EXCITING NEWS!
I am pleased to announce, Christiaan Hart Photography has opened a photography studio in Wong Chuk Hang. Conveniently located 15 minutes from Central by taxi or MTR.
As a special offer to my valued clients, I’m offering 15% OFF LinkedIn style portrait headshots for the next 4 weeks - spread the news to colleagues, friends and family! Mention this blog when booking via christiaan@christiaanhart.com Offer for a limited time and expires Wednesday 7 June 2023
As most of you are aware my photography passion started many, many years ago with a focus on sports coverage. Eight years on I have been privileged to expand my portfolio and client base with frequent assignments globally, covering commercial, corporate, aerial and large-scale events.
Thank you to everyone who has supported my work and I look forward to collaborating with you all on future assignments.
P.S if you are in the area, feel free to drop in for a coffee!
Studio Address:
44 Heung Yip Rd, Hundsun International Centre, Floor 6, Studio 5
McLaren Hong Kong
Do you consider Photography an important part of your business?
Professional photography is a crucial part of marketing your brand, it provides powerful messages and stories that words can’t describe. We all want to make positive impressions for prospective clients, after all there’s nothing more boring than a website or social media page without engaging content.
So, why is photography so important in marketing and why should you update your content regularly?
Headshots/Portraits: you want to look professional! Portraits portray an insight into your company culture and the people representing your brand - be sure to keep headshots and portraits updated on a regular basis.
Corporate office images: these shots provide an insight into your business and a level of credibility. Using current staff instead of stock photos makes your business more personal and allows clients to feel connected. Don't miss the opportunity to communicate what your business delivers.
Event Coverage: capture moments that will last forever and demonstrate your business progression. Showcasing how you operate, strong images will lead to business growth. Depending on the size of the event, think about hiring more than one photographer to capture all aspects - behind the scenes, ambience, set up and delivery just to name a few.
Behind The Scenes: more and more people want to see how you operate, we love seeing people working in different environments, this is great for live shows or large scale operations, it’s different, and it gives a personal touch to your brand.
Original content: provides trust, and an insight into who and what you do, keeping it personal, reputable and your content current. Original and authentic content also provides consistency across your media platforms.
Personal branding: great for freelancers, you are your business - show people who you are and what you do through images. Content provides connection.
Photography represents your brand!
Professional Interior images provide a true reflection of your product.
Commercial photo shoots showcasing brands, For, Prestige Yachts.
Create corporate stock images for your companies website or social media using actual staff. Porsche Hong Kong
Personal branding, can be used on many platforms to engage new clients.
Personal branding showcases what you do and who you are, when was the last time you updated yours?
Event coverage, its exciting, powerful and full of colour. Great for marketing and future content.
Live event coverage showcases your work, brand and provides invaluable marketing material.
Event coverage, capturing key people on stage provides you with strong material for future advertising or editorial use.
Lippo Centre, Hong Kong, aerial photography gives you unique angles otherwise hard to achieve
Aerial photography provides clients an insight into the surroundings, layout and produces angles not seen before.
Aerial Photography provides unique angles, birds eye views of your project or development and its cost effective.
Branding campaigns, images support text and catches the viewers attention.
Branding, event coverage, personal shoot, which one is this image? Photography has many uses…
Sport, capturing moments in time, documenting history.
Julius Baer using their branding in motorsport, a long term client I have worked with covering the Formula E series.
As they say “A picture is worth a thousand words” I look forward to discussing your next project with you.
All content copyright © www.christiaanhart.com
A bird's eye view of Hong Kong
Aerial photography is a captivating and efficient way to showcase a client's project, landscapes, or large-scale developments. In a recent shoot, I was commissioned to photograph 15-20 locations around Hong Kong. These varied from major highways, Happy Valley racecourse, residential properties in Kennedy Town, container ports, Tsing Ma Bridge, and then over to Sheko Beach with a final hovering around Shatin.
