Return to the flowers, to the forest.

Every year, as spring gives way to summer, the forests of Son Tra and the peaks of Ba Na - Nui Chua are covered in vibrant colors, from the brilliant golden hues of the Lagerstroemia indica, the gentle purple of the Thanax nigrum, to the rare shades of pink and light pink of the bellflower. This scenery attracts photographers and tourists from near and far, who flock to the flowers and forests to create new works and refresh their emotions.

The bellflower, both elegant and delicate, is captivating with its color and shape resembling a small bell, enchanting many. Photo: Nguyen Trinh

They say that the moment of immersing oneself in nature, breathing in the fragrance of plants and trees, and enjoying the sight of blooming flowers is truly special.

When the blossoms bloom, they are suddenly filled with happiness and positive emotions. Therefore, when spring arrives, they retrace their steps, retracing their steps through the streets to admire the exquisite pink hues of the bellflower. When summer comes, they immerse themselves in the intoxicating golden and purple hues, along with the cool, refreshing scents of the crape myrtle and other flowering trees…

1. It's not an exaggeration to say that Son Tra is beautiful in every season, but it's most beautiful when the carpets of crape myrtle and linden blossoms burst into bloom, displaying their own unique colors. There's the vibrant yellow of the linden blossoms, illuminating the sky, or the pinkish-purple, deep purple, and light purple hues of the crape myrtle. Therefore, to capture the moment when the land and sky embrace the mountains and hills through these blossoms, photographer Nguyen Trinh ( Da Nang ) tirelessly works alone, camera in hand, from morning till night on the roads of Son Tra.

Photographer Nguyen Trinh shared that, despite being quite busy with work, his passion for flowers is so great that he spends his weekends roaming through the forests of Son Tra to photograph flowers, trees, or capture the moments of the brown-footed langurs. He has been "hunting" for flower photos for four years, accumulating over 1,000 images. Besides his passion, what keeps him drawn to flowers and forests is the stress relief. Furthermore, it gives him the opportunity to interact and learn from others who share the same passion.

According to him, the flowers of the crape myrtle and the crape myrtle begin to bloom in April and May. Each flower has its own unique beauty; while the crape myrtle is a deep purple, evoking a melancholic feeling, the crape myrtle brings joy and exhilaration to the viewer. To ensure successful photography, he usually prioritizes early mornings from 5-7 a.m. This is when the sun is still gentle, the wind is mild, and dew still lingers on the leaves and flowers. Besides flowers, if he wants to capture the moment when the langur primate frolics eating leaves and seeds, he relies on luck. “I can photograph a wide variety of subjects, from people and landscapes to festivals… With flowers, it’s different because I’m not just taking pictures to preserve memories, but I’m enjoying the beautiful moments of nature. For other subjects, I can arrange and adjust things to some extent, but not with flowers. Because the beauty and uniqueness of flowers lies in their natural, harmonious appearance. Only then will the resulting photograph have soul, create genuine emotion, and allow viewers to feel and experience the moment with the photographer. I think that’s what makes a photograph successful,” he said.

2. For photographer Pham Phung (Da Nang), every time he goes to Son Tra or Ba Na - Nui Chua peak, he feels detached from everyday life. The scenery is peaceful, the air is fresh, and the flowers are captivating. Moreover, photographing flowers helps him relax, reflect, think, and slow down a bit. He says that among all the flowers, he enjoys photographing the bellflower blossoms on Ba Na - Nui Chua peak the most during late winter and early spring, around January and February.

To photograph flowers, he prepares for a whole week, but sometimes he wakes up one morning, sees a beautiful sky, and has a feeling that the flowers will be in full bloom that day, so he and his camera continue their journey. He vividly remembers one time having to climb up and down the peaks of Ba Na - Nui Chua more than ten times just to get the perfect shot. The difficulties and hardships are indescribable, but when he completes the photo, he feels joyful and grateful for capturing that moment. “I don’t set a specific time for shooting because it depends on inspiration and time, it could be early morning or afternoon/evening. This is when the light is pleasant, the dew still clings to the petals, creating a unique, shimmering, mysterious beauty. Afternoon and evening are also beautiful, but the light is usually harsher and the weather is more changeable. For flower photos, natural light is a huge factor in determining the quality of the image, the colors, and the emotions I want to convey,” he confided.

Like photographer Nguyen Trinh, photographer Pham Phung believes that, not only with bellflowers, crape myrtle, or cypress, the beauty of wildflowers lies in their wildness—unarranged, unartificial, very real, and also very unpredictable. Compared to landscape or portrait photography, photographing wildflowers requires patience, observation, and luck, because each photograph will have its own unique quality.

3. For a long time, flowers like the crape myrtle, the Chinese elm, or the bellflower have not only been a source of inspiration for photographers but also captivated the hearts of countless tourists from near and far. Mr. Tran Ngoc Hieu (35 years old, Hanoi) shared that he is a flower enthusiast. Therefore, he always dedicates his holidays to traveling , especially to mountainous regions like Cao Bang, Dien Bien, Da Lat, and Da Nang to immerse himself in the natural scenery with flowers like the kapok, bauhinia, wild sunflowers, or crape myrtle, Chinese elm, and bellflower… He expressed that despite his busy work schedule, he still manages to visit Da Nang during the time when the crape myrtle and Chinese elm bloom white on the hillsides. Although he left Da Nang more than two weeks ago, the moments of wandering through Son Tra mountain in the early mornings or late afternoons admiring these flowers remain vividly etched in his memory as if it were yesterday. Every year when he comes to Da Nang, he feels that the flowering season seems to transform each year, its beauty increasing exponentially. For him personally, this year's crape myrtle flowers are more beautiful and magnificent than last year.

“I also love bellflower blossoms. However, the timing isn't convenient for visiting Da Nang during late winter or early spring, but with the crape myrtle and other flowering trees, I have many opportunities to admire them. I don't go alone; I go with a group of friends who share the same passion. Every year, being able to go and immerse ourselves in peaceful nature strengthens our bonds, refreshes ourselves, and balances our emotions. I think that youth won't be meaningless when we preserve beautiful memories with trips to admire flowers and forests,” Mr. Hieu happily said.

Sharing the same interests as Mr. Hieu, Ms. Le Nguyen Hoang Anh (30 years old, Da Nang) also has an endless passion for solo trips through the forests and capturing memorable moments with photographs of flowers taken with a film camera. This allows her to experience many emotions, slow down, and enjoy the different facets of life.

TUONG VY

Source: https://baodanang.vn/channel/5433/202505/du-lich-qua-nhung-sac-hoa-ve-voi-hoa-voi-rung-4006278/