Hong Kong Island epitomizes the history and character of Hong Kong. Below its peaks a mercantile community had come into being, beside its harbour trade found life. Its northern coastline, originally sinuous, included the foreshores of Central District and Wan Chai.
But the Island, as it had come to be known,
always was more than its Chinese or European commercial and residential districts – for its southern coast, deeply indented and beautiful, looked out to sea. There, nestled villages faced onto rugged islands.

Morrison roamed widely across Hong Kong Island, her large number of photographs reflecting the Island's accessibility and significance. From its northern slopes she captured densely packed urban areas and the fishing village of Shau Kei Wan. Across the rough spine of hills, she passed Chai Wan, Shek O and Tai Tam Bay. Beyond Repulse Bay's beach mansions she explored the south coast to the steep hillsides of Pok Fu Lam. There, Morrison photographed the small coves around Waterfall Bay and seascapes looking across to Lamma Island. A few kilometres farther on, nature was in turn replaced by views over the maze-like expanse of Western District. Few people appear in her semi-rural photos of the Island: there were few enough to be seen.

Hedda Morrison visualized – and photographed
– a particular aspect of Hong Kong Island: its close proximity of city and country. She achieved this by photographing, in separate places, both aspects. As before, on the outskirts of Peking
in the 1930s, she also combined natural and
man-made features into single images.