Vang Vieng, Laos became one of those places I fell in love with and extended my stay. I made this gorgeous little town my home for over a week. Here are some travel photography tips for making a memorable image of Vang Vieng, Laos.
1 – Shoot the landscape
The Laos landscape is otherworldly! Maybe not for the locals, but it is for someone who has never been to Southeast Asia before. The lush green jungle contrasts beautifully with the jagged karst mountains. Just like in the image above, taken from the balcony of my room at the Namsong View Guesthouse.
2 – Photograph street scenes
Vang Vieng is known for having a very active nightlife. Just go into any bar and ask for the “Happy Menu” and you will understand. A word of advice…do not take anything out of the bar. EVERYONE is on the take. Be careful but still have a great time!
These three black & white images were made one night while I was hanging outside the hot local nightclub, Viva Pub. Believe or not I was using my nifty fifty lens (Nikon 50mm prime). I must have been really calm because I usually can’t get images this crisp at night with that lens. It’s only f/2.8. Of course they do have a bit of grain, but I like it here. Nowadays I pretty much stick with my Sony A7r
For more on photographing at night, read my article 5 Reasons to Start Shooting Night Photography | Nightscapes.
3 – Go into the countryside
Like everywhere in Southeast Asia, I highly recommend renting a scooter here. Sure it makes getting around the city simple, but take it into the countryside and you’ll be rewarded with a whole different experience. You can check out tiny villages, explore a cave, swim in a lagoon, all with giant karst mountains on all sides.
Learn more about travel photography by reading my article Travel Photography Tips and Planning.
4 – Shoot at night
If you have seen my work, then you know that I love night photography. If shooting at night or long exposure photography is your thing, I recommend photograghing this bridge over the Namsong River. The bridge is very narrow and rickety, yet many people ride motorbikes over it making cool light trails at longer exposures. Then take the bridge over the water to another area of Vang Vieng. Here you can eat under a cabana on the river or rent a bungalow for the night. However they are a bit on the pricey side, which in Vang Vieng is anything over $50.
