30 March 2018

Touring Markets in Northern Vietnam

The weekly ethnic minority markets in Northern Vietnam are quite unique (and the photo opportunities are unrivalled). Local people gather for trading, gossiping and getting the basics of life for the week. In an area where there are more than 50 ethnic minorities, maintaining friendly social relations between different cultures is incredibly important. One can often see rugged hill-tribe men having a drink (of home-distilled moonshine), loudly discussing hill-tribe women in their traditional outfit, laughing and negotiating prices or eating pork in scattered groups, and many dressed-up young village beauties who want to be noticed by their local heroes...

My five favourite country markets:


matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; life; character; head; face; eyes; smiling eyes; bad teeth; tooth gap; ears; silver; drop earrings; wrinkles; expression; looking camera; costume; hat; consent; rapport; emotion; fun; concept; travel; culture; tradition; vitality; goodtime; ethnic; tribal; indigenous; hill tribe; rural; traditional; market; can cau; vietnam; northeast; asia; southeast; asian; hmong; flower; one person; female; old; woman; image; photo; face perception; physiognomy; nikon d3100; nikkor afs 50mm f1.8g; prime lens; 50mm; 4x3; horizontal; street; portrait; closeup; headshot; seven eighths view; outdoor; color; posing; awesome; incredible; authentic; smiling; feeling good; positive; happy; cheerful; saturday

matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; real; life; perfect; character; head; face; eyes; ears; earrings; lived in face; wrinkles; expression; looking at camera; story; headgear; headwear; headdress; headscarf; consent; concept; humanity; culture; tradition; custom; lifestyle; anthropology; ethnic; tribal; minority; hill tribe; rural; traditional; cultural; market; bazaar; bac ha; vietnam; northern; asia; vietnamese; hmong; asian; individual; one person; female; adult; elderly; woman; image; photo; face perception; physiognomy; nikon d3100; nikkor afs 50mm f1.8g; prime lens; 50mm; 4x3; horizontal; street; portrait; closeup; headshot; seven eighths view; color; posing; awesome; authentic; forehead; blue; smiling mouth closed

matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; real; life; perfect; character; head; tilted head; face; eyes; lived in face; wrinkles; expression; looking at camera; story; costume; headgear; headwear; headdress; headscarf; consent; concept; humanity; culture; tradition; custom; lifestyle; anthropology; ethnic; tribal; minority; hill tribe; rural; traditional; cultural; market; bazaar; bac ha; vietnam; northern; asia; vietnamese; hmong; asian; individual; one person; female; adult; old; woman; image; photo; face perception; physiognomy; nikon d3100; nikkor afs 50mm f1.8g; prime lens; 50mm; 4x3; horizontal; street; portrait; closeup; headshot; full face view; color; posing; awesome; authentic; smiling; teeth

matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; real; life; perfect; character; head; face; eyes; ears; silver; earrings; lived in face; wrinkles; expression; looking at camera; story; costume; headgear; headwear; headdress; headscarf; consent; concept; humanity; culture; tradition; custom; lifestyle; anthropology; ethnic; tribal; minority; hill tribe; rural; traditional; cultural; market; bazaar; bac ha; vietnam; northern; asia; vietnamese; hmong; asian; individual; one person; female; adult; old; woman; image; photo; face perception; physiognomy; nikon d3100; nikkor afs 50mm f1.8g; prime lens; 50mm; 4x3; horizontal; street; portrait; closeup; headshot; three quarter view; color; posing; awesome; authentic; adipose; full figured

matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; life; aesthetic; perfect; character; head; face; eyes; beautiful eyes; oriental eyes; epicanthic fold; lips; eyebrows; expression; looking at camera; hair; conical hat; sun hat; rice hat; asian hat; consent; tradition; lifestyle; beauty; exotic; ethnic; tribal; minority; hill tribe; bac ha; northern; vietnam; asia; asian; individual; one person; female; girl; young; woman; image; photo; face perception; physiognomy; nikon d3100; nikkor afs 50mm f1.8g; prime lens; 50mm; 4x3; horizontal; street; portrait; closeup; faceshot; full face view; outdoor; color; posing; hot; iconic; beautiful; sensual; pretty; lovely; fabulous; sexy

I usually travel on a dirt bike and I do not take any lights, flashes or reflectors. My favourite lenses for street portraits of ethnic minorities are the AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G and the AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G, both prime lenses from Nikon. My preference is to use an aperture anywhere from f/2.8 to f/5.6 (in aperture priority mode) to have my subjects stand out from the background.

