Dear friend,
If your hungry for the thrill of adventure, I cordially invite you to my new and upcoming travel street photography workshop experience in Saigon Vietnam, this July 15th-16th (Saturday, Sunday), 2023:
Why Saigon?
I personally believe that Saigon Vietnam is one of the most interesting, fun, and dynamic cities on planet earth. In fact, around 2017 to 2018, when me and Cindy went off the grid and lived in Vietnam for over a year, I feel this is where I was really allowed to become a philosopher, And think more critically about photography.
Do you desire to transform yourself in your photography?
I believe that Saigon Vietnam is one of the greatest places you could go to in order to advance your photography. Why?
First and foremost, the people are amazing. Vietnam is not like America or the west in which everyone gets offended by photos. That means people are much more friendly open and curious. This alone makes Vietnam a much more positive place to advance your photography.
What makes Saigon unique?
Saigon, a.k.a. Ho Chi Minh city, is particularly interesting because it is like the New York City of Vietnam. It is very cosmopolitan, urban, fun, lively dynamic and interesting.
Also, it is the food capital of Vietnam. Everybody knows that if you want the best Vietnamese food, you go to Saigon.
It is really easy to travel to Vietnam now
One of the really great things currently speaking is that after the pandemic, it is actually really easy to travel to Vietnam now. You could just file an online electronic e-VISA through their website here. Before you had to go to a physical office, and deal with annoying passport stuff. Now is your chance to finally go to Vietnam.
Not only that, but I believe that you can also batch this workshop with other fun adventures and travel experiences in Asia!
How you will benefit from this workshop
It is my personal vision that this workshop will re-spark your enthusiasm for photography and life. For example—
First, just going to Vietnam alone will be a huge really fascinating experience for you. To go through a totally new culture, space, and not only have a unique opportunity to learn a new culture in people, practice your photography, but have some of the most amazing Vietnamese food on planet earth.
Secondly, you will just shoot a lot. If your photography has been lagging a little bit lately, this is your decisive moment to refuel your passion for photography.
Third, I just think you’ll be a very positive, happy, and uplifting experience. This won’t just be a photography workshop, it will be a cultural experience. A life transforming experience.
How to plan
This workshop July 15-16th, 2023, a Saturday and Sunday. My personal suggestion is try to spend at least a week or two in Vietnam or southeast Asia, or Asia. The flight to Asia can often be long and arduous, but by spending at least a week or two there, you will make up for it.
My simple suggestion is flying for the workshop, come in a few days or a week earlier, and have the chance to explore the city on your own. Also, you could tide this trip as an opportunity to explore rest of Asia, or if you have family in Asia, visiting them as well.
Other places that you could visit while in the region include Phnom Penh Cambodia, Hanoi a Vietnam in the north, Seoul South Korea, or Japan — Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka are all cool.
Getting there
The official Vietnam embassy online EVISA website — application portal here. If you have any questions regarding travels or VISA’s are you can contact my workshops manager Lea Chung at Lea.s.chung@gmail.com
Things we will focus on during the workshop
Some concrete things we will work on during this workshop:
- Layers: how to see and shoot in layers.
- How to approach and interact with local peoples, building a connection, and shooting great photos
- How to make more artistic and unique photos while traveling abroad and in a foreign place. Avoiding certain “clichés“ when it comes to “travel photography”.
- How to see you like a photographer artist, improve your visual acuity, how to spot more photo opportunities
- How to speak to locals and interact with them in a positive way, regardless of whether you know the local language or not
Fun stuff
This workshop is not just a great photography experience, it is also a great cultural, food, drink, coffee, sensory experience!
If you’ve ever been curious to try real Vietnamese coffee, real iced Vietnamese coffee, or even the infamous egg Vietnamese coffee, we will do it.
Real street photographers eat street food
In the spirit of Anthony Bourdain, who actually said that Vietnamese food was his favorite — this will be your real opportunity to try real Vietnamese Street food, real Vietnamese pho, etc.
I will take you to all of the best spots. Only the best for you.
100% money back guarantee
I understand that this is a big risk for you, to go all the way to Vietnam, and also pay tuition for this workshop. My personal promise to you:
If this workshop experience doesn’t totally transform you, I will give you 100% of your money tuition back (not including costs of flights or accommodations).
Now that I am a bitcoin billionaire, honestly the tuition for this workshop is just more of a means to offset my personal travel cost going to Vietnam etc. And also, soul in the game. It will then be my personal prerogative to truly ensure that you will have the most phenomenal experience of all time.
Bring a friend or family member for free!
I think traveling with a friend, a mate, your partner, your husband or wife etc., is a good idea. Why? You can double dip the fun! And certainly it makes the flight less boring.
