Victor Cheng, a photographer originally from Toronto who now calls Hong Kong home, has a unique perspective on his adopted city. He describes Hong Kong as "organized chaos" - a place where energy and structure somehow coexist in perfect harmony.
Cheng notes that many people hold stereotypical views of Hong Kong, largely influenced by classic kung fu movies or Hollywood films like Rush Hour. However, he emphasizes that the reality is quite different. "It's actually quite modern, and full of skyscrapers," he explains. The city's pace is relentless - so much so that even when you have nowhere particular to go, you find yourself swept up in the bustling streets and feel compelled to move faster just to keep up with the rhythm of urban life.
Despite this frenetic energy, Cheng considers Hong Kong a photographer's paradise. "There are so many photogenic spots and scenes," he says, referring to the countless opportunities the city provides for capturing compelling images.
One of his most striking photographs features the Yick Cheong building, a structure that locals and tourists commonly refer to as the "Monster Building" or "Monster Mansion." This residential complex is typically crowded with both residents and visitors, making it challenging to photograph without crowds of people in the frame. However, when Cheng captured this particular shot, Hong Kong was under COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, which created an unprecedented opportunity.
"I think it gained its nickname after it was featured in a Transformers movie," Cheng explains about the building's unusual moniker. The structure serves multiple purposes - while it's primarily residential, the ground floor houses various shops, cafes, and wet markets, making it a vibrant hub of local activity under normal circumstances.
The pandemic lockdown transformed the usually bustling location into something entirely different. "Because of the pandemic, it felt like I had the place to myself," Cheng recalls. This rare solitude allowed him to capture the building's impressive architecture without the usual crowds.
To achieve the shot, Cheng employed a creative technique using his phone's capabilities. "I set a timer, put the phone down and used the wide-angle lens to get the shot," he describes. This method allowed him to position himself in the frame while still operating the camera remotely.
After capturing the image, Cheng made some minor post-processing adjustments using the Lightroom mobile app to enhance the final result.
The photograph serves a larger purpose beyond just documenting architecture. "I hope that people would be amazed at how dense this vertical city is," Cheng says, referring to Hong Kong's unique urban landscape. He wants viewers to understand the reality of life in one of the world's most densely populated cities. "Space is so limited that the only way to build is up."
This image captures not just a building, but the essence of Hong Kong itself - a city where limited space has forced residents and developers to think vertically, creating towering structures that house thousands of people in relatively small footprints. The Monster Building, with its distinctive architecture and community-centered design, represents this urban reality perfectly.
Cheng's work demonstrates how exceptional circumstances - in this case, a global pandemic - can sometimes provide unique opportunities for artists to see familiar places in entirely new ways. The empty spaces that would normally be filled with the constant flow of people reveal the true scale and character of Hong Kong's vertical architecture.
