THE SHAPES OF HANOI FROM ABOVE ARE BEAUTIFUL NOW
LOES HEERINK
Shapes change with perspective, as places do. Photographer Loes Heerink glorified this truth in her gorgeous new photo series entitled “Vendors from Above,” which features fascinating images of street vendors in Hanoi in aerial view.
While living in Viet Nam, one day, as she was standing on a bridge, looking down, the Dutch-born photographer noticed the beautiful color shapes created by street vendors who were passing beneath.
Each day, the vendors create new shapes and compositions as they load up their bike baskets with flowers, fruits, and vegetables, delivering a new array to market each day
The colorful arrangements change shape and color daily, depending on what’s fresh.
The vendors are often female migrants, who rise at 4:00 a.m. daily, to organize their produce for market. They come to the city to earn a little extra money. They have to work very hard, in challenging conditions.
The images were taken at several locations in the city. Heerink got up early in the mornings, ventured out during her lunch breaks, and devoted her weekends. Each day she went to a bridge and waited in hopes of grabbing an image of a vendor from above.
Heerink spent many hours on each bridge waiting for vendors to pass by. When they came, they rewarded her with beauty, symmetry, and magnificent shapes.
“They have no clue how beautiful their bicycles are, no idea they create little pieces of art every day,” says Heerink. She hopes to interview some of the vendors so that she can gain and offer a little bit more insight in their lives.
Weather conditions were sometimes a challenge as sometimes Heerkink had to stand in the cold rain for many hours waiting for a vendor to pass by so she could take her shot.
The rain didn’t stop her from shooting though. In fact, it added drama to the images as it turned the concrete and asphalt a beautiful deep gray, making the colors of the bicycles pop even more. Some of Heerink’s best images were taken right after a big rain storm, such as one with the vendor with the melons and oranges (above).
Heerink is publishing a full-color hardcover book filled with the magnificent shapes and colors of Hanoi’s street vendor. She plans to have around 100 images in the book. Support her Kickstarter project and you will be rewarded with a limited edition copy of her forthcoming book.
To see more of Heerink’s beautiful images, check out her website and Instagram.
Read more about Beautiful Shapes in Beautiful Shapes Within Shapes Now, The Beauty of Shape Shifting Murmurations Now, Beautiful Delicious Now and Incredible Ethereal Shapes Channel Fantastical Sea Creatures.
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IMAGE CREDITS: All image by Loes Heerink. “Vendors From Above,” Series. Hanoi, Vietnam.
