These days it seems like every photographer wants to go to Vietnam. From backpackers to holiday makers, it’s Southeast Asia’s destination of the moment.
I’ve traveled the country from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh and places in between. And I keep going back for more – especially the food!
In fact, I’ll be leading a central Vietnam photography tour with Etienne Bossot this April. Originally from France, Etienne moved to Vietnam 12 years ago and started his popular photo tour company Pics of Asia.
He’s much more than just a competent tour guide, he’s also an accomplished photographer. I first heard about Etienne through friends here in Asia.
Soon after I saw Etienne’s name popping up everywhere from photo society lectures to articles on popular photography sites.
I can’t think of any better person to share insider photography tips into the Land of the Blue Dragon. So I asked Etienne a bunch of questions about image making in his adopted home. The interview is in five parts:
- The Call of The East: Etienne’s Story
- How Etienne Began Leading Photo Tours
- Five Essential Vietnam Photography Tips
- Key Takeaways
- About Our Central Vietnam Photo Tour
Let’s get started!
The Call of The East: Etienne Bossot’s Story
What brought you to Vietnam 12 years ago?
Since I was a kid I dreamt of living in Asia. Call it the call from the East maybe, I think it was more a runaway from the West situation. Because of that I studied business so I could travel easily, and looked for a job in Asia after I graduated. And I found a job in Hoi An!
What keeps you there?
Everything, to be honest. My life is here, my family is here and so is my business. I think the best quality of life on the planet can be found in Hoi An. If you haven’t been here yet, I highly recommend you hurry to come visit!
Why did you choose Hoi An as your home base?
The job I found 12 years ago was based in Hoi An, so it was by pure luck that I ended up here. But after spending the last 6 years traveling around Asia, honestly I still haven’t found a better place to live!
How has Vietnam changed since when you arrived?
Like most countries in Asia, Vietnam is developing extremely fast. So far life is still very good in Vietnam, the drawbacks of Capitalism still haven’t caught up with the people, and most of the Vietnamese people are very happy and optimistic about their future.
So I’d say it is developing in a good way. Hoi An, of course, which was still a very quiet town some years ago is now much busier with tourism. Some say it has lost its charm. These people never wake up early 😉
When and how did you get into photography?
I fell in love with photography after I moved to Vietnam. I bought a camera as I wanted to show my friends and family back home how beautiful it looks. Day by day, I was more and more tempted to finish work earlier and go in the countryside to photograph the people.
But I think what I loved the most about photography is the fact that it made me see and experience more of the country, and this is the reason why I love travel photography.
Because we try to take better pictures, we will go the extra mile and reach places where people have been less exposed to tourism and are much more friendly and welcoming.
What’s in your gear bag?
You’ll be disappointed if you are waiting for a big list of fancy gear. For the last 2 years, my camera bag consists of a Fuji Mirrorless Xt3 camera (for several months), a 23mm [35mm on full-frame] that I use 99% of the times, and a 35mm [50mm full-frame equivalent] lens for portraits.
I photograph mostly people, I do not need the landscape of wildlife gear. When shooting around busy markets, it is best to be light and not carry a huge backpack.
Which lens do you tend to use most? Why?
I spent 5 years of my life as a photography shooting almost exclusively with a 50mm. And I have spent the last 2 years shooting almost exclusively with a 23mm. I like the 23mm much more now as it allows me to compose more interesting images and tell better stories.
How Etienne Began Leading Photo Tours
What made you want to start your own travel photography tour business?
It happened by accident! About 10 years ago, when I wasn’t working anymore and I was just taking pictures all day, I was meeting travelers in the streets of Hoi An and often started a chat with them. Anyone who seemed to be interested in photography was a great way for me to learn something, anything, about photography as I was the only photographer in Hoi An.
I was often taking some people I met on the back of my motorbike as I knew that something was happening somewhere, like the rice harvest for example, and I am always happier when around people.
Sometimes, I could see that some people were struggling so I started explaining them about camera settings, composition, or how they could approach people in a smarter way.
One day, someone told me “You should make a business out of that”. Two months later, Hoi An Photo Tour and Workshop was born.
What can workshop attendees expect when they join a Pics of Asia tour?
Our workshops are very much focusing on people photography, as this is in my opinion what Asia is really about. We do not stage anything, as this is absolutely counterproductive to creativity.
We only photograph what really happens, and in order for us to get the most incredible images, we just travel to the most incredible locations at the best time of the day. That means early starts and waiting for the sunset. That also means we always have a Siesta time in the middle of the day 🙂
What we do at Pics of Asia is teach photography. We are not just interested to bring you to the pretty spots. We want people to improve, to develop their creativity, as this is the biggest inspiration we can receive, and it’s so rewarding.
