Recently got back from another installment of China. This time was more enjoyable than the last. I think partly due to the fact I saw the sun for more than a couple of hours in 12 days but also I knew what to expect this time, so I wasn’t being bombarded with a sensory overload! Click below for more..

Above image was shot one evening from the studio we were working. Yes that is the sun like I’ve never seen it before. The smog blocking the light enough to be able to look at it directly and still have enough clarity to make out its perfect shape. I waited for around 30mins for it to line up nicely in the space between the buildings.

Approaching Shanghai

Pudong international airport is about a 50min Taxi trip to Shanghai. On that trip you get to see some pretty interesting sights.

Pylons everywhere. So much power 

The amount of new construction is pretty staggering. Shanghai has the worlds highest population, something like 25+ million. That’s a lot of flats

Subway

We got chance to check out the subway this time

Classic Windows

High Rise

These colourful tower flats near where we were staying

Shanghai Night Missions

The evenings is when we had most time to explore the city

Looking from west to east over the river at the business district. The new Shanghai Tower leaving the frame 

Flying the heli at this location was sketchy at best. I got slightly hassled by security, but I just said I was sorry and moved away quickly. The footage is pretty special!

Shot in the park surrounded by the business district. It was late and I was pretty much the only one there. It was surreal

Grey Market

We met a very nice American who has lived in Shanghai for two years. She took us out one evening to the electronics markets

There were about 5 floors in this building, three of which had electronic equipment

Awesome little work stations where they fix stuff

So many broken screens

Long day

The mobile phone floor

Shanghai Mirrored

Here’s a few of my favorite mirrored shots

 

A flat with a view

The following images were all shot from a friends flat. She lives on the 20th floor. It was a super clear evening (by Shanghai standards) the views were varied and seemingly endless

The Shanghai Tower (second highest building in the world) nearly complete in the distance

Abandoned roof terrace

Sketchy flats. Apparently people still live here

Don’t look down

The same view but after the sun had set.

Leaving

Another clear day in China. The four times I had been at this airport this was the first time I could see stuff in the distance. It made some interesting pictures..

A Air Bus A380 pulling in (these things shouldn’t be able to leave the ground)

The airport is massive! all the gates to the planes are in one long line. There are two terminals. This shot was taken about half way down one of them.

A UPS 747 touching down. Shot with the 70-200mm lens (which isn’t the most discrete piece of camera gear) I had to keep tucked away when waiting for the plane.. last thing I wanted was to be hassled by Chinese security

Perfect timing. The planes in the background are the same brand, and are lining up pretty nicely

Shot as the plane was pulling up for take off. The vortexes coming from the engine fin things are pretty sweet

So it was a clear day on the ground, but I knew that smog had to be somewhere.. turns out it had risen to about 25,000ft where it was clearly visible as a thick layer… gross

Somewhere over Russia, awesome cloudage. Movement of these clouds can been seen here

Clouds over France. The Channel bottom right

Coming into London Heathrow

That’s it for now. It looks like Ill be heading out again with Rob in January. Next time I hope to spend a bit more time exploring, maybe even head down to Hong Kong.