embracing VIETNAM Photo Gallery by Aloha Diao Lavina at pbase.com

embracing VIETNAM

A lovely song by Bread comes to mind every time I think of Vietnam.
“...a not so very ordinary girl or name...
And I miss the girl,
and I'd go a thousand times around the world
just to be closer to her than to me.”

At last, returning for the fourth time in as many years, I saw Vietnam.
Her beauty, her laughter, her tears, her soul.
And I left thinking of returning,
and once again...embracing Vietnam.

Special thanks to My Linh and my parents for making the trips in 2008 possible.

Please comment and vote should you feel these images have merit. Thank you.

grandma and the umbrella	the red umbrella	flower on a dusty street
mist in Sapa	waiting	rain in Sapa
harvest	patch.work	its weight in gold
watching the world float	Can Tho morning	peekaboo
there's something about the hat	exchange	eggplant
Halong Bay cruisers	Halong Bay fishing	Halong Bay Taxi service
Miss Saigon	Reach	Miss Saigon 2
Alone with the sun	The path Home	Walking Home
Tay Ninh worshippers	Tay Ninh great hall	Spiral.light
Two	The price of a balloon	Mine!
When I look at you I see me	Smile	The Child, she knows
River Market	The Bath	Stacks
The Phoenix is a Woman	She is Patient	Wise
The ride up	Work	Load
Laundry Story	Mountain blankets	Mixed wardrobe
Play	Laugh	Cry
Gentleness	Giggle	Determination
Market.Motion	Sweet.Red.Hot	Market in Motion
Hanoi Girl and Flowers	Hanoi Girl	Hanoi Girl and Flowers
Make Hay	Balance	While the Sun Shines
Red Zhao mother and child	Safe	Mother and Child
Street vendor	Sold Out	The Bat Su Street Flower Girl
Hmong Matriarch	Curious	The Smile
Close Encounter	Close Encounter for Two	Close Encounter of the Third Kind
A good day	Market Brightness	The Old Weaver's Daughter
Bloom	Girl at the Coffee Shop	Saigon Cosplay
How to sit like a Vietnamese	Running after a living	The Blues
Girl in ao dai	Going home	In Tandem
Mirth	Joy	Friendship
Mysterious	Ancient street	Embrace
Security is my Grandfather's hands	Notebook	Umbrella

Hans Kruse		20-Feb-2010 19:55
Wonderful images. Congratulations!

Guest		10-Feb-2010 06:54
What a wonderfull gallery. Great locations, peoples, and wonderfull post production.

Guest		09-Feb-2010 14:16
Wow, if that what a camera can do, I must be holding mine wrong

POMAH		09-Feb-2010 03:14
Excellent gallery! No wasted effort. Superb work. V

Latifa Messaoudi		15-Dec-2009 08:55
i would like to visit vietnam!! wonderful pictures!

Bogdan Szadowski		27-May-2009 07:55
Beautiful work. Amazing quality pictures I can only dream of. V

Guest		30-Apr-2009 17:54
Extraordinary gallery. You truly capture so much memories and beauties from my motherland. I would hope to revisit it very soon. Thanks. BV

Guest		30-Apr-2009 17:42
Extraordinary gallery. You truly capture so much memories and beauties from my motherland. I would hope to revisit it very soon. Thanks. BV

Carol E Sandgren		30-Mar-2009 17:56
Award-winning caliber photography! You make me want to return to Vietnam to embrace more! Carol

Marc Demoulin		24-Nov-2008 21:30
I'm in owe of your talent and skills. vVv Marc

GP Merfeld		19-Oct-2008 23:07
An extraordinary portrait of a culture... Beautiful work!

GP Merfeld		19-Oct-2008 23:06
An extraordinary portrait of a culture... Beautiful work!

Pedro Libório		19-Oct-2008 00:09
absolutly stunning adn impressive gallery! amaizing photos and registers. my vote.

George McCarten		18-Oct-2008 09:26
These are fantastic, Aloha. The color and composition are special.

