Where did Felice Beato Take these photos | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Where did Felice Beato Take these photos

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Submitted by hfsiu on Sat, 2017-07-08 22:14

There are different opinions about where exactly Felice Beato (the photographer) took these photos.

Where did Felice Beato take these photos?

 Wai Tse (who posts many photos on his facebook under his name) opines that the photographer took these photos at today's East Ha Man Tin Service Reservoir Playground,which CM Shun shares the same view, whereas someone whose user ID is x215137 did a quite detail analysis in uwants.com and came to the conclusion that Felice Beato took these photo somewhere near Hong Kong Rugby Union King's Park. 

http://www.uwants.com/viewthread.php?tid=15184666&extra=page%3D5&page=16

I tried to base on google earth to identify the location of the photographer but are not very effective, particularly when you view from ground level

View from Ho Man Tin Underground Service Reservoir Playground
View from Ho Man Tin Underground Service Reservoir Playground, by Google Earth

 

As such I tried to create a 3D model of Hong Kong Victoria based on old map for compariosn. Firstly I combined several maps (malnly 1864 TST, 1867, 1900 & 1927). Based on the old map, I can create the contour by using a free software named Sketchup.

Contour created from old maps
Contour created from old maps, by HF

 

By using sketchup, i can convert the contour into 3D model as follows:

3D model of Victoria Harbour

3D model of Victoria Harbour, by HF

 

I can then compare the photo by setting the camera into different locations inside the model.

Comparison between photos and 3D model
Comparison between photos and 3D model, by HF

 

In view of the relative location of Green Island, Sunshine island, the peak, Signal Hill & Governer House (circled red).

Comparison between photo and model (2)
Comparison between photo and model (2), by HF

 

I can reconfirm that uwants.com is correct, Felice Beato took these photo at a the hill which i mark the circle below (near todays Hong Kong Rugby Union King's Park.)

1900.jpg
1900.jpg, by HF

 

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Submitted by moddsey on Sun, 2017-07-09 06:46.

Have noted the incredible mapping skills of X215137 on uwants.com. Good work HF.

Submitted by Herostratus on Sun, 2017-07-09 11:04.

You can see the hill in the two panoramas of Hong Kong Beato took from the Island looking towards Kowloon

Panorama of Hong Kong from Government House, showing the Fleet for North China Expedition
Panorama of Hong Kong from Government House, showing the Fleet for North China Expedition, by Felice Beato
Panorama of Hong Kong, taken from Happy Valley Beato and J Hentry Hering
Panorama of Hong Kong, taken from Happy Valley Beato and J Hentry Hering, by Felice Beato, J Hentry Hering

Submitted by cmshun on Sun, 2017-07-16 20:07.

Hi HF,

Very good match indeed... may I ask you to also post the model and photo comparison for the East Ho Man Tin Service Reservoir location, just to confirm if the difference is within error margins?  Thanks.

CM

Submitted by hfsiu on Sun, 2017-07-16 21:44.

firstly i mark the location of East Ho Man Tin Service Reservoir Playground (red) and King's Park High Level Service Reservoir Playground (yellow) on the current map

define locations
​define locations, by HF

Then I set the camera on these locations and capture the images.

HF's 3D model

HF's 3D model, by HF

 the view taken from East Ho Man Tin Service Reservoir Playground would be obstructed by King's Park because the King's Park was higher as shown on the 1900 map.

View from East Ho Man Tin Service Reservoir Playground

View from East Ho Man Tin Service Reservoir Playground, by HF

I also compare view taken from King's Park High Level Service Reservoir Playground

View from King's Park
View from King's Park, by HF

Zoom in and compare the relative location of signal hill, governer house and peak, seems they are different from Beato's photo.

HF 3D Model
HF 3D Model, by HF

Submitted by cmshun on Sun, 2017-07-16 22:23.

Many thanks HF.  

The differences shown at the two locations are signficant enough to confirm that Beato took the panorama from nearby the King's Park Hong Kong Ruby Union.

CM