Working from a helicopter is both exhilarating and challenging, it requires great communication and teamwork, with many variables being taken into consideration. The team at Hong Kong Heli services were outstanding. With an experienced pilot, we managed to rise high in the air to photograph just in time, given the weather condition that day.
I hope you enjoy the images and the tips below!
Happy Valley Racecourse nestled between Hong Kong’s famous sky-scrapers.
A sea of concrete, Hong Kong’s Central district
Skyscrapers jammed into any free land
Admirality, a well known business district in the heart of Hong Kong
Victoria Peak, the highest mountain on Hong Kong Island
Sheung Wan, a neighbourhood not far from Central.
International Finance Centre (IFC) towers over Central Hong Kong
Happy Valley Racecourse, a rare view.
Stonecutters bridge towers over the Hong Kong Container terminal
Hong Kong Container terminal aerial view
Full load, containers waiting to be loaded and shipped
Stonecutters Bridge, entry to the Hong Kong Container port
Bridges connecting highways to the Airport
Can you believe this is Hong Kong!
Sheko Golf Club, surrounded by Hong Kong’s nature
Big Wave Bay, a popular surfing spot
Shatin, home to the Shatin racecourse and HK Sports Institute situated in the New Territories
Hong Kong Stadium is the main sports venue of Hong Kong
A few tips for anyone who is looking to photograph from a helicopter.
Doors off is a must to get the angles you need and to shoot with an unrestricted view. Harnessed in you can slide around in your seat, lean out and feel the wind rush beneath you.
Take two cameras, a zoom lens and a wide. My gear, 2 x Sony a7r4 bodies, Sony 70-200mm f/2.8, Sony 16-35mm f/4, spare Sony a9 body, and a 24-70 f/2.8. Some flights will allow you to change lenses once the door is closed, others won’t. Make sure your camera is anchored to you with camera straps.
Shutter speeds, keep them high, a minimum 1/1000 of a second, this will ensure everything stays sharp, Aperture I ranged between 2.8 - 5.6, will depend on the weather and available light. ISO keep on auto, if the weather is changing a lot, then you may need to keep adjusting it accordingly.
Shoot in RAW, this gives you more flexibility to edit your images. White balance on Auto.
Remove all lens hoods and anything else that may come off, safety is the most important thing!
Clothing, dress to the weather conditions, only take what you need. It’s a cramped environment you don’t want to be getting tangled up in the headset, camera straps, inflatable life vest etc. Before take-off ensure your gear is sorted and easily accessible. In colder climates, a beanie and gloves are a must, the wind is a killer!
Time of flight, if you can choose. Early morning or late afternoon, this is generally the best light, you will have nice contrast and shadows from buildings. Shooting an hour before Sunset would be my go to time, we can’t always have the perfect weather though!
Plan your route, we spent 1 hour before the flight with the pilot to ensure we were all on the same page. The actual planning for this job took several weeks. Allow a little extra time for the shoot (if you can) things happen and sometimes you will need more time to get the shot!
Photograph inside the helicopter and whoever you are up in the air with, these are great memories to have and give a great perspective.
Memory cards, have at least a 32GB or 64GB, the last thing you want to be doing is fussing around changing cards and missing shots! I always record to two cards to ensure the footage is saved twice.
There are obviously a lot more tips and tricks but I hope this gives you a good look into what I did and experienced during one of my shoots. If you get the chance in Hong Kong to take a flight, do it! That bird’s eye view is something very special and gives you such a different perspective of the city we live in.
Behind the scenes, Alex filming video Christiaan on photography over the Happy Valley Racecourse
Flight plan and gear ready, 2 x Sony a7r4, two go pros for filming behind the scenes in cabin footage.
All content copyright © www.christiaanhart.com
UPDATES!
