interview
By: Thuong Tran
Rehahn first came to Hoi An in 2007 and
instantly fell in love with this little town.
“I’ve been living here for 4 years and can’t
imagine going back to France”, the French
photographer shared the story about his special
predestined relationship with the country and
Vietnamese people.
TRAVELLIVE: I would like to start our conversation
by talking about Hoi An, the place where you’ve been
living. It’s a typical town with all almost Vietnamese
and Asian features. What interesting things have you,
a Western guy, found here for 5 years?
-- Rehahn Croquevielle: Yes, Hoi An offers me
exactly what an artist needs - a peaceful life in a
natural environment. It’s probably the most visited
city in Vietnam, but it’s also very easy to find a quiet
place to focus on my work. People are not running
all the time and there are not too many things
distracting me!
In term of photography, it’s like an open-air studio;
yellow walls, a traditional lifestyle, friendly people.
It’s a kind of paradise for a photographer!
TRAVELLIVE: In the eyes of a photographer, what
time of the day and which season do you like the
most in Hoi An?
I would say that mornings are my favorite. At 5am
during the early sunrise, the sunlight comes out
gradually from the far away sea. The scenery is
simply amazing. I live only less than one kilometer
away from An Bang beach. So, sunrise or sunset is
the perfect time for me to capture nature’s beauty.
Also, it is in those times that I get to experience
the stillness of Hoi An through the wind’s gentle
breeze in the lotus field right in front of my home.
I can also hear water running - coming from a few
village neighbors watering their vegetables. I live in
the area of Tra Que which is famous for growing
different kinds of vegetables to support all of Hoi
An. That’s why you can find a few shots of this in
my photos.
All year round we have different kinds of sunlight
but my favorite moment is probably during Tet
(when it’s not too cloudy!). It is also during
I WANT
THE WORLD
TO ADMIRE
VIETNAMESE
BEAUTIES
REHAHN CROQUEVIELLE, THE AUTHOR OF “VIETNAm - mOSAIC OF CONTRASTS”, A FAMOUS SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKS
11
TRAVELLIVE