The Boy with the Blue Mouth. Hanoi, Vietnam

One of the joys of outdoor adventure is that of surprise. You never really know what you are going to experience and where the source or delight might come from. 

I was in Vietnam and had joined an outdoor education excursion for a bunch of 8-year-old boys from an International School in Hanoi. After an early morning 6:30 am bus ride from the centre of the city, an onsite induction into safety and responsibilities, we had set out on the journey to climb a peak, learn some navigation skills, experience the bush and wildlife and learn some basic rope skills. It was spring and Brett and Thu the husband-and-wife team leaders had introduced the group to the edible native berry that was in fruit  and which could be found along the path. 

The delight in the face of this boy is palpable. 

I had travelled to Vietnam to attend a workshop with David Hobby, aka The Strobist (a name that was mentioned at the conclusion of a very brief introduction to 

“Camera Flash “run by the Australian Centre of Photography (ACP) in Sydney.)

 After Covid, I put my name was on the mailing list and joined David for his workshop. I found out later how fortunate I was, as this would be the one of the final workshops David would conduct. 

What I learned most from David was to photograph with intent, and therefore to make a plan. Well, most of my plans fell short of expectation. But when I followed through with the connections I made, I found myself in a place where the photos began to come to me. 

This method I embraced could be said to summarise the words of the photographer Vincent Versace. But more than that, these photos all had intrinsic meaning. By the next day I had through digital means and via the conduit of Brett and Thu returned the photos to the parents of the children (in particular The Boy with the Blue Mouth).

I was surprised by the feeling of being able to share the photos which had 'come to me' and through returning the photos, share the day the children had shared back to their families.

Thanks David, Thu and Brett and the parents of this International School in Hanoi, Vietnam.