It’s extremely important to ask for permission and to be respectful to other cultures. I apply advanced NLP-techniques and connect with my subjects quickly, even if there is a language barrier. I also make sure to have eye-to-eye contact.

matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; real; character; head; face; eyes; expression; looking at camera; shaved; headwear; cap; peaked cap; cap badge; cockade; emblem; coat of arms; military; army; consent; concept; dedication; tradition; brotherhood; traditional; cultural; officer; retired; bac ha; lao cai; northern; vietname; asia; vietnamese; asian; individual; one person; male; elderly; man; image; photo; face perception; physiognomy; nikon d3100; nikkor afs 50mm f1.8g; prime lens; 50mm; 4x3; horizontal; street; portrait; closeup; headshot; full face view; outdoor; color; posing; authentic; chewing; match; mouth; green
matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; basic; character; head; face; eyes; catchlights; smiling eyes; teeth; wrinkles; expression; looking at camera; headgear; headwear; hat; conical hat; sun hat; rice hat; asian hat; consent; emotion; concept; humanity; culture; tradition; enjoyment; optimism; sisterhood; traditional; cultural; market; bac ha; lao cai; northern; vietnam; asia; asian; vietnamese; individual; one person; female; elderly; woman; image; photo; physiognomy; nikon d3100; nikkor afs 50mm f1.8g; prime lens; 50mm; 4x3; horizontal; street; portrait; closeup; headshot; full face view; outdoor; mono; black and white; monochrome; greyscale; vignette; posing; smiling; happy; joyous
matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; basic; character; head; face; eyes; catchlights; smiling eyes; teeth; wrinkles; expression; looking at camera; headgear; headwear; hat; conical hat; sun hat; rice hat; asian hat; consent; emotion; concept; humanity; culture; tradition; enjoyment; optimism; sisterhood; traditional; cultural; market; bac ha; lao cai; northern; vietnam; asia; asian; vietnamese; individual; one person; female; elderly; woman; image; photo; physiognomy; nikon d3100; nikkor afs 50mm f1.8g; prime lens; 50mm; 4x3; horizontal; street; portrait; closeup; headshot; full face view; outdoor; mono; black and white; monochrome; greyscale; vignette; posing; smiling; happy; joyous
matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; head; face; eyes; mouth; teeth; freckles; expression; looking at camera; embroidery; tribal; traditional; clothes; clothing; garment; baby sling; consent; concept; humanity; travel; culture; tradition; upbringing; childhood; anthropology; exotic; ethnic; minority; hill tribe; rural; cultural; folklore; market; sunday; bac ha; lao cai; northern; vietnam; hmong; vietnamese; two people; female; adult; child; baby; boy; young; woman; image; photo; background; nikon d3100; nikkor afs 50mm f1.8g; prime lens; 50mm; 4x3; horizontal; street; portrait; double portrait; half length; closeup; seven eighths view; sideways glance; outdoor; color; colorful; posing; authentic; friendly; back; mother and baby; mother and child
matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; head; eyes; children eyes; epicanthic fold; looking at camera; story; embroidery; baby sling; knitted cap; woollen cap; parental consent; concept; humanity; travel; culture; tradition; custom; upbringing; anthropology; exotic; ethnic; tribal; minority; native; indigenous; hill tribe; rural; traditional; cultural; folklore; bac ha; lao cai; northern; vietnam; asia; hmong; vietnamese; asian; individual; one person; male; child; baby; childhood; boy; image; photo; detail; nikon d3100; nikkor afs 50mm f1.8g; prime lens; 50mm; 4x3; horizontal; street; portrait; closeup; headshot; seven eighths view; sideways glance; pink; outdoor; color; colorful; cute; authentic; peeking


High-res portrait photographs with full exif data, geotags and technical details in Matt Hahnewald's