Monsoon on Cantho, a photo from Can Tho, Mekong River Delta

Photographer's Note

I left Vietnam a week ago under daily rain showers. Some of the last images I have in mind is the Mekong delta region under the monsoon rain.

To get to Cantho from Saigon, you'll have to cross the Mekong river on a ferry, it can take an hour waiting. While in the car, rain is gently pouring down but business carries on outside, street vendors will come and knock at your window, selling either fruit, pork meat in banana leaves, drinks or lottery tickets.

I still can hear the raindrops tapping on the windows, yes, though I'm back, my head's still somewhere south of Vietnam...

Alan_Kolnik, willy has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

philip_coggan (11) 2003-08-30 22:09

An apparently artless snapshot, yet actually vary carefully composed and thought out, to focus on the rain on the window with the woman blurred in the background. A good photo, bu I wonder if it lacks the immediate imapct that seems to be needed to get attention on web-based photo-sites, where what people see first is a tiny thumbnail - we live or die by the thumbnail.

thien (2112) 2003-08-30 23:54

Wonderful capture of the mood, Luko. The green/yellowish color of the moonsoon season is reproduced perfectly here.

So have you got your girl in ao dai, non la on a bicycle yet? :)

Darren (6823) 2003-08-31 0:58

I think this is great, and a very original shot as well. Technically, I think the small curtains frame this very well, and I think this is entirely the perfect shot to capture the feel of VN (the traditional hat especially) during the monsoon season.

Welcome back, hope your trip was great. BTW Luko, how about a Pic or yourself on your profile??

adam (860) 2003-08-31 3:15

Great story to go with the photo. The curtains frame the scene well. When I imagine Vietnam, I picture lush greenery, and the background you captured highlights this feeling. The main subject is perfectly positioned to add another element of the location.

gringofil (0) 2003-08-31 10:31

This is a very nice shot, Luko, shows the real Vietnam...the lady with the hat, the rain on the window of the bus, the travelling on back roads to get to somewhere beautiful and amazing...you've captured the emotion that I feel being in VN. Excellent work!

maciekda (19895) 2004-02-02 8:30

ha, I understand what you mean. I got back from Vietnam more than 3 weeks ago, first two weeks after returning to HongKong I was still in Vietnam in my thoughts, such a great country.. now I think I feel better, I started taking pictures in HK again, there is still some interestig places here... I also took this ferry, but it wasn't raining, and I bought there a sponge cake from one lady through a window of my bus..
and your photo.. it is very moody, very nostalgic... and very nice, well composed, interesting fosusing with the lady outside... it looks like you are saying good bye to Vietnam, you are on another side of the... window

Alan_Kolnik (620) 2004-10-31 9:31

Lovely picture - looks like something from the 19th century. Your focus onthe drops on the window with the lday blurred outside works very well to tell the story of the wet weather.

alimo3 (6854) 2004-11-03 19:31

Hi luko,
A very nice image ,full of charm.
well composed and with great soft colors.
thanks for sharing this short cut to vietnam !
Bravo

Tom