February 2021

Street photography, Hanoi City.

The Vietnamese capital was a favourite moment during our visit.

We fell in love with Vietnam and its kind, warm, generous people.

We stayed at Hanoi Pearl Hotel in the famous and busy Bao Khanh Lane in Hanoi Old Quarter. In the old town, you can easily reach fascinating attractions such as Ngoc Son Temple, Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, the busy weekend night market, St. Joseph's Cathedral and many local street activities.

There are many "walking streets" (so-called pedestrian streets), cafes and restaurants, shops and street stalls to browse.

One evening we were walking around the legendary Hoan Kiem Lake. The roads were closed, and people gathered.

It was an excellent opportunity to watch the locals enjoy their town, and many sell their wares.

Embracing street life in Hanoi.

It felt like many of the city people we observed live simply, embracing their daily lives on the streets, making do and going about their business - food and beverage, motor vehicle maintenance, fashion, art, plumbing, butchery, you name it - at the curb, right there at the hard-customer interface.

There is much more to it than that, but we found that aspect fascinating.

Images tell their story.

"For these beautiful individuals, what blows me away, are their show-stopping smiles."

During our visit, I used the technique 'shooting from the hip' (see my article about Melbourne here for an explanation), to photograph people in the most discreet fashion possible.

It was quite an experience being enveloped by Hanoi's street life.

Vietnam has had more than its fair share of conflict in the 20th century, and the Vietnamese endured some awful things, the effects of which remain evident today, three and four generations on.

Several images in the collection below show that the scars of these events are physical and permanent.

From the hundreds of photos I took, these particular examples are the ones that move me the most - the confronting ones. The reason I shot these was because of the story they tell. WIth the greatest respect, I hope I did that sensitively.

What blows me away about these beautiful individuals is their show-stopping smiles.

I'm left with the feeling that we, who live comfortable lives here in New Zealand, still have plenty to learn.
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Images are best viewed on a high-quality desktop monitor.

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The beautiful people of Vietnam

Customer service is good at the Post-it Love coffee house, on the edge of the legendary Hoan Kiem Lake. Cropped. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Well-healed man sits atop Honda scooter, awaiting his call-up. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Chef takes a break out back. Cropped. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
His smile. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Model poses for photographer during the evening street carnival. Note the kids electric vehicles on show at the curb. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Inner city logistics. Cropped. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
A life being lived in the old quarter. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Creative street vendor. Cropped. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Plumbing supplies merchant contemplating his next move, commercial area. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Lovely security guard opens the door for us, into a fashion store. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Mobile stall, hats with a smile. Light-adjusted. Image ©️MrWolfe.
Young man learning the ropes, near St Joseph's Cathedral. Cropped. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Hanoi laneway at night, street food vendor doing well. Light-corrected. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
This beautiful man selling smiles to tourists near King Le Thai To's Temple, lakeside. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Like my brother-in-law Dale says, "The world is my gym". Exercising on the lakeside, in the heat. Contrast adjustment. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
The art of creation sells the product. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Street artist, supervised - and possibly keen to meet David Beckham. Cropped. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Street alley vendor ready for the deal - equipped with fan and calculator. Light-corrected. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Food prep at the curbside. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Commerce street. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
School run. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Flowers and fish cake soup make you happy. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Outta here, time for a Nước Sâm (Herbal Tea). Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Getting a new muffler on the scooter. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Quiet contemplation on a busy street. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Dressed to repel the heat? Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
The simple joy of taking a ride with your big sister. Cropped. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Cadets of one sort or another taking a text-break. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Wide-eyed and ready to practice English - school assignment meets willing tourist. Cropped. Image ©️MrsWolfe (Stephanie) 2018.
These guys! Cropped. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
St Joseph's Cathedral at the end of a bustling avenue.  Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
Popped in for a coffee. There was a New Zealand Natural ice cream freezer in this cafe. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.
New Zealand ice cream, naturally. Image ©️MrWolfe 2018.

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Camera: Fujifilm X100F.

All images were shot from the hip, processed in-camera and are Photoshop-free.

Any minor adjustments I felt I should make to an image, to help it tell its individual story, are noted above.

Main post image top of page - taken with the permission of the lovely Vietnamese photography enthusiasts. As you can see, they had a Rolleiflex large format camera, and several other film cameras of various vintages. Wish I had taken their details.

All images ©️MrWolfe 2018. All rights reserved.

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