The archive is built on a commitment to authentic representation and ethical storytelling. Every photo essay, field note, and exhibition catalog is produced through sustained engagement with the communities of the Mekong Delta, prioritizing their voices and lived experiences over visual spectacle. Our practice is grounded in long-term relationships, informed consent, and a deep respect for the region's cultural and environmental complexity.
Archive chronology
The studio's timeline is not a list of milestones but a record of seasons spent on the water, in the markets, and among the farming families who shape the delta's daily rhythm. Each entry marks a shift in how we see, document, and share this landscape.
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
The studio grew out of a simple habit: carrying a large-format camera along the river and writing down what the images could not say. What began as personal documentation in 2014 slowly became a structured archive, then a platform for commissioned work and limited-edition prints.
Three months spent between Cai Rang and Long Xuyen, photographing the early morning trade and recording the names of boat families. This first season produced roughly two thousand negatives and set the working method: slow, repeated visits rather than single passes.
After several trips, the material became too large to manage by memory. We introduced a cataloging system organized by river segment, season, and subject type. This decision made it possible to locate specific frames quickly and to build coherent photo essays from scattered fieldwork.
A regional heritage organization asked us to document stilt-house construction techniques in Tra Vinh. The project confirmed that our archive could serve cultural preservation work, and it led to a set of guidelines for ethical representation that still shape every assignment.
We opened a public version of the archive with curated essays and printable exhibition catalogs. The response from educators and researchers showed a real demand for accessible, well-documented visual material about the delta.
Limited-edition prints became available directly from the archive. Each print is matched to its original negative and accompanied by field notes, so buyers receive context rather than a detached image. This step also created a sustainable funding path for future fieldwork.