rowing along ngo dong river Photo

Photographer’s Note

I was on a boat similar to the one on the left when I took this photo. We were on the Ngo Dong River in Tam Coc, Vietnam. I rented a boat with two Vietnamese boatwomen. It was interesting to see them rowing the boat with their feet as it is easier than rowing with their arms, especially for long distances.

Tam Coc is an awesome site of giant limestone karst formations jutting out of the rice paddies that surround the Ngo Dong River about 9km southwest of Ninh Binh, North Vietnam. It is often labelled "The Halong Bay of the rice paddies," in reference to similiar karst formations that rise out of the South China Sea at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay. The name Tam Coc means "Three Caves." As you are rowed down the Ngo Dong River by the famous leg rowers of Tam Coc, you pass through three enormous caves that provide a brief respite from the intense summer sun. It takes approximately three hours to go up and down the river and along the way, you witness local fisherfolks, village life along the river and, of course, the striking limestone karst formations that Tam Coc is famous for.

(Photo scanned and levels adjusted with photoshop)

zeca, jan515, singuanti, pablominto, daddo, tonyking, vinicio, kiwi_explorer, isabela_sor, macondo, stego, sabyasachi1212, bakes888, saylan-cb, AiresSantos, riclopes, leo61, Cretense, Budapestman, parbo, jmcl, elmec, atus, vagabondtravels, Emile, plimrn has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

jan515 (545) 2007-03-02 20:02

Hello Danilo,
The landscape that fits is perfectly to the picture, that a fantastic picture, with class colors, details and super note.
Best wishes.
Janusz

Tibo (1842) 2007-03-02 20:08

Hi. Something a bit weird with the sharpness of your picture... not enough maybe because of the scan. But the general catch is beautiful and very scenic. Like in a movie! Tibo

singuanti (15240) 2007-03-02 22:23

Hi Danilo. I can tell you were very cognizant of all the hilltops when composing this as you squeaked the top of all of them in. I wonder if a UV or haze filter would reduce the haze in the distance and help with the clarity. Good one Danilo.

pablominto (41690) 2007-03-03 1:21

Hello Danilo,
A lovely image filled with tranquility!
The river flows calmly, surrounded by the wonderful green of the rice fields...
A good sense of depth in the image, human interest well taken care of!
Pity for the sky but I cannot quite imagine how rowing with the feet happens...
Greetings,
Pablo -

anducina (8151) 2007-03-03 3:39

Excellent compo and POV, I like this angle. Very nice vivid colors and foggy mountaains on the BG.

TFS,

Andreea

Angshu (34243) 2007-03-03 3:47

Hello Danilo
The scene is very beautiful. While the FG with the mudy waters of the river is very good, I like the twin peaks in the background. Sharpness is a bit less perhaps because of scanning...but otherwise a fine picture
Regards
Angshu

daddo (11647) 2007-03-03 4:23

Hi Danilo. Fine panorama with interesting topography and human element.I love the soft, yet rich green along the river bank- it relly brings the picture to life. Nice PoV placing us on the river. Well done. Regards. Klaudio.

vincz (19075) 2007-03-03 4:48

Very beautiful scenery with interesting light opening variety of greens over this muddy water. I'll be in Vietnam in a few weeks, I hope to discover such interesting places.

tonyking (1599) 2007-03-03 5:16

Hi Danilo,
This is a really nice scene and I appreciate you presenting it for us to see.
Your pic is beautifully composed and I love the colours, the light, and the 'depth' of this image. Unfortunately something went wrong with the image quality. If it wasn't for that, you'd have a truly stunning presentation here.