If you register for this workshop, and pay the full tuition, this is the upside; you can bring one additional person for free! This can even be your kid!
How to secure your future
The normal tuition for this workshop will be $5000 USD. However, if you register before June 24th (Saturday, 2023), the tuition for this workshop will only be 1999 USD. This will include both you and your one additional free person.
Limited futures
This workshop is limited to only 10 total participants. This means that there are technically only 5 registered spots open.
Don’t delay and miss this chance of a lifetime.
Secure your spot now!
Life only happens once. I believe the best way to approach and live life is to live without regrets. The regret minimization framework from Jeff Bezos; we regret things that we did not try or attempt or do in our lives.
My simple thought for you—
Even if you are at least 1% interested in this workshop, just sign up and register, and if you end up regretting it later, I will offer you 100% of your money back.
Secure your spot for this life-changing experience via the tuition portals below:
Normal Tuition Tuition Portal
$5000 USD Normal Tuition Portal >
Early-bird tuition portal (will close on June 24th, 2023)
Early Bird Discount Portal (1999 USD) >
The 411
- Date: July 15-16th, 2023 (Saturday, Sunday)
- Time: 10am-5pm (both days)— we will also be having dinner together on both nights!
- Participant cap (10 people in total, which means 5 registered individuals)
- Contact email: workshops manager Lea Chung at Lea.s.chung@gmail.com
- Meeting spot (on July 15th, Saturday at VCR (Vietnam Coffee Republic) at 10am (Google Map Link here)
In terms of this workshop, to find good flights to go to Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon (airport code is SGN, which stands for Saigon), I recommend using Google Flights or kayak.com
In terms of where to stay, easiest to just book a hotel on hotels.com
Meeting time and point
On Saturday, July 15th we will meet at VCR (Vietnam Coffee Roasters) here. The precise address is: 8A/8C2 Thái Văn Lung, Hẻm 8A ward, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 84000, Vietnam
Google maps works really well in Vietnam and Saigon.
Call Grab Taxi
In Vietnam, there is no Uber, but the alternative is something called “Grab“ in Taxi. You can recognize it by the bright green and white colors. Essentially it is the Uber of Southeast Asia. Just install it on your phone before you go, and you could directly call a Grab taxi from the airport to your hotel. The great thing with grab is the pricing is fair.
Conversely, surprisingly airport taxis at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN, Saigon airport) are actually really legit. I just hail somebody who wears an official looking uniform, and official branding at the taxis. They have a meter, and the pricing is fair. You won’t get ripped off.
How to pack and prepare for Vietnam
I say just travel insanely light. Treat this like a fun minimalistic experience opportunity. Just bring one backpack. That is all you need.
In terms of clothing, it will be hot and humid. Therefore I recommend wearing breathable clothing, like merino wool (outlier.nyc) or even ramie. Just wear shorts. I like the lululemon license to train shorts for traveling, because there are zippers in the front in the back! This means that your stuff won’t fall out of your pocket during transit.
Other things to prepare for?
I just bring the lightest most compact camera possible. Whether this be a Ricoh GR 3, your Ricoh GR 3X, your Leica Q, your Leica Q2, or your Fujifilm camera, whether it be an X100 series or something else. Or your compact Sony system. This pack insanely light, in terms of lens, I recommend the smallest, most compact, most pancake lens, ideally white angle (24mm, 28mm, 35mm, etc).
Getting real feedback on your photos
This workshop will transform your photography. Together, we will also edit, select, and create our photos from the trip, in order to help distill your artistic vision.
It is my personal ambition that after this workshop, you’ll have at least one great portfolio-worthy image that you could add to your personal portfolio. This promise alone makes this workshop experience worth it.
Fortune favors the insanely bold
What the hell are you waiting for?
Secure your future.
- Normal Tuition Portal ($5000 USD) here >
- Early Bird Discounted Tuition Portal (before June 24th, 2023) only 1999 USD (includes you and your one free friend/family member here >
I’m insanely excited!
After you submit your full tuition via the PayPal portals above, then your spot is 100% secure. If you need to communicate any thing or concerns about the workshop, contact my workshops manager Lea Chung, (who is also my mom!) at Lea.s.chung@gmail.com
About two prior to the workshop, you will get a personal email from me, just as a simple introduction email. This email will just be a friendly hello, and will connect all of you and the participants of the workshop together. It will not pertain and include any truly critical information. It will just be a friendly hello!
If for any reason you need to contact me directly, shoot me an email at eric@erickim.com
Is there anything else I need to prepare?
The great thing about this workshop is just register, book your flights and accommodation, and just show up! My number one suggestion is to come to this workshop with an open mind, and an open soul for new experiences.
Insanely pumped to have you!
ERIC