Vietnam in Cyanotype: Batch 1 by Julie Vola

From the photographer: 

This new collection is a selection of some of my favorite portraits of Vietnam and its people. They come from more than a half-decade exploring Vietnam through the lens of my camera, on assignment, as a traveler and as a resident of this beautiful country.

For this collection, I choose to use a 19th century cyanotype printing technique. First developed by scientist and astronomer Sir John Herschel, it was intended primarily for reproducing notes, diagrams and blueprints. These photos, in their monochrome format, are, in a way, blueprints of Vietnam and its people; their simplicity and yet depth give a dreamy aspect to the prints.

I’ve always been intrigued by alternative, antique film processing and cameras. I believe they add a layer of poetry, one that extends beyond simply the content within the frame.