Photographer Michael Kenna prefers a negative approach

CHINA
AO Vertical Art Space

Unlike many photographers in today's hi-tech world, Michael Kenna knows what the inside of a darkroom smells like. The British-born landscape photographer, who still works in analogue and whose favourite tool of trade is a Hasselblad film camera, spends hours developing the perfect print.

"I love being in the darkroom exploring the potential of a negative. Darkroom printing is an integral part of my creative process, akin to a sculptor slowly finding form in a block of stone," he says from his home in Seattle.

"I don't need or desire instant gratification in photography; it's the long, slow journey to the final print that captivates me," he says.

This old-school technique has resulted in atmospheric images that ooze a Zen-like tranquility, and this can be best seen in "China", his first solo exhibition in Hong Kong.

This body of work showcases the mountains and landscapes of Huangshan, Lijiang and Yuanyang, as well as lesser-known locations in Heilongjiang, Xiapu and Yunnan.