{"id":41806,"date":"2025-08-02T12:35:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-02T12:35:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/41806\/"},"modified":"2025-08-02T12:35:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-02T12:35:07","slug":"this-vertical-city-is-so-dense-the-only-way-to-build-is-up-victor-chengs-best-phone-picture-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/41806\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018This vertical city is so dense, the only way to build is up\u2019: Victor Cheng\u2019s best phone picture | Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"

Victor Cheng describes his adopted city as \u201corganised chaos\u201d. The photographer<\/a>, originally from Toronto but now based in Hong Kong, says that while many people have a stereotypical view of the city, based on classic kung fu movies or Rush Hour<\/a>, it\u2019s \u201cactually quite modern, and full of skyscrapers. It\u2019s also fast-paced; even at times when you have nowhere to be, you get caught up in the busy streets and start to feel you have to move faster!\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite that, Cheng says he sees the city as a \u201cphotographer\u2019s paradise. There are so many photogenic spots and scenes.\u201d The Yick Cheong building seen here, known colloquially as Monster Building or Monster Mansion, is usually teeming with locals and tourists. When Cheng took this shot, however, the Covid lockdown was in force.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think it gained its nickname after it was in a Transformers movie,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s a residential building, but downstairs there are shops, cafes and wet markets. Because of the pandemic, it felt like I\u00a0had the place to myself. I\u00a0set a timer, put the phone down and used the wide-angle lens to get the shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cheng later applied minor adjustments using the Lightroom app. \u201cI hope that people would be amazed at how dense this vertical city is,\u201d Cheng says. \u201cSpace is so limited that the only way to build is up.\u201d<\/p>\n