According to reporters' records, at famous locations in Hanoi, especially Hoan Kiem Lake, every day there are dozens of photographers strolling busy working from early morning to late afternoon. Customers who come to them are mostly "muses", couples or families who want to capture radiant spring travel moments right in the heart of the Capital.
However, behind the radiant spring photos is a long journey of hardship and enthusiasm from photographers. On this occasion, Mr. Vu Dung - who has many years of photography experience, said that currently, customers mainly want to have photos on their phones, so traditional street photographers like him have to race with technology. No longer just taking and printing photos as before, Mr. Dung also learns how to process and send files to customers after each shooting session to meet new needs and retain customers.
With the belief that holding a camera during Tet is to share spring fortune, so these days, despite the increasing demand, he also offers a very flexible and affordable fee. From only 70,000 VND depending on demand, spring tourists immediately have satisfactory commemorative photos.
Not only long-time photographers, the excitement of this year's Tet photography market also brings many jobs to young photographers like Mr. Pham Ngoc Anh.
While quickly pressing the shutter to capture all the beautiful moments, Mr. Ngoc Anh confided: "The number of customers taking photos in ao dai during Tet this year has increased 3 times compared to normal days. The peak time is from 9-12 am and 1-16 pm. This is a profession that we jokingly call smokeless industry, not hard work but requires perseverance. One day I stand on the shutter for about 10-11 hours, having to go early and come back late to hunt for the most beautiful lights for customers.
According to Mr. Ngoc Anh, the income of him and the photographers during Tet may be up to 1 million VND/day, but that is the result of more than 10 hours of sun and wind, of his diligent hands pressing the shutter to exchange for a satisfied smile for customers.
Not only the Hoan Kiem Lake area, these days, in the Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam area or the ancient streets, the atmosphere of welcoming spring is also becoming more bustling than ever. Wandering around these areas, it is not difficult to encounter photographers "working at full capacity".
Mr. Trinh Manh Hung - a photographer with 3 years of experience said that since the beginning of December, his phone has always been operating at full capacity because customers continuously call and book appointments. According to Mr. Hung, the end of the year is the peak season of the profession when the demand for taking photos in ao dai and family shoots skyrockets. At this time, on weekends, the number of customers booking is very large, but he only dares to accept a maximum of 3 customers to serve customers best.
Due to the sharp increase in customers, the income of photographers like him also increased accordingly. Mr. Hung shared: "If in normal months, the income of photographers only maintains at over 10 million VND, then during the Tet peak, this number can double, even triple.
The attraction of Tet photography services also makes it difficult for many customers to find suitable photographers. Mr. Pham Manh Gioi (Hai Duong) said that hiring photographers during Tet is not easy because many people have their schedules booked very early, forcing him to actively contact many places to arrange suitable time frames.
It is expected that the closer to Tet, the more people's photography demand will increase, thereby helping photographers have more income.
