Photographer captures beauty of Vietnamese women through his lens

November 15, 2022

Dao Tien Dat, hailing from south-central Binh Dinh Province, became a photographer in the late 1990s, and people have always been the muse and inspiration of his works.

The most recognizable and impressive feature of Dat’s photos is the beauty of the Vietnamese women in their daily lives.

A Vietnamese woman makes bamboo hats. Photo: Dao Tien Dat

The photographer recalled one of his most favorite works – the ‘Nu cuoi Tay Bac so 2’ (Northwestern Smile No. 2), which was taken at the end of winter 13 years ago.

Dat took a coach from Giap Bat Bus Station in Hanoi to Sin Ho District in northern Lai Chau Province during a rainy night that year.

After reaching Hoang Ho Village in Sin Ho District the next morning, Dat encountered an elderly woman and her grandchild, and their smiles helped Dat instantly forget about his exhausting trip.

A woman makes rock sugar at a facility in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. Photo: Dao Tien Dat

During a journey to central Quang Ngai Province, the photographer arrived at a rock sugar production facility and was warmly welcomed by Tran Thi Anh Nghia – the owner of the establishment.

He recalled the moment when the early morning sunlight penetrated through the roof and through the nets used to produce rock sugar, forming shimmering lines that looked just like the strings of a harp.

“Life is very beautiful if you pay close attention and seek new experience,” Dat stated.

‘Lo Lang so 1’ (Worry No.1) by Dao Tien Dat

‘Lo Lang’ (Worry) is one of the series of photos that Dat was most dedicated to as they depicted the contemplation and concern of women in contemporary life.

The first photo in this series was taken during a trip to Bat Xat District in northern Lao Cai Province.

In the photo is a young mother with anxious eyes as if she were worrying about the future, while the baby on her back looks up at the sky above the village.

‘Lo Lang so 2’ (Worry No.2) by Dao Tien Dat

‘Lo Lang so 2’ (Worry No. 2) is about a woman worrying about the future of her business when the market economy was in crisis and her products could not sell.

This picture was captured when Dat went to Y Yen District in northern Nam Dinh Province.

“Over the past 20 years, my travels across the country have allowed me to meet many interesting people, have lots of strong emotions, and capture unforgettable moments,” Dat elaborated.

“By participating in international photo contests, I had the opportunity to share beautiful images of Vietnam and Vietnamese people to the world.”

‘Lo Lang so 3’ (Worry No.3) taken by Dao Tien Dat in Gia Lai Province, Vietnam in 2019

Dao Tien Dat has won many national and international awards in more than 20 years of working as a photographer.

Among them are the Golden Cup of Photographer of the Year 2005 and Gold Medal Best of Asia 2006, more than 320 gold medals, and First Place Award – PPD Photo of the Year 2011 by the Photographic Society of America (PSA).

He has been selected to the judging panel of many domestic and international photo contests and received certificates of merit from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, the People’s Committee of Binh Dinh Province, and the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists.