join me for a brief but wonderful 24 hours in shanghai, with some retail tours and night photography.
Join me for a very short overnight stay in Shanghai, although I managed some quick snaps on a retail tour and then the world famous Bund walkway night shots (one of the highlights of my Asia trip). Shanghai feels like a city in the future, not only are most of the cars on the road electric but there is no noise as I believe using the car horn is prohibited. There are also cameras everywhere, constantly taking photographs with flash, which I found quite interesting. It really is quite a surreal place, very fast paced and lots of luxury, but then somehow very traditional too.
A really cool temple seemingly in the middle of downtown and surrounded by high rises and shopping centres.
The Louis Shanghai Boat - a retail experience like no other. It really is quite something. Unfortunately, I did not have time to visit the exhibition but even seeing it from the outside is quite spectacular. It takes up a whole block. Retail, especially luxury retail, is on a different level in China and across Asia.
A walking and shopping area of downtown Shanghai.
I really was not sure what was going on here but I liked the overall scene from above.
Shanghai is immensely sprawling (25 million people live here!).
Anfu Road district in Shanghai, an ultra hip and luxury shopping and cafe type street. Really cool.
I noticed there were loads of photographers around the place and they would offer to take pictures of people, presumably for their social media accounts. It was really interesting to observe.
Semi also wanted her photo taken :-)
Pity I missed the focus on this one although I still like the final shot.
Really cool architecture of the Arc’teryx museum. I cheated and converted this to black & white.
I managed to snap this shot in the taxi, I love the colours.
the bund
In what must be one of the most iconic skylines in the world (especially at New Year’s), The Bund area of Shanghai is quite incredible. It is both futuristic and nostalgic at the same time, reminiscent of a blade runner type movie scene. The TV tower (“Oriental Pearl Tower”), built in 1991, is every bit cool in person as it is on TV. It also used to be the tallest structure in China. It really completes the skyline and adds a real depth of personality to what is otherwise a mirage of colours and high rises.
I am really happy with how these shots came out, all shot handheld with my Leica MP and a Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 lens. The film used was Kodak ISO 800 film (from a kodak disposable camera!). Forgive me for some camera shake in some of them, but otherwise the colours are really fantastic.
A street scene outside a restaurant with one of the chef’s taking a break and on the same street a flash portrait of my colleague Likun!
overall observations
I found Shanghai fascinating, with a very interesting blend of new, modern, luxurious, with old Shangainese culture. The food was excellent. The Bund area was a real highlight (not the traffic jam to get there though!). I would go back in a second and spend more time exploring as 24 hours doesn’t really give enough time beyond the main sights.
My next post will be my final one in this mini series ‘Asia on 35mm film’.
Thanks for stopping by!
Neil
