Author: Mads Monsen
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The Golden Future of Vietnam – Fine Art Photography – New Work
Creative fine art projects are often slow, but rewarding when you make progress. After a long, hectic week with work, I did some more. However, it doesn’t feel like work when you are passionate about something. (Photography is my passion after all). I took a break from working on client accounts and spent my Saturday…
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Visiting the Bamboo Master at his bamboo farm
Recently, I hopped on the VIP bus heading to Vung Tau. Got off at Ba Ria and grabbed a “xe om” driver (motorbike taxi) to the nearest local bus stop. Then, enjoying the bus ride with the locals. After a while, I checked my phone. Real-time destination sharing in progress. At the endpoint was the…
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MADS – Magazine d’Art De Saigon, A Contemporary Art Magazine
The idea for an arts magazine came at the end of 2017. April 2018, the first issue launched online. 1000 readers within the first month. By word of mouth alone. The magazine is free to read online, take a look at it here. There is also a printed version of the magazine available as print…
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The Year of the Dog – The Yang Male Earth Dog
The Chinese Lunar New Year starts on Friday, February 16th, 2018, in China’s time zone. According to the Chinese Fortune Calendar, after applying all the calculations, this is the Yang Male Earth Dog Year. Being an Earth year, the sign for 2018 is mountains over mountains. It reminds me of a Haitian proverb I stumbled…
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New Year’s Resolutions
It’s the time of year when we set ourselves personal goals, our New Year Resolutions. Few of them will last more than the first month. According to Business Insider, 80% will fail by the second week of February. How can you avoid failing? Start on implementing only one new habit at the time. It takes…
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Photography tours in Saigon – Our Sunday walkabout in District 1
It is a Sunday morning. Standing on the pavement waiting for the others arriving. A quick glance at the store sign. It states they are opening at 7 am. I am early. It is only 6.50 am. We are meeting up at Zoom Cafe, corner of De Tham and Tran Hung Dao Street. An impromptu…
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We’ve got Tee’s!
We have selected motifs from our recent exhibition “Fragments of Rediscovered Time” available. Head over to our web store and grab one too. The one featured is my personal favourite, Mountain Soul. I wore it on the opening night. It also happens to be the image that we sold on opening night too. …
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The Power of Creating New Habits
Reading Daniel Kahneman “Thinking, Fast & Slow”, you realise your mind has an autopilot. Your autopilot consists of habits that you have built up. It doesn’t distinguish between good or bad habits, only habits. It started with my wife telling me that I used to have more muscles when we first met. Back then,…
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Buzz Escooters – British Engineering in Vietnam
Pat Joynt, the owner of Saigon Scooter Centre, is also developing electric bikes in Vietnam. Over the last 10 years, classic Italian Scooters got converted into electric bikes. The VTronic and the EBretta were the results. Now, the Buzz Escooter has arrived. We photographed the prototypes at our studio in Ho Chi Minh City. …
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Fragments Of Rediscovered Time
Finding a title for your exhibition is a similar process to search for a name for your child. They are both very personal. Finding my son’s name was actually an easier process. It all started with an invite from L’Usine to exhibit. I said yes. If I could come up with something that related…
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Dona – The Artist
Dona Amelia is making waves in Vietnam and we are proud to support her with her publicity images. Both a singer and DJ (as well as actress and TV presenter), Dona has an impressive resume you can read here. Her latest single, Young (feat. Yen), is available here. Want to keep updated…
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Cao Fine Jewellery Collection
We had the honour of working with the great team from Cao Fine Jewellery at our studio here in Ho Chi Minh City. We photographed their new collection and their jewellery pieces are stunning. Please take a look for yourself.
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5 unique souvenir gifts from Vietnam
Finding something different and unique is a challenge. Mass production, cheap materials and reused ideas you find everywhere. Living in Vietnam since 2000, I have seen the progress and changes to the country over the years. I still believe Vietnam can do a better job promoting its beauty and I wanted to contribute with what…
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From Happy New Year to Chuc Mung Nam Moi
New Year’s Eve passed and Tet is coming. The second New Year celebration in 2015. 2014 saw a lot of changes. Vietnam is in constant change, that’s for sure. 2014 was moving time. The studio is still up and running in District 2, however, I am enjoying a new home in District 3 with an…
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Fire! Glowing neon lights exploding into flames in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 3
It’s almost the end of 2014 and our conversation comes to a holt. Only one boom. It was loud, but nothing more. A bit unusual, but no more booms. We break the silence and continue our conversation, only to stop once more. Power cut. We rarely have power cuts. “Come and see this! It’s a…
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A visit to the park
Sunday morning. The mere words install expectations. A day off. All your worries evaporating as water droplets soaked up by the rising sun. Sundays are to be enjoyed. To recoup. To get out, and out we did go, to the park that is. The park is already packed before even setting a foot inside. The…
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The former colleague and now inventor
‘I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success.’ Ms Ngoc Hanh and I met for the first time at Sun Flower Media company where we both were art directors for different…
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The family visit
Photography is rewarding. You get to meet great people, sometimes even travel to exotic locations or take part of an important stage of someone else’s life.It was such as day for Kate and Collin as they wanted images of their first born daughter, Marie. It also comes with great responsibility. You are in charge of…