’t forget about a good tripod! If you don’t have one, I highly recommend it as tripods help photographers take clear shots without having shake and blurry images. As a night photographer myself, I love shooting with tripods because they allow me to create steady exposures even when my subjects are moving (such as car lights). Lastly but not least, make sure your camera has advanced features such as auto-focus and burst mode (which allows fast picture taking). These features help make up for any lag time between pressing your shutter button and an image being captured by making adjustments automatically.