Brendan Bartlett, An afternoon in Hoi-An (PEOPLE 2024)

When I'm away I find it awkward staring at people, but it is so interesting and one of the most memorable things to do is photograph locals. Obviously many are entwined in the tourist trades, but occasionally you can get a glimpse of it from the perspective of it being as daily life. After coming back home, these shots are often the ones I look at and edit the most, they can all look so different on different days. These were taken on the afternoon of Friday 16 August 2024 in Hoi-An, Vietnam. I was very lucky to gather 4 shots in those 4 very hot hours. In each one you can imagine the thoughts of each person. The lantern seller’s thoughts are floating off with the lanterns as he is immersed in the news of the day on his phone. The bbq cook’s expression says he’s satisfied with how the food is progressing. The vegetable sorter’s life might be harder than others, the cigarette helps him daydream. Finally the reed weaver is so immersed in the folds and weaves, he doesn’t notice the hundreds of people around him. After coming back home, these shots are often the ones I look at and edit the most, they can all look so different on different days.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.