Urban Density is an extraordinary photographic series from fine art and travel photographer Dietrich Herlan. The series primarily examines high-density government apartment blocks in Hong Kong, finding profoundly symmetrical compositions in architecture that is often considered ugly, impersonal and Brutalist.
Herlan's journey into photography is relatively new. After initially studying in England to be a software engineer he began traveling around the world and became determined to share his experiences with others. His Urban Density series focuses on the imposing residential structures of government housing seen during his trips to Hong Kong.
The most compelling images in the series come when Herlan turns his view toward the sky. An astounding series of images looking up from within these apartment blocks reveals an incredible symmetry undermining the often impersonal buildings.
"These residential apartments are incredibly symmetrical and I set up my Nikon D810 camera on a tripod looking up with an ultra-wide angle lens," Herlan tells New Atlas. "By looking straight up I can create a tunnel effect between the building and the sky. Hong Kong Government Housing is the perfect example of this."
These incredible compositions are all created in camera, depicting the geometric patterns that are hardcoded into the massive structures. Large prints of all these remarkable photographs are available from Herlan's website and his latest work can be seen via his Instagram.
Take a look through our gallery at more stunning symmetrical visions from Herlan's Urban Density series.
Source: Dietrich Herlan