Ali Majdfar		16-Oct-2008 18:32
Spectacular gallery, stunning shots. GMV

Ali Majdfar		16-Oct-2008 18:26
Spectacular gallery, stunning shots. GMV

Nick Arena		13-Oct-2008 04:28
Superb gallery filled with amazing images full of color vibrancy.V

Kilkenny Photographic Society		12-Oct-2008 16:24
EDWARD DULLARD I REALLY ENJOYED VIEWING THIS GALLERY OF A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND PEOPLE! V

Alain Boussac		20-Sep-2008 13:58
A particularly beautiful gallery. Colored and sensitive pictures, taken with an excellent glance, and with the heart, by a very talented photographer. BV.

Johan Gerrits		19-Aug-2008 13:51
What an embracement Aloha, you captured the spirit from this beautiful country so well!!!!

Gervan		29-Jul-2008 02:33
Fantastic gallery of this beautiful country. V.

Bart Aldrich		24-Jul-2008 19:49
Some of your best work; that D3 is in superb hands!

lorand		24-Jul-2008 19:02
Superb gallery!!! BIG VOTE

BleuEvanescence		24-Jul-2008 14:52
I think, with images of such incredible beauty and emotions, the next thing we want to do is to call the airline and ask the time for the next flight to Vietnam... I need to see this...

alfredo camba jr.		24-Jul-2008 01:12
Very beautiful and interesting gallery! Artistic images!! Vote!!

Guest		23-Jul-2008 02:50
Simply Stunning.

Julie Aucoin		23-Jul-2008 01:57
As usual, a fantastic gallery. You present so many different styles and moods, it's very inspiring. Great use of light. Vote, of course!

Dave Berry		23-Jul-2008 01:01
Beautiful gallery. Voted

Marek Wilczura		22-Jul-2008 22:40
THANKS FOR SHARING THESE FANTASTIC SHOTS WITH US, ALOHA BIG VOTE FROM ME AND PROMISE TO VISIT YOU MORE OFTEN REGARDS

Hodero		21-Jul-2008 16:14
Indeed,worthy of an embrace ! Beautiful shots! Big V.

Sue Robertson		21-Jul-2008 00:55
Truly wonderful collection of images. v

eric st martin		20-Jul-2008 20:24
really beautifulwork v

Denis Vincelette		20-Jul-2008 13:58
A fantastic gallery ... Love the way you see and take photos of people ... in their daily life ! greast compositions and high quality work . Congratulations !

Guest		20-Jul-2008 12:42
Great colors and beautiful images wich tell stories

Mohamed Mahmoud		20-Jul-2008 06:20
Wawoo Aloha This Gallery is just getting better and better, your talented eyes are making spectacular art from very simple things.Your compositions, colors, and expressions are outstanding Vote

kyoung kim photography		20-Jul-2008 05:31
Great gallery and wonderful images!~V

shatterbug		20-Jul-2008 03:19
Your gallery is alive with human emotion...splendid reportage of your travels!

Guest		19-Jul-2008 19:46
Excellent work ms. Aloha! i can see a lot of MLL influence in your work but u have made some shots distinctively yours. GMV

Guest		19-Jul-2008 15:50
J'aime ! V!

Victoria		19-Jul-2008 07:43
What a gorgeous gallery, full of amazing photos

BleuEvanescence		18-Jul-2008 21:45
I am just discovering your world... You are a fascinating and very talented artist, in the true sense of the word! Incredible images. You master your art...

David Gaar		18-Jul-2008 17:06
Lovely gallery here, Aloha. They are all fantastic, however, my favorites remain "Watching the world float" and "Giggle". Well done. Big vote.

Azlin Ahmad		18-Jul-2008 15:28
This is great work, Aloha. You have great talent and a superb eye for catching the moment and the spirit! V

Mihai		18-Jul-2008 14:55
This is an amazing gallery ! Big Vote !

Jean-Luc Rollier		18-Jul-2008 14:01
Amazing work Aloha ! Beautiful presentation. JL V

olivier bruning		18-Jul-2008 11:11
magnificent series...makes anybody wanna go there! BV!

pepe_carmona2000		18-Jul-2008 08:00
felicidades una galeria FANTASTICA un gran trabajo con muy bonita luz y gran saturación de colores Perfecto. gran gran VOTO

Dmitry Zamorin		18-Jul-2008 06:27
Beautiful and versatile photographs!