Although I haven’t been able to travel over the past 12-18 months for work, I have been fortunate to work on projects in Hong Kong. In these constantly changing times, one doesn’t know when the next job comes. Social distancing rules, lock-downs and complete shut-downs of several industries, have made it extremely difficult for small businesses to survive and thrive. Nearly 15 months since the outbreak in February 2020, who would have thought that we would still be coping with similar challenges in 2021. However, I do believe, there is light at the end of the tunnel for all of us.
Enough of my rambling, I thought this would be a good time to update you with some of my recent work and a gentle reminder of the services I offer. Looking forward to reconnecting with you all over the next months.
Stay healthy and strong!
Yacht Photography and Video
Prestige Yacht Fleet shoot, Asia Yachting
Prestige Yachts in formation, Hong Kong.
MCY70, Asia Yachting
Spacious Interior, MCY70
Automotive photography, editorial shoots with Prestige Magazine and Porsche Hong Kong
McLaren, Hong Kong
Porsche Taycan, electric sports car.
Porsche 911
Portraits | Branding | Lifestyle photography.
Campaign shoot with Pressio, sports compression clothing
Padget Nanton, International drummer.
LinkedIn/Corporate Headshots
Portrait shoot with James Suckling
Artwork, Acrylic Face Mount Prints for sale, click here for options
Neon Vibes, custom made prints available
Large prints for your office or home. Shop
New York Aerial images. Shop
Event Photography services
Aerial Photography and Video
New York, Helicopter photography
Aerial photography provides unique views adding commercial value.
Happy Valley Racecourse, Hong Kong. Helicopter shoots add value and save time on commercial projects.
Ocean Park, Hong Kong
All content copyright © www.christiaanhart.com
15% OFF! Acrylic Face Mount Prints
NEW PRINTS AVAILABLE NOW
Add some colour to your home or office! There’s nothing more drab than dull interiors, give your walls some life. Acrylic Face Mount Prints are produced to museum grade standards that will last a life time.
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Hong Kong Skyline, aerial panorama: Shop Now
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15% off selected items in the online print store. Offer lasts until April 15th 2020 *Conditions apply,
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SEAFROGS UNDERWATER CAMERA HOUSING REVIEW
Are you looking for affordable and reliable underwater housing of your Sony camera system? If yes, please read on and check out the video review below…
If you are interested in seeing a review on the Seafrogs a6xxx salted line housings which my colleague Gary Tyson reviewed please click the link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qXNBsT_Yfs
Free divers from Azul Freediving shooting with Sea Frogs UW housing for Sony A6xxx series Salted Line. Image taken with Sony a9 www.christiaanhart.com
After doing some extensive research online I came across Seafrogs based in Hong Kong who specialise in underwater housings of Sony, Fuji and many other camera systems.
At first, the price of other brands put me off the idea of purchasing an underwater camera housing. Generally, most housings cost much more than your entire camera and lens system, which can feel out of reach for a lot of photograpers.
Bearing in mind of course that I understand the importance of using a housing that will fully protect my gear. A large portion of my photograph assignments are on the water, ranging from wake surfing, wakeboarding, paddle boarding and other watersports.
Image taken with Sony a9, 16-35mm f/4.0 www.christiaanhart.com
Previously I had been using a cheap pouch system for wake surfing. This mostly consisted in me being positioned low on the back of the speed boat. I was nowhere near confident enough to submerge the camera. It was enough to stop salt water splashes but not ideal. I quickly realised I needed a housing that I could trust and take into the water to help me get the dynamic angles I wanted.
Over the past 8 months, I have been using the Seafrogs Sony a9 housing with the 16-35mm f/4 Sony Zeiss lens. I have used this with the dome port and flat port which enables wet (underwater and half in/half out of the water) and dry shooting (above the surface).
Recently the team from Seafrogs invited myself and my colleague Gary Tyson to test some of their new under water camera housings in Puerto Galera in the Philippines. Of course, we were very excited to be part of the week-long testing with free divers from Azul Freediving as or subjects. I am not a scuba diver so I was shooting from just below the surface as well as diving down to 4-5 meters to shoot the models.
