Hoang Le Giang “paints” nature with his camera

The works of photographer and travel blogger Hoang Le Giang, presented at the Bardo – The Transitional Realm, a photography exhibition at Lotus Gallery in Ho Chi Minh City from August 18 to 31, 2025, capture the spectacular beauty of creation and the wilderness, drawn from his journeys across the Himalayas, Mongolia, and the Arctic.

Hoang Le Giang (fifth from left) was born in 1988. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in Sweden, and has worked in advertising, technology, architecture and travel to pursue a life full of movement and discovery.” Photo: Noirfoto

The wonders of nature

Bardo – The Transitional Realm marks Hoang Le Giang's first solo photography exhibition, following his hallmark as the first photographer to win the Grand Prize at the Noirfoto Contest 2024 (awarded in April 2025). With 30 aerial landscape photographs captured by drone that seem to touch the boundary between reality and illusion, the exhibition opens a unique visual space highlighting the vastness of earth and sky, inviting viewers to reflect on the concept of rebirth and contemplate the impermanence of all things through the lens of art.

The images capture vast stillness and breathtaking ecological transition zones (ecotones) seen from above, where every branch of a watercourse is like veins of a beating heart, carrying countless blessings of life. Many works are suffused with layers of vibrant, almost surreal colours that reflect the unique biodiversity of vapour, rivers, springs, salt lakes, mountains, valleys, steppes, and eternal ice.

Above all, Hoang Le Giang’s landscape photography, created for those who love nature and exploration, reveals the extraordinary transformations of the wilderness on our blue planet. His nature photography, featuring from rivers and lakes to grasses, trees and living creatures, portrays life that is fragile yet resilient, quiet yet wondrous, solitary yet magnificent.

Contemplating beauty

On this occasion, Hoang Le Giang shared with Dong Nai Weekend readers some of his personal tips and experiences in capturing wildlife and nature photography that is “picture-perfect.”

Q: Many of your works are picture-perfect, some even resemble abstract paintings. Could you share your thoughts on this ‘intersection’ within the highly artistic world of photography?

A: For me, the photographic journey is also a journey of contemplation and inner dialogue. The images at Bardo – The Transitional Realm clearly reflect the inner struggles and perplexity of being caught between art and reality, a transitional space where emotions of joy and melancholy coexist alongside an expression of longing for freedom.

Looking at the work and at my own life, I ask myself: Am I the submerged rock, the vibrant beach, or the snow-covered peak? Or is it because of egolessness that I am nothing, and therefore potentially capable of becoming anything?” – Hoang Le Giang reflects on his photograph taken in northern Norway.

 The series of landscape photographs is also intertwined with human stories. Just as nature transforms as the very essence of the cosmic cycle, while cultural communities face the risk of vanishing. His works preserve unrepeatable moments shaped by the passage of time and the impacts of climate change.

The aerial perspective erases the photographer’s ego. There is no central subject, only nature itself, eroded by time, speaking and moving on its own. The beauty here is not for mere admiration but for contemplation, becoming a mirror that reflects a familiar inner dilemma: to move forward or to stay, to pursue passion or to fulfil responsibility, to live by emotion or by reason. I believe that, at some point, we all stand in such a transitional realm. There is no single correct answer, only choices and the courage to step forward.

“Photography is the most honest way for me to converse with the world and with myself.”

Photographer Hoang Le Giang

 

Images tell stories

Q: Your works of wild nature are often taken by drones. What are your personal tips and experiences in this genre?

A: To me, beautiful photos only require good composition and scenery. The real challenge is how to create an image that carries a story and the author’s own idea.

I pursue an unposed style of photography and I am not adept at heavy post-production, so I choose instead to revisit a place many times in search of the moment I desire. For the Bardo series, I travelled through remote Himalayan lands, Mongolia, Tibet, Nepal, Pakistan, Norway, Iceland, and harsh Arctic roads, all in pursuit of the right moments to create images that could awaken ideas and reflection in the viewers.

“Winter Caravan,” depicting the arduous migration of nomads and their horses in western Mongolia, is the work of Hoang Le Giang exhibited at Bardo – Transitional Realm. Photo: Hoang Le Giang

This whole process was accompanied by extensive reading and in-depth research on the geography and climate of each location. For instance, to capture the photograph that won the Grand Prize at the Noirfoto Contest 2024, I needed both the experience to assess weather conditions and the physical strength to carry equipment up the mountains of Ladakh, India. Above all, calmness and the ability to seize an extraordinary moment were the most crucial factors in producing that image.

When photographing with drones, he emphasised, photographers must strictly follow local regulations, especially near border areas or military zones. It is also important not to disturb residents or wildlife. Drone photographers should always be prepared for unexpected incidents such as signal loss or technical failures.

Q: After 15 years of pursuing photography, with a collection of more than 120,000 images, how do you manage your digital archive for easy searching and usage?

A: In fact, I do not take too many photos on each trip, typically around 2,000. So I can remember most of what I have captured. I catalogue them by location and date. Afterwards, I always back up my files onto two separate hard drives to ensure nothing is lost.

Thank you very much!

By: Trung Nghia

Translated by: Quynh Nhu-Thu Ha