BackArts & Culture » Music & Art » [Photos] In the Digital Age, Film Photography Offers a Chance to Slow Down

[Photos] In the Digital Age, Film Photography Offers a Chance to Slow Down

In fast-paced Saigon, sometimes it pays to slow things down a bit.

Long-time city resident and photographer Christian Berg has generally used digital cameras to create his work. However, a group of visiting international students from Melbourne who took one of his courses at RMIT inspired him to pull out a Lomo film camera and start shooting.

"I took film development classes at Noirfoto, and it's becoming a pet project; it's nice to slow down as a photographer in the digital age," Berg told Saigoneer. "With a tiny camera you get more access, as people are very open to portraits, and it's cool to use an old medium to show how rapidly Vietnam is developing."

Berg uses his days off to wander Saigon capturing personal glimpses, creating something of a "time capsule" given the dated look that film gives photographs. Selected shots are scanned and adjusted in Lightroom.

The below photos, all of which were taken here in the city, are part of his ongoing Vietnam Film Diary. They are presented without captions by design, allowing viewers to create their own story for each tableaux.

To see more of Christian Berg's work, visit his website or follow him on Instagram @christianbergphotography.

Related Articles

in Saigon

[Photos] Getting Lost in Traffic on Late 1960s Chau Van Liem Boulevard

Old photos of Vietnam and cheese: two things you can never too much of.

in Culture

A Day in the Life of Phùng Hưng, a D5 Street With Two Personalities

Nestled in the historic Chợ Lớn section of District 5, Phùng Hưng Street runs from the canal along Võ Văn Kiệt through to Hồng Bàng. Within its length, the street has two distinct personalities.

in Music & Arts

A Mosaic of Vietnam's Landscapes Through the Windows of the North-South Train

Traveling on the Reunification Express from Saigon to Hanoi feels like a ride through history and time.

in Culture

For a Tết Full of Rich Traditions, Head to Saigon's Hoa Community

Up until 2011, I thought that everybody in Saigon had the same Tet every year, with apricot flowers in the living room and bánh chưng or bánh tét on the altar, and family trips to the Nguyen Hue flowe...

in Saigon

In a D6 Hẻm, Saigon's Last Remaining Broom-Making 'Village'

Nestled in a hẻm on Phạm Phú Thứ Street, District 6 is Saigon’s last remaining broom-making village.

in Music & Arts

Slow Craft: How a Photo Artist Built a Home for Analog Photography in Saigon

The digital age is in full swing, and photography its loyal servant. The last century has seen the art form seamlessly transform several times, allowing itself to be reframed and repurposed time ...

Partner Content