Photographer Minh Hoa: Every homeland is our Fatherland

14 pilots board the SU30-MK2 cockpit preparing to take off from Bien Hoa Airport at dawn on April 12 through the lens of photographer Minh Hoa.

45 years of professional photography by photographer Minh Hoa (60 years old) is associated with high-quality commercial photography and photos of landscapes, architecture, culture, and history of his homeland - what he is most proud of and many people affectionately call him "a visual historian".

Multi-functional, multi-tasking, flexible

* What does photography mean to you that makes you spend your life capturing moments and the beauty of time?

- For me, each photo, each work is a moment captured to tell a meaningful story to the viewer. In the genres of commercial advertising, high fashion , wedding, portrait photography... my forte is that I often take photos according to the script and needs of the customer, sometimes not completely according to my own wishes, but I always try to balance the artistic quality to have photos that are right for the customer and also create inspiration and satisfaction for myself.

Photographer Minh Hoa teaches architectural heritage photography to young people.

I love landscape, architecture, cultural heritage works… the most and I take photos according to my preferences when I have the chance. Especially on days with good weather, bright sunshine or breathtaking sunsets, I take photos with my soul moved and my love for the beauty of my homeland.

* Nowadays, in your opinion, is it true that a flexible photographer "holds two guns": a digital camera and a camera phone?

- Yes. For example, I currently use a Canon R5 Mark II with a lens range from super wide angle 10mm to telephoto 500mm to be able to take most types of high-quality professional photos for work. At the same time, when I go out, I always carry a Vivo smartphone equipped with a ZEISS lens for very good image and video quality.

I always shoot in RAW format, then post-process with software to get the best possible quality, even when shooting with a phone. In addition, a drone (with a flight safety license) is essential for high-altitude panoramas and is very convenient for high places that cannot be climbed.

A rare clear view of Ba Den Mountain from Ho Chi Minh City at the exact moment an airplane flew across the sky, captured by photographer Minh Hoa at 6:07 p.m. on June 29, has gone viral online.

* In your opinion, what is the most important technical thing to take a photo of?

- I value the light the most and I keep in mind the saying: "Light is the teacher of photography and cinema". For shooting techniques, you can attend classes from basic to advanced, or self-study on the internet... But beautiful photos are not enough, they must have "soul" and a story to touch the viewer's emotions. If you take portraits, you need to learn about the character's personality and information to easily capture the character's spirit and emotions.

"I take photos of the city where I live with a perspective and feelings of gratitude for the land where I was born and raised," said Mr. Minh Hoa.

Photo value is a legacy for future generations

* Your landscape photos of Vietnamese provinces and cities are a source of inspiration for photography lovers. How dedicated are you to this genre?

- In the early stages of holding the camera, I pursued commercial photography to earn a living, take care of my family, and send my children to school. In the following years, I had more time to take pictures of projects that I personally loved, such as taking pictures of sunrise and sunset, the most beautiful moments of light in the day. I took so many pictures that I discovered that each sunrise and sunset angle is different in each season; or the sun is most beautiful from January to April every year.

I dare not call myself “a visual historian” because every day I still research documents, learn from previous generations, the great people who research history, cultural origins, place names…, and then take photos of my homeland in a way that I understand, “absorb” and am proud of.

I think the value of images is the legacy left for future generations. Future generations looking back at photos will always cherish the history and heritage, the development process of a land. From there, they will be aware of protecting works of historical value, national pride, and a deep awareness that "any land of the Fatherland is home" when merging geography, adjusting place names to symbiosis and solidarity to develop more in the new era.

A photo taken by photographer Minh Hoa of architect Naomi Thuy Nguyen at the exhibition "Tui - Colors of Life" opening on July 25 in Ho Chi Minh City.

* What are some useful tips from you for young photojournalists and photographers?

- Young people should learn the basics of photography very firmly. Gain a lot of experience in using light in photography. Study the shooting operations on the camera very smoothly so that when you need to take a quick photo at the scene, you don't have to worry about technical factors anymore. At that time, you need a keen eye to observe, find unique shooting angles based on experience, the ability to predict and feel to have impressive, different, creative photos.

Before taking a photo, I always have the habit of carefully studying the message, core requirements of the project, the identity of the company, the scale of the event... to think of ideas, form a "frame" before taking the photo and taking the camera to capture precious moments. In short, if you want to enter the path of professional photography and not just stop at the level of "mid-level profession", you need to have 2 important factors: technique and passion.

* Thank you!

“I like new ideas, I don’t like to retake or copy other authors’ ideas. Photography in particular, art in general, requires creativity and your own uniqueness,” photographer Minh Hoa shared.

Trung Nghia (performed)

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202507/nhiep-anh-gia-minh-hoa-vung-troi-que-huong-nao-cung-la-to-quoc-4fa2c0f/