In 2008, local photo-grapher John Choy was com-missioned by the Housing Authority to take documentary photographs of the Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate which was scheduled to be demolished to make way for newer residential buildings. However, the Housing Authority officials rejected his earlier photos on the grounds that he inappropriately beautified the environment of one of the city’s oldest housing estates. Undeterred and inspired by his newfound friendship with the residents, Choy chose to publish his photos independently.

Choy’s snapshots are indeed beautiful, but not in the traditional sense. The collection of 90-plus photos provides a privileged and realistic insight into a fading way of life at the crumbling housing estate. The residents are shot naturally as they go about their everyday lives. Nothing is altered or scripted, everything is shown exactly as it is: paint peeling off the walls, dirt and soot covering the floors, accompanied by gray and dreary lighting. By no means would the place be considered picturesque in the natural sense, but as you flip through the book you will see families living happily, a great contrast to the run-down and dilapidated homes and shops of the estate.

The peculiar position from which Choy shot the photos makes the reader feel like a fly on the wall, watching the families inside their very own homes. You can see them enjoying dinner together, watching television, helping their children with their homework. Choy utilised a fish-eye, panoramic effect which gives the tiny living spaces a more spacious look and reveals the inner workings of the residences.

Rarely are there any photos without people, as in addition to the living quarters Choy snapped photos of people eating at the local cha chaan teng or dai pai dong, shopping at the shops surrounding the estates, and taking in the local festivals held in the playgrounds. They are as much a part of the housing estate as the towering buildings themselves.

Supplementing the photos, Choy includes four stories about the lives of residents. He says he chose these particular four because he felt they best embodied the values of the people of the close-knit community: religion, tradition, family and friendship. The stories are printed in both English and Chinese, making sure people from all backgrounds can discover the quotidian beauty amidst the dust and grime.

Leon Lee