Book in focus: 俯仰之間 Highs and Lows: Unique Hong Kong Perspectives By Derry Ainsworth
Hong Kong is a city of striking contrasts — where towering skyscrapers pierce mist-covered mountains, where bustling streets pulse with life beneath serene peaks, and where millions of stories unfold each day beneath one of the world’s most breathtaking skylines.
“TST Overwatch” – TST (2025)
In Highs and Lows: Unique Hong Kong Perspectives, British photographer Derry Ainsworth explores this unique character through sweeping aerial photography and intimate street images captured over the past twelve years.
These images celebrate the daily life in Hong Kong, and invites viewers to see the city from two perspectives: from high above the clouds and at eye level on its vibrant streets.
Derry Ainsworth at “Colours of Hope” exhibition by Children of the Mekong – Hong Kong (May 2025)
A personal journey
Derry Ainsworth first arrived in Hong Kong in 2014. Trained as an architect in Bournemouth, UK, he later transitioned fully into photography. His architectural background remains evident in his work — particularly in his understanding of composition, scale, repetition, and urban geometry.
The title Highs and Lows serves as a personal metaphor, reflecting both the exhilarating heights and challenging depths of his journey as a self-taught photographer building a career in one of the world’s most expensive cities. More than just a portrait of Hong Kong, this debut photobook is also a testament to his own growth, resilience, and profound affection for the place he now calls home.
“Old Jordan Neons” – Jordan (2015)
His interpretation of Hong Kong
Spanning 2014 to 2025, this book brings together Derry Ainsworth’s strongest and most acclaimed photographs of Hong Kong. The demanding selection process combined popular favourites with his own personal choices.
The collection is built around the theme of “highs and lows.” Dramatic bird’s-eye aerial views (the highs) are paired with intimate street-level scenes (the lows), creating a powerful dialogue between the city’s monumental scale and its human pulse.
His first award-winning photograph: “Legoland” – Sham Shui Po (2023)
The idea for the photobook grew from both popular demand and Ainsworth’s personal desire to document the city. He cites renowned photographer Greg Girard as a major inspiration, whose iconic images of Hong Kong left a lasting impression.
Released during a period of rapid transformation, Highs & Lows functions as both a celebration and a visual archive. It captures disappearing neighbourhoods alongside new developments, preserving a decade of profound change. Ainsworth hopes viewers will see more than beautiful images — they will feel the lived experience and deep affection for this remarkable city.
As he puts it: “The only reason I learned photography is because I love Hong Kong. Without living here, I would not have become a photographer.”
“Happiness grows on trees” – Fanling (2025)
A heartwarming memory
When asked to choose his most meaningful photograph in the book, he selected this candid portrait of a farmer in Fanling, smiling warmly at his camera.
He fondly remembers the encounter: although the farmer spoke no English, he kindly invited Ainsworth into his home and spontaneously showed him family photographs. With no common language between them, the two men shared a moment of pure joy and human connection. That heartfelt warmth is beautifully captured in this single image, which makes it so special to him.
“Zen” – Ngong Ping (2025)
The Big Buddha in the Clouds
One of the most technically demanding images was this atmospheric photograph of the Big Buddha emerging through the clouds. Battling unpredictable weather, he had just a twenty-minute window to capture the scene at the perfect moment.
Shooting in the evening, he deliberately increased the exposure to capture the delicate silhouette, highlighting the graceful line of the Buddha’s hand cutting through the drifting fog.
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The first edition of Highs and Lows: Unique Hong Kong Perspectives, released in November 2025, sold out within just one month. The second edition was published in April 2026, with an additional 300 copies.
The book is currently available exclusively online via Derry Ainsworth’s website, with plans to roll out to selected bookstores in the near future.
Ainsworth is already working on his next photobook — a more tightly curated collection of Hong Kong images. It is scheduled for release by the end of 2026 or early 2027 and will feature a different format from the original hardcover. Stay tuned!
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俯仰之間 HIGHS & LOWS – Unique Hong Kong Perspectives
By Derry Ainsworth
190 Pages
8.5″ x 11″ Hardback Book
Published by DA MEDIA (2025)
English with Chinese translation.
Photobook available to order: HERE