Best wishes,
Tony

feather (50560) 2007-03-03 6:16

By taking this from the low boat you are able to present us with an unusual POV. I like the way the perspective of the river's edges as well as the lines in the reflection lead us roght into the scene.
Kath

Gustaw (21670) 2007-03-03 9:05

Hallo, my dear friend!
Beautiful nature photo. I like your composition and conception. Specialy I like your river. Good colours and light. Well done.
Marek

vinicio (22502) 2007-03-03 10:21

Hi Danilo, beautiful nature in this image, a peaceful and beautiful place that visit by boat would be a great experience, god image with excellent low POV near the water level, well done, compliments.
Ciao
Vinicio

MIG13 (0) 2007-03-03 11:19

Wonderful landscape, Danilo! A well composed pic, with great depht and colours! The shape of the green hills is a must! TFS! Best regards! Miguel.

Gerrit (36553) 2007-03-03 11:32

Hi Danilo,
fine yellow-brow and green combi in this good composition of a wonderful landscape.
Regards, gerrit

sebcz (2345) 2007-03-03 13:35

Hi Danilo!
I'd rather not swim in this brownish stuff, err.. water. I like the low PoV and the way you arrange your elements in the frame.
Well done!
Seb

jojo31 (1601) 2007-03-03 13:43

hello Danilo
splendide perspective, belles couleurs
bravo
amitiés

jojo

hay_kes (28596) 2007-03-03 16:26

Hi Danilo,
What an awasome picture.Excellent colours and POV.Very well compo.TFS.
Cheers!

hAyAti

Benedict (7062) 2007-03-03 18:47

contrast colors all in harmony! reflections tho in murky waters are seen clearly. another one of your best uploads, dan!
benedict

noogy (1046) 2007-03-03 23:35

you just don't know how to take a bad shot, danilo! :) this perspective tells me your camera was tight close to the surface of the water, offering a wide-angled view of it hence creating an infinity effect! awesome, two thumbs up!

Dragonheart (8393) 2007-03-04 3:20

Hi Danilo,
Nice compositio
good colours and sharpness.
Thanks for sharing
Best wishes
Vivek

kiwi_explorer (12195) 2007-03-04 6:15

Hello Dan,
You must be running out of photos because you're resulting to scanning ... time to go for the next holiday :) :) :)
Anyway, the river looks very murky but must carry a lot of nutrients to the soil. A lovely tranquil scene and well composed. Well done!
Regards,
Renier

jhm (83786) 2007-03-04 7:15

Hi Danilo,

My compliments for a scanned picture, excellent perspective and lovely reflections too. You did very well addition the small boat on the river. Lovely area! TFS.

Have a nice sunday,
John.

bracasha75 (22523) 2007-03-04 14:10

Helo Danilo
Beautiful shot of this river and hills behind with greath reflecion in the braun wather
Bravo Danilo
Cheers,Braca

macondo (13345) 2007-03-04 17:42

Terrific shot with true vanishing point formed by the river banks. I probably would darken the image slightly and crop some of the bottom as I think there is a little too much water and not enough sky for balance, but I realise that you'd then have a lot of white sky! Anyway, it's a good capture from mid-stream, and nicely scanned, if lacking a little sharpness.
Regards,
Andrew

stego (22500) 2007-03-04 21:12

Hi Danilo,
Impressive and beautiful landscape, cleverly captured with you pov. I like specially the sense of depth, the colours and, of course, the shapes of the mountains, nicely reflected (only the shapes, which is interesting) on the water, giving a nice and unusual symmetry.
In fact, if the pov wasn't so great, it wouldn't have half the interest, as the sharpness is nothing special and that is a pity (scan problems?).
Regards, José.

bakes888 (18353) 2007-03-05 3:51

Hi Danilo. The water colour is totally different to your last photo. Great photo. Nice composition with good lead-in and off centre focal point. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Paul.

sabyasachi1212 (19546) 2007-03-05 4:51

Hi Danilo,
Excellent quality. Love the misty atmosphere and the refreshing greens.
With Greetings from India
Sabyasachi

