Permanent rush-hour, a photo from Ho Chi Minh, South East

Photographer's Note

This is somewhere in the centre of Saigon, officially known as Ho Chi Minh City but generally called by its old name by the locals. Like in most major cities around the world the streets seem to be packed with cars and motorbikes all day long. It's a noisy and polluted city but in spite of that very nice and lively.

In the background you can see a glimpse of the Notre Dame Cathedral, built by the French in the late 19th century.

Here is a larger version.

PaulVDV, ourania, Romano46, kato, tyro, SnapRJW, macjake, Highmountains, williewhistler, jhm, bukitgolfb301, imageme, annjackman, mirosu, Miguel82, nikkitta, adores, Tigerlily, mcmtanyel, ikeharel oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

emilbo (22616) 2013-11-21 8:22

Allô Gert!
C'est "l'heure de pointe" comme on dit chez nous. Cette scčne de rue est superbe trčs achalandée et avec beaucoup de motos, comme on peut voir en République Dominicaine. Excellente exposition qui donne l'impression de mouvement en avant-plan. Une merveilleuse photo avec la Cathédrale en arričre-plan et ça ne manque pas de couleurs.
Félicitations!... et toutes mes amitiés,
Emilius

saxo042 (38078) 2013-11-21 8:34

Hej Gert,
Det är mycket liv och rörelse i den här bilden, men samtidigt ser ju trafiksituationen tämligen disciplinerad ut. De som har grönt rör sig ju snabbt tvärsöver bilden och de som har rött stĺr artigt och väntar. En ovanlig bild...
Hälsningar
Gunnar

PaulVDV (63456) 2013-11-21 8:47

Hello Gert,
There must be a lot of pollution be seen at the nose and mouth masks of some of the bikers. Do you feel the pollution there in your throat after a stay of a few days like in some cities in China ?
Yet I notice the presence of tall trees in the center of the city. Perhaps this avenue is rather an exception ...
This is certainly a very lively street scene. The cathedral at the end of the street looks real beautiful.
Best regards, Paul

rychem (72187) 2013-11-21 8:56

It is really a photo to learn something about the world, very nice scene with great dynamics, the rush hour is shown perfectly
regards Ryszard

yquem46 (38752) 2013-11-21 10:17

hej Gert
It is pretty much the same story in Hanoď !!
I like the contrast between the still part of the image and the bikes, motion blurred at FG
Well thought
have a nice evening
patrick

ourania (51103) 2013-11-21 11:10

Hello Gert,
a fascinating daily life scene. I haven't walked through a city (Athens) since last May and that was a quiet day too. I always enjoy looking at the motorbikes, always first at the traffic lights, ready to dart forward, I call them the vanguard:) I really enjoy watching the scene in your photo too. There's a clear and intriguing distinction between foreground and background, I love the sense of movement in the first and the depth in the latter. The perspective, the trees, the cathedral and the vanquard make the urban scenery very interesting. Details are exquisite and the strong colours most attractive. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a great evening,
Ourania

Romano46 (18472) 2013-11-21 11:14

Ciao Gert
in questa foto c'č tutta la confusione delle cittŕ modernizzate dell'oriente e che lo smog sia abbastanza diffuso č visibile dalla stessa protezione che usano gli abitanti che si spostano in maniera caotica con i loro mezzi.
Una cittŕ che ha sofferto lungamente con la guerra e che ora ha trovato il modo di rinascere con tutti i pregi e i difetti della civiltŕ occidentale, dimenticando, forse, le loro origini orientali e le loro antiche civiltŕ.
Ciao e buona serata
Romano

pajaran (117033) 2013-11-21 11:43

Dobro vece.
Interesantan i dobar tekst o mestu i trenutku ...
Lep pogled i trenutak ...
Dobar trenutak snimka i perspektiva, lepe boje.
Dobar rad, lepo pokazano mesto i trenutak.
Prijatno vece i lepa noc, sve najbolje.
Paja.

Good evening.
Interesting and good article about the place and moment ...
Nice view and a moment ...
Good time recording and perspective, beautiful colors.
Good work, nice place and moment shown.
Have a nice evening and night, all the best.
Paja.

Fis2 (171907) 2013-11-21 12:19

Witaj Gert!
Beautiful reportage work.
Excellent frame, colors and sharpnes.
I like this daily life shot.
Good night
Krzysztof

korbee (6619) 2013-11-21 13:28

I can see you are a journalist Holmertz,because this could be the type picture we can find in the newspaper or the maagazine,typical Asian streetscnene.;=]

jan

chrislo (4099) 2013-11-21 13:57

Hello Gert,
I guess the hustle and bustle of a Vietnamese city is part of the things you must experience live in person on a trip in that country. You have captured the rush hour traffic very well and I like the motion blur on the two motorbikers in the FG as it provides a sense of speed. Very clear and colourful shot. Well done.
Kind regards,
Christian

kato (11630) 2013-11-21 19:48

Hello Gert,

You're capturing well this traffic scene by a good composition and excellent tone/clarity, so it's interesting and impressive to see many motorbikes in a few cars of street. Probably, those who are driving motorbike are the commuters who go to a place of work. I also saw the same scene at Taipei or Jakarta. It seems to a spectacle peculiar to Southeast Asia. Judging from the atmosphere of a photograph, this city looks like the warm place which was subject to the influence of the France culture. And, it's effective for moving/blurring image in FG.

