1-on-1 Vietnam Photography Workshop

We begin before sunrise at Mam Xoi viewpoint, photographing the circular terraces as the first light reaches the valley. The morning session focuses on layers, repetition, scale, and telephoto compression. Later, we photograph H'Mong people in their working environment and explore the bamboo forest before moving to the Horseshoe terraces for sunset, where curved lines and changing light create strong graphic compositions.

After leaving Mu Cang Chai, we return toward Hanoi and continue to Duong Lam Ancient Village. Here, we photograph traditional architecture, weathered surfaces, village life, and local craft processes. Later, we visit the incense village, using repetition, color, and environmental portraits to build stronger compositions. The day concludes with sunset photography around one of Hanoi’s historic pagodas.

We begin the morning outside Hanoi, photographing farmers among water lilies with an emphasis on reflections, color, negative space, and layered compositions. The day continues with fishing-net repair and colorful sedge drying, where repetition, texture, hands, and working environments provide strong documentary subjects. In the evening, we return to Hanoi for dinner and a traditional water puppet performance.

We leave Hanoi for Cao Bang, traveling through increasingly dramatic limestone country toward Vietnam’s northern borderlands. In the afternoon, we arrive at Ban Gioc Waterfall and begin photographing its multi-tiered cascades within the surrounding karst landscape. The session introduces different shutter speeds for flowing water while keeping attention on foregrounds, scale, and the relationship between the waterfall and mountain environment.

We start at Ban Gioc Waterfall in the early morning, when soft light and mist can create separation between the cascades and surrounding limestone peaks. The session focuses on flowing water, exposure control, and balanced landscape composition. Later, we photograph from an elevated viewpoint before continuing to Phong Nam Valley, where rivers, fields, fishermen, and karst mountains provide layered subjects in the warmer light toward sunset.

The day begins before sunrise in Phong Nam Valley, photographing the winding river, villages, and limestone peaks as the morning light develops. We then travel to Ha Long Bay and board our cruise among the towering karst formations. From the water, we work with scale, atmospheric layers, reflections, and changing viewpoints before finishing with sunset across the bay.

We begin on deck before sunrise, photographing Ha Long Bay as the first light reaches the limestone islands. After leaving the bay, we continue to Hung Yen province, where the focus shifts to traditional village crafts. We photograph bamboo basket makers and soy sauce production, working with environmental portraits, hands, repetition, texture, and the geometry of working spaces. Overnight in Hanoi.

The morning begins with street photography in Hanoi, concentrating on timing, layering, gestures, and simplifying busy urban scenes. We then fly to Hue. In the afternoon, we photograph the abandoned water park and its large dragon structure before moving into an evening portrait session with models in Ao Dai. The day finishes at an ancient temple, where candlelight provides an opportunity to work with warm tones, highlights, shadows, and low-light exposure.

We begin inside Hue’s Imperial City, photographing models in traditional dress among gates, courtyards, corridors, and historic architecture. The session focuses on environmental portraiture, framing, symmetry, color, and the relationship between subject and space. Later, we move toward the Perfume River to photograph fishermen and floating lanterns as daylight fades into blue hour.

We start before sunrise on Hue’s lagoon, photographing fishermen, traditional boats, nets, reflections, and subtle early-morning color. Later, we visit Thanh Tien village to photograph paper flower making, focusing on portraits, hands, detail, and color. In the afternoon, we continue to Ba Na Hills, where architecture, mountain weather, and changing light provide a very different set of photographic subjects.

We begin at the Golden Bridge around sunrise, using the quieter early hours to work with leading lines, scale, architecture, mist, and changing mountain light. After descending from Ba Na Hills, we continue to Son Tra Peninsula for red-shanked douc langur photography. The wildlife session focuses on telephoto technique, clean backgrounds, behavior, gesture, and timing before we travel onward to Hoi An for an evening session in the old town.

We begin near Hoi An with fishermen working traditional Ro nets in the soft morning light. Reflections, geometric net shapes, movement, and human figures provide opportunities for both wide environmental photographs and compressed telephoto compositions. We also photograph portraits and net repair before continuing south to Phu Yen, where the day concludes with sunset photography around traditional boats.

Weather and sea conditions shape our morning along the Phu Yen coastline. We photograph fishermen working on the water, moving boats, waves, and, when conditions allow, the dynamic shapes created by cast nets. Later, we visit a village where traditional coracle boats are made, focusing on craftsmen, hands, materials, repetition, and environmental portraiture.

We begin early at Hang Rai, photographing the rugged coastline and moving water in the softer morning light. Later, we travel toward Phan Rang–Thap Cham and photograph life within a Cham community. Toward sunset, we work with a shepherd and flock crossing the dry landscape, using backlight, dust, movement, and simple subject placement to create stronger compositions.

At sunrise, we photograph the Nam Cuong sand dunes, working with clean lines, shadow, negative space, and the silhouette of a Cham woman against the changing shapes of the sand. We then continue into a nearby Cham village to document traditional pottery, concentrating on portraits, hands, texture, smoke, and available light. In the afternoon, we return to the dunes for a more playful documentary session with local children.

We begin at sunrise among the dunes of Mui Ne, where low-angle light creates strong separation between ridges, shadows, and footprints. Later, we photograph traditional fish sauce production before moving to another local craft setting, working with process, detail, and available light. In the afternoon, we continue toward Ho Chi Minh City and finish the day with an urban sunset session.

Our final morning begins at a water lily growing area near Ho Chi Minh City, photographing farmers at work among the plants. Reflections, repetition, human movement, and color provide one last opportunity to bring together the techniques developed throughout the workshop. After the session, we return to the city and continue to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, arriving at approximately 3:00 PM.