A harvest-time encounter with the hill tribes of northwest Vietnam

Spectacular northwest Vietnam, draped in gold. As the rice harvest approaches, the terraces of Lai Chau and Mu Cang Chai go from green to gold in a matter of weeks. In many places, the local hill tribes are already cutting the crops, and we’ll capture authentic portraits of rural life. Throw in some colorful tribal markets and the unforgettable hospitality of our local friends, and it adds up to one incredible experience. A unique opportunity to photograph northern Vietnam’s land and people, at a dazzling time of year.

Our Golden Harvest Tour is a premium photographic adventure, and we’ll enjoy the best accommodation available in the region, from stylish bamboo eco-lodges to mountain resorts and restored H’mong forts. We’ll also taste the most delicious cuisine in a part of the world already renowned for its culinary excellence.

We travel by spacious and comfortable minibus, with an extra vehicle to transport our luggage between accommodation. At the same time, our close connection to the people of this region, local friendships and many years of experience give us unparalleled access to the authentic life of the ethnic minorities and the area’s most stunning vistas. As working photographers and journalists, with many years of teaching experience, we provide you unique insights and knowledge about Vietnam and photographic storytelling.

This September, we’re traveling deeper than ever into the gold terraced landscapes of Vietnam’s northwest. In the company of ViF photographer leader Hoang Viet Nguyen and our team of local specialists, we’ll be on the hunt for images of both land and people at this dazzling time of year. Far from the tourist trail, we’ll look at all aspects of visual storytelling, ultimately creating an authentic, rich narrative of life in the region.

Northwest Vietnam offers abundant opportunities for landscape photography, and we’ll experiment with different lenses, angles and perspectives to capture the unique atmosphere in these mountains. Most of our landscape shooting will be at sunrise and sunset, as the colors, shadows and mists add drama to the scene. We’ll also be able to shoot with drones, discovering otherwise unseen sights deep into the valleys around.

The region is a heaven for people photography, and harvest season is the perfect time for images of hill-tribe life. In a small group of five guests, led by our Vietnamese-speaking guide team, we’ll get up close and personal with the friendly locals. We’ll be looking at all types of images involving people, from relationship and group pictures to intimate portraits. We aim to tell stories with our cameras – not only in a series of images, but in a single evocative capture.

Along the way, we’ll look at various types of photography, including landscapes on the terraces of Sin Ho and Mu Cang Chai, environmental portraits in remote mountain markets, and use of different shutter speeds to capture everything from waterfalls to overloaded motorbikes. Fog often falls fast in late afternoon and evening, which also offers an exciting chance for ghostly images of mountain life.

We’ll make time for photo reviews every couple of days, and set up for an editing and post-processing workshop at our ecolodge in Yen Bai. With a small group, there’s plenty of time for one-on-one tuition and feedback, and a look at more advanced techniques according to each guest’s interests and experience.