Vietnam

Vietnam — Street shots of Hanoi, Vietnam

Nick Morris

Nick Morris

— 5 min read

Street photography in Hanoi

September 2015

One thing I love doing in a city is wandering around, looking, exploring and taking photographs. What you can see and find is fascinating, if you take the time.

This post is a collection of photographs I took on Hanoi’s streets over two or three days. The photographs are not of anything in particular; they are of things I observed that caught my eye — scenes and sights I want to remember from the trip.

The end of the night market — taking your unsold goods home.

Photo by Author — at the end of the market — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — at the end of the market — Hanoi, Vietnam

An alleyway leads to a store. I like this shot because the alleyway seems to go on forever, and there is a welcoming light at the end.

Photo by Author — an alleyway to a store — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — an alleyway to a store — Hanoi, Vietnam

I like to take photographs at food stalls and outdoor restaurants. At these places, people are either focusing on the work or the food they’re eating; hence, as the photographer, I often don’t get spotted.

Photo by Author — cooking on the street — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — cooking on the street — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — street dining — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — street dining — Hanoi, Vietnam

Another alleyway in Hanoi.

Photo by Author — an alleyway — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — an alleyway — Hanoi, Vietnam

I found Hanoi to be very clean and free from general street rubbish. I discovered this cleanliness was due to an army of street cleaners prowling the streets with their carts collecting the waste.

Photo by Author — street cleaner — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — street cleaner — Hanoi, Vietnam

What a difference a few hours makes. The image below I took on my first evening in Hanoi as I searched for a place to eat. I was blown away by the number of motorbikes and the busy street scene.

Photo by Author — late-night traffic and market — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — late-night traffic and market — Hanoi, Vietnam

However, eight hours later, I returned to the same spot and saw an entirely different scene. The market stalls had gone, and so had the traffic.

Photo by Author — early morning — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — early morning — Hanoi, Vietnam

There was a different feel between the streets at night and the day. At night, I like to stick to the well-lit areas and explore the night street markets. Whereas, during the day, I will wander anywhere I want.

Photo by Author — motorbikes at night — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — motorbikes at night — Hanoi, Vietnam

The streets of Hanoi were great for photography. There was so much going on. There were so many things to see and experience.

Photo by Author — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — Hanoi, Vietnam

I was out early in the morning and saw the produce for the restaurants and cafés of Hanoi arrive.

Photo by Author — food deliveries — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — food deliveries — Hanoi, Vietnam

A flower seller caught my eye. I love the very Vietnamese feel of the image: the hat, the bike, and the inventive use of the cycle to carry the flowers.

Photo by Author — flower seller — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — flower seller — Hanoi, Vietnam

It was unclear why this old saw was leaning against a stool. The saw was in pretty good condition, but why had it been left propped up against a stool? I like photographs that have the potential for a story. In the photograph below, why had the saw been left? What is the significance of the screwed-up pieces of paper?

Photo by Author — a saw — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — a saw — Hanoi, Vietnam

I like street food in Southeast Asia, and it’s great to watch the cooks on the street prepare their daily offerings.

Photo by Author — street cooking — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — street cooking — Hanoi, Vietnam

One thing you see all over Southeast Asia is “crazy wiring”. The photograph below shows a typical pole in Vietnam. I’m always surprised that people are not electrocuted.

Photo by Author — crazy wiring — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — crazy wiring — Hanoi, Vietnam

In wandering around Hanoi, I saw numerous birds in cages. They seemed to be very popular pets. They also brought a delightful sound into the city.

Photo by Author — caged bird — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — caged bird — Hanoi, Vietnam

I’ve seen street barbers in numerous countries across Southeast Asia and India, but I still find them fascinating.

Photo by Author — street barber — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — street barber — Hanoi, Vietnam

Two gentlemen playing a game with two onlookers.

Photo by Author — playing games — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — playing games — Hanoi, Vietnam

Fish for sale on the streets of Hanoi.

Photo by Author — fisher seller — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — fisher seller — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — street scene — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — street scene — Hanoi, Vietnam

This final shot is in this series I like. Again, it is an example of a “story shot”. Here we have the street seller carrying her vegetables and waiting across the road. A family is passing on a moped. The small child looks at the fruit. What is the child thinking?

Photo by Author — fruit seller and small child — Hanoi, Vietnam
Photo by Author — fruit seller and small child — Hanoi, Vietnam

I enjoyed wandering around the streets of Hanoi taking photographs. I found Hanoi to be a fun and vibrant city. The number of motorbikes I saw amazed me. The cleanliness of the streets was impressive. I still can't believe that I didn’t get run over!

Read more