My "photographic eye"

Door frame of the old house in Duc An (129 Tran Phu).

As a child, whenever I stood at the door of my house looking out, the eyes of the people in the houses opposite seemed to look back and chat with me.

My memory also includes a "courtyard and corner of the sky." It's the central courtyard of the house. There, a cool, clear well, a small fish pond with a mossy rockery shaded by ornamental plants, almost became a given in the old house's central courtyard.

The captivating window frames attract tourists who appreciate Hoi An's culture.

Around 2 PM, as the sun was setting, occasionally a fish would splash, a cat would drink water, or a cool southerly breeze would blow across the yard.

The water rippled, reflecting off the pillars and walls of the house in a shimmering dance of light. I have often enjoyed admiring this sight.

Many studies have been conducted on the meaning of "door eyes" and "skylights" in the old houses of Hoi An. However, the people of Hoi An have their own unique way of thinking.
The window frames in Hoi An have always been considered sacred objects.

It can see through thoughts and actions, both good and evil, creating a deterrent and encouraging effect on guests visiting the house. For family members, the "eyes" of the door seem to follow each person as they leave or return, constantly reminding them to uphold the integrity and goodness of the family tradition.

Visitors can relax in the open-air courtyard and learn about Hoi An culture (80 Tran Phu).

Skylights are places where people feel closer to nature. The people of Hoi An use this space to relax and contemplate life.

From family members to individual guests, this space fosters a more open and intimate atmosphere compared to a mealtime setting or the living room.

It seems that the memories and moments in that old house in Hoi An were the first "photographic lens" that led me to become the photographer Dang Ke Dong...

The man who holds the soul of the old town

Dang Ke Dong is nicknamed "the man who captures the soul of the ancient town" by photographers nationwide. He has carved out his own niche in photography, focusing on the very atmosphere of Hoi An's streets. Dang Ke Dong is also one of the first art photographers in Hoi An, dating back to the 1980s.

Dang Ke Dong's photograph, "Secret Love," was taken in the atrium of an old house.

His artistic photographs reflect the different cultural dimensions of Hoi An. From roofs weathered by centuries of rain and mist, moss-covered walls, gables, flickering streetlights in the old town, or carrying poles in Hoi An's alleyways, all become vivid moments… in Dang Ke Dong's photographs.

Regarding details like window frames and skylights, Dang Ke Dong has made his mark with exceptional works. In the early 1990s, "Strange Wharf"—a photograph capturing a boat docked beneath the window frame of the Tan Ky ancient house during the flood season in Hoi An—was selected for a photo exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City. This was the first photograph that led Dang Ke Dong down the path of artistic photography.

In 2005, Dang Ke Dong's work "Secret Love" - ​​depicting a moment captured in light within the atrium of an old house - earned him a Silver Medal at the International Photography Exhibition organized by the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists.

Also, thanks to Dang Ke Dong, almost all photographers in Quang Nam province and throughout the country later created their own artistic photographs depicting the cultural space of Hoi An... ( XUAN HIEN )

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/mat-anh-cua-toi-3130726.html