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Hi Henry,

 

If I knew that, I would have shown you where to buy film in Hanoi.

In fact, Film photography is growing steadily in the young community here in Vietnam, like me for instance.

Now we have several labs dedicated to film photography in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city, even some guys offer dark room services if you want to develop and enlarge your own films

 

Hi Trung,

During my last visit in 2014, I have difficulty finding film in Hanoi. Apparently people are no longer interested only in digital.

It seems that Vietnamese do not like film  as you and it's very unfortunate. I have digital photos of Hanoi (M8 and M9) but I prefer the same in film, more faithful color IMHO

Best

Henry

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Dear John,

 

I appreciate very much your gut thought about Vietnam in post-war era. 

One of the reasons why I decided to do documentary photos about Hanoi, where I live now, is I want to record the development of the city.

Recently, many Western folks have come back to Vietnam and did photo exhibitions taken when they were in Vietnam.

For instance you can see some photo from 1990 era here. I guess you are very familiar with them since you were there at the same period. 

I was really impressed with those photos and realized that our country is developing, even with not-yet-satisfied momentum. 

If you can, please do show your photos here.

 

Below is the link to photos of Hanoi 20 years ago for your reference. 

http://www.reds.vn/index.php/khoanh-khac-lich-su/402-nhung-buc-anh-vo-gia-ve-ha-noi-mua-xuan-1990

 

In the same web site, you can also find a lot of historical photos of Vietnam and others

http://www.reds.vn/index.php/khoanh-khac-lich-su

 

 

 

Lovely images, Trung.  Thank you for posting.  I visited Hanoi for the Tet holiday in 1992 (I was living in Hong Kong then) - I came with my mountain bike and Hasselblad, in a backpack (sadly, can't post the images here).  I think I was there for a week; I explored Hanoi by bicycle, traveled up the Perfume River, and out to Ha Long Bay.

 

It was an interesting trip for me.  My country participated in the Vietnam War, and Uncle Ho was viewed as a dangerous man, much like Mao Zedong.  I was a child during the 1960s, and life was punctuated with the famous photojournalist images of the war, and it was the first time war images were brought into our homes through television.  My generation was generally very anti-war - protest songs and the growth of a youth culture rebelling against the conservatism of those who had fought in World War 2 was the background of my formative years.

 

Visiting Hanoi was very interesting 23 years ago - very few cars, lots of bicycles and small motorbikes.  I attracted a lot of attention on my mountain bike - it was very cold, so I was wearing a helmet, gloves, lycra and a warm jacket.  I don't think the locals had seen anything like it.  I'd usually attract a crowd when I stopped to take a picture (take a light reading, take a few images - it all took time with a 503cx).  Usually some child would throw a firecracker at me, to the amusement of all!

 

Apart from the rather beautiful, if rather decayed, French colonial buildings, I was struck by the genuine friendliness of the people of the North.  None of the glib and insincere friendliness (with American accented English) you get in many parts of SE Asia.  I met a very nice guy at Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum (Vietnamese now living in California).  We got to talking, we had dinner with his former-NVA cousins (they had walked the Ho Chi Minh trail and had fought in the South during the war).  They were very kind - I joined them for a family trip down to Ha Long Bay, complete with a boat trip.  They wouldn't let me pay for a thing.

 

I have often wondered what has happened to those lovely, quiet, generous people.  Vietnam was just opening up to trade with the West in those days.  Sitting in the bar of the Sofitel (the only comfortable hotel at that time), there were lots of very strange deals going on, in hushed American accents.

 

Thank you for sharing your images, and please keep doing so.  If I can find the time to scan my negatives from my trip, I will post a link to Flickr here.

 

Cheers

John

 

 

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Welcome to the Forum Kiemchacsu,

 

Beautiful pictures! I like very much :

 

- Photo # 3 for the overcast sky, which gives an atmosphere of life flowing slowly.

 

- Photo # 9 with its beautiful black & white.

 

Francois

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Thank you all for your reactions to the series. I really appreciate. 

 

To continue, I'd like to share with you some photos taken from a site to be demolished for road widening. 

Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general are developing very fast.

The old infrastructure cannot bear the current density and capacity of people. 

Compensation for site clearance is remain one of the biggest issues for development. 

 

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Edited by kiemchacsu
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I recently purchase a Rolleiflex 3.5F. I am still trying to learn how to use the medium format camera for streetfotographie. 

Anyways, below are some results. I'd appreciate any advice of using the Rolleiflex. I am too acquainted to the Leica M though. 

 

18191180250_5aa2f4b90c_z.jpgIt was too hot these day in Hanoi by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

 

17727786758_e74faa711e_z.jpgStreet vendors by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

 

17826956316_7e34f9d7ce_z.jpgHanoi 5/2015 by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

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It's eye opening to see pictures of a place that we rarely see. Especially so when what we have known here in the west has been the subject of controversy and polarizing and, shall we say, extreme presentation bias? 

 

I remember the propaganda of war, but nothing else since, about Vietnam. Please keep up your good work for our eager eyes and minds to take in.

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I join with all others in welcoming you to the forum and add my thanks for these beatifyully realized sets of images and the compelling, ungoing story of Vietnam. It is particularly delicious to see all this produced with film!

I will keep looking. 

 

Ece

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Thank you very much for your attentions. 

Sometimes I was wondering if I should continue to post the photos of Hanoi with my particular point of view because I feel that it's not fair by not showing the images that depict a developing Hanoi (and Vietnam that may surprise you), in stead of images that I am showing here. 

Anyways, please be noted that my photos are very much biased and may not reflect the true situation of Hanoi.

Enjoy some new photos!

 

 

14974709696_ef22bcb6e9_z.jpgIn Dong Xuan market by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

 

14801091658_b335788c9e_z.jpga boy riding fixie by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

 

14968207055_23ed8e8691_z.jpgNew upper middle class in Hanoi by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

 

14854663569_fed5185571_b.jpgOld man with his cat in front of his sundries kiosk by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

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I don't think you need to worry - we pretty much all see modern buildings in our daily lives.  What Hanoi has to offer is that vanishing traditional world.  It's lovely to see.

 

PS - your image of the conical hats (redolent of television images from the war) brought back an interesting memory which might amuse you.  When I visited Ha Long Bay in 1993 (I think it was 1993, it could have been a year either side), we crossed a river on one of those car ferries.  There were lots of traders and people milling about, including a woman singing and playing spoons (I assume she was begging).  For some reason, she caught my attention.

 

Back In Hong Kong, I watched a movie, either Indochine starring Katherine de Neuve, or The Lover starring Tony Leung and Jane March, anyway there in the movie was the woman on the same ferry, with her spoons and singing.  It was a very odd feeling.

Edited by IkarusJohn
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I don't think you need to worry - we pretty much all see modern buildings in our daily lives.  What Hanoi has to offer is that vanishing traditional world.  It's lovely to see.

 

PS - your image of the conical hats (redolent of television images from the war) brought back an interesting memory which might amuse you.  When I visited Ha Long Bay in 1993 (I think it was 1993, it could have been a year either side), we crossed a river on one of those car ferries.  There were lots of traders and people milling about, including a woman singing and playing spoons (I assume she was begging).  For some reason, she caught my attention.

 

Back In Hong Kong, I watched a movie, either Indochine starring Katherine de Neuve, or The Lover starring Tony Leung and Jane March, anyway there in the movie was the woman on the same ferry, with her spoons and singing.  It was a very odd feeling.

 

Dear John,

 

I always find the stories in your posts very interesting. If you can please keep sharing with us your experiences (and photos even better) you got back to the time you were visiting Vietnam. 

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