The photo area is arranged right in the exhibition space "Memories of the Cities". The space is kept minimalist, with a fixed background and ancient camera set.
The coordinator guides guests to experience one by one, with a photo processing table right next to let the operating group operate continuously. The open space makes it easy for visitors to observe the process of taking and taking photos, creating an additional stop inside the exhibition.
At the filming area, participants were instructed to sit in front of the camera and hold the same position during the filming process. The device only allows one shot per shot and does not have a review mode. The results depend on on on-site lighting, the participants' stable posture and the performance of the performance group.
After taking the photo, the group handled the photo using a manual process. Because the quality of the photo depends on many factors, the finished products will be different in each turn; some have clear color, some have brightness difference... truly expressing the "geography" of the classic photography method.
Mr. Alex Lloyd, a photography lecturer at a university in the US, said that his antique photography experience here evokes his childhood memories in South America, when street photographers used wet photography and on-site washing techniques.
He commented that the most impressive point that made him exclaim was Wow is the fact that young people work together to purely operate a seemingly lost technique, from the way of handling to the operation of manual cameras.
The last time he was photographed with this technique was when he was 6 years old, the next time he took a photo at the present time he was in his 60s
Lloyd added: I feel like Im making a part of history, just like the way I was photographed as a kid.
Vo Ngoc Giang Linh (19 years old, Nghe An) said she registered to participate as soon as she saw this experience on social media.
"My husband is a person who really likes taking photos, so I was very excited to experience taking photos to show him off," Linh shared.
The female tourist added that this photography experience brings a very special feeling of both excitement and excitement.
This experiential activity is arranged in the exhibition space "Memories of Cities" at the 22 Hang Buom Cultural and Artistic Center (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi).
The exhibition is open from now until November 30, 2025, operating from 8:00 to 17:00 every day. Visitors can enter the entrance to buy a ticket for 20,000 VND, and the ancient photo experience is offered at a fee of 90,000 VND per photo shoot.
The exhibition is part of the International Biennale of photography Photo Hanoi 25 - an event organized by the Hanoi People's Committee and the French Embassy in Vietnam. The Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports and the French Institute in Vietnam will preside over the implementation with the support of the UNESCO Office in Hanoi and a network of domestic and foreign partners.
The event aims to honor photography as a popular language for humanity, and is also a powerful way to admire, feel and connect.
