Hanoi’s streets told through British photographer’s lens

The black-and-white images give viewers a sentimental and nostalgic look at life in Hanoi during the subsidy period more than 40 years ago, as well as the city’s growth and transformation.

Candid black-and-white photos of Hanoi taken by British photographer Andy Soloman are on display in an exhibition titled “A Hanoi to Remember” until October 31 at the Antique Quarter Cultural Exchange Center, 49 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoan Kiem District.   

British photographer Andy Soloman. Photo courtesy of Andy

A collection of 86 black-and-white photographs taken between 1992 and 2012 by Andy and Hanoi photographer Le Bich takes the viewer back to the past, to a time when life in Hanoi was a struggle, yet filled with simple pleasures.

“I remember the exact moment – October 21, 1992 – when I first arrived in Hanoi and was immediately captivated. What began as a single trip turned into a lifelong love affair with the city,” Andy recalled.  

In the early 1990s, Andy was a 30-year-old photojournalist from London who arranged paperwork with the Foreign Press Centre to travel around Vietnam’s northern provinces and central highlands in a bone-jarring   Soviet UAZ-460. He lived in Hanoi from 1992 to 1999 and worked for several newspapers and news agencies before joining Reuters in 1997.

“My camera was my passport into people’s lives, their families and workplaces. Everywhere I went, I was greeted with kindness and hospitality,” he said.

Hanoi is a great love for Andy Soloman. In the photo: the corner of Nguyen Du and Ba Trieu streets in the 1990s.

“I vividly recall many of the people in these photographs. At that time, tourists were scarce and foreigners were a novelty. I would be invited into homes for tea, or perhaps sit with a stranger and drink bia hoi (draught beer) My Vietnamese was minimal, but despite the language barrier we found ways to communicate, and the warmth of our interactions transcended words,” he added.

Even then, the talented photographers sensed that Hanoi was on the verge of rapid change. Crumbling, once-grand French villas and overcrowded but beautiful houses in the Old Quarter were giving way to new developments. These photographs serve as a snapshot of the city in transition.

“I have noticed that many young people enjoy exploring the Hanoi scenery in my photographs. They often tell me that these images help them visualize how their parents grew up,” the photographer told The Hanoi Times. 

Today, Andy focuses on travel and fine art photography and is embarking on a major project in Vietnam to find the people he originally photographed in 1992-93.

Let’s look back at Hanoi’s old days through Andy’s nostalgic black-and-white photos below:

Cyclo drivers at a tea stall(1992) features people who are incredibly friendly and generous.

Stonemason, Hang Mam, Old Quarter (1993) Hang Mam was a treasure trove of artisans, where stonemasons created intricate carvings and engravings. The people greeted Andy with smiles, offered him refreshments, and encouraged him to capture their daily lives on camera.

Bui Huy Truyen praying (1992) – Bui Huy Truyen, 73, lived in Ngo Phat Loc. He led Andy through a narrow trap door and up two wooden ladders to his beautifully decorated worship room.

Vietnamese Heroic Mothers (1998): Andy met a group of Vietnamese Heroic Mothers from the Mekong Delta Ba Dinh Square. They were dressed in their best ao dai, wearing their medals with pride and smiling broadly. As he looked at them, he was overwhelmed by their loss and the sacrifices made by so many Vietnamese.

Nguyen Van Trang, barber at Cat Toc Nam (1994) The photographer was a regular at Cat Toc Nam in Trang Thi for years, always getting an excellent haircut.

The first taxi in Hanoi. Car number one (1993) Most people traveled by bicycle or motorbike, and there were a growing number of motorbikes.

Traditional market in the Old Quarter (1993)- The produce was fresh and abundant, the fruits exotic and delicious. And wherever there was a market, there was a bicycle rider, always hoping for a fare.

Shark’s Jaw building under construction (1992) This bold building represented a harmonious blend of modern architecture and traditional aesthetics.

St Joseph’s Cathedral (1992) – The quiet square in front of the cathedral came alive after school as children gathered to play foot badminton, hopscotch, and rubber band jumping.

An old man travels by cyclo (1998) The cyclo driver smiled and waved to Andy against the bustling chaos of Hanoi, and in his calm demeanor, the photographer saw strength forged through years of endurance.