Photographer Quang Phùng in a self-portrait.

HÀ NỘI — Photographer Quang Phùng, who devoted most of his life to documenting Hà Nội's transformation through his lens, passed away on August 20, at the age of 95.

His passing marks the end of a nearly century-long journey intertwined with Hà Nội and more than half a century dedicated to photography.

Through tens of thousands of photographs, he preserved countless moments in the capital's history, from the years of war and the peace that followed to the city's transformation and development.

Born in Hà Nội in 1932, he became involved in the activities of national salvation student and pupil groups in the early 1950s.

He was among the few Vietnamese photographers present to capture authentic images of the historic moment on October 10, 1954, when Vietnamese troops entered Hà Nội to take over the capital city. His photographs of the victorious troops entering the capital, as well as the streets and daily life of Hanoians in the aftermath of liberation, have become valuable historical records.

The photograph “Children by Hoàn Kiếm Lake” was taken by photographer Quang Phùng on the historic morning of October 10, 1954.

In the years that followed, Phùng continued to capture many memorable events in Hà Nội. He documented the war against the US, American film actress Jane Fonda’s visit to Hà Nội in 1972, and, most notably, the December days of 1972, when the capital’s armed forces and people achieved the victory known as the “Điện Biên Phủ in the Air.”

Keeper of Hà Nội's memories

Photography was, for him, a lifelong, unceasing journey. He believed that the essence of photography lay in its documentary value, particularly when it came to stories about Hà Nội. As a result, among the tens of thousands of photographs he left behind, viewers can discover a Hà Nội that is both familiar and everyday, while also bearing the imprint of the city’s historical changes.

Hoàn Kiếm (Sword) Lake was one of the subjects closest to his heart. Its tree-lined shores and waters, street vendors, children, workers and street corners through the changing seasons became familiar images in his photographic work.

In 2011, he published the photo book Dạo Quanh Hồ Gươm (A Stroll Around Hoàn Kiếm Lake), featuring nearly 100 works selected from thousands of photographs of Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Hà Nội.

His photographs not only captured the city’s landscapes but also conveyed the artist’s memories, love and reflections on the capital’s transformation. In 2013, he received the Grand Prize – For the Love of Hà Nội at the Bùi Xuân Phái Awards.

Throughout his career, he did more than seek beauty. He also used his camera to highlight social issues. His photographs on drug prevention and control once generated significant public attention. Images of pollution in Hoàn Kiếm Lake and the lives of street vendors also reflected a deeply humane photographic perspective that did not shy away from reality.

What defined his legacy was not only his documentation of major events, but also his ability to find beauty in the ordinary. He quietly walked the streets, observing people and everyday life, and captured moments that, without his camera, might otherwise have faded with time.

A photo of Hoàn Kiếm Lake by photographer Quang Phùng

Even in his later years, he retained a deep passion for Hà Nội. From film cameras to digital cameras, and finally the compact Leica he used in his final years, photography remained a constant companion. He once said he would continue taking photographs until he could no longer leave his home, see the world around him or hear the joyful rustling of leaves, flowers and plants in each season.

He was named an “Outstanding Citizen of the Capital” in 2022. In addition to the Bùi Xuân Phái Award, he received numerous medals and awards in the fields of national security, diplomacy, literature and the arts, and photography, including the Medal for the Cause of National Security, the Medal for the Cause of Vietnamese Diplomacy, the Medal for the Cause of Vietnamese Literature and Arts, and the Medal for the Development of Vietnamese Photography.

Photographer Quang Phùng has passed away at the age of 95. He leaves behind not only photographs of Hà Nội but also a vast visual archive of the city, documenting everything from historic events and everyday life to the beauty of Hoàn Kiếm Lake and pressing social issues. — VNS