The Alleys of Hsinchu

Something that you see often in Taiwan, and I believe also in other parts of Asia, but far less common in Europe, are the small alleys; the winding lanes in between and behind the buildings of a city block. For the most part these little nameless streets are rather ugly in a utilitarian sort of way. Since few people enter these alleys there tends to be lots of stuff there that’s hidden from view: water pipes, AC units, disused scooters, piles of recycling and so forth. I have found however, that there’s a special kind of beauty in these places, especially at night when the sparse light from one or two bulbs fill an entire lane. I’ve done a couple of rounds here in Hsinchu, trying to capture this beauty with my camera, here are my best, or at least most interesting, attempts.