{"id":2401,"date":"2026-05-07T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vietnam-gift.com\/?post_type=news&p=2401"},"modified":"2026-08-02T08:11:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T23:11:01","slug":"cafe-photo-culture","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/vietnam-gift.com\/en\/news\/cafe-photo-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Vietnamese Caf\u00e9s Turn Into \"Photo Studios\"\u2014Foreign Tourists Stunned by a Camera Crew of Over 50"},"content":{"rendered":"

A \"camera corps of over 50\" at a Hanoi caf\u00e9 \u2014 the scene that startled a Malaysian tourist<\/h2>\n

Malaysian traveler Nur Delima, stepping into a caf\u00e9 in Hanoi's Tay Ho district, nearly turned on her heel at the scene inside.Over 50 young people and a \"forest\" of cameras<\/strong>crowded the narrow interior, reflector boards blocked the aisle, and women changed into one outfit after another and struck poses.<\/p>\n

\"I thought it was an influencer event and was about to leave,\" Nur says. But this wasn't a special event; it was a scene of the \"caf\u00e9 photo culture\" that has become everyday in Vietnam's urban areas.<\/p>\n

The background of how caf\u00e9s became \"the ideal studio\"<\/h2>\n

A shoot that costs 250,000\u2013500,000 VND (about 1,500\u20133,000 yen) an hour at a professional studio can be done at a caf\u00e9 for the cost of one drink. Spaces with natural light, interiors that change by season, photogenic walls and greenery. For social-media-generation youth, these function as a \"free photo studio.\"<\/p>\n

The model Le Thuy puts it this way: \"Rather than paying 250,000\u2013500,000 VND for a studio, I choose a caf\u00e9. There's a rich variety of spaces and you can take natural photos.\" A user in Ho Chi Minh City frankly admits that the desire for validation on social media is the motive for caf\u00e9 shoots: \"Taking photos at a place that's a talking point in the community gives me the sense of keeping up with trends.\"<\/p>\n

The gear and behavior of the shooting crews \u2014 already a \"film set\"<\/h2>\n

The gear of the shooting crews descending on caf\u00e9s isn't limited to smartphones. It's not uncommon for people to bring DSLR cameras, tripods, reflector boards, and portable lighting. Bringing two or three outfits and changing in the restroom or parking lot has become customary. Makeup is done in the caf\u00e9 too, with cases of applying full makeup over an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Behavior<\/th>\nDetails<\/th>\nImpact on ordinary customers<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Bringing in gear<\/td>\nDSLRs, tripods, reflector boards, lighting<\/td>\nBlocks aisles, making it hard to move<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Outfit changes<\/td>\nBringing 2\u20133 outfits, changing in the caf\u00e9 or restroom<\/td>\nLong occupation of the restroom<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Makeup<\/td>\nEven full makeup over an hour<\/td>\nTable occupation, cosmetic smell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Length of stay<\/td>\nCan run to 2\u20133 hours for a shoot<\/td>\nLower seat turnover<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Group shoots<\/td>\nShooting teams of 10\u201320 people too<\/td>\nA state where ordinary customers can't enter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The caf\u00e9s' response \u2014 ban it, or monetize it<\/h2>\n

Shops that ban pro cameras and introduce shooting fees<\/h3>\n

At some caf\u00e9s in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, a move to ban bringing in professional cameras (DSLRs and mirrorless) is spreading. Even shops that permit shooting have begun charging a shooting fee of 300,000\u2013600,000 VND (about 1,800\u20133,600 yen) per hour. Some shops even set an additional overage fee of 150,000 VND (about 900 yen) for long makeup use.<\/p>\n

Shops that welcome it as \"promotional effect\"<\/h3>\n

On the other hand, some owners actively welcome shooting. Ho Chi Minh City caf\u00e9 owner Duy Nam says, \"When people come to take photos, the caf\u00e9's name recognition rises. We change our seasonal decorations with the shooting customers in mind too.\" More shops treat photos spreading on social media as free marketing and deliberately provide easy-to-shoot lighting and props.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Response policy<\/th>\nSpecific measures<\/th>\nAreas where introduced<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Ban on pro cameras<\/td>\nNo bringing in DSLRs or mirrorless<\/td>\nParts of Hanoi and HCMC<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shooting fee<\/td>\n300,000\u2013600,000 VND\/hour (about 1,800\u20133,600 yen)<\/td>\nHanoi and HCMC<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Makeup overage fee<\/td>\n150,000 VND\/hour (about 900 yen)<\/td>\nParts of Hanoi<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shooting time limit<\/td>\nUp to 1\u20132 hours<\/td>\nIntroduction spreading among popular shops<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Welcoming shoots, enhancing the staging<\/td>\nSeasonal decorations and prop setup<\/td>\nNew shops aiming for social-media draw<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Foreign travelers' reactions \u2014 bewilderment at the \"cultural difference\"<\/h2>\n