Photography
A good photograph tells a story — it has the power to persuade, change minds, and inspire action. The following guidelines outline the process of creating a compelling image bank for Hongkong Land.
Ensuring all imagery maintains a consistent tone and quality, will maximize the impact of applications and elevate Hongkong Land’s profile.
The photos in this document are not owned by Hongkong Land and are sourced from third-party providers for illustrative purposes only. Hongkong Land does not claim ownership of these assets and is not liable for any unauthorized use. Users must ensure proper licensing or replacement with proprietary assets for external applications.
Five elements to consider
1. Scale
To tell a complete story, our photographs play with scale — from birds eye view of cityscapes to close up portraits showing the human experience
Considerations:
- Wide shots to establish the context, shows scale of HKL’s developments and the company’s presence across gateway cities
- Mid shots to capture the urban landscape on a street level, and a great way to capture group interactions
- Micro shots to show warmth, hospitality and an exquisite attention to detail in HKL’s places
2. Content themes
City
Hongkong Land has impressive reach across Asia. These cityscape images show our scale and help establish where you are in the world
Considerations:
- Weather will be critical: pick a day with blue skies, warm light, or a clear night
- Experiment with compositions and depth of field to create more visual interest in photographs
- Avoid dirty streets, grit, grey skies, harsh light and smog
Place (Interior)
This is our opportunity to showcase the brilliant places we’ve created. From unique architectural details to showing considered moments of daily life, we aim to celebrate the life and variety of experiences that happen in HKL places
Considerations:
- Compositions that celebrate unique architectural features
- Capture everyday life and show the human experience within HKL places
- Play with light and reflection to create an elevated mood
- Cropped imagery of interiors can capture high-end finishing and materiality. Ensure imagery of interior scenes are populated with people
Place (Exterior)
HKL places are woven into the fabric of the cities they’re in. This photo theme aims to celebrate the local cultures and how HKL places are part of the city
Considerations:
- Showcase the buildings at their best: cleaned up, no graffiti, grime or dirt
- Find interplay between light, reflection and shadows to create more visual interest
- Show different scales and introduce various textures
- Avoid overcrowding a scene. Prioritise shots that feel spacious
- Avoid overstaging a shot and aim for an authentic feel
Lifestyle
We aim to portray an aspirational lifestyle — one that feels elegant, refined and full of exceptional experiences. Celebrate the finer details in architecture, food, health and wellness
Considerations:
- Hone in on moments that feel special and extraordinary
- Harness warmer tones and play with shadow where possible
- Physical objects and environments should be complemented by imagery that focuses on people to demonstrate excellent service and hospitality
- Sense of ease and comfort
- Include a range of activities: food, art, wellness, health
People
Places are all about people — the teams behind them, the everyday service workers, and those who benefit and enjoy them daily. These portraits bring personality, warmth and deeper sense of connection with our audiences.
Considerations:
- Capture natural expressions and emotions
- Show people in action, interaction with others. Not always alone and passive
- Shoot on location rather than a plain studio backdrop
- Use natural light where possible, and allow simple props if needed
- Aim for personal and intimate in tone
- Avoid stiff, awkward and corporate headshots
Events
These are moments of bringing people together. For event photography, aim to capture the energy of the crowd, the new connections formed, and the positive experience of being part of a memorable event.
Considerations:
- Show the scale of the event and size of the crowd, especially those with high production value
- Use mid shots and close ups for speakers on stage
- Show audiences reactions
- Capture group interactions, where human relationships and connections are the focus
3. Lighting
Lighting is a critical component of good photography. By blending natural light, reflections and interesting shadows, we can showcase the ultimate city centre experience.
Interior lighting
Considerations:
- Use natural light from nearby windows
- Show dappled light to soften the mood
- Create depth of field with blurred foreground elements
- Dramatic lighting with strong shadows and contrast between subject and background (either natural or staged)
Exterior lighting
Considerations:
- Leverage natural light to capture authentic moments
- Apply high-contrast lighting to convey sophistication and elevate the sense of luxury
- Use natural light to emphasise architectural textures, forms, and details
4. Styling
Props
Considerations:
- Curate props that fit with the atmosphere (think of textures, colours etc)
- Choosing items that are beautifully crafted and thoughtfully designed
- Objects should help tell a story. Avoid superfluous details and overcrowding a scene
People
Considerations:
- Choose smart, timeless, well-fitting clothing
- Preference for neutral colours and hints of HKL brand colours
- Sense of comfort and quiet luxury
- Avoid clothes and accessories that could become distracting
- Avoid big logos or branding, and complex pattern
5. Specifications
High and low resolution final imagery
High resolution (RAW + 300dpi) for use across print and digital formats
Image rotation
Photography shot in a mixture of both portrait and landscape formats
Record locations used
This is for future reference or creditation with the imagery (RAW + 300dpi) for use across print and digital formats
Compositions
Capture spacious compositions for environments, ensuring surrounding details are visible. For people, balance the composition with proportional framing to highlight their connection to the space. Ensure adaptability for cropping.
Model release forms
Subject(s) will need to sign a release form and extra care will need to be taken to ensure the spelling of their name is recorded correctly
Misuse
- Uninspiring images
- Cluttered/busy
- Dirty streets
- Irrelevant shapes/textures
- Forced, staged/unnatural
- Emphasis/focus on unimportant details in the background
- Oversaturated colours
Video content
A compelling video narrates a story — engaging, inspiring, and driving emotion. These guidelines focus on thoughtful composition, dynamic perspectives, and creating an immersive atmosphere. By emphasizing cohesive tones, seamless flow, and avoiding distracting effects, we ensure each video aligns with the brand’s vision, leaving a lasting impression and elevating its identity.
Considerations:
- Capturing a mix of wide, mid and close up shots.
- Considering unusual perspectives to showcase places in intriguing ways, including the usage of drones.
- Establishing an atmospheric feel through the use of lighting, tone and elegant camera movements.
- Ensure consistency in colour grading, with a slightly desaturated but warm tone to footage
- Avoid timelapse footage or creating super slo-mo effects especially when people are involved.
Specifications
Footage resolution
High resolution 4K
Aspect ratio
Shoot at 16:9, but need to be aware of a 4:3 safe area in case we need to crop
Model release forms
Subject(s) will need to sign a release form and extra care will need to be taken to ensure the spelling of their name is recorded correctly
Record locations used
This is for future reference or creditation with the imagery
Raw files
Supply the individual raw footage