Born and raised in Hong Kong (China), currently living in San Francisco (USA), Catherine Karnow is an international photographer whose work has been published in leading magazines such as National Geographic, Smithsonian, GEO (France and Germany), National Geographic Traveler and many other publications.
Her father, Stanley Karnow, renowned journalist and author of the Emmy Award-winning book and documentary Vietnam: A History , ignited her passion for photography.
Catherine Karnow first came to Vietnam in 1990, beginning a fateful journey and returning repeatedly to document it in photographs.
Catherine Karnow's first conversation with General Vo Nguyen Giap in 1990 (Photo: Catherine Karnow).
The photo of a lifetime on the first trip
In July 1990, Catherine first set foot in Vietnam. A few months earlier, her father had interviewed General Vo Nguyen Giap for an article in the New York Times .
"My father's trip planted in me the idea of coming to Vietnam for the first time. At that time, I was a 29-year-old photographer," she recalled.
Before meeting the General in July 1990, she could not help but feel nervous. The woman thought she had to be very knowledgeable about history, politics , military... like an expert on the life of the general. Her father reassured her: "Just be yourself, no one expects you to know everything or show deep understanding of the military field."
At that time, she was preparing a serious project about Vietnam lasting 1 month, not just going out and taking photos.
Photographer Catherine Karnow signs books and photos for fans in Hanoi (Photo: Tran Thanh Cong).
Meeting the General at the old house on Hoang Dieu Street, Mrs. Catherine was impressed by the cool and beautiful green space. The conversation between the two generations took place in a very simple atmosphere.
During that meeting, the female photographer took a photo called "snow-covered volcano". She explained that on the outside, General Vo Nguyen Giap looked gentle, unhurried, polite, calm and intellectual - like a snow-covered mountain. However, inside that calmness was enthusiasm, strength, and military strategic power.
She said she is a photographer who likes to use natural light. When she visited the house on Hoang Dieu Street, she did not bring any lights and did not want to set up a makeshift studio.
"I found a good light on the stairs behind the kitchen. The General agreed to sit down on the steps, while I stood higher so the light would shine in his eyes. He respected my perseverance, ideas and efforts," she said.
According to the female photographer, if you look at the two faces of the portrait, on the left is the image of a strong general, contributing to the cause of independence for Vietnam from French colonialism. On the right, the General exudes a kind demeanor, being the father of children and grandfather of grandchildren.
The "snow-covered volcano" portrait of General Vo Nguyen Giap taken by Catherine in 1990 (Photo: Catherine Karnow).
The female photographer expressed her affection and impression of Mrs. Dang Bich Ha - the General's wife. During the meeting 35 years ago, the two spoke intimately in French, Catherine showed respect, calling her "Madame".
"I really admire her. She always makes everything pleasant and fun. She passed away not long ago, I miss her so much," the female photographer said emotionally.
A year later, when she returned to visit the General, before the female photographer asked for permission to leave, Mrs. Dang Bich Ha said in French: "Can you take a photo for me? I want a photo of my husband in his uniform. He will go upstairs to change quickly."
At that time, it was almost dark, but Catherine still nodded in agreement. A few minutes later, the General walked down from the old house in his full military uniform. The natural light at dusk was not enough to take pictures, so the female photographer had to use a flash (an artificial light source used to support photography in low light conditions or to create special lighting effects).
"I don't usually use a flash, but because it was getting dark and the light wasn't good, I had to use it. In that situation, I had no other choice," she said.
Returning to the US, Catherine developed the film and sent the photos to the General's family. She thought the story would end as a beautiful memory, but that was only the beginning.
A photo of General Vo Nguyen Giap in military uniform taken by Catherine in 1991 was held by people at the funeral in Quang Binh in 2013 (Photo: Catherine Karnow).
Not long after, the portrait of the General in white uniform taken by Catherine was used by publishers on the front page, back page or inside of books about the Commander-in-Chief of the Dien Bien Phu campaign. When she returned to Vietnam, the female photographer saw the photo in many places.
Special invitation to return to Dien Bien Phu
In April 1994, she returned to Hanoi before going to Ho Chi Minh City to participate in a book project. At that time, many reporters were curious whether the General would return to Dien Bien Phu on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the victory (May 7, 1954 - May 7, 1994).
Before going to the South, she came to drink tea and visit the General, completely without thinking of reporting.
During the meeting, he leaned over and said in a very small voice in French: "Don't tell anyone... I want to invite you to go to Dien Bien Phu with my family."
The General's invitation surprised her. "I didn't feel like I wanted to announce it to everyone or create a sensation in the press; it was clearly a very honorable invitation. I immediately agreed and said thank you," the female photographer recalled.
Not daring to reveal this secret trip to her colleagues, she quickly called her father to show off. On the other end of the line, veteran photographer Stanley exclaimed in surprise: "Cathy, this is extraordinary."
