TRAVELS IN BLACK AND WHITE

Photographer Karen Ng journeys to familiar cityscapes and landscapes, capturing the obvious or the ubiquitous. The final images represents her unique take in black and white, of scale and drama that makes us take a closer look. 

Words & Photos: Karen Ng

HONG KONG
As a local, Karen does her ode to Hong Kong. When a familiar spot, such as an older building is about to be torn down, she immortalises it with a juxtaposed shot of the nearby playground. Photographs also reflect here enchantment with the architectural throwback of a British colonial building amidst the steel and glass of today’s skyscrapers.

HONG KONG
She says that quite a lot of visitors think Hong Kong is just buildings, yet only 30% of the land is allocated to urbanisation. Here, photographs show the other side to the other islands that are still a part of Hong Kong – like the classic shot with the ferry. “Hong Kong is most famous for the city skyline, how can I miss out a picture with all that sky-high architecture?”

Her photographs are consistent in capturing the continuous whiteness in structures with strong architectural designs. In Karen’s travels, she reflects a dedication to targeting the contrast of black and white on a large scale.

MYANMAR
The feeling of awe and wonderment trickles in as Karen photographs the pagoda on Mandalay hill and the city views. In Myanmar, here feelings are expressed in photos like the time she was at Inle Lake on a boat, waiting for the sun to set. In famed Bagan, she joins the throng of people to also wait for the same magic moment when the sun lowers itself into the horizon.

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