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  #1  
Old 15-03-2009, 03:06 PM
gary
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The Hmong - a journey by way of portraits

The word 'Hmong' describes an ethnic group of peoples who live in the
North-West of Vietnam, parts of the south of China and in the eastern
parts of Laos.

The following series of posts in this thread contain portraits I photographed
in and around the towns of Sapa and Bac Ha in North-West Vietnam, not
far from the Chinese Frontier (see attached map courtesy of Google Earth).
Much of this beautiful region is green, lush and mountainous, with fog, mist and
rain not being uncommon.

The Hmong women are often adorned in colorful clothing and head-wear.
The Red Hmong, Black Hmong and Flower Hmong are distinguished
by the colors and style of garments they wear.

I hope you enjoy these pictures of these colorful and friendly people as
much as I enjoyed photographing them.

All shots taken with a Canon 400D.

Best regards

Gary
Mt. Kuring-Gai NSW
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Last edited by gary; 15-03-2009 at 06:41 PM.
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  #2  
Old 15-03-2009, 03:19 PM
gary
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Women

Women
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  #3  
Old 15-03-2009, 03:24 PM
gary
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Women

Women
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Old 15-03-2009, 03:30 PM
gary
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Women and head wear

Women and head wear
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Old 15-03-2009, 03:35 PM
gary
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Women

Hmong women
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Old 15-03-2009, 03:40 PM
gary
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Women and girls

Women and girls
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Old 15-03-2009, 03:43 PM
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Women with their infants

Women with their infants
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  #8  
Old 15-03-2009, 03:44 PM
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astroron (Ron)
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Thanks Gary,some very colourful clothes and interesting faces full of character.
You must have had some interesting experiences taking the photo's
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Old 15-03-2009, 03:47 PM
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Men

Men
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  #10  
Old 15-03-2009, 03:49 PM
gary
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Men

Men at Bac Ha
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Last edited by gary; 15-03-2009 at 06:43 PM.
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  #11  
Old 15-03-2009, 03:59 PM
gary
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Horse market

Why the long face?
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Old 15-03-2009, 04:06 PM
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The market place

The market place
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Old 15-03-2009, 04:12 PM
gary
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Changing times ...

Changing times ...
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  #14  
Old 15-03-2009, 05:30 PM
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Gary,

What a fascinating study. There's a somewhat otherworldly feeling to all the images. Quite surreal.

Thank you for sharing some beautiful photographs with us.

Regards,
Humayun
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Old 15-03-2009, 07:55 PM
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Thankyou Gary for sharing this interesting series of photos with us.

The colours are rich; the faces and surrounds beautiful.
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Old 15-03-2009, 08:46 PM
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Gary these images look like they're straight out of National Geographic !!
Colour saturation and detail is superb.

What a wonderful portfolio of everyday life in this region of the world.
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Old 15-03-2009, 08:57 PM
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Great photos Gary. Very vivid images.

In the recent Clint Eastwood movie, Grand Torino, one of the families that centre around the plot are Hmongs. Good movie too !
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Old 16-03-2009, 03:27 PM
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Interesting photo's, some nice portraits there. Lots of colour and good image quality. Was there a particular lens you were using for the portraits? It looks like maybe an F/4?

Roger.
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  #19  
Old 17-03-2009, 12:05 AM
gary
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Thank you

Quote:
Originally Posted by astroron View Post
Thanks Gary,some very colourful clothes and interesting faces full of character.
You must have had some interesting experiences taking the photo's
Thanks Ron. It is a very interesting part of the world to visit, the people are
friendly and one of those places that you know that if you go exploring there will
always be something surprising to see.

Some of the types of food you see available on offer are not for the faint of heart.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Octane View Post
Gary,
'
What a fascinating study. There's a somewhat otherworldly feeling to all the images. Quite surreal.

Thank you for sharing some beautiful photographs with us.

Regards,
Humayun
Thanks Humayun,

By showing a sizable number of portraits together I hoped that it would
help heighten the sense of the color, diversity and dynamic of the place.

I guess you only have to look at the misty hills in a couple of the
shots taken at the horse market to see the place indeed has that
"back of beyond", "otherworld" feel about it.

Undoubtedly environment plays an important part in the development
of cultures and customs and the hills, mountains and relative isolation
of this corner of the world from much of the rest has helped give rise
and still preserve these people's culture.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BerrieK View Post
Thankyou Gary for sharing this interesting series of photos with us.

The colours are rich; the faces and surrounds beautiful.
Thank you!

Can you imagine how much effort they must put into making those garments!

They are very friendly people and it is a stimulating place to visit.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RB View Post
Gary these images look like they're straight out of National Geographic !!
Colour saturation and detail is superb.

What a wonderful portfolio of everyday life in this region of the world.
Thanks Andrew!

That is most flattering and I appreciate it. If the subjects were paid extras
on a big budget movie set, I would hate to see the bill from the wardrobe
department. Luckily for the visitor, the spectacle comes free courtesy
of these fascinating people.

Quote:
Originally Posted by norm View Post
Great photos Gary. Very vivid images.

In the recent Clint Eastwood movie, Grand Torino, one of the families that centre around the plot are Hmongs. Good movie too !
Thanks Norm!

I appreciate you writing and your kind comments.

Though Gran Torino has definitely been one on my list of movies I would like to
see I had not realised that some of the key characters are Hmong. So
I appreciate you telling me that.

As you are probably aware, the CIA had recruited many Hmong on the
Laos side of the border during the war to act as guerrillas to combat the NVA.
This became known as "The Secret War". After the fall of Saigon, Laos
also became communist and those Hmong and their families who had worked
for the Americans ended up being on 'the wrong side'. Problems as a result
of this historical legacy continue to this present day.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rogerg View Post
Interesting photo's, some nice portraits there. Lots of colour and good image quality. Was there a particular lens you were using for the portraits? It looks like maybe an F/4?

Roger.
Thanks Roger. When I see one of your photo posts, I always know we
are in for something good!

The zoom lens was a generic Canon EF 75mm-300mm f/4 to f/5.6.

Best Regards

Gary
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