Hanoi Street Photography

Country: Vietnam

Province: Hanoi

Hanoi Holiday Weather today

Date/time of update: November 21, 2024, 3:44 am, Timezone: GMT+7
Clear Sky

Temperature: 23.03°C
Temperature feels like: 22.85°C
Minimum Temperature: 23.03°C
Maximum Temperature: 23.03°C
Atmospheric pressure: 1019hPa
Humidity:56%
Visibility: 10000m
Wind speed: 4.63m/sec
Wind Direction: 40 degrees
Cloudiness: 0%
Sunrise: 2024-11-20 11:10:55
Sunset: 2024-11-21 10:14:07

Hanoi is a city with a special character: the chaotic traffic with millions of scooters and motorbikes, skinny shop houses, tiny dark alleys, busy sidewalk cafes, smoky street restaurants... It may sound crazy but Hanoi is a pedestrian-friendly and a very walkable city, too. It seems that Hanoi happens to be made for great photography. And photographers will find it just easy to walk about and capture amazing scenes just around the corner...

Pedicabs on a street in Hanoi

Travel Guide to Hanoi Photo Tours

I don't know how many times I have wandered in the streets of the Old Quarter with my camera. Familiar things have become, yet I'm still attracted to the great atmosphere, the cacophony of traffic, the smell of food and coffee, the colors, the contrasting scenes... Seasons repeat, faces and the streets are too familiar, but the moments are not to experience twice. It is based on these moments that the life of a photographer counts, at least it is true for myself only. Moments bring inspirations, creativity, knowledge and more understanding of life... It is the moments that you can wander forever in the Old Quarter of Hanoi and still find it strangely new again.

A souvenir vendor in Hanoi

Am I making things more complicated than they actually are? Yes and No. No, I am not exaggerating because street photography covers a wide range of topics from photography of shops, cityscape... to photography of people's life, their behaviors, emotions... More for the No, because street photography is dependent on natural light conditions, the weather... Or in other words, you can not control your objects and the scenes and that you have to make quick decisions unexpectedly all the time...

A shop in the Old Quarter of Hanoi

Yes, street photography is simple that anyone with a camera can do it, it is all about documenting people's life anyway. Nowadays you can use your smart phone for street photography really; you carry it with you all the time and ready to take photos of anything that come in your way and stir up some interest in you. Obtaining some basic knowledge of photography, possessing a special interest in capturing people's life and keeping on honing your observation skills are all that you need to become a great street photographer. You may still be with me, but I am afraid that I'm wandering far off my topic, so let us get back.

A hat shop in Hanoi Old Quarter

Walking in the Old Quarter of Hanoi one would expect to encounter busy traffic with pedestrians, scooters and rickshaws vying for every little gap to move forward. Everyone keeps blowing their horns every now and again as if the louder ones would be allowed to go first. You would expect see tiny shop houses that a family or many times some families share a little space. Everything you encounter here would probably be made great for street photography. You take pictures of people going about their life, of their houses, of their shops.... You manage to capture their emotions, their thinking... You breathe into your photos something of your emotions and artistic skills to make your works tell stories.... You surely get great photos then.

A shop in the Old Quarter of Hanoi selling hats and banners

The pictures in this article are some my own works that you may find helpful in shaping up your expectations before you take a trip yourself in this little cozy town. Hopefully these photos help you with more ideas about the suitable gears that you need for your photo trip to Hanoi. Keep in mind however that your gears may assist you to have sharp images, but it is you who make your photos tell stories. And it is that which defines great photography.

Traffic near Hoan Kiem Lake