PSA Journal – Overseas Report – Hong Kong – July 1953

By Francis Wu, FPSA, Hon. PSA – Honorary Representative

The year 1952 has proved to be the most eventful yet in Hong Kong. More photographic activities than any previous year has been held, and more photographic spirit have been shown by local cameramen.

First of all, the Hong Kong photographic Society, one of the largest photographic organizations in the Far East, with membership amounting to more than two hundred and fifty, had a highly successful year.

The Seventh Hong Kong International Salon of Pictorial Photography was successfully held at St. John’s Cathedral, which daily drew a large crowd on interested spectators from all walks of life throughout the duration of the exhibition. The accepted prints, sent from different countries of the world, represented the best collection of pictures ever hung in Hong Kong salon. Prints entered by our local photographers attracted considerable attention from the public, displaying our own high standard in comparison with that of foreign pictures.

Hong Kong exhibitors seem to have had much popularity last year throughout the world with their exhibition prints, and there were many successful ones too. At least a dozen and possibly more, gold, silver and bronze medals from International Salons all over the world were won by our photographers. Many new Chinese exhibitors found their pictures published in such photographic magazines as “Photograms Of The Year”, “Photography” and so forth.

The Indian and the American Exchange Exhibits drew great attention from the camera conscious public. These exhibits helped to show the different approach to pictorial photography from different viewpoints. Hence, from these exhibitions. Technique, composition, presentation, toning and other methods of treatment have been greatly appreciated and many are applying these methods to their photography.

The 6.20 Group of Photographers I seen as usual every Sunday morning, and sampans and junks, misty and atmospheric effect dominate Hong Kong pictorial photographs. Candid photography has gradually been introduced into Hong Kong circles and is influenced greatly by the Baltimore Salon and the Photography Annual contest.

We have two schools of photography here, and though they are not as large s those in foreign countries, still it is a good beginning of education of photography in the Colony.

From these facts one can visualize the progress the Hong Kong cameramen have made in photography. It is astonishing to find photography so rapidly advancing, and it is becoming more and more popular here. The standard of Hong Kong photography has considerably improved, and we hope that, with the help and advice of PSA and the PSAers we may be able to do better work in photography in the years to come.