Smartphone walk

Hoi An Photo Walks started Vietnam’s first smartphone tour in 2016. It did not last very long, as there was not so much interest. But now it is back on the menu!

A smartphone has a camera and therefore many aspects of photography are the same. What is on your screen and when do you push the button. Yes, you have less control and the image quality is inferior compared to the “real” cameras, but for many purposes it is good enough or even excellent. Other advantages:

  • It is always in your pocket, it weighs almost nothing.
  • Instead of thinking about settings and which lens to use, you only need to worry about the image. Huge advantage.
  • Smartphones are much handier for close-up photos.
  • The big screen makes it a lot more easy to see what you are doing and your subjects will enjoy looking at the images together with you.
  • Smartphones are everywhere, so when you use it nobody will stare at your camera gear.

It is much easier to blend in with the Vietnamese culture and shoot the images that really matter. And local life is what you will get and you will be surprised how far we can stretch this. And of course I give you guidance on how to get away with the best photos.

Private

A private workshop has a minimum of 2 hours, but 3 are recommended. For more advanced techniques or longer experiences we can extend it to 4 hours or even longer.

More than any other photography training, this one is totally geared towards you. You have all my attention for yourself and step by step I will teach you how to get the best out of your camera and how to take better photos, whatever your needs are.

Private workshops can be held at any time of the day. First I will find out what your needs are and based on that we will either go through the necessary functions you need to control your camera or we will hit the road. When we go around it is all about experiences and composition. What do you put in your viewfinder (or on your display) and when is the best moment to press the button.

Along the way we stop at various photo locations for photo discussions, picture reviews and in the field tips, techniques and advice. This could be RAW vs JPG, white balance, composition, light, seeing photographically, how to approach strangers and take their portraits, advice on which camera to buy, anything goes.

Pros are welcome too. We skip all the tech talk and go straight to the action. I have taken pros to locations where they normally would never end up. If you have any special requirements or wishes, just shoot. Private workshops are not limited to just Hoi An, we can go anywhere. For one person we can move around by motorbike or car. A car costs a little bit extra, all depending on how long and how far we go.

On tour you will receive a password, which gives you access to the “clients” section. There you will find many articles on things I talk about on tour, especially the technical issues. When you hear all the options the main camera settings have to offer, you may feel confused at times. These articles make sure you will never forget what you learnt!

Hoi An By Night

This photography walk is completely dedicated to low light. We meet somewhere in town at a location to be confirmed when you book. First, while enjoying a drink, there will be a briefing on camera settings. Especially at night you need to tell the camera what to do, so it is also a great opportunity to really learn how to control your camera.

Along the way you will learn how to deal with various levels of light (and darkness). At night you can’t have it all, so you have to make choices. Make the right ones and your photos will suddenly look a lot better. First we shoot while hand holding the camera and then we switch to the tripod. If you did not bring a tripod I can provide one.

On this tour you can use a smartphone too, except you won’t be able to do tripod photography in the last part. You will however see how it is done.

On tour you will receive a password, which gives you access to the “clients” section. There you will find many articles on things I talk about on tour, especially the technical issues. These articles make sure you will never forget what you have learnt! There are also lots of tips regarding books, post processing software, (free) courses and apps for your phone.

Morning in the alleys

Ideal for street photography and portraits. See a different side of Hoi An, away from the crowds and all the shops.

This tour is for any camera, even a smartphone. The general idea is to show you local life and interesting places and along the way I help you with choosing the right settings and composition. There are lots of photogenic people and you would be surprised how easy it is to take their photos.

Whatever help you need, everything will be explained in an easy to understand way. You will see that the tour is very relaxing, no matter what your level is. Examples would be creativity, taking control of the light (and achieve results which would not be possible in the auto mode), what to put into a photo and what not, possible distractions, foregrounds, backgrounds, timing, contrast, colours, storytelling (with one singe image or with a set of images), the possibilities are endless.

Join and change your photography life forever!

On tour you will receive a password, which gives you access to the “clients” section. There you will find many articles on things I talk about on tour, especially the technical issues. These articles make sure you will never forget what you learnt! There are also lots of tips regarding books, post processing software, (free) courses and apps for your phone.

Sunset with the farmers

After a short briefing on the essential camera settings we get on a boat to go to the countryside. There we will go around in an area which contains rice fields, all sorts of crops and villages. Depending on the season you will see (many) workers in the fields. In the village we will have more contact with locals and do some portrait photography. Along the way you will learn many aspects of photography and whoever needs it gets support.

We will witness the beautiful changes of light. For portrait photographers the golden hour is the perfect time to shoot. The warm soft glow of the sun creates a beautiful atmosphere and some of the best light of the day.

As the sun sets further we will walk along the river towards the boat, which brings us back to Hoi An. The last part is dedicated to a workshop on low light photography, in Hoi An town. It covers all the basics, shooting with your camera handheld.

This tour has the option to be extended by one hour, for a more detailed look on night photography. Additional costs are US$ 15 or VND 350,000 per person. If you don’t have a tripod, we can provide one. Also for those who shoot with a smartphone the additional hour shows you how to get the best results.

On tour you will receive a password, which gives you access to the “clients” section. There you will find many articles on things I talk about on tour, especially the technical issues. When you hear all the options the main camera settings have to offer, you may feel confused at times. These articles make sure you will never forget what you have learnt!

Sunrise walk

We meet in the old town, where we wait for the first glimpses of light above the iconic Hoi An skyline. If the weather cooperates there will be some beautiful colours in the sky. Once the best sky light is gone we walk along the river to a nice spot to have breakfast. From there we have a nice view on the old town and we can observe (and shoot) all sorts of activities. Hoi An is still quiet, all shops are closed and the tourists are still asleep.

After breakfast we move around to benefit from the best light which is hitting the town. Once we are done shooting at the riverside we move into the alleys. There we experience local life, still in the old town, but away from the madness. Here we focus more on street photography, Vietnamese culture, learning how to take portrait photos and tons of other things. We may be invited to visit people’s homes, something that gives the trip a special touch. Often you will see Vietnamese women dressed in traditional clothes with the conical hat. See how easy it is to approach them and to take photos of them.

If there is still time left we head to a different side of Hoi An, with all sorts of different trades. Depending on the photographic opportunities we will also pass a local market, away from the crowds. This area is also a tour on its own (the 7AM till 10AM tour), without having to get out of bed ultra early.

On tour you will receive a password, which gives you access to the “clients” section. There you will find many articles on things I talk about on tour, especially the technical issues. When you hear all the options the main camera settings have to offer, you may feel confused at times. These articles make sure you will never forget what you learnt!