Behind the Scenes with our team shooting a free diver in Puerto Galera, Philippines.
Over the week’s shoot, I tested the newly released seafrogs a7r3 housing against the a9 housing.
I must say they are very similar and both performed flawlessly. For photographers who want the option of using a higher resolution camera for stills and video, the a7r3 housing is the way to go. One of the advantages I found in the new a7r3 housing was being able to attach a pistol grip which is great for shooting in the surf.
There is also a tray system available for all housings with two handles for videographers which enables smoother controlled movements and the ability to attach a variety of lighting accessories.
The dome port is very versatile when using larger lenses such as the 16-35mm f/2.8 and 24-70mm 2.8. The housings cover almost all of the Sony lenses (full details of combative lenses can be found below and on the seafrogs website.
Another great addition is the white color housing which definitely stands out more, especially for surf photographers to be more visible in the water.
One of the main features which I would like to see on both housings is to have the ability to move the joystick on the back of the camera. This wasn’t a huge concern but having the ability to be able to move the focus points would be an advantage when wanting to frame a shot differently. In saying this there are options within the focus point set up in the camera to track subjects.
All other buttons on the camera are accessible. For stills I didn’t have the need to adjust much once the shoot had started. I played around with aperture f/2.8-f/8, depending on the light and depth of the water I was shooting in, shutter speed ranged from 1/320sec up to 1/640sec, ISO Auto, I set the max to 3200, the majority of the images ranged from ISO 100-320 and in deeper water 3200. The view finder is very nice but I must admit I prefer to use the live view screen.
Photo taken with Sony a7r3.
Photo taken with Sony a7r3.
Housing Safety specs - This is a big deal! Anyone placing a valuable camera into an underwater housing needs to be sure their gear is safe! Having the vacuum pump seal and leak detection alarm gives me the confidence every time I use the housing. Double O rings are another added benefit for peace of mind.
Vacuum Pump System port
In-built leak detection sensor
Interchangeable port system
Synchro cable port
Standard flat port (Optical glass)
6" Dry dome port (Optical acrylic)
Stainless steel mounting plate 1/4" Thread
40m / 130ft Dept rate
Sony a7r3 compatible lens housing options
Dome port
Sony FE 12-24mm F4G (No manual zoom or focus available)
Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM (No manual zoom or focus available)
Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM (No manual focus available)
Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM (No manual zoom or focus available)
Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS (Only at 24mm. No manual zoom or focus available)
Sony Distagon T* FE 35mm F1.4 ZA (No manual focus available)
Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS (No manual zoom or focus available)
Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS (No manual zoom or focus available)
Sony FE 28mm F2 + Fisheye Converter SEL057FEC (No manual focus available.Minor vignetting effect)
Sony FE 28mm F2 + Ultra Wide Converter SEL075UWC (No manual focus available)
Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS (Manual zoom available)
Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* (No manual focus available)
Standard port
Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS (No manual zoom or focus available) - Works from 17mm to 35mm
Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS (No manual zoom or focus available)
Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM (No manual focus available)
Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS (Manual zoom available)
Sony FE 50mm F1.8
Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro
Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T*
Image taken with Sony a9 www.christiaanhart.com
Photo taken with Sony a7r3.
Summary
In my view, Sea Frogs have created an exciting product which enables anyone from amateur to professional photographers/videographers to access the underwater photography world. Whether it’s shooting action water sports to recreational divers or commercial level shoots there is a housing to suit everyone. Why I recommend Sea Frogs, there are two key factors that stand out, quality and price. In the early days of researching Sea Frogs there weren’t many reviews. The reviews I could find were all very positive, this is another reason I wanted to express my thoughts on the product and to show what can be achieved through the images you see here which I captured.
To receive a discount on any Sea Frogs housing enter the code, f8ch at checkout, visit seafrogs.com.hk to order now.
