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Around the world in 80 Lumias: Vietnam

Written By published March 11, 2014



Vietnam is a beautiful country of amazing contrasts. 75% of its territory is covered by mountains and hills, yet Ho Chi Minh City, with a population of nearly 10 million, is the biggest metropolis in Indochina and third largest in South East Asia.

Of course, stats only tell part of the story. To get a true insight into a country as fascinating as Vietnam you need to know a local and happily, here at Nokia Conversations, we have that pleasure. However, Hieu T. Nguyen, aka: David H. isn’t just any young Vietnamese man about town, this 22 years old has an artist’s eye for photography. So much so, that he now works with Nokia Vietnam as an Imaging Ambassador. To see why check our ten super shots of his country below. But before that, let’s learn more about the man himself. Over to you, Hieu!

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So, Hieu, how did you get into photography?

Before I answer this I just want to thank you and Nokia Connects for giving me the chance to showcase my photos and Vietnam to the world. I really appreciate it. As for photography, I was never serious in about it until I bought a Nokia 808 PureView. The 41 Megapixels camera got my attention for the first time. After that, I was really impressed by the quality of its images, so I decided to focus on my own photography and learn how to take a good shot.

A year later, I got a brand new Nokia Lumia 920 as a gift and started discovering how to do amazing lowlight photography with it, some which you can see on my Flickr account and Instagram feed. Currently, I’m using Lumia 1020 mostly as my main photographic device.

What do you like best about your Nokia Lumia 1020?

I was immediately impressed when I first held the Lumia 1020. The built quality is excellent and it didn’t feel any bigger than my 920 ( even though it has a 41Mp large sensor). I like the way Nokia created the perfect balance between a smartphone and a camera. Speaking of the camera, it has really inspired me to take more and more photos everyday. I love how the “Nokia Camera”lets me adjustso  many different settings like on DSLR. One important thing, I can capture images and post processing the way I want thanks to the full control of settings and RAW support.

Where in Vietnam do you like to shoot photos most and why ?

Ho Chi Minh city is where I live and have taken most of my photos. The city is beautiful , especially at night, when you view it from across the river.  I also love to capture the beauty of mother nature and landscaping . So on the weekend, I usually get on my bike and head to the countryside, where I can some rivers, insects and flowers.

What are your 3 top tips for shooting awesome Lumia photos?

1. Always keep the camera lens clean:

2. Enjoy the “Golden Hours”, those times just before the sun comes up or goes down is a wonderful time to take a breathtaking photo.  You can shoot sunrise/sunset , silhouettes , HDR or any kind of photograph and will often look amazing.

3. The best way to improve your skills is to practice. Yes, I mean a lot. Shoot as much as you can – it doesn’t really matter what. Finally, let your heart and mind tell you when to take a photo. Trust your instincts.

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We think all of Hieu’s photos are amazing, but which do you like best? Be sure to let us know in the comments below and if you want to see more of his amazing shots, do yourself a favour, and follow him on Instagram and Flickr.