What makes Vietnam different from other countries in Southeast Asia in terms of photography?
The way I see Vietnam today is that it is a very organized country. Everyone, from the poorest farmer to the businessman is running a very tight ship.
People here are very hard working and will always be doing things, in the fields, at home, or meeting friends for coffee. That makes it a great place to photograph as we are always guarantee to find some activity wherever we go.
Vietnam is also the best place to travel and take photos on the planet because of the amount of coffee and street food you can literally find anywhere at any time of the day! And when you’re traveling, food takes a big part of the experience!
5 Essential Vietnam Photography Tips
TIP 1 | When to Go: When is the best time of year to visit?
Vietnam is a very big country and has many different kinds of weather from North to South. For the North, April to October is great, as well as for central Vietnam.
But then, it is the rainy season in the South (which can still be very good). A lot of people who come to take photos in Vietnam do it in two different sessions: one for the centre and North, one for the South.
TIP 2 | Best Spots: What are your favorite places in Vietnam to photograph? Why?
Hoi An Photography
I am a big lover of Hoi An because I know the places and the people. It is fantastic in summer time as it is bustling with activity in fishing villages and in the fields.
For street photography, Hoi An old town is actually getting better. Because of the number of tourists going there, there is a lot of material to play in the old town. For travel photography, one doesn’t need to go very far from the old town, as Hoi An is surrounded by rice fields.
Just a tip though, the further you go from Hoi An the friendlier the people are as they do not see you just as a tourist. The area beyond Thanh Ha, for example, is just filled with rice fields and villages.
North Vietnam Photography
Every year, though, in September, I need to have a mountain fix. Once you have been to North Vietnam mountains and have seen how spectacular it is, it stays with you and becomes almost like a drug. You just need to go back, again and again!
The thing when traveling to North Vietnam at the right time of year (usually between September to late October) is that you can find a combination of stunning landscapes, villages, markets and people working in the fields as because it’s during the rice harvest.
The landscapes are really surreal, and adding people to our landscapes gives a great sense of place. The area around Sapa (I do not recommend staying in Sapa as it has become overcrowded now) is magnificent, and riding a motorbike in the region is a unique experience.
TIP 3 | Taking Portraits: Do you have any tips for taking portraits in Vietnam? Are most Vietnamese receptive to having their picture taken?
I think what I am going to say applies for the whole world: you could take a photo of anything, anyone, as long as you approach them the right way. Taking photos has to be a win-win situation.
If your subject isn’t happy with you taking their picture, you won’t feel comfortable enough to really try and capture something significant, and your subject might get a bit rude with the next photographer coming along to take photos.
We try as much as we can to interact with the people. And what makes it easier, mostly when you do not know the language, is to show interest in what people do.
This is also one of the reasons why we always go visit places where I know people are busy working. It is much easier to photograph what people are doing than the people themselves. It removes a lot of pressure from them.
Tip 4 | Use Composition Templates: The Guillotine
By photography template I mean pre-defined, well-known and efficient photography composition templates that are recurrent and relevant in photography, and fit popular “good taste”.
Knowing your usual and favorite photography templates will help you be faster and thus nail the shot when things happen very quickly, which is very often the case when photographing people.
One example of a composition template is The Guillotine. The idea here is to remove our subject’s head from the composition to enhance other elements like their hands, feet, tools, etc… Human beings are automatically drawn to look in people’s eyes first.
Removing the head (and thus the eyes) directs our attention to the rest of the image. Of course, you don’t have to remove the whole head, removing the eyes will also work.
Tip 5 | Find Good Light.
The difference between good light and bad light has to do with three things: contrast, direction, and color of the light. In this video, my friend Dylan Goldby and I explain how to find the best light.
Bonus Tip: Do you have any final tips on photographing Vietnam?
Never forget to smile. A smile can open doors to you in Vietnam.
Key Takeaways
Whether you’re joining a photography tour or traveling on your own, keep these things in mind when taking pictures in Vietnam:
- Wake up early to avoid the crowds.
- Keep your gear choices simple. Stay light.
- Go off the beaten track. People tend to be more friendly.
- Don’t try to see Vietnam all at once. Break it into two trips: one for the central and north regions and the other for the south.
- When in Hoi An, venture out to the surrounding villages like Thanh Ha.
- If you’re heading to North Vietnam, September and October are great months because you can photograph the rice harvest.
- Use composition templates to speed up your creative process.
- Look for light that has the right contrast, color, and direction.
5-Day Central Vietnam Photo Tour
Would you like to explore Central Vietnam with us, from the old town in Hoi An, to the northern lagoons around Hue? Etienne and I will lead the tour from April 22nd to 26th, 2019. So grab your camera and let’s go!
What is your best travel photography tip? Let us know in the comments below.
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