Following the first opium war which ended in 1842, the British opened a concession in Shanghai by way of a forced treaty with the Qing Dynasty. Each concession within the city was governed by an occupying country, namely the Brits, the French, and the Americans.

Fuelled by international trade in silk, tea and porcelain, Shanghai boomed and many opulent administrative buildings were constructed. The concessions also include gated residential communities, many of which date from the early 1900s.

Unfortunately unbridled development has taken its toll on Shanghai’s history but the clusters of three and four storey buildings that remain are an atmospheric network of alleys and a delight to explore.

A few such as Xintiadi and Tianzifang have recently enjoyed a resurgence of interested and are now home to trendy bars and boutiques. However, look hard enough and you’ll discover districts that are a little run but still purely residential. They are also a joy to explore with a camera.

The images here were taken in an enclave I stumbled upon in the Wujiang Road area. As is often the case it was the detail that appealed to me.

One of the many things I love about my work is the contrast. Last week I was in rural Chiang Rai photographing rice planting, the next in a bustling metropolis.

I’ve just returned from Shanghai. Although time was short I did manage to discover a few of the city’s more interesting areas and photograph its famous skyline.

Prior to my visit I had heard a lot about big shiny Shanghai but truth be told I was underwhelmed by the experience.

Try as I might I found it difficult to find its soul. Sure, there’s the historic grandeur of the Bund and its promenade that buzzes with life in the evening but other than the discovery of the city’s few remaining old districts (more on those in a later post) that have somehow managed to survive the demolition ball of progress, Shanghai left me cold.

In its defence, many I spoke to where keen to assert that city was unlike anywhere else in the country and should be considered as a separate entity. And that’s probably the best way to view it. I certainly look forward to exploring more of China in the future.

Although less than inspired,  I did mange to capture some striking images. May be I’m just spoilt living in colourful, creative and friendly Bangkok…