Real Photo of 'Monster Building' in Hong Kong? No, Pic is Edited!

The photograph was shot and edited by Tristan Zhou, an urban photographer.

This photograph of Hong Kong's Yick Cheong building has been edited by photographer Tristan Zhou.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

A photograph of a towering block of buildings is being shared across social media with the claim that it is from Hong Kong and is as tall as it looks. The structure appears to be a very tall one, with barely any sky visible.

However, we found that while the photograph is originally from Hong Kong, it is an edited picture of the Yick Cheong building. Its photographer, Tristan Zhou, partakes in urban photography and took a picture of the structure, popularly known as Monster Building in Hong Kong, and edited it to add to its height.

CLAIM

The photograph is shared attributing the picture's location to Hong Kong.

The archived version of this claim can be accessed here.

(Photo: Facebook/Screenshot)

Other posts on Facebook and Twitter can be seen here, here, here and here.

WHAT WE FOUND OUT

Using reverse image search, we found the photograph of an online art photography selling website, Yellow Korner.

(Photo: Yellow Korner/Screenshot)

The photograph, titled 'Monster Building Multiplied' was attributed to one Tristan Zhou. Under a section called 'About The Artwork', the page discusses Zhou's work and talks about his openness about editing his photographs.

In the case of 'Monster Building Multiplied' the website states that Zhou does not hide that he sometimes uses "the artifice of composite images" and effects. For this photograph, Zhou has magnified the size of the building by superimposing two photos.

Using 'Monster Building' and 'Tristan Zhou' as keywords, we found the photographer's website where the image is published under 'Urban'. It shows many similar photographs of urban landscapes and patterns.

We also found Zhou's Instagram profile, where he posted the picture on 7 June 2021. In its caption, he explains, "I had this editing idea when I was sitting a my place waiting for my Uber ride in 2018."

(Photo: Instagram/trystane)

A quick search for 'Monster Building' on Google Maps leads to the Yick Cheong Building in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong and the actual size of the building can be seen through street view.

The structure has been used as a set in many films, including Michael Bay's Transformers: Age of Extinction and the 2017 live-action adaptation of Ghost In The Shell.

Zhou's photograph of the Monster Building in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong is mesmerising but is an edited image.

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