Disclaimer:
The following review is based on my time using the housings and I must reinforce we were not paid to do this, all views are my own honest thoughts about the systems.
All content copyright © www.christiaanhart.com
Party mode on! Race 6, Sanya, Jean Eric Vergne takes the win
Sizzling in Sanya, Formula E showdown!
in Motorsport, Formula e
4 am - out the door, off to Hainan Island for another race weekend covering Formula E. It’s been an interesting couple of weeks covering Hong Kong and Sanya back to back for Formula E’s Global partner, Julius Baer.
Hong Kong experienced a wet weekend with plenty of spills, Sanya was 40 degrees trackside with high humidity. A brand new race for the tropical Island dubbed the “Hawaii of China” located in Haitang Bay.
Race days are always hectic, especially Formula E. Practice sessions, qualifying, super pole, then the race, all in one day! It’s GO! GO! GO! from 6 am until lights out in the media center. You are literally running to and from the track, to the laptop, upload, edit, deliver and then back out on track for the next session. It’s full-on, fast-paced and exciting. Enjoy the images.
A special thanks to all that make it happen, a truly professional team and great people to work with at Julius Bear.
Sunrise over Sanya’s first Formula E street race.
Oliver Rowland lead the pack early on for Nissan Motorsports.
Jean Eric Vergne on his way to victory. A home win for team DSTecheetah
Free practice one at Sunrise
Nissan taking 2nd position in Sanya
Mitch Evans Panasonic Jaguar Racing team.
Mahindra Racing Team has been a part of the series since 2014
Local fans enjoyed the warm conditions at Sanyas first Formula E race. NIO Formula E team tackles the track in formation.
Team Geox
Julius Baer, Global Sponsor for Formula E
Grid preparations underway before the race
Felipe Masa trying to stay cool on the grid
Golden light at 7:30 am
Preparations underway on the grid
Sam Bird gets a shunt from behind into turn 5
António Félix da Costa celebrates his 3rd place position.
Jean Eric Vergne celebrating his win!
Celebrating in style
Some fun stats, a day on foot at the track…
Camera Gear: Sony a9, Sony a7r3, Sony lenses, 16-35mm f/4, 24-70mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8, Sony 2x Teleconverter.
All content copyright © www.christiaanhart.com
NEW ONLINE SHOP
Brighten up your walls with one of our classic Hong Kong street prints.
“Neon Vibes, Hong Kong”
Acrylic Face Mount, Fine Art Canvas and high end prints now available in our online store. Choose from a range of materials and sizes to suit your home or office setting. Orders take roughly 7 business days, pick up or delivery is available on request. International orders are also accepted.
See more of our images at https://www.christiaanhart.com/shop
“Bus Stop, Kowloon, Hong Kong”
Material options.
Artwork will look as if it’s floating in air leaving all the focus on your brilliant print and nothing else.
Together with an extra optic clear protective coating, your canvas is UV, water and scratch resistant, colors will easily remain vivid for more than 70 years. It will be stretched firmly around solid wood frame, you will be able to display it immediately when it arrives!
All content copyright © www.christiaanhart.com
PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOTS
When was the last time you updated yours ?
No matter if it's for LinkedIn, Facebook or dating apps like Tinder, first impressions count! There are many reasons to update your Headshot, applying for a new job, a new position within your current company, a new hairstyle or it's been years since you did your last one.
With the presence and power of social media these days, quite often our headshot is the first image we see of someone. When you think about it, our headshot is everywhere, from Facebook to Whatts app, WeChat, Instagram, company websites. It's important that this represents who you are, in a professional manner.
I recently did a shoot with Steve Bruce, Steve is a Professional LinkedIn Trainer / Coach and SME Marketing consultant. Steve has written an interesting piece on his experience and why it's important to have a Professional Headshot taken from a Professional Photographer. Steve also used Photofeeler.com to asses his headshot, as you will see, he got his best results ever.
