Hedda Morrison

Hong Kong's islands lie around a coastline of memorable grandeur. Seen across waters often blue-green, and sometimes gunmetal-grey or golden, the coasts and islands are impressive natural features. In the postwar years, and for a few decades after, most overseas travellers arrived in Hong Kong by ship. Their final approach lay amidst islands and channels. Thus Hedda Morrison herself had reached Hong Kong, her vessel first raising the lighthouse on Waglan Island's knife-edge rock and then passing through the eastern inshore channels. There she would have seen mountainous islands, barren craggy islets and crystal coves.

In 1946 the coasts and islands were almost entirely workaday, in contrast to their common
use today for weekend hiking and launch outings. In the postwar years villagers tilled the land and boat people harvested the sea. Morrison photographed the accessible coasts of Hong Kong Island, but her most evocative studies were

taken in the northeastern waters. There, around Tolo Harbour, impressive peaks rose high above sea inlets. Villages looked out onto tranquil inshore channels.

In her choice of locations and subjects, and in her photographic style, Hedda Morrison was a lone spirit. She was led, not by fashion, but by her independent approach and strong eye for details and visual composition. Her landscape photographs suggest that she was able to envisage, at least in broad outline, the scenes that she would find by exploring over the ranges
– or around the coasts. And she had the grit to get there, while never hinting at the physical effort needed to achieve her photographs. Of Hong Kong she later wrote, 'The coastal scenes were always changing and always attractive. The beaches, coves and hilltops retained their natural charm, and had not been encroached upon.'