ON CAMERA: Courses on taking photos with smartphones are attracting many young participants, particularly men. VNS Photo Bùi Tuấn

By Lương Hương

A photography class in Hà Nội is attracting a large number of men to learn how to take beautiful pictures of their girlfriends and wives on smartphones.

In the class offered by a photography training centre located on Nguyễn Xiển Street in Thanh Xuân District, the students, mostly men, are attentively listening to their instructor's guidance, aiming their phones at a female model in front of them to select the best photo angles.

One of the students is 28-year-old Đinh Văn Định from Hà Đông District. Like most other learners, his profession is not involved in photography, but his aim in attending the class is to hone his skills in taking photos of his wife and relatives.

He was instructed on how to arrange the proportion of the composition of the photo, and then instructed the model to adjust her posture, face, hair or smile before shooting.

“My wife and I often go on holiday, and I tend to be the spontaneous ‘photographer’ of my wife. However, she is not often satisfied with the pictures I take,” Định said.

"I used an expensive phone worth over VNĐ20 million (US$800), but I’m often told that it is such a waste of money when I can't take good photos, which bothers me. My wife, like many other women, also wants to have beautiful photos to show on social media.

PRETTY IN PINK: A learner practises taking photos of a female model. VNS Photo Bùi Tuấn

With the wish to please his better half, Định decided to spend VNĐ2 million ($80) on a photography course to learn the basics of taking nice photos with his phone.

Another learner, 23-year-old Nguyễn Minh Quang from Hai Bà Trưng District, almost got dumped by his girlfriend for not taking good photos of her.

"On our trip to Đà Lạt City, I took plenty of photos from different angles, but ultimately, my girlfriend only found two photos acceptable. She is quite pretty at 1.65 metres tall, but in my photos, she looked very short," Quang said.

His photography skills had not improved on their latest holiday to Quảng Ninh Province, during which time his girlfriend clearly showed her dissatisfaction with his performance.

“I was bad-tempered at that time, thinking that she was too demanding. We got into an argument and almost decided to break up,” he said.

However, after regaining their composure, Quang and his girlfriend reconciled, deciding to give things another shot.

"What really matters is our love for each other. We can't let a few photos affect our relationship. However, I realised that though bad photos may not cause us to break up, they can easily lead to disagreements, arguments, and hurtful words," Quang said.

He decided to spend nearly VNĐ3 million ($120) strengthening his photography skills. Besides general photography classes, Quang also attends private tutoring sessions.

Nguyễn Việt Anh, an instructor and founder of a practical photography academy in Thanh Xuân District, revealed his institute had opened many photography courses using smartphones since the beginning of 2023.

According to him, the course targets learners who enjoy travelling, exploring, and experiencing new things. It also targets business owners who want to enhance their media and product images.

“At first, I thought that the majority of students would be female, but over various courses, men actually outnumber women. In addition to learning how to take beautiful photos of their beloved ones, many also have other purposes, such as serving their business.”

The course is divided into two main parts - the technical part and the mindset part, integrating both theory and hands-on practice.

STRIKING A POSE: Nguyễn Việt Anh (right) introduces a posture to a learner. VNS Photo Bùi Tuấn

The technical part will cover topics such as lighting control, composition, and posing techniques.

Meanwhile, the mindset part will focus on what makes a beautiful photograph and how to have a successful photo shoot. Currently, each course in Anh's academy lasts from four to eight sessions and attracts as many as 15 students at a time.

"There are many techniques to create a beautiful photograph. To summarise, I will mention three main points in order of priority: emotion, purpose, lighting, plus composition.

"In every era and in every country, there are different aesthetic preferences and individual orientations. For example, most Vietnamese women now desire to look slim and young with fair skin in their photos," Anh said.

For learners like Định, the course has helped to improve his relationship with his spouse. "I have gradually gained a better understanding of my smartphone and how to take better photos that I can confidently upload onto my social network and also satisfy my life partner," he said. VNS