How Hong Kong’s iconic taxi became my creative playground
- scapuzzimati77
- Oct 20
- 3 min read
Red brushstrokes on the asphalt
Hong Kong taxis are everywhere, weaving through traffic, honking impatiently and occasionally forcing pedestrians into dance moves to avoid being flattened.
There are 3 types of taxi in Hong Kong: the green, blue and red ones. The green taxis operate in New Territories, while the blue ones they only circulate in Lantau Island.
The red ones? Well, they're the most easy to spot, since they circulate in Hong Kong island and Kowloon and I have to say luckily. Yes, because in my opinion they're the most photogenic ones.
If you spend a little time observing them, you’ll discover that these cabs are perfect subjects for creative photography, day or night.
During some day with moody weather (which is not rare at this latitude), they seem to offer the only brush of color against the city’s gray concrete canvas.
I’ve found that by layering multiple exposures or just simple shots, these subjects can transform an otherwise anonymous scene, or that by using ICM (Intentional Camera Movement), I can turn the rush of traffic into a dynamic dance of color and motion.
Sometimes, during my session, it happens to stop for maybe 20 minutes or more in a taxi stand, next to the cabs waiting in line for their next customer and I even catch some driver giving me a curious look, which I like to imagine is a subtle critique of my photographic choices, or (most probably) a silent question: “Why on earth is this guy photographing my cab?”
But that’s the beauty of it: the taxi isn’t just a vehicle, it’s like an actor on stage and through them, I’ve learned to appreciate the rhythm of the city.
Neon trails after dark
At night, these taxis transform completely and that roof-top sign that in the daytime seems to pass almost unnoticed, it suddenly becomes an incredibly powerful subject itself.
Even the top of the taxi can become a subject in its own.
The glossy roof acts like a big mirror, catching hundreds of reflections from the neon signs of the shops and streetlights nearby. Each angle turns the top of the cab into a canvas, a vibrant palette of colors and shapes that changes with every turn and every glance.
Sometimes, I find myself photographing the roof more than the streets, it tells its own story, capturing the chaos, energy, and color of Hong Kong in a single, reflective frame.
On top of that, I often experiment with multiple exposure, layering bokeh from nearby streetlights or neon signs to add more atmosphere to the shots, turning the cab’s roof into an almost otherworldly mosaic of light and motion.
Inspiration in motion
Observing taxis in Hong Kong I learned that even the most common elements of a city can be extraordinary when approached creatively, I learned that color can create a mood, adding an emotional touch even to the most anonymous scene and that blurs, streaks and reflections can transform an ordinary vehicle into a dynamic subject.
Whether it’s a sunlit afternoon in Central or a rainy night in Yau Ma Tei, they remind me that creativity often comes from observing the ordinary in an extraordinary way...and occasionally, from the excitement of avoiding being drenched by a speeding red cab on a rainy day!
In the end, Hong Kong’s taxis have become part of my ongoing dialogue with the city, a reminder that inspiration is always just around the corner, honking impatiently for me to notice.
...and let’s be honest: chasing taxis in a crowded street is also an excellent training for patience, reflexes and the occasional sprint, all essential skills for any urban photographer!
What about you: have you ever found creativity in something completely ordinary, hiding in plain sight?
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