Kind regards,
mikio

subhendu_bagchi (26091) 2013-11-21 20:23

namaste Gert, another superb one from you from everyday life. Like the motion vs static atmosphere here. Great composition captured using a nice POV. Like the architecture can be seen at extreme back. The colour tone is superb. Great shot. Tfs.
S

tyro (30513) 2013-11-22 2:36

Hello Gert,

I love this one! I can almost imagine many photographers cursing because two motorcyclists shot in front of their camera just as they had carefully composed this shot and were pressing the shutter button - but, no, I think that the blurred images of those two passing right before your eyes really add to the impression of of the busy nature of this corner of Saigon.

A wonderfully colourful and "busy" photograph with lots and lots to see and examine and with lots of human figures, all desperate to get to where they are going, wherever that might be. Curiously, the fine cathedral in the background now appears just ever so slightly incongruous.

Fabulous!

Kind Regards,

John.

SnapRJW (31631) 2013-11-22 4:12

Hello Gert - This is very obviously a SE Asian city with the typical hustle and bustle of life lived on bikes, motorbikes and scooters! I like the close up view of the bikes speeding by and the line of bikers ready to go as soon as the lights change. Trying to cross the road in these conditions always takes a leap of faith I think! I think your reference to the country's French colonial past is nicely incorporated into this scene. Super shot with a dynamic feel. Warm regards Rosemary

macjake (98544) 2013-11-22 4:44

Hi Gert
you have seemed to capture everything that is so typical of such cities in Asia....

scooters, mopeds, bikes, facemasks, lots of telephone wires, more bikes/cycles than cars, and although we can't 'see or hear it' - NOISE POLLUTION!

out of everything that is unfamiliar when traveling to such countries like Vietnam, the 1 thing i personally have trouble adjusting to....is the NOISE POLLUTION!
Honk Honk Honk Honk, Beep Beep Beep Beep!
its never ending...even at 3 am! lol

Encountered the same issues in Santiago and Lima, Cusco...

I can even remember seeing road signs posted in Lima saying....please reduce your honking to be courteous to tourists!!

Why is it that in countries like Canada, USA, Sweden for example...we don't have this honking issue....strange and interesting thought

anyways....this photo stirs up alot of emotion for me.
thanks alot
lol
seriously though, a fun photo!
cheers
craig

abmdsudi (95869) 2013-11-22 7:55

Hi Gert
It seems that every man owns a bike in Saigon and they are all on the road at the same time. A fine depiction of bikes madness, hustle and bustle on the street and the fast changing pace of life in the unbelievable place! There's a wonderful feeling of movement with lovely background details for good ref of location. This a fine shot, a good slice of Vietnamese street life so timely captured, vivid in colours, detail and luminous. Just the noise is missing here !!
Best regards

mesutilgim (0) 2013-11-22 8:45

Hello dear Gert,
Nice daily life scenery from Saigon withh "all typical elements" of the city. Bikers, motorbikers and of course the masks ! Long exposure taim was a perfect choice as you can perfectly notice the movement in the foreground.
TFS and have a nice weekend
MESUT ILGIM

Highmountains (2674) 2013-11-22 11:48

Old photograph but a theme that is so very pertinent - as our civilization progresses - each day ...
The movement of the two scooters in the Foreground actually sets up the mood of the photograph.
And then there are a multitude of such scooters waiting to rush on to you as the traffic changes ...
The bright colours of the Cathedral makes the background even more evocative and expressive.
Thanks as always, Gert.

Silvio1953 (222889) 2013-11-22 12:12

Ciao Gert, great traffic in Saigon, fantastic blurred FG, lovely movie sensation, wonderful colors and splendid light, very well done, my friend, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

zoomer (6) 2013-11-22 14:12

Hello,a very colorful,lively action shot with excellent DOF.The image looks so clear but there must be pollution as the masks attest to.Friendly regards Wolf.

williewhistler (16606) 2013-11-22 14:48

Hello Gert,
with the choice of a very good view point and some imaginative settings you have portrayed the lively hustle and bustle of the City perfectly,I do enjoy the blur of the FG cyclists.
The Cathedral is a huge bonus.
Lovely photography.
Kind regards Les.

jhm (211738) 2013-11-23 1:43

Hello Gert,

Ever a city in full war with a lot French later American soldiers.
Now a city with smoke and unlivable conditions
Also a lovely panoramic view about these area.
Excellent composition, perfect captured.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

rbassin (27472) 2013-11-23 1:46

hello Gert
Il ne manque plus que le bruit...
cette photo rend bien l'ambiance du trafic intense ŕ l'heure de pointe.
C'est bien vu, bien cadré et bonne gestion du temps d'exposition.
Bon W-E
Roland

