6 Tips on Photographing Vietnam

Vietnam has certainly had its ups and downs through history. But having opened its doors to tourists many years ago, it’s a country that is perfect to photograph. From the bustling chaos of the cities to the picturesque and rural northern regions, its an ideal place to add to your photography portfolio.

1. GET OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

Unfortunately the days of Vietnam being a mystery are over. Go to any image library and type in Halong Bay or Saigon and see how many images come up. To capture stand out images you need to seek out new places.

For example, I wasn’t expecting to find a scene as iconic as the one above when I was exploring a monastery on the outskirts of Dalat. As I walked up I noticed that the trees on either side were providing a natural frame for the giant Buddha, but I also wanted a human element in the shot. A few minutes later a group of Vietnamese women began walking up the steps so I started shooting until they reached the top and chose the best composition later in post production.

2. CHOOSE YOUR HOTEL CAREFULLY

When possible, book a hotel with a roof terrace or balcony as this is one of the best ways of getting great shots of your surroundings. And as hotels in Vietnam are so affordable you should have a whole host of places to choose from. I stayed in this hotel in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) next to the Ben Than market because of it’s high, vast roof which provided me with a 360 degree view of the city. So during my stay I tried shooting at different times of the day until I was happy with the results.

3. BE READY

One of the things that really struck me about Vietnam was the pace of everyday life, and as a photographer you always need to be on the lookout and ready for opportunities. Your camera should be out of its case or bag, switched on and with the lens cap off.

The last thing you want is to miss a great opportunity because you weren’t prepared and always beware of thieves. For the shot above I was standing in a market when I noticed a young local girl opposite looking at me.

I knew I only had a few seconds to get the shot before she moved or my view was obstructed so I quickly lifted my camera, pointed to it so that she knew I was going to take her picture and managed to capture two shots before she shied away. One was blurred the other was this.

4. HEAD TO THE MARKETS

Vietnamese markets are a great way of getting close to the buzz of everyday life, and should absolutely be on every photographer’s shot list. Try to capture people, whether it be shoppers or market vendors going about their day to give your images a sense of realism without looking posed or contrived.

5. GET UP CLOSE

Robert Capa, a famous war photographer, once said “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough”. Sometimes, even though the wider shot can make a good photo, finding something within it for a close up could make a fantastic photo.

The image above is of some money left at a shrine in a small, local temple. A photo of the temple would have been one of thousands and the shrine wasn’t visually appealing so I chose to take a unique, close up shot of the money offering instead.

6. CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF THE PLACE

One of the most fascinating things about Vietnam is the difference between it’s cities and towns from one another. From the ordered chaos of Hanoi to the serenity and beauty of Hoi An, it’s our job as photographers to capture that in a picture. For me the image above defines Hoi An and captures its beauty and calmness. So when exploring a city, a town or a village think about how you could show that place in just one picture.

Kav Dadfar is a travel photographer based in London. To see more work visitwww.dadfarphotography.com

Money in Vietnam -How to give tips

One of the most difficult financial actions for foreigners is the question of tipping. Expressing your pleasure for good service by giving a little money bonus is not usual in Asian countries, so also in Vietnam. In the west, however, you usually give a bonus as a part of salary (US) or as a means of recognising someone’s work. Vietnamese society is poor, so tips or bonuses are not given. In the last years, many Vietnamese came also to a short wealth, and now you can see them also giving money. These „new rich“ often do not only pay the bill, but also give a generous tip. Money for free is a sign for a new wealthy middle-class establishing in Vietnam. And also foreigners are considered to be very rich and wealthy, so it is often expected to receive a tip from them after doing some work.

Tips in tourist areas only

Generally spoken, in all tourist places like the Old Quarter in Ha Noi, the town of Hoi An or the Pham Ngu Lao in Ho Chi Minh City, tips are now common. Ten years of tourism development have made the Vietnamese accustomed to tipping. And besides, who would not get money for free? Usually, tourist restaurants calculate a service fee already in their bills, so there is no need for a tip. But in some places there exists now also the trend of not paying the waiters well, since they can do good service and get tips. But in a country not used to tipping this is quite deadly. It is always up to the guest, if you pay or not. If you’re outside the tourist places, a tip is not expected and you should also rethink carefully of giving one. Eating a bún for 10 000 Vietnamese Dong and giving a tip of the same amount will destroy the natural order. Not every tourist can spend a generous tip and is also used to this. One time I heard two Vietnamese waiters answer to a tourist at Tan Son Nhat Airport, after she complained something, that she would get better service if she tipped a little better. This behaviour for sure is inexcusable, but will grow. If a seller of a street bún gets tips hither and thither from tourists, she will expect it also in the future. I must admit, I am doing now the Vietnamese way: I do not tip any more.

How much you should give?

I cannot and will not suggest the same for you. Giving a tip is for western people more than only the exchange of some money, so I remind to you: It is up to you, if you give or not. You should always keep in mind, that most of the Vietnamese are still poor. You show more your satisfaction on the done work. To give advice on the amount is also quite difficult. Vietnamese always expect much, but they are in most cases absolutely wrong. Western tourists are not a travelling Bill Gates. Giving everyone 100 000 Dong would be okay, but will also be a threat to your own purse. I usually advise to give 10% of the amount if it is higher than 200 000 Dong. In a restaurant you should give around 10 000-50 000 Dong depending on your bill. If you have a car with driver all day you also can give 20 000- 50 000 Dong. If you spend some millions, you can consider what to give. You should keep in mind, that many sellers and waiters have only a small salary. Usually a waitress gets around 1-1,5 million in a month. If she is student maybe only 700 000 Dong. So giving her 500 000 Dong would be really happy for her, but generally spoken also inadequate. You should always consider about how much you give. Too much is generous but also not really conducing. Too less is the same, but will destroy the view on tourists also. Behaving like a rich king consuming things and then give only 500 Dong is not good manners either. Foreigners doing like this lose their face. Summing up with a citation of a friend: Better to be viewed as a scrooge not giving tips than as a fool giving some.