The trip took place a week before the anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory. On the morning of May 1, 1994, Catherine excitedly boarded the flight with the General's family.
Mrs. Catherine felt honored to be invited to Dien Bien Phu with the General's family in 1994 (Photo: Character provided).
The female photographer chose to sit in the front row, near the General and his wife so that she could easily turn around and take close-up photos when they looked out the window. As the plane prepared to land, he showed Mrs. Dang Bich Ha important locations of the historic battlefield.
"The most important place on the trip was Muong Phang. In 1994, the General returned to Muong Phang for the first time since the end of the Dien Bien Phu campaign. We traveled to Muong Phang by Jeep (light military vehicle), and the General arrived by helicopter," she shared.
She sat in an old Jeep, crossing the bumpy road. After many hours of hard travel, the woman arrived at Muong Phang.
In front of her, hundreds of people waited for hours. Children holding Vietnamese flags and veterans stood under the sun, hoping to see the General.
"I didn't bring any food or water, just some warm orange juice. When the helicopter landed, I ran up the hill to capture a panoramic view of the people welcoming the General and the helicopter," she said.
The moment General Vo Nguyen Giap visited Muong Phang in 1994 (Photo: Catherine Karnow).
The helicopter door opened, the General slowly stepped down, waving to everyone. After the welcome, Mrs. Catherine and hundreds of people accompanied him to visit the former Dien Bien Phu Campaign Headquarters located in the middle of Muong Phang forest.
"This is a happy moment when everyone gets to meet the legendary hero again. His wife and eldest daughter are also on the trip," she said.
At the age of 83, he walked briskly through the forest, crossing the bumpy road.
Crossing the forest road, the General and the people stopped in front of a small house that was recreated to look exactly like the house where he sat to plan the strategy for the Dien Bien Phu campaign.
"I didn't care what the interpreter said, I just focused on taking photos. Later, I learned that the General expressed his only regret when coming to Muong Phang was that some people who were involved during the campaign were no longer there," Ms. Catherine recalled.
General Vo Nguyen Giap on his return to Muong Phang in 1994 (Photo: Catherine Karnow).
Standing very close to the General during his return trip to Dien Bien Phu, Ms. Catherine tried to take many photos, capturing every expression and tiny movement of his - precious moments that are difficult to repeat.
In 2013, when the General passed away, the female photographer received a call from her niece. The family invited her to attend the funeral and take photos.
"I was allowed to access the locations to take photos. When I arrived, I saw many wreaths and people coming to pay their respects. This was probably the only time the family opened the gate of house 30, Hoang Dieu street for people to come in and pay their respects," she said.
Special affection for Vietnam
35 years after the first moment she set foot in Vietnam, the love for this country remains intact in Catherine's heart.
She no longer feels as nervous as the first time she arrived, but every time she sets foot on the airport, her love for Vietnam rises again.
On the journey through the localities, she still remembers the experience of the Thong Nhat train from South to North in 1990, which helped to record priceless moments.
In the hot weather of July, the train moved slowly through the winding mountain road in the Central region. After reaching the top of the pass, the train began to accelerate. The cool breeze from the window blew into the train, making the passengers feel cool.
Looking at the scenery through the window, the female photographer wanted to capture images of the train cars winding along the tracks.
A woman smiles on the Reunification train in 1990 (Photo: Catherine Karnow).
The female photographer ran up to the first car of the train to take pictures of the passengers sitting in this compartment.
By chance, she saw a beautiful young woman with some children. As the train picked up speed, Catherine leaned out the window to capture the woman's radiant smile.
For more than three decades, she has taken thousands of photos of Vietnam. Every time she holds the camera here, she feels the difference compared to other countries.
"In Vietnam, I clearly feel the desires, experiences and inner feelings of each character through each photo. Because I understand this country more deeply than anywhere else, every time I take photos here, it always gives me a very special feeling," she said.
During her return to Vietnam this time, Ms. Catherine organized the photo exhibition "Vietnam - a changing country 1990-2025" within the framework of the Photo Hanoi '25 International Photography Festival in Hanoi.
Welcoming Vietnamese and international friends to the exhibition, Ms. Catherine talked about the memories behind each photo.
"Vietnam appeared to me through small moments, gestures full of kindness and resilience that shaped the way I see the world. As the years passed, that attachment became deeper," she confided.
In parallel with her journalism career, Catherine is also a passionate photography instructor, organizing in-depth workshops in Italy, France, Romania, Vietnam, Cambodia and India, giving students access to people and places rarely open to outsiders.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/doi-song/cuoc-gap-dac-biet-cua-nu-nhiep-anh-gia-my-voi-dai-tuong-vo-nguyen-giap-20251125121713736.htm
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