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Hi, my name is Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze, I'm a photographer from France. "Concrete stories" is a collection of genuine instants from the daily life of Hong Kong's inhabitants on the city's rooftop. All the photos are non-staged and I had to wait for the very right moment in order to capture them and show the vernacular culture of people living in such an extremely urbanised environment.

This series began with a stroke of luck. It was one morning in 2014 when I found myself on a rooftop while scouting for another photo project. The sky was very clear that day, and the rising sun illuminated the city little by little, opening small pockets of light through the buildings. At that moment, a patch of rooftop nearby was suddenly bathed in light, and something on it moved. Looking more intently, I realised it was someone mending an aerial, as though spotlighted by the sun. I quickly snapped the scene, entranced by the magic of the moment.

More info: romainjl.com | Instagram

#1

"Bamboo Weavers," Workers Are Setting Up The Bamboo Scaffolding That Will Be Used For The Building's Facade Restoration

"Bamboo Weavers," Workers Are Setting Up The Bamboo Scaffolding That Will Be Used For The Building's Facade Restoration

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#2

"Carjacking," A Daddy And His Son Are Playing On A Rooftop With A Red Toy Car

"Carjacking," A Daddy And His Son Are Playing On A Rooftop With A Red Toy Car

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#3

"Bonsai Master," A Man Is Watering Bonsai Trees On The Rooftop Of His Building

"Bonsai Master," A Man Is Watering Bonsai Trees On The Rooftop Of His Building

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Rebekah
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I find myself wondering about the roof next door, with the blue/white striped blanket/sheet/covering. Why?

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#4

"Concrete Canyon," A Lady Is Collecting Her Laundry At Sunset Above The Bustle Of The Street

"Concrete Canyon," A Lady Is Collecting Her Laundry At Sunset Above The Bustle Of The Street

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#5

"Life In Pink And Grey," Two Little Girls Are Playing With Skipping Rope On The Rooftop

"Life In Pink And Grey," Two Little Girls Are Playing With Skipping Rope On The Rooftop

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Shruti Naik
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Favorite pass-time when I was a kid and also watching the cars pass by on the street.

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#6

"Young Reporter"

"Young Reporter"

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#7

"Pushing Up," A Man Is Doing Some Physical Exercise On The Rooftop

"Pushing Up," A Man Is Doing Some Physical Exercise On The Rooftop

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#8

"Morning Fix," A Man Is Fixing Up The Rooftop's Antenna At Dawn

"Morning Fix," A Man Is Fixing Up The Rooftop's Antenna At Dawn

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#9

"Collecting Laundry," A Lady Starts Is Collecting The Laundry That Has Dried Up During The Long Sunny Day

"Collecting Laundry," A Lady Starts Is Collecting The Laundry That Has Dried Up During The Long Sunny Day

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#10

"Sun-Dried," A Lady Is Checking On The Meat Drying On The Rooftop

"Sun-Dried," A Lady Is Checking On The Meat Drying On The Rooftop

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#12

"Sky Walking," After Checking On An Antenna, A Man Is Walking Slowly On The Roof At Sunset

"Sky Walking," After Checking On An Antenna, A Man Is Walking Slowly On The Roof At Sunset

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Linda Matheny
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How depressing having to see such clutter and filth day in and day out.

Tony Moon
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When you live there you see the beauty of it. Its only the observers from outside the area that point out the parts "they" don't like. Hong Kong is an amazing city, and just like any city, it has its good, its bad, its beautiful and its ugly. But I would rather take the ugly of Hong Kong over the beauty of San Francisco or New York.

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Andrew Dupree
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of the time, I'd just be happy enough to know that my family and I had a safe place to live at the end of the day :)

Isla Reyne
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not just dirty, they're dilapidated. When I was there about 10 years ago, I saw buildings that nobody should live in. There is zero safety/human rights in China. Be thankful for what you have.

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