Nicou (193814) 2013-11-23 3:00

Hello

tous ces personnage sur le moto scooter sueprbe quelle animation et mouvement de circulation et en plu ce flou sur les deux premier qui roulent dans l'autre sens cela accentue le charme de cette sueprbe image.
Bravo et amitié
Nicou

bukitgolfb301 (54014) 2013-11-23 13:09

Hi dear Gert

You present great "Vietnam" full of vigors image as your taste so wonderfully. Great contatst of front and rear in sharpness. Vivid color adds their energy so well. Very well considerd composition as usual.

All the best and have a beautiful Sunday! Takero

emka (158784) 2013-11-23 15:00

Hi gert, fantastic quality - colours, perfect sharpness and splendid compostion. So typical Vietnamese. I haven't been to Ho Chi Monh, but in hanoi it was the same. I stood on the streets wanting to cross it and there was constant flow of motorbikes. It happened a few tkimes that someone had pity for the helpless poor thing and took my hand and went with me on the other side like with kid :). Here they have at least cascs, in Hanoi they had kids before them without any protection. And there were no rules. Horror! And how funny they all looked during rain.
Warm regrads Malgo

imageme (1790) 2013-11-23 15:09

Hi Gert, The city life looks much alike in that of Mainland China in some developing cities as the motorcycles and bicycles are still the main means of transportation. It looks crowded as that in China too.
The two motorcyclists in the FG enhance the motion of the daily city life. The church in the BG tells the traces of the city ruled by France once. Rich colours with great composition always......Thank very much
Anna

annjackman (23019) 2013-11-23 22:48

Hello Gert,
I recognize this cathedral from our visit last year. You picture is a reminder too of the traffic although I found Saigon less busy than Hanoi although both cities are a nightmare to cross the road! I was surprised to see helmets being worn by adults but not by children who were their passengers. In your picture the blurred figures on motorbikes give a real sense of the busy street. A very sharp image with lovely light and detail - TFS.
Kind Regards, Ann

mirosu (16313) 2013-11-24 4:26

Hello Gert,
Excellent road snapshot, exactly as I know it from Saigon (HMC). Motorcycles everywhere. I like your composition with moving and waiting motorcycles. The light is very good, exposing excellent. Well done.
Greetings
Miro

carlo62 (81265) 2013-11-24 14:42

Ciao Gert
una foto che porta con se tutta l'effervescenza dei paesi asiatici, una foto con una carica dinamica esplosiva, sembra di sentire i rumori e gli odori di tutti questi scooter.
Saluti
Carlo

eldancer1 (36343) 2013-11-25 7:29

At least those motorbike and bicycle don't create a lot of pollution or smog. Good documentation of the daily with good lighting and nice details. Wonderful colors. Well done, tfs.

Miguel82 (47110) 2013-11-25 12:02

What a nice view of Saigon traffic Gert, two scooters in circulation and many other two wheelers at a stop, among other a Ac Milano fan
excellent dof and view of Notre dame cathedral in the bg, the trees are beautiful too, warm regards

nikkitta (17070) 2013-11-30 11:13

Hola Gert

Rush hour at Saigon, saw the same ( with motors) at Mumbay and Shangay, also wearing masks

Like the capture speed at the front and the colorful cathedral at the back framed by vegetation
Almost felt the noise
Well done
Maria

adores (46979) 2013-12-01 16:09

Hi Gert!
This is a real daily scene in Vietnam! I like the composition, the sense of movement and the colours! That's how Vietnam is! I've been here and visited this cathedral in 2008, just a few months after you:)!

fabbs99 (17179) 2013-12-10 22:17

Hello Gert,

Nice street shot from the center of Saigon.Excellent POV and perspective, beautiful colors and light, good sharpness.TFS.

Cheers
Farhat

Tigerlily (3381) 2014-04-24 11:45

Apart from the valuable information you supplied, this is a technically interesting image as well, I like the "blur bikers" crossing in the front ground.Thanks Gert.

jmdias (116441) 2017-07-19 6:47

gert

I liked this daily life view, something similar those I saw in india, but more clean and organized. nice details as the trees and the old cathedral. nice to see an image of this iconic town that was part of my children memories when IO watched the TV news.

hugs

jorge

mcmtanyel (69195) 2020-03-10 23:27

Hello Gert,
Nice view of this busy avenue. I like the varied color palette of the frame. 👍🏻👍🏻
Regards,
MT

ikeharel (114569) 2020-04-25 6:18

Hello Gert,
The abundance of colors upon this busy street action, made it an attractive scene along with its vibrant scale.
French architecture design influence notable on the far side building shown through the trees boulevard.
A well taken moment with traffic.
Good afternoon,
Ike