Karl Hab
Hong Kong in 24 hours: Parisian photographer Karl Hab's new book "24H HONG KONG" documents Hong Kong city life with colorful aerial photography, rare quiet moments and visits to lesser frequented corners like industrial Chai Wan.
Karl Hab
Street talk: When he travels, Hab usually packs a minimum of three cameras: a Canon 5D, a Yashica T4 or 5, and a Pentax 67 Medium Format. "Why? Because it allows me to see the world from different points of view through a panel of cameras that offers different types of pictures," he says.
Karl Hab
Fly over: "I took this image from the rooftop of The Peninsula hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, right before departing for a helicopter flight," says Hab. "I love to capture cities from above. It lends a certain vibe -- and you really just can't get that dimension on the ground."
Karl Hab
Sky high: "I took this photo from a helicopter -- I think views from above are always extremely impressive," says Hab. "But this one was particularly amazing, because I was really over the heart of the city. I felt deeply the fact that we are so tiny compared to the size of the Earth. I was also mesmerized by the shapes, colors and the amazing shadows of the buildings."
Karl Hab
Late nights: One night in Kowloon, the photographer found himself compelled to shoot Hong Kong's famous neon signs. "I was trying to get the neon as clean and clear as possible -- I didn't want it to appear overly bright," says Hab. "I also wanted to have the sidewalk and stores in the shot."
Karl Hab
Court order: "To capture this quiet moment, I made my way to the colorful Choi Hung Estate -- the oldest public housing estate," says Hab. "The scene really shows what youth is today ... homework, cell phones, friends. It shows how the next generation changes so quickly. As for the composition, I used a used new Kodak Portra film for my Pentax and waited a long time, because I really wanted to have the full scene totally empty."
Karl Hab
Lone ranger: Though usually overflowing with people, the elevated walkways around Admiralty -- which connect office buildings -- were nearly empty when Hab snapped this photo. "When I shoot, I always try to bring out an emotion, an immersion in a city while staying true to myself," says Hab. "It is my way of basically exploring the city without being clichéd -- I wanted to get really deep into some places, even if I only show a tiny part of Hong Kong."
Karl Hab
Driver's seat: Hab loves to explore lesser frequented corners of Hong Kong, including Chai Wan -- known for its industrial warehouses. When he took this photo, the photographer was wandering around when he stumbled upon a body shop. "It was an ordinary day -- I was in Chai Wan for a meeting," Hab recalls. "Afterwards, I was walking around and I found this amazing Jaguar E-Type, which was totally disassembled. Thankfully, I had my camera with me so that I could capture the shot. I really wanted to see the contrast between the shape of the car and the workshop itself."
Karl Hab
Just the ticket: Hong Kong's famous MTR is one of the most efficient metro systems in the world. As such, it's typically packed with commuters. But with some patience, Hab was able to capture an atypical scene. "I wanted to show the full emptiness of the situation," says Hab. "It was a real challenge, because these stations are always packed and busy. I waited for a long time to get this shot."
Karl Hab
Speed demon: "I was inside a cab on the left side -- it was very late and we were heading to the Kowloon side," says Hab. "I noticed that the road looked beautiful as we passed through the tunnel, thanks in part to the speed of the cab."
Karl Hab
Light room: "I was mesmerized by the patterns of the traffic itself and the way the buildings loom in the distance," says Hab of this photo. "But, actually, the main goal here was to show the way the light hit the road -- almost as if to highlight a part of it."
Karl Hab
Life of contrasts: "In Central, on Hong Kong Island, there is this constant juxtaposition between old and new, modern and tradition," says Hab. "The mix of the colors of the umbrellas caught my eye, and I focused on them in order to emphasize this piece of old Hong Kong."
Karl Hab
Take off: "I was sitting at the skydeck at Hong Kong International Airport at the end of my trip, waiting to catch my flight," says Hab. "It was the end of the day and this magic sunset just did all the work for me. It was a rare moment of quietness and the busy airport. Originally, I wanted to show the contrast between the sea, the runway, and the buildings in the distance. But when I took this picture, I just instinctively did it without thinking about the composition."
CNN  — 

If you think there’s nothing more to Hong Kong than crowded streets and dense high rises, then you should pick up Karl Hab’s new book “24H HONG KONG.”

In the sequel to 24H LOS ANGELES, the Parisian photographer documents Hong Kong city life with colorful aerial photography, rare quiet moments and visits to lesser frequented corners like industrial Chai Wan.

“The goal is to really showcase my vision of traveling,” says Hab, who has been documenting urban street life in Paris for more than 14 years.

“I’m known for my very low-profile approach – I prefer to stay in the background to capture rare elements and the quiet beauty of my surroundings.”

Pro tips: Shooting Hong Kong like a street photographer

Having picked up the camera at a young age, the self-taught artist – and trained aerospace engineer – says he’s been addicted to photography since he was around 12 years old.

“I’m always moving – I explore and get lost to capture the world with my collection of cameras, whether in the Hong Kong subway or with an aerial vantage point from planes or helicopters,” says Hab.

“For me, it’s all about the beauty of cities. I’m inspired by cities: their sunsets, colors and movements.”

Travelers can take an armchair journey through the back streets and serene scenes of Hong Kong through Hab’s photography in the gallery above.