Click the link below to read the full article and some tips for your next headshot!
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/9-tips-professional-headshot-steve-bruce/
“So here are the results and I’m delighted with them!”
As a special offer, the first ten bookings to mention this blog will receive 20% OFF your first headshot session, for more details email info@christiaanhart.com
All content copyright © www.christiaanhart.com
BIRDS EYE VIEW - CORON PHILIPPINES
Coron, a hidden gem! I must admit, I had to look up where this place was exactly in the Philippines. According to Wikipedia, there are over 7,000 Islands scattered around the region, roughly 2000 are inhabited. Situated roughly 130km from Manila lies this tropical oasis.
Crystal clear waters, beautiful sunsets, and some of the whitest sand you will ever see. My goal for this project was to literally create a "bird's eye view" at a location that is still raw and pure.
Whether it's for travel or commercial purposes throughout Asia, flying the DJI Phantom 4 Pro has enabled access to sites inaccessible on foot. And at the same time allowing photographers to capture unique and extreme views.
The sense of scale and the freedom you get from viewing subjects top down is an incredible feeling, one can only imagine how a bird feels in flight.
With that, I hope you enjoy the following images, stay tuned for our video feature, coming soon...
Twin Lagoon, Coron Palawan
Entrance to Twin Lagoon, boats are restricted from entry.
Swimming through the lagoon you experience cold water mixing with warm, quiet surreal.
Mode of transport and landing pad for the drone.
Awesome way to get around, each boat is equipped with a BBQ, fresh seafood for lunch!
Pass Island is part of Coron, probably less known than other islands, a must visit!
Pitch a tent, camp under the palm trees surrounded by crystal clear water.
Pass Island it doesn't get much better than this!
By 3pm all boats have left, be sure to stay on into the late afternoon.
Kayangan Lake.
Blue Lagoon, no guessing why they named it this.
Lost in paradise.
All content copyright © www.christiaanhart.com
I'TS HOT! BLANCPAIN GT SERIES ASIA
35 degrees, 85% humidity and clear blue skies, it’s damn hot! I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.
Race circuits have always been interesting places, the atmosphere, the smell of burning rubber and petrol in the air, comradery of drivers and teams. Seeing familiar faces and catching up with clients which are now friends, it's a real buzz and a dream come true, to be working in this environment.
My colleague has arrived, accreditations in hand, scooters ready and off we set for a weekend covering the Blancpain GT Asia series at Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia.
Sepang International Circuit is, HUGE! Two massive straights, tight turns, and long sweeping bends. Covering a race here is exciting, and at times very challenging, it pushes you to think outside of the box. Some days are better than others, getting the creative ideas to flow is hard at times, other days, it just happens.
For photographers to be able to work in this exciting and at times a dangerous environment comes only with the assistance of dedicated team of people who make it all happen.
Thanks to the crew at Blancpain GT series Asia and SRO Motorsport Group for their support and hospitality over the weekend.
Recently I made the change from Canon to Sony and I must say I don't regret it one bit. Throughout the weekend the Sony a9 performed amazingly, super fast autofocus, lightweight and with 20 frames a second you are almost guaranteed not to miss! 20 frames a second may be an overkill but it's good to know you have that extra frame rate if you need it. The tilt screen came in handy, shooting in some positions when very low enables you to view the screen a lot easier and shoot more efficiently. Battery life was a non-issue, shooting for over 6 hours a day and still had plenty of juice left.
Overall I am very satisfied with the Sony system, durability may be an issue long term but let's see. Being able to carry two full camera systems all day and not feel it on the shoulders, to me, is a bonus. Looking forward to trying out the Sony 400mm 2.8 once it's launched.
Gear used: Sonya9 Sony a7R3, Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS, Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM OSS, Sony FE 2x Teleconverter, Sony Vertical battery grip.
