An expat be keen on taking pictures of Vietnam: “This country is perfect for my passion”
After 10 years of living and working in Vietnam, the French man's affection for this country has deepened that were reflected through a series of photos of natural landscapes across the country and portraits of people from many different aspects.
Leaving the city of Toulouse, France to work in the tourism industry in Vietnam since 2011, Mr. Benjamin Tortorelli, 33 years old, decided to settle down in Ho Chi Minh City. Nearly 10 years in Vietnam, Mr. Benjamin Tortorelli increasingly loves this country and Vietnamese. In 2012, he started designing websites, which “brought him closer to his hobby of photography”.
Photo: Benjamin Tortorelli
He is living in HCMC, Vietnam. Photo: Benjamin Tortorelli
Mr. Benjamin Tortorelli revealed that he used to hate taking pictures. “When I was a child, during the summer holidays I used to take pictures of my family, these photo sessions last a long time. That’s why I have never liked to take pictures and consider it annoying, a waste of time”, he confided.
However, his mind changed at the end of 2018, when his Vietnamese wife gave him a new mobile phone for his birthday. During his trip to France, while visiting the Eiffel Tower, Mr. Benjamin Tortorelli took a few pictures with his new mobile phone and was amazed at the image quality.
Photo: Benjamin Tortorelli
Photo: Benjamin Tortorelli
Photo: Benjamin Tortorelli
Since then he began to be curious about photography. Little by little, he began to enjoy taking pictures and spending a lot of time learning and experiencing practically.
“The first camera serving my new hobby is the old Sony A7II. I started to go out more and take pictures of Saigon or places I had the opportunity to visit. I try different styles of photography: from street, landscape, portrait, night shot or exposure”, said he.
“Photography started to change me because I realized I found more beautiful things from the world around, from things I didn’t notice before. Every time I have the opportunity to go away, I always try to find beautiful things, even on the street”.
In order to satisfy his passion, Mr. Benjamin Tortorelli decided to buy a flycam drone, so that he could capture images where he was not able to go.
Photo: Benjamin Tortorelli
Photo: Benjamin Tortorelli
Photo: Benjamin Tortorelli
“Vietnam is the perfect country to take pictures”
“Vietnam is the perfect country for me to take photos, everything I need is here, from great landscapes, cities to beautiful streets, idyllic local life, portraits”, Benjamin Tortorelli shared.
“I really love the picture of Saigon that I took not long ago. I wake up at 5:30 a.m and my first reaction is to look outside. A layer of fog and I know this is a great opportunity for me to take photos with my flycam drone. I jumped out and drove to an empty lot, the view was great and I took a bunch of shots from a high angle.”
Ky Co beach in Quy Nhon, Vietnam. Photo: Benjamin Tortorelli
Photo: Benjamin Tortorelli
Photo: Benjamin Tortorelli
In order to have beautiful pictures and a new angle, Mr. Benjamin Tortorelli experienced bad and funny situations. He recalled the hardest photo he took at dawn in Quy Nhon for his birthday. At 4:20 a.m., he made his way to the top of a small mountain. “It was very dark at that time, I didn’t know what the weather was like. I realized that the sky really looked like a storm but I kept going.”
Photo: Benjamin Tortorelli
Photo: Benjamin Tortorelli
“I walked up to the top of the mountain, found a good position then I took out my camera and started shooting. Suddenly a heavy rain poured me and my equipment. I quickly collected the flycam drone and searched for shelter, found a small cabin but it was locked, I had to squeeze in it so the machine was as dry as possible, and my body being wet. A moment later, the sky appeared rainbow, I knew that I did not have much time, quickly grabbed the camera and I caught the rare moment “, Mr. Benjamin Tortorelli said.
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