Every Old Town shoot follows a route our photographers have walked hundreds of times. These are six places on it, with the hour each one is at its best.
The yellow walls of Tran Phu
Our meeting point, the Cantonese Assembly Hall, sits on Tran Phu street. Its walls catch the first sun from 6:00 and stay soft until about 8:30. This is the spot for clean portraits with nobody behind you.
The Japanese Covered Bridge
Busy from mid-morning, so we come early or wait for the light to warm up after 16:00. We shoot from the riverside steps, which keeps the crowds out of the frame.
Bougainvillea doorways
Pink bougainvillea hangs over doors all over the town. The colour is strongest in open shade, so these doorways are good even at midday, when the streets are too bright.
An Hoi riverside
Across the bridge from the old town, the riverbank faces west. From 16:30 the sun sits low over the water and lights you from the side.
Quiet alleys
Between the main streets run narrow alleys with moss on the walls and bicycles against them. They are calm at any hour and good for couples who are shy in public.
Lantern streets after dark
From 17:30 the lanterns go on along Nguyen Thai Hoc and the river. This is the end of the 17:00 shoot and, with the lantern boat add-on, the time to go out on the water.
Which shoot time suits which spot
Choose 06:00 or 07:30 for empty streets, 15:00 for warm light and 17:00 for the lanterns. See every time on the Old Town Private Photoshoot page.
