This was much more interesting than a normal photoshoot! Qui gave some direction when needed, but a lot of it was just free-flowing: walking around Hanoi, stopping when something caught my attention, sitting by the railway, watching traffic and people setting up for the morning. Sometimes he would disappear into the background and keep shooting while I did my own thing.
I also asked him to experiment with photographing me through reflections and objects, and to make Hanoi itself feel bigger than me in the frame. Some of those became my favourite photos. They feel cinematic, but a few also feel strangely like me, and I’m curious how I’ll see them again in a few years.
Qui was quiet, kind and very easy to talk to. He took me to one of his longtime breakfast places, and later stopped for egg coffee as well. Nothing felt rushed or overly scheduled; we mostly followed the city and he kept shooting until he was happy with what we had. A very unique way to remember Hanoi.
I recommend it!