During the Lunar New Year in Hanoi, known as Tết, the city is dotted with vibrant and colourful markets.
Excitement and energy fill the streets as locals purchase flowers, kumquat trees, new clothes, and offerings to burn to bring good luck in the new year and pay homage to their ancestors.
This video shows a full day of documenting the people and moments of Hanoi during these festive preparations.
The time cut between each photography scene is noted to give a sense of scale. While it’s easy to admire street photography images and seek out fast-paced environments to capture them, what often isn’t shown is the time taken to find these decisive moments.
Too often I have felt disheartened when returning home from a street photography walk with no standout photos. In my one month living in Hanoi, only a couple of days like the one shown in the video did I capture a series of meaningful shots in short succession.
Most of the time, it was endless walking; however, it created a treasure hunt around a city new to me that I don’t regret for a moment. Decisive moments will always be there, it’s just a matter of time on the street in order to be there for them. The best storytelling moments come from simply being a fly on the wall in the right place at the right time.
It’s days like these that keep me going when street photography times are slow. This is why I wanted to show the process from my perspective: not only showing the beauty of Hanoi during this vibrant holiday but illustrating the opportunities I’m looking for alongside the wider context outside my camera’s lens.
While not all photography walks offer shots I'm excited about, this day was one of my favourites while living in Hanoi for one month.
If you struggle to capture street photography images that you’re excited about, or you find you may be missing the moment too frequently, I invite you to check out my tips on overcoming the awkwardness of street photography.
This is the second part of a five-part series on Hanoi, with the first documenting how life is on display in the streets of Hanoi, the third showing how chaotic Hanoi’s markets are on Lunar New Year’s Eve, and the fourth showing Hanoi’s craziest flower market.
I encourage you to follow my most recent street photography work on Instagram or check out my street photography gallery.
Below the video you’ll find my digital zine, designed to be scrolled, of my favourite images from the day documenting Hanoi during Tết.
