Over the last weekend, I had the pleasure of having Sebastian on a private photography tour and workshop in central Vietnam. He contacted me several months ago to book a private photography tour that would take him to the best locations around Hoi An. Not only is Sebastian a great photographer and a laid-back person, but we encountered great opportunities for people photography, as well as great weather.
Here I’d like to share some of my favourite images, but I would also like to show you how I got some of these images. If you like it, this could be a cool format that I could do more often in the future. So ldo let me know if you like it!
1. The Adventure Begins: Our Photography workshop Route in Central Vietnam
Sebastian mentioned to me that he wanted to focus on the fishing life of central Vietnam. I told him he contacted the best person, so what he wanted to capture! And I got very excited as I was going to visit again some of my favourite locations to photograph in central Vietnam!
We only had 3 half days together, so this is to be intense. Well, as usual 😉 We began in Hoi An, visiting a very busy fishing village, followed by the lagoon of Lang Co at sunset, and the lagoon of Tam Giang near Hue at sunrise.
2. Hoi An at Sunrise: Of course, we had to get fishy!
We began very early in the morning and drove to my favourite fishing village of the moment, South of Hoi An. This place is extremely busy in the summertime as we have the best weather, allowing the fishermen to fish and bring their catch directly on the beach.
This was a wonderful “warm-up” for Sebastian, throwing us into a busy place in order to get started with people photography. We had a wonderful sunrise and got to capture some great action photos of the fishermen in action.
3. The Fishing Lagoons: Timing the Moment
In the afternoon, we drove to Lang Co lagoon, another amazing location to photograph. The trick with Lang Co is to be there at the right time of the day, not only to have the best light but also to find the right activity.
As we arrived, we first saw a man putting his fishing net in the lagoon. We took off our shoes and joined him in the water. He was a very friendly man, very happy to discuss with us, and interested to know what we were doing in his waters!
We chatted with him for a little while before we started taking photos of him in action.
After taking photos of him for a while, we walked back to the main road and started taking photos of other fishermen in the area.
A few minutes later, we saw that the first fisherman we had previously met was walking back towards us. We got in position, and this is how I framed him.
I like the first wide shot, but as he was walking towards us, I was waiting for the sun to go behind him in order to create a starburst. I used a small aperture (f8.0) in order to make the star more starry.
We then caught an incredible sunset at a different spot on the lagoon. This truly was a great way to end the day!
4. Tam Giang lagoon: From Snapshot to Storytelling
The day after, we once again started early. We only had a few beers on the previous night, so this was an easy start (unlike many other mornings I have spent on this lagoon with some wild groups!).
The sunrise was pretty spot on, and, once again, we photographed a location where we could find a lot of fishing activities.
5. Photography Tip: How to Build a Scene, Not Just Take a Shot
Here is an image that I like, and how I got to it. It began with a pretty boat and a fisherman on the water. Then I spotted another man who was also watching the scene. And as you know, I like to add layers to my images. I started to add the man in blue as a foreground element. Then I tried and place this man on my thirds on the left, and keep the other fisherman on my thirds on the right.
6. Why Central Vietnam in summer is Perfect for People Photography Workshops
Summer in Central Vietnam offers everything a people photographer could wish for: reliable weather, soft golden light, and vibrant local life. Unlike other parts of Vietnam, the central coast stays mostly dry during summer, giving us perfect shooting conditions from sunrise to sunset.
This is when fishing villages are most active — nets flying, boats arriving at dawn, and families working together on the beach. Inland, rice fields are either being planted or harvested, providing stunning scenes of hard work and tradition.
Markets are buzzing early in the morning, full of character and colour, while village life slows down in the heat of the day — ideal for more intimate, candid portraits.
If you’re passionate about travel and people photography, summer in Central Vietnam offers some of the richest stories to capture. It’s the perfect season to join a Vietnam photography tour and dive deep into real, everyday life in this beautiful region.
7. Join the Next Vietnam Photography Tour and workshop!
Or book a private photography tour with me to go and explore the best locations of central Vietnam!