Richard Calmes		17-Jul-2008 21:17
These are very beautiful images! Some of the best I have seen of that part of the world! V

Elena Kalis		17-Jul-2008 21:17
Fantastic!!!

Susanne v. Schroeder		17-Jul-2008 20:03
This gallery has it all - excellent photography, very artistic, touching and it tells a story about a country/people few have a chance to visit.

Jim's Atavistic Visions		17-Jul-2008 17:58
WOW! A spectacular, excellent gallery produced by an artistic, creative photographer ! VVV!... Josefina

Steve Morris		17-Jul-2008 17:32
Spectacular and magical are two words that spring to mind - I really enjoyed looking at every one of these marvelous photos. My hat goes off to you Aloha!! Big vote!

Scotty Graham		17-Jul-2008 15:18
outstanding, Aloha!! You have outdone yourself on this one...very inspiring!!

Guest		17-Jul-2008 15:16
You're making a legend, truly awesome gallery. v

Guest		17-Jul-2008 14:56
Simply the best. There's no denying of your technical skills and creative vision. This one hits me emotionally since Vietnam is my motherly land. Thanks for capturing her beauty and revealing the true essence of its people and culture.

123		17-Jul-2008 04:08
Magical. BV

nomada		16-Jul-2008 20:42
Amazing series. Beautifully executed. VVV

Apostolos Tikopoulos		16-Jul-2008 20:22
Superb gallery, excellent quality captures. V.

Guest		16-Jul-2008 20:02
The scope of themes on this gallery is truly outstanding: from intimate candids to skilled fashion takes and top travel photography, you once again prove the depth of your talents. The most deserved vote!

Guest		16-Jul-2008 19:09
Im loving it!!! where in Vietnam is this!?!??!

Guest		16-Jul-2008 18:16
Great gallery of life in Vietnam with some wonderfully atmospheric images..............................GMV

Steve Viscot		16-Jul-2008 15:26
spectacular gallery -v

Guest		16-Jul-2008 15:15
Interesting gallery! My vote!

Guest		16-Jul-2008 14:28
Hi Aloha.... This is a Magnificent Gallery......Very Beautiful Work!! My Favorites are, "Walking Home" & "Mine" :-) . . ~ V ~

XiaoBernard99		16-Jul-2008 13:47
A superb presentation,some dlightful and tender tones for the banniere... Simply I know what you can feel as me in China so near of Vietman.In past in France I knew some people of Vietman,always so...Asian ,smiling and quiet,beautiful and humble,... Your work is simply very Great.A tri pin the Universal Beauties ,a Great thnaks to you for the Pleasure I found to look this treasure!

Steve Sharp		16-Jul-2008 12:37
A great many different moods in this one gallery, but I would guess that is Vietnam in a nutshell!

Guest		16-Jul-2008 12:32
Fantastic gallery Aloha, a lot of great shots, very creative treatment, hard to choose any as favorite but let's say "The price of a balloon" is the one... voted!

GeneWard		16-Jul-2008 00:40
outstanding work. V.

Guest		15-Jul-2008 22:51
Terrific collection. Here's another song about Vietnam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGRc-cI0JbA&feature=related

Guest		15-Jul-2008 18:44
terrific work, chapeau.

Guest		15-Jul-2008 16:53
Beautiful colection of images vote

an nguyen		15-Jul-2008 15:57
Oh, how can I miss this gallery. My beloved homeland at its best. Your shots reminded me of the old glorious time of Vietnam . My compliments . V

Naret Visesvongsa		15-Jul-2008 14:32
Great collection, Aloha. V

Mostafa Moftah		15-Jul-2008 01:15
Artistry gallery come out with a wonderful quality.. Voted~

Guest		14-Jul-2008 18:44
So much to learn from your outstanding shots! Big vote!

Guest		14-Jul-2008 16:30
There is so much beauty in these galleries and especially in this one. V

Bill Warren		14-Jul-2008 15:10
Beautiful work again Aloha. The street shots have an almost studio quality--they are that good in mood and light. Voted

Giancarlo Guzzardi		14-Jul-2008 15:03
the start of an evocative gallery

Yiannis Pavlis		14-Jul-2008 14:42
Wonderful gallery with great pictures. Vote.

click on thumbnails for full image