Young Hong Kong Photographer Captures Blue Tears and Wins Awards

Father and son duo become guardians for the 'Galaxy' with camera and lenses

Hongkonger Javan Lie Ching Him first became interested in photography at 11. Following his father’s footsteps, Lie, now 14, continues recording the Hong Kong night skies with his backpack full of heavy photographic equipment. Courtesy of Billy Lie

Beginning his journey as a photography hobbyist At the age of 11, Hong Kong teenager Javan Lie has followed his father’s footsteps for the past three years to document the mysterious night sky and galaxy with a backpack full of heavy photographic gear.

Hong Kong, a sleepless city, shines more bright lights than the stars in the sky. To capture the night of the galaxy, one has to travel far and wide to the deserted, waiting for the night to fall.

Javan recently celebrated his 14th birthday. He has spent the past three years following his dad, Billy Lie, traveling all over Hong Kong in his spare time. He enjoys appreciating the beauty of Hong Kong from different perspectives. Courtesy of Billy Lie

A passionate photographer will never complain about the distance they have to go to snap the perfect moment. Although he is only 14, Javan is one of the talented youngsters who travel in the sweltering summer braving insects and mosquito bites without fuss.

The magnificence of nature makes Javan forget his tired body. As soon as he lifts his lens, fatigue dissolves, and he suddenly becomes alive.

Javan captured a sea of clouds. Courtesy of Javan Lie

Having been on the photography journey for three years, Javan has also won two photo competitions. Billy Lie, the father of Javan, is happier for his son’s triumph than for himself winning the prize.

Billy is a professional photographer himself. Accompanying his son on his journey and his love for photography, Billy is proud of his son for following his passion and becoming a photographer like himself.

A photo of the night sky. Courtesy of Javan Lie

The inseparable duo always travel together to capture images of their beloved home, Hong Kong.

The ongoing pandemic has changed the way many people live. Especially in Hong Kong, families are experiencing increasing conflicts as they have been in quarantine and lockdowns in their tiny homes for too long. Schools became online zoom classes, which burdened parents caring for their children.

In 2020, Javan’s work "Sunsetting in Wu Kai Sha" won third place in the student group. Courtesy of Javan Lie

But for the Lie family, the pandemic since 2020 has stopped them from traveling overseas, but it didn’t stop the father and son from spending time together. Billy recalls, “when the pandemic broke out, everything stopped. There was no travel, no face-to-face classes. So whenever I got off from work, I would take Javan out to take pictures. Gradually Javan developed his love for photography.”

Planning An Itinerary for A Photo

Billy usually does his homework to prepare for their trips beforehand. “If our visit is somewhere more remote, I will usually scout the location first during the day to see if the location is safe and suitable for photographing at dusk or dawn. I will ensure we have a solid itinerary and pleasant weather before heading out with Javan.”

In 2020, Javan’s work "Sunsetting in Wu Kai Sha" won third place in the student group. Courtesy of Javan Lie

Billy’s dedication can span a year of planning for a single photo.

One of the favorite spots for the father and son is Tai Mo Shan. The sea of clouds and sunrises are their favorite themes.

In 2021, Javan’s work "Light Up the Sanguine Sky" took first place in the student group category of the ACFD photo contest. Courtesy of Javan Lie

14-Year-Old with A Heart of Gold

Javan visited the highest Hong Kong mountain top to take photos with his father’s friends. Javan enjoys the process and emphasizes the joy of photography, which is the process and not just a candid shot. “Sure, it is fun to admire a photo you have taken, but the process is vital to me. Everyone has fun chatting and laughing, creating lovely memories. Being able to overlook such amazing views of nature is something I treasure.”

When asked if he felt the long journey and heavy equipment were hard work, Javan disagreed, “Not at all. Photography is my passion. In the entire process, challenges are my motivation. It gives me great joy to overcome the difficulties.”

For two consecutive years, Javan won awards in the ACFD photo contest. He won third place in 2020 and was champion in 2021 with "Light and Shadow Plover Cove." Courtesy of Billie Lie

Winning Is A Recognition

The Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department (AFCD) organizes an annual photography competition called the “Light of Tolo Channel and Plover Cove” Photography Competition. The event aims to promote awareness, beauty, and biodiversity of coastal and marine life and their habitats in Hong Kong.

AFCD selects winners from public entries in various categories. Javan won third place with his work of Sunsetting in Wu Kai Sha in the coastal and marine landscape category student group.

