French photographer loves Vietnam: Hanoi today is the true Hanoi

Visitors look at photos by Nicolas Cornet at the exhibition "Oh Hanoi " - held to coincide with the launch of the book of the same name. (Photo: TA/Vietnam+)

French photographer Nicolas Cornet and his colleagues in Vietnam and the US have just released the photo book “Oh Hanoi.” The affectionate title shows his attachment to the capital city and also expresses a very personal perspective.

Contrary to the nostalgic feeling about the old and less bustling Hanoi that people in the country often mention, Nicolas Cornet loves this city in its modern appearance more.

“Since 1987, I have been coming to Hanoi 2-3 times a year. I have seen a lot of changes over the decades, but I am not someone who always looks back to the past. I like Hanoi the most now,” Nicolas Cornet shared.

Journalist-photographer Nicolas Cornet. (Photo: TA/Vietnam+)

“When I first arrived here, I was not allowed to talk to people on the streets. Hanoi was lively but still seemed to be hidden, I could not participate or interfere with that flow.

In the 1990s, life gradually changed. The first person I spoke to, who was not a government official, was a woman selling goods at the market. Gradually, I was able to communicate and make friends with more people. There were many cafes and restaurants on the streets. To me, Hanoi today is the real Hanoi. The new generation is free to do what they want, you can sit back, relax, meet and eat together...”

"June Lotus" (2005). Photo by Nicolas Cornet, on display at the exhibition.

"Dawn on Ly Thuong Kiet Street." (2024)

Nicolas Cornet says half of his friends are from Hanoi. They teach him Vietnamese, how to eat, and how to behave according to the local culture. The intimacy and emotional connection between people are very suitable for his personality: “A part of me was born in Hanoi.”

The changes of the city are evident in Nicolas Cornet's photographs. He can look at each image and tell when it was taken, based on details about the architectural landscape, occupations, clothing, human facial expressions, space...

Nicolas Cornet has been publishing many photo books about Hanoi and Vietnam. Most recently in May 2025, he was the editor and one of nine authors of the book "Oh Hanoi."

Along with Nicolas Cornet are other veteran authors Nguyen Huu Bao, Hoai Linh, Ngo Lam Thanh, Dong Hieu, William E. Crawford (USA), Le Anh Dung, Vu Khoi Nguyen and Le Xuan Phong. The series of photos is divided into 5 chapters, like 5 windows leading into the soul of the city through the elements of water, color, scent, love and affection.

Nicolas Cornet is the editor-in-chief and one of nine pieces that make up the photo book "Oh Hanoi" (2025). (Photo: TA/Vietnam+)

In 2018, he released the book “Vietnamese Pagodas.” Due to limited funding, the book was only printed in English and French but sold 12,000 copies. He plans to continue publishing the Vietnamese version this year.

In addition, Nicolas Cornet is also nurturing a new photo book project about Hanoi culture through cuisine . The most important role lies in the stories, the images are mainly illustrative. It will be a story about the people and the rhythm of life behind, from many periods, carrying cultural and historical values through the landscape, activities and dishes.

Not only is Nicolas Cornet connected to Vietnam through his photography work, he also has a wife of Vietnamese origin. His wife is the niece of scholar Hoang Xuan Han, but because she is French, she does not have many connections with Vietnam. Therefore, he wants to learn more about Vietnam to share with his children and grandchildren.

Nicolas Cornet used to be a reporter, frequently traveling to Asia, of which Vietnam was the place he visited the most. His first photo book “Vietnam” (2004) sold 30,000 copies in many countries around the world , considered a work introducing Vietnamese tourism to international visitors.

On the occasion of the book launch "Oh Hanoi," the group of authors also organized an exhibition of 36 photos of the capital through many periods. The series of photos will be displayed from now until May 18 at Hanoi Studio Gallery (23-25 Mac Dinh Chi).

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nhiep-anh-gia-phap-yeu-viet-nam-ha-noi-ngay-nay-moi-dung-chat-ha-noi-post1038640.vnp