Saigon Post Office
As always, I've ventured to a new place. This time it was the Saigon Post Office—a major tourist attraction that still serves its original purpose. The beautiful French architectural building, filled with tourists, offered great opportunities for different scenario shots. With my new Leica MP equipped with a Summilux 35mm Steel Rim reissue (which I'm still getting acquainted with) and a bunch of Ilford HP5, I felt like a kid in a candy shop searching for the best treats.
And I’ve ruined so many shots because liked how they looked closer in my mind, maybe worked with 50mm but too far for 35mm. Fortunately time to time I’ve remembered that I use 35mm and composed better.
Need to mention that I can’t be more lucky of using such a wonderful camera and lens!
Internal light meter and f1.4 helps a lot. It’s mentioned so many times by different photographers that f1.4 is for special occasions only and should be more thoughtfully used but I didn’t care and used it as much as I could during my photo journey.
I was sneaking behind people, almost invisible, taking photos with such a silent shutter, getting closer and closer, sometimes not in my comfort zone, but for the best shots. After a while, I started hunting for some people, trying to take the best shots, calming myself down so as not to distract people too much. But at the end of the day, I realised that no one cares, even if I was too close, taking a photo, everyone was in their own world, thinking about what to write on their postcards and how to make a quest to send these cards to their loved ones.
I hunted all day until almost closing time. And as the crowds became fewer and fewer, the beauty of the place became undeniable. The small shops still distracted from the view a little, but it was better than nothing.
I finished the last roll and headed home, eager to quickly develop and scan all these photos, as always, by myself.
