June, 2025
Fuji X-T5 + 16-50mm f2.8-4.8 [Kit Lens]

ISO 125 - 1/8s - f/10 - 26mm

Background - For anyone who's spent time in Hong Kong, the tram system (known as Ding Ding locally) will be instantly recognisable. These iconic trams have been running up and down the northern edge of Hong Kong island since 1904. The tram photographed, No97, is one of the handful of trams painted in the classic 'HK Tram Green' colour which was adopted in the late '40s following WW2.

The Photo - I was in HK last June, just as the monsoon season was rearing its ugly head. During one of the skies momentary temper-tantrums I found myself stuck under the Canal Road Flyover, without an umbrella, waiting for the weather to pass. 5 minutes of waiting for the rain turned into 30 minutes waiting for the correct livery of tram to appear. Most of the trams are now covered in advertisements, but a select few have been kept in their iconic 'HK Tram Green' livery. It's fortuitous timing that the trams contemporary was coming in the other direction as No97 was passing when I grabbed this shot.

During my trip I'd set myself a similar goal to this month's competition, to experiment with longer shutter times as an element in my photos, rather than simply to get more light on the sensor. As this potentially falls into the 'street' genre, I didn't want to go in and alter too much in photoshop, so it is largely as-shot. There weren't many ways to get above the crowd of people cowering from the rain, so this was taken whilst standing on a traffic barrier.