Through street photography workshops, visitors explore Hanoi one frame at a time

Each workshop usually lasts two to three hours and is designed for small groups starting from one participant to encourage interaction and personalized experiences. 

Exploring a crowded Hanoi with historical depth  

With guidance from local photographers, visitors learn street photography techniques while gaining a deeper understanding of Hanoi’s history and daily life.

The route often includes famous attractions such as Dong Xuan Market, Long Bien Bridge, narrow alleys, and makeshift markets where the rustic and vivid character of urban life is on full display.

Urho Airiman, 74, from Sweden, said he chose Hanoi as a stop in his world journey to capture cultural experiences through photography.

After one week in the city, he found the Old Quarter reminiscent of his hometown yet striking for its lively pace and bustling commerce.

What impressed him most was the friendliness of Vietnamese people.

“Even when I was walking or eating, many Vietnamese smiled and waved at me,” Airiman said. “Those gestures made me feel truly welcomed.”

Through his lens, Airiman sees a crowded Hanoi with remarkable historical depth.

He considers photography a cultural bridge.

“My friends have never been to Hanoi, but through these photos they will see that this is a place worth experiencing,” he said.

For him, the workshop is more than a tourism activity. It helps him understand the energy and adaptability of local people, which he believes makes Hanoi especially appealing.

Meanwhile, British visitor Sam Cottrill, 33, joined the workshop hoping to explore Hanoi from a completely new perspective.

He wanted to capture everyday moments and keep true images to share with family, other travelers, and his personal blog documenting his journey with his wife.

During his first minutes on the street, Sam Cottrill admitted he was overwhelmed by Hanoi’s fast pace and its energetic chaos.

But as he adjusted, he began to appreciate the experience.

“This is a completely different way of seeing. A few days ago I was only walking to absorb the atmosphere, not to preserve each moment,” he said.

He was surprised by how open people were when being photographed and by the way traffic naturally moved around him without frustration. Everything felt flexible and calm.

The highlight for him was the wet markets which he described as “a slice of real life.”

Unlike the more touristy Old Quarter, visiting a motorbike parts market gave him an authentic look at local labor and daily routines, something he had never seen before.

At the end of his trip, Sam Cottrill said he was leaving with images of a colorful, dynamic Hanoi that never stops moving.

To him, the city’s noise is not an inconvenience but a compelling part of its charm.

He plans to select his best photos to post on his travel blogs, hoping to inspire more people to visit Vietnam.

Promoting Vietnamese culture, sharing photography passion

Photographer Nguyen An Huy, 43, said he initially started the workshops simply to make a living from his passion.

Over time, he realized they were an opportunity to promote Vietnamese culture, history, and photography.

He sees the Old Quarter as a vibrant space with a unique energy where everything happens at once, from vendors to children playing, creating a scene that is chaotic yet captivating and never short of ideas for photography.

According to Huy, international visitors are most interested in capturing the “breath of life” in the Old Quarter, including heavy traffic, traditional trades, and daily commerce.

He said his groups of foreign visitors are often invited by locals for drinks or welcomed into homes, gestures that reflect the distinctive hospitality of Hanoi.

Since 2019, Huy’s team has organized an average of four to eight workshops each month, including photowalks, short workshops, and street photography experiences.

They have attracted hundreds of visitors and photography enthusiasts through platforms such as Tripadvisor, Airbnb Experience, and Viator.

Locations include the Old Quarter, St Joseph Cathedral, Hoan Kiem Lake, and sometimes West Lake, Long Bien Bridge, or craft villages.

The workshops are open to all skill levels, from beginners to professional photographers, as long as they share an interest in photography and a desire to explore Hanoi.

On a broader level, creative tourism products such as photography workshops diversify travel experiences while effectively promoting the image of Vietnam and its people.

Street photography activities are becoming a bridge between Hanoi and international visitors, spreading culture not only through words but through everyday moments captured on camera.