Vietnam at 50 mph
 

While I was traveling through Vietnam, I was often on a bus. I decided to try to capture photos of people and their everyday lives as we drove along. Although many of these are a bit blurry or skewed, I think that I managed to obtain some interesting shots, and some are great as you look closer at them. Here is a link to my Flickr photo album that has these shots.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lutherb...7622948921872/

There are also more albums that have regular photos of Vietnam in my "Sets" section. Hope you enjoy these.

The photos are great. I did a similar thing, put the camera on "sports" and rapid shoot. Also as we walked through the busy streets, had the camera hanging around my neck and holding it as if to secure it, just snapped away, got some great candid shots without upsetting anyone.

Thanks, Sally! It's odd, because in Japan and China, people were very comfortable with having their photo taken, and often took mine. It seemed that the Vietnamese people didn't enjoy being photographed and felt that it was something insulting, so I understand the secretive thing! :-)

In Vietnam, they might ask you for money if you take their picture. Always best to ask before doing so.

"It seemed that the Vietnamese people didn't enjoy being photographed and felt that it was something insulting" Not surprising really. How would you feel if someone approached you in the street and photographed you without asking?

Hi Crellston,

I understand your comment. However, I basically never walked right up to someone and photographed them square on without asking, since that would be awkward and impolite. As a photographer, I either photograph unseen, or I smile and nod while indicating the camera in an attempt to ask for a chance to photograph, generally from a distance. If they indicate "No" , then I don't. My point was that most Vietnamese people do not allow you to photograph them when you ask politely, and as "Bisbeee" pointed out, many of them indicate that they want money.

As a traveler in a foreign land, it is quite common to photograph people in other cultures. I have been photographed many times while traveling by people in other countries and I don't find it insulting, I see it as a curiosity. There is always a polite and impolite way of doing it. There has been once or twice when I've photographed people that didn't like it, but because they said or did something that was hateful and racist in an unprovoked manner.

Hi Lukerb - Forgive me if I sounded a little abrupt in my previous post. Clearly, unlike many, you are handling your photography with sensitivity.
I am a keen amateur photographer and when it comes to photographing people close up I would always ask permission first either as you do, by miming with the camera or by using the appropriate phrase from the phrasebook (always goes down well- just good manners really .

I have travelled extensively in Vietnam and never been asked for money by anyone I have approached for a photograph. But I have seen at first hand the appalling behaviour of tourists in Luang Prabang when photographing the monks alms procession. Some were literally standing right in front of the monks shoving cameras right in there faces (using flash!) and totally disrupting the procession. Appalling behaviour and when I (quite politely for me!) pointed out to one of the offending individuals that he should leave them some space and show some respect, I was told to f*** off.

Sapa is another place where this happens a lot and the once delightful Sunday market has now long been a sort of human zoo with unpleasant behaviour by camera toting tourists which in turn has led to some of the local people becoming quite agressive in asking for money.

As an aside, I can recall one occaision when I was asked for money. We were travelling in southern Laos and visited a remote village when a wedding was going on. We were invited in to join the celebrations and I took loads of photos and, with the help of our guide I got the name and postal address of the brides mother. When we got home I got duplicate prints made (pre-digital) and put together an album together with some spare Lao currency and posted it to Laos. Not really expecting it to get there I was amazed to get a letter from the brides mother in English (well sort of!) thanking me for the photos and the money and finally, asking for $100. Oh well..

Hi Crellston!

Thanks for the reply. I had just wanted to clear that up so that because I realized my original post had made me sound like the "Ugly American"...LOL...when I'm not like that at all. I have seen people take photographs in ways that were unkind, so I always try to be conscious of my manners. Thanks again for the follow up! Take care,

Luther

I find that using a zoom lens helps. Most people are not aware they are having their picture taken and you don't feel like you are intruding so much or being the ugly tourist.

Yep...I absolutely use a telephoto most of the time. It's not as invasive.