Javan photographed "Blue Tears under the Milky Way" in Pak Lap Wan in March 2022. Courtesy of Javan Lie

Mapping His Path

Javan has a unique point of view when it comes to composition. He believes everyone is unique and there is no ‘one style fits all’ with photography. “We should not follow what others do simply because their work looks good.” Javan thinks every person has an exceptional concept in their imagination, “we should try our best without being scared of failure,” the youngster expressed.

Javan also wants to try different ideas and approaches instead of copying others.

Javan realized the importance of composition from his dad’s work, "The Ocean’s Heart." Courtesy of Billy Lie

Behind the ‘Blue Tears’

One of the most memorable moments for the duo was their trip to Pak Lap Wan in Sai Kung. The father and son were trying to capture the famous phenomenon, blue tears in a milky way, that is, Noctilucent Algae.

Although blue tears happened previously in Hong Kong, it seems to be occurring more frequently and spectacularly in 2022. What makes Billy’s experience more joyful this year is the assistance by his little helper, his son, Javan.

Javan learned about environmental pollution issues by photographing Blue Tears. Courtesy of Javan Lie

Javan had an epiphany after he saw his father’s work, “I realized the importance of photo composition. Many people were shooting the same styles of the galaxy or blue tears, except my dad. He thought of the unique characteristics of composing images. My dad was able to capture unique-looking stones and skylines.”

Billy also took one of his photos and named it The Ocean’s Heart that night. His picture was picked as a reference exhibit by a professional lens company, validating his talents.

An image of “The Moon'' by Javan. Courtesy of Javan Lie

What Are Blue Tears and Sea Sparkle?

To understand the visually mesmerizing phenomenon, you must first understand what blue tears are. Noctilucent Algae, or Noctilucent Scintillans, are unicellular microorganisms. They give water a bright blue glow at night due to their bioluminescence. There are green and red noctilucent algae.

The microorganism itself is not toxic until they react chemically with another organism. The toxicity can be worsened due to climate change as well as causing environmental hazards, such as toxic red tides.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines red tides as harmful algal blooms. NOAA writes on its website that these harmful algal blooms, or HABs, “grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds.”

While taking beautiful scenery over different mountains, Javan realized the importance of protecting and cherishing our beautiful nature. Courtesy of Javan Lie

The Prettier, The More Harmful

Blue tears, or sea sparkle, appear visually attractive. However, they are signs of polluted water. Bioluminescence occurs during mechanical stress. Therefore bioluminescent organisms and blue tears can be observed in disturbed water in coastal areas.

Timing is key

When it comes to nature photography, timing and patience are essential. As a young photographer, Javan understands this very well. “Whenever we take photos of the ‘milky way,’ we have to hike somewhere much farther away, as light pollution in Hong Kong is comparatively severe. We often have to wait for the clouds or fog to subside; the entire experience is a testament to our patience and perseverance.”

Javan’s photo of the "Voyage to The Sanguine Sky." Courtesy of Javan Lie

Climate Change matters

Billy takes every opportunity to educate Javan about environmental issues, “Blue tears are a form of pollution called Red tides. They are luminescent algae appearing red during the day but becoming blue at night.”

Red tides remove oxygen in the luminescence. So, where there is a red tide, for example, in Hong Kong fishing rafts, it impacts the fishermen negatively, as many fish will die due to suffocation.

Guardians for the galaxy

Javan looks up to his father, and Billy influences his son as a role model.

Billy often takes the initiative to pick up trash that people throw away on the mountain trails. During festivals or special occasions, the amount of waste is even more evident on popular routes.

The father and son duo then work as a volunteer cleaning team to remove the wastes people have left behind and carry them back to town after taking photos.

A misty Victoria Harbor. Courtesy of Javan Lie

Hidden Meaning Behind Photography

Javan has traveled through mountains and hills with his father to practice his nature photography. While taking amazing pictures, Javan wants to use his photography skills to raise environmental awareness.

“There is a lot of garbage along the way to popular beaches in Wu Kai Sha. I hope I can encourage people to protect and cherish our beautiful earth by taking photos of different landscapes of Hong Kong. It might seem insignificant, but picking up after yourself can be the most helpful.”

To Javan, capturing nature through his lens is not about just freezing a moment. It can also be a responsibility to do his part to protect the earth.

Javan’s love for being behind the lens will not change anytime soon, “Living in a city makes it impossible to see the stars because of light pollution. Whenever I arrive in nature, all the stress I feel from school dissipates. The beautiful scene slows me down and relaxes me. There is no other feeling better than that.”

Sunset on Austin Road. Courtesy of Javan Lie

Jenny Zeng contributed to this article.