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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Five: Using the frame to define ideas > Dual flags, Hong Kong, China, 2004
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03-JUL-2004

Dual flags, Hong Kong, China, 2004

Since July, 1997, Hong Kong has been part of China under a special "One Country, Two Systems" arrangement. It is free to pursue its capitalist lifestyle and its own political, economic and social systems. It only submits to Chinese authority in foreign and defense affairs. In this photo, both the Hong Kong and Chinese Flags fly from Hong Kong's City Hall, against a backdrop of I.M. Pei's Bank of China skyscraper. I used my frame to contain eight thrusting diagonal lines and three strong vertical lines, creating a dynamic display of energy that complements the fluttering flags and hanging palm frond. The frame here is an editing device, unifying both the new building and the old, and creating a field for the elements that flow within it.

Canon PowerShot G5
1/60s f/4.0 at 28.8mm hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time03-Jul-2004 11:55:11
MakeCanon
ModelPowerShot G5
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length28.8 mm
Exposure Time1/60 sec
Aperturef/4
ISO Equivalent
Exposure Bias
White Balance (-1)
Metering Modemulti spot (3)
JPEG Quality (6)
Exposure Program
Focus Distance

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Phil Douglis24-Jun-2005 19:45
I elaborate on the use of frame here in my caption, and there is more info on framing in the introduction to this gallery as well as under the other examples. You did a pretty good job of discussing the impact of framing here yourself.
Guest 11-Jun-2005 19:46
Dear Phil

Could you elaborate how do you use the frame to define ideas? While the perspective is great i.e. flags and horizontal lines to reflect changing times in hong kong. Correct me if I am wrong - you are using the photo frame as a framework to demonstrate 1 country 2 systems. I see multiple triangular frames which contain mulitple window panes symbolic of the sophistication, rigid way of life and congestion of hong kong.

This photo also draws my attention to the centre where the triangles meet - ironic because its on the bank building which symbolizes the hiearchies of political and financial systems.
Phil Douglis16-Dec-2004 18:45
What a remarkable observation, Clara. Changing your perception to imagine that dark panel on the office building as a huge grey corporate flag, changes the meaning of this image entirely. It is no secret that Hong Kong is, at its essence, China's money machine. And money is why Hong Kong can pursue its own capitalist lifestyle and its own political, economic and social systems as well. So you are certainly justified in building this image round that huge, gray corporate flag that looms so much larger than the red flags of Hong Kong and China.
Guest 16-Dec-2004 17:59
To me it's like the corporate building has more power than the country flags. The hexagon lines and the dark quarter makes another flag, much larger, which means that money is what runs political institutions.
Phil Douglis13-Nov-2004 04:28
Thanks, Kenneth, for the first comment on this picture. It is only fitting that it comes from someone who lives in Hong Kong. It is my job as an expressive photographer to give "people some thoughts" with my pictures. Glad it has done that for you. The changeover must be a difficult adjustment, at best.
Guest 13-Nov-2004 04:20
good. this picture do give people here some thoughts what has been changed after so many years (of handover) ... sigh
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