All content copyright © www.christiaanhart.com
HONG KONG ELECTRIFIED
Round 1 and 2 of the 2017/2018 season, Hong Kong Formula E has come and gone. This year we were hired by the Global Sponsor, Julius Baer, and Activation Group. What an exciting event for Hong Kong, in the heart of the central business district, a stone's throw away from Victoria Harbor. Not to mention one of the worlds greatest backdrops, nestled amongst skyscrapers and luxury apartments. One can only imagine what a night race would be like in the Harbour City?
One of the greatest feelings of satisfaction is when you have completed a job exceeding your client's expectations. This can't be done without a good team around you, continuous communication, positive/negative feedback, improving or dealing with situations out of your control and overall staying professional under pressure, and, getting the job done! None of this works without planning and understanding your client's requirement weeks before an event.
As a photographer, you need to be flexible, adaptable and willing to work hard under any condition. Motorsport photography has its challenges, especially street circuits, we are quite restricted with access due to track designs and of course, safety reasons and the Hong Kong track is no exception. Keeping this in mind we need to be creative in finding angles or locations different to be able to tell the story and at the same time fulfill your client's needs. This is one of the great challenges but one of the most rewarding when you get that perfect shot!
Thanks to a professional team at Activation Events, Julius Baer and my assistant Terence. If you would like to see more of my work please visit my website www.christiaanhart.com and follow me on Instagram @christiaanhartphotographer
Daniel Abt, Team Audi, full steam ahead
All eyes on the prize, Mitch Evans, Jaguar Formula E Team, fully focused Round 1.
Julius Baer, Global Sponsor, Formula E.
Hong Kong's famous checked yellow intersections, makes for an interesting view
Mechanical issues forced Felix Rosenqvist to spectate in practice one.
A different perspective, Turn 2.
Turn 2 a tight right hander off the main straight.
All content copyright © www.christiaanhart.com
ELECTRIFYING
The count down is on! December 2nd and 3rd, Hong Kong's Central Harbour front will come alive, hosting it's second Formula E race. This year we will be covering the event for Formula E Global Partner, Julius Bar. It's going to be an action packed weekend, full of thrills and hopefully, not too many spills... Here's a few favourites from last years race.
Roborace, the worlds first driverless car was introduced to the streets of Hong Kong in 2016. Unfortunately due to mechanical issues, it never made the track. We did mange to capture it in action on the Kai Tak cruise terminal.
All content copyright © www.christiaanhart.com
Unique view, something previously hard to capture.
MEGA CITY - SHENZHEN FROM ABOVE
With new technology Aerial Photography continues to advance rapidly via the use of drone imagery. In most cases gone are the days when you need an expensive helicopter and film crew to capture that ' birds eye view'. I have recently captured a series of aerial images from around Shenzhen, China.
The vast growth of this City is amazing and it's something that aerial photgraphy captures in a unique way. The DJI Mavic Pro drone has opened the door to exciting new perspectives and stunning visual images . The compact size and light weight makes it ideal for traveling with, it is literally not much bigger than a regular camera.
Drones theses days are becoming a part of society ;however invasion of privacy, irresponsible flying in ’no fly zones’, and safety have become issues of some concern. Drones are however being used in many positive and responsible ways; sadly there is the ‘irresponsible few’ that fly without the necessary skills and precautions.
As a professional photographer, the use of drones has expanded the service, creativity, and new portfolio options that I can now offer to both professional and private clients. The advanced technology DJI is producing aims to make flying safer, and opens a new 'birds eye view' in the world of photography.
Shenzhen is being called the next Silicon Valley, futuristic buildings are popping up everywhere.
Deep foundations being built for another mega structure.
Highways are everywhere...
Four images used to stich together a panorama of Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre.
Amazing architecture used throughout the city.
Night view of the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre Football pitch.
Longer exposure used to give a sense of motion from the Basketball in action.
A Tennis player takes time out form the hustle and bustle of City life in China.
