In The Frame Archives - Danchi Studio

Saigon’s Tet Markets

Danchi — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 08:46:09 +0000

This Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), I wandered through the Trên Bến Dưới Thuyền flower market in District 8 – got some great afternoon photos! The name translates to “On the wharf, under the boat” reflecting its location along the waterfront and its history as a bustling market for flowers, especially during major holidays like Tết.

Then, I walked back home from District 8 to District 6, passing the busy night market behind Chợ Lớn bus station – the night vibe was perfect!

Below are a few pics of the farmers and sellers working away, bringing the festive spirit to life. Photos taken with my Nikon D40.

The post Saigon’s Tet Markets appeared first on Danchi Studio.

A walk inspired by Fan Ho

Danchi — Sat, 17 Apr 2021 13:24:09 +0000

I first discovered Fan Ho through his stunning photos, particularly his The Living Theatre album. I admire how he tells the stories of everyday life through light. What draws me in even more is his ability to capture people living in their moments.

I had chance to join Noirfoto for a 3-hour photowalk around the Chợ Lớn area, inspired by Fan Ho’s street photography style. I found it challenging to blend into the daily activities of people and capture their moments in such a short time. For me, this kind of photography requires time and patience to truly connect with the surroundings, so that I can feel when the right moment to capture.

Here are some photos from the 3-hour walk. While I haven’t quite captured Fan Ho’s style yet, I still find these shots beautiful, especially because the strangers smiled at me when I took their pictures.

Thanks to anh Ngọc from Noirfoto, who helped me rediscover the reason why I love taking photos!

The post A walk inspired by Fan Ho appeared first on Danchi Studio.

Pinhole camera

Danchi — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 15:50:37 +0000

I first heard about pinhole cameras from a friend, who shared stories of making cameras with different types of cans when he was a kid. As living in the digital era, I was really curious about these homemade cameras and wanted to try making one myself.

Two years later, I got the chance to visit a small photography workshop by anh Ngọc at Noirfoto. The workshop was about making pinhole cameras using shoeboxes, then developing and processing photos in his darkroom. It was a really eye-opening experience. It reminded me of the basic concept of how light can capture images in photography books.

For me, the hardest part of using a pinhole camera is figuring out the right exposure time to let in enough light for a photo. I still remember, after many failed attempts, I carefully opened the pinhole on my shoebox for my last shot. Suddenly, I heard anh Ngọc’s voice coming from nowhere in the crowd, “Chi, that’s enough light!”. I quickly closed the box, knowing I had finally captured the right amount of light. And just like that… I got my best shot I was amazed, anh Ngọc was like a living-timer!

The post Pinhole camera appeared first on Danchi Studio.

Photographic journey to healing

Danchi — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 02:57:00 +0000

Back in 2019, I was dealing with some serious work burnout, which really affected both my physical health and mental well-being. I spent most of my days in bed, focusing on taking care of my basic self-care needs – sleeping, eating, drinking water, and recovering.

At the same time, my neighbor started rebuilding her house, and the noise outside my window made it really hard to get any rest. So, instead of sleeping, I found myself staring at the construction through my bedroom window and blending in with the constant noise. One ordinary day, I told myself, “Let’s frame it” and from that moment on, I started taking photos day by day.

The first two weeks were pretty random. I didn’t have any specific intention when taking photos. I only had just enough energy to hold my phone and press the button.
Then, I began to notice a visual story unfolding through the photos I took. Beside the progress of the construction, I also saw how the workers were switching tasks and adjusting to the changes each day. That’s when my mind developed an interest in taking photos of the workers.
Then, whenever I held my phone, my mind started to focus. It began with deciding what to capture and even paying attention to the natural light before taking a photo. It also encouraged me to walk outside my bedroom to other windows in the house so I could find more angles of the workers.

What I didn’t expect was how meditative it became. It brought a sense of calmness, and in those moments, time seemed to fade away. I forgot about my worries, disappointments, and the feelings of being stuck. And for a while… I felt connected to the world outside my bedroom.

To me, photography isn’t just a form of art. It’s also a way to meditate without staying completely still like the traditional forms of meditation.

Here are a few selected shots from the 7 months I spent observing the neighborhood through my windows. I took them all with my iPhone 6.

The post Photographic journey to healing appeared first on Danchi Studio.