Fan Ho (1931–2016) was born in Shanghai but emigrated with his family to Hong Kong at a young age. He began taking photographs early on with a Rolleiflex camera given to him by his father. Largely self-taught, his photographs reveal a fascination with urban life, exploring alleyways, slums, markets, and streets, depicting street vendors and children only a few years younger than himself. He developed his film at home and soon amassed a significant body of work, chronicling Hong Kong in the 1950s and 60s as it transformed into a major metropolitan center.