New Basketball courts next to the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre.
Yantian Port, Shenzhen, is the second largest port in China. This was absolutely amazing to photograph. The sheer size and volume of containers being moved around was mind blowing.
Organised chaos..
Container Ship being loaded.
BTS images.
All content copyright © www.christiaanhart.com
Craft Bamboo driver, Darryl O'Young tackles Lisbo corner in the VLT Porsche GT3
CONCRETE JUNGLE
Macau Grand Prix is well known for its tight turns, long straights and yellow and black steel barriers that have claimed many teams and drivers championship hopes. The City of Macau comes alive for a four day action packed motorsport festival.
2016 was as exciting as ever, working with Craft Bamboo and VLT, the teams major sponsor. Craft Bamboo who compete in the GT Asia series which is the regions leading GT championship featuring the best production based supercars such as Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Bentley.
Over the four days we were hired as the teams official photographers capturing everything from pit lane, garage preparations, VIP's, and race day action on the track.
Here's a little insight into what went on.
Darry'l O'young attacking the famous Melco hairpin turn.
The 2016 event was definitely more challenging to photograph due to tighter securities on vantage points. Nevertheless, this is one of the most exciting corners whereby the cars lift a wheel off the ground due to the angle of the turn, this makes for an exciting dynamic image.
Team Craft Bamboo leading the way after a restart. This is one of fastest parts of the Macau circuit coming out of Fishermans bend heading towards the famous Lisboa corner.
Darryl O'young pushing hard in Qualifying.
Always a crowd favourite, VLT Race To Win, Craft Bamboo Racing Team.
Autograph session in the paddock with Darryl O'young and the VLT racing Queens.
Sadly the weekend did not finish well for the team after being pushed into a wall from a competitor. Unfortunately the car did not make it back onto the track after the incident.
VLT Racing Queens.
Photographer, Christiaan Hart
Motorsport events are long days and nights. The excitement and exhilaration you get from working with and around professional motorsport teams is second to none. It was a pleasure to work with Craft Bamboo and VLT, we look forward to more exciting projects down the road.
Camera equipment used:
Canon 2 x EOS 1DX Bodies
Canon 2 x EOS 5D MKIII
Canon 2 x EF 24-70 f/2.8 L IS USM
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 LII USM
Canon 2 x 70-200 f/2.8 IS II USM
Canon 400MM f/2.8 IS II USM
Big Wave Bay, Hong Kong
ONLINE SHOP
Following up to my last Blog post, I have launched a new "Shop" section to the website. For the Motorsport fans out there, a limited selection of Formula E images from Hong Kong's first ever race are now for sale. All images come fully mounted and framed with non reflective glass in 16x24 format. (Black frame / white mount) Special requests can be made to order.
There is also a small selection of Landscape images from Big Wave Bay and Hong Kong Harbour. More images will be added over time so keep an eye out.
Orders take 5-7 working days, pick up or delivery can be arranged.
LIFE IN THE FAST LANE
Hong Kong is well known for it's hustle and bustle and what not a better place to host the first Formula E race of 2016/2017 season.
Hong Kong's harbour front came alive for a weekend of spills and thrills. I was contracted to cover an exciting new project by ROBORACE, a driverless race car series, yes you heard it! "Devbot" is a prototype and Hong Kong was to be its first time navigating the challenging street circuit. Unfortunately "Devbot" never made it on to the circuit. The autonomous race car is packed with technology and due to a battery failure sadly we didn't get the chance to photograph her on track.
In saying this, we had the opportunity to witness "Devbot" in action on the Kai Tak cruise terminal. The Team had a pre approved secret test late on Saturday night. I must say it was a little surreal to watch a driverless car in motion in front of the breathtaking backdrop of Hong Kong's skyline.
Secret testing of "Devbot" This was the first time the car was in motion in Hong Kong.
Race day! Hong Kong debuts Formula E.
BTS, capturing the action on turn three.
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