Con Son, Vietnam's haunted island.

January 16, 2018

I visited the Con Dao Islands in the East China Sea recently as the next to last stop for my current travel book project. The Con Dao group is made up of 15 small islands, with only the main island, Con Son, being inhabited. Con Son Island and Con Dao town (getting confused yet?) is easily the least Vietnamese place that I have visited in Vietnam. Beautiful scenery from lush green mountains to deserted white sand beaches coupled with the total lack of traffic, hawkers selling trinkets and noise, make this a unique place in Vietnam.

Con Son has a weighty history as it was used as a prison island by the French in colonial times and then by the American's/South Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. Around ten thousand prisoners died on the island over a period of two centuries and many Vietnamese believe that the island is haunted.

Con Son is a super photogenic place and one that I hope to revisit soon.

Even and end has a start

December 06, 2017

I have been super busy this year photographing two new photo books on Vietnam and have spent a ton of time on the road traveling and shooting the country from north to south. I'm super excited to have only two stops to go until the photography will be finished and then it is down to writing text and editing photos. Both books will be published shortly after Tet (February) 2018.

The biggest takeaway from my travels this year is just how quickly Vietnam is transforming and developing. Places that I visited only a few years ago are now barely recognizable in many cases. If this is a country on your "bucket list" I suggest getting here sooner rather than later.

Below are a few images from my most recent location, Phu Quoc Island in the Gulf of Thailand. Phu Quoc certainly meets the "rapid change and development" category.

The local economy of Phu Quoc revolves around fishing, pepper and fish sauce production as well as tourism.

Dinh Cua or Cua Castle. Duong Dong Town.

On Grace and Strength

December 06, 2017

I just love to photograph strong, athletic women. Whether dancers or athletes they posses a confidence through their strength that is magnetic. On assignment on Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam recently, a chance encounter with a amazing yoga master, Cora Lee, from Hong Kong, led to an impromptu photoshoot early one morning as she graciously agreed to let me shoot her daily hour and a half yoga workout.

Cora was totally in her zone and so was I as the workout and the shoot progressed and the resulting images, save for a furniture heavy background spoiling an otherwise perfect color palette, are pleasing. Many thanks for your kindness and patience Cora.

Standing Post

August 22, 2017

I've been busy of late, with six out of the last ten weeks on the road around northern and central Vietnam, shooting two new book projects. Starting in Hanoi my travels so far have taken me to Halong Bay, Sapa, Hue, Danang, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Dalat as well as places in between.

One book is in the can and the second is about half way completed. Both are due for publication in early 2018. It's been great to be reconnecting to places that I have not been to for some time and witnessing and recording the changes that are taking place throughout the country. It will be awesome to have two more books in print bringing my total to four. #aintlifegrand

Guarding Ho Chi Minh. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Hanoi.

First Editorial Assignment for CEO Magazine published!

July 10, 2017

I'm thrilled to have my first editorial assignment for CEO Magazine published in the July 2017 of the Asian issue. Watch this space.

A most fortunate accidental meeting

May 11, 2017

Scouting locations for a photoshoot last weekend I happened into one of my favorite alleyways (hems) in central Saigon. To my delight there was a television crew in the alley filming a segment for a show on "famous alleys of Saigon." Their subject for the segment was a young girl called Spin. A recent finalist on So You Think You Can Dance Vietnam, Spin is a super talented contemporary dancer, a great leaper and a crazy, fun filled character to boot. After interrupting the filming to explain my dance project to Spin, who quickly signed on to the program, I found myself being interviewed for the segment as well.

Afterwards the crew, Spin and I went for coffee and a number of new friends were made as well as a great new addition to my dance project.

I usually find that venturing out into the world, even when you don't really feel like it, pays better dividends than staying home on the sofa eating potato chips.