Queuing up to take photos with old-fashioned cameras in the heart of Hanoi

The shooting area was set up right in the exhibition space “Nostalgia for Cities”. The space was set up minimalistically, with a backdrop and a fixed set of antique cameras.

The moderator guides guests through the experience, with the photo processing table right next to the operation team working continuously. The open space allows guests to easily observe the shooting and developing process, creating an additional stop inside the exhibition.

Area for photo experience. Photo: Mai Phuong

Visitors line up to experience old-style photography in the exhibition space at 22 Hang Buom. Photo: Mai Phuong

Visitors line up to experience old-style photography in the exhibition space at 22 Hang Buom, Hanoi . Photo: Mai Phuong

In the shooting area, participants are instructed to sit in front of a backdrop and maintain their posture during the shooting. The equipment only allows one shot per session and there is no review mode. The results depend on the lighting on site, the stability of the participant's posture and the operation of the team.

Participants sit in the shooting position and maintain a stable posture. Photo: Mai Phuong

The operating team works with the camera. Photo: Mai Phuong

After taking the photo, the team manually processed the photo. Because the quality of the photo depends on many factors, the finished product will be different each time; some photos are clear, some have light deviations... showing the "luck" of the classic photography method.

The image processing process is done entirely manually. Photo: Mai Phuong

Mr. Alex Lloyd, a photography lecturer at a university in the US, said the experience of taking old-fashioned photos here reminded him of his childhood memories in South America, when street photographers used wet-and-on-the-spot techniques.

He commented that the most impressive point that made him exclaim “Wow” was the young people working together to master a technique that was thought to be lost, from handling to operating the manual camera.

The last time he was photographed with this technique was when he was 6 years old, the next time he was photographed at the present time he was in his 60s.

“I feel like I'm making a part of history, just like I was photographed as a child,” Lloyd added.

Mr. Alex Lloyd was delighted to see the camera. Photo: Mai Phuong

Vo Ngoc Giang Linh (19 years old, Nghe An ) said she registered to participate as soon as she saw this experience on social networks.

“My grandfather is a person who loves taking photos, so I was very eager to experience it and take photos to show him,” Linh shared.

The female tourist added that this photography experience brought a very special feeling of excitement and suspense.

This experiential activity is arranged in the exhibition space "Nostalgia for cities" at the Cultural and Art Center 22 Hang Buom (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi).

The exhibition is open from now until November 30, 2025, operating from 8am to 5pm daily. Visitors to the Cultural and Artistic Center need to buy a ticket for 20,000 VND. To experience old-style photography, visitors pay 90,000 VND per shot.

The exhibition is part of the Photo Hanoi '25 International Photography Biennale - an event organized by the Hanoi People's Committee and the French Embassy in Vietnam. It is chaired by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports and the French Institute in Vietnam, with the support of the UNESCO Office in Hanoi and a network of domestic and foreign partners.

The event aims to celebrate photography as a universal language of humanity and a powerful way to see, feel and connect.

Photo Hanoi '25 International Photography Biennale is open for free at all exhibition venues and activities...