Graal (59126) 2007-03-06 2:20

Hi Danilo,
interesting your remembrance from Vietnam. Great wild nature. Nice colours and good composition. I like it.
Gr., Aleksander

saylan-cb (12726) 2007-03-06 3:47

Hi Danilo
Wonderful colors and reflection.Congratulations
TFS/Regards

AiresSantos (43270) 2007-03-06 4:09

Hi Danilo,
Tranquility in this gorgeous capture!
The river flows between beautiful green of the rice fields.
It's pity for the sky but I like it.
TFS and greetings,
Aires

riclopes (33143) 2007-03-06 4:28

Olá Danilo, fantastic scenery with excellent colors. The light and quality are not the best, but the composition is very good and I love to see the boat coming towards. Very beautiful!
Regards,
Ricardo

isabela_sor (42757) 2007-03-06 5:20

This place is so quiet,so serene...only the boat disturbs this quiet atmosphere,but I must admit that it is very well placed in composition
A nice Sunday
Isabela

leo61 (44112) 2007-03-06 10:22

Hi Danilo!
Good shot of this fantastic landscape,taken from an excellent POV.Good depth and the ricefields contrast very well with the brown water.
Regards,leo

Cretense (57564) 2007-03-06 15:24

Hi Danilo!

As always an excellent landscape from you my friend. I would like to thank you one more time for talking us to exotic places. Congratulations!

Hercules

Budapestman (43292) 2007-03-07 8:28

Hi Danilo,
This is a very spectacular and interesting country. I like the superb composition and the fine reflection. Very good work. Thank you, Nice days
George

parbo (11054) 2007-03-08 13:49

Hi Danilo,

Spectacular contrast between muddy river and green are stunning in your photo. Reflections of green hills on water surface are beautiful. Congratulations.

Friendly Regards,

Ertugrul

izmirli (3347) 2007-03-08 23:59

merhaba dear danilo
beautiful nature and landscape.beautiful mountains and reflections.well done.
best regards.
gürkan akçakır.

jmcl (14183) 2007-03-09 1:08

Hi Danilo.

The vibrant greens .. the muddy river .. you can feel the humidity .. the sky communicates the heat .. the reflection is wonderful .. the far mountains and the curve of the river give a great sense of a long journey .. beautiful.

take care,

John

hello_ishan (1571) 2007-03-09 6:40

Hi Danilo,
Beautiful scenery; I like the reflection of mountain in the water. Tfs.

Srinivasan

elmec (12194) 2007-03-09 8:37

Hello Danilo!
Amazing place!
Great colour of the water, plays very good with green hills.
Great point with a boat on the river!

atus (15476) 2007-03-09 10:39

Hi Danilo,
I remember very well this great place with the local people rowing with their feet. I also noticed that the weather in September was the same of that one in January, when I visited it. Good perspective and sense of depth here. Well done! Tfs and best wishes.
Attila

vagabondtravels (6115) 2007-03-10 10:47

Hi Danilo

Good greens. Nice comp and sharp. Well seen and captured.
Ben

siolaw (25890) 2007-03-10 15:00

Hi Danilo
Nice POV on the river with rice fields just on its side.... good sense of depth and distance up the river, nice colors
Regards
Laurent

Emile (20177) 2007-03-13 23:48

Hola Danilo.
Excellent composition captured with a very good POV, beautiful landscape with the river and the impressive rock mountains in the bg. Colors and light are great and the boat add to your shot.
Well done, TFS.

zeca (20026) 2007-03-15 11:01

Very well captured, Danilo! The landscape is beautiful and it is nice to see that people adding life to the scenery. Well taken!
Regards,
Zeca

plimrn (19872) 2007-03-20 8:59

Hi Danilo,
This photo conveys a great feeling of peace and serenity to me. Part of it is that from my days in Maui, I've grown to love misty green mountains. But what really makes it is that broad flat river with its serene reflection, seemingly undisturbed by the paddlers. HLJ, pat

berek (29115) 2007-04-06 23:57

Hi Danilo,
fine panorama , beautiful nature. I like brown water and your framing. good perspective.
have a nice weekend.
Burak
****

bernardec (2235) 2009-06-12 23:57

Hello Danilo,

Vietnam is my next destination.
so I am very interested by your photos.
this one is particularly attractive with the contrast between the calm of water and the mountains grey and green very accidented.
tfs
Bernard