Vietnam - 2002

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday September 25, 2004

Photograph and story by Lucina Schmich

I was near the front of the second pack of cyclists on a charity bike ride to the resort town of Tam Dao near Hanoi, when I stopped at the halfway rendezvous point for water and to catch my breath.

In Vietnam, the most interesting things often happen on the side of the road, so

I always carried my camera when cycling, and this occasion did not disappoint.

The man in the photograph is welding something, who knows what - people in Vietnam have a real gift for improvisation.

He has obviously considered the risk of welding and decided to cover his eyes - with sunglasses and a newspaper - but ignored the risk of a stray spark igniting the paper. And not a steel-capped boot to be seen.

I sent a copy of the photo to my mum to hang up in the office of the shire council she works for in rural NSW, to remind the road crews of what life was like before occupational health and safety.

A winning moment? Often the story behind the photo is as compelling as the image itself. For a chance to be part of Good Weekend's 20th anniversary issue (November 13), readers are invited to submit copies or scans of their own photographs (no originals right now please) and background-story outlines to The Moment, Good Weekend, GPO Box 506, Sydney 2001 or email image and story to goodweekend@fairfax.com.au. (Entries close Friday, October 8.)

The winning entry will be published in the anniversary issue, a collector's edition, and its photographer will win an HP Photosmart R607 digital camera (left) valued at $599 and an HP Photosmart 7660 printer (right) valued at $299. The new HP Photosmart R607 delivers crisp, vibrant images with 4.1 megapixel resolution, the power of 21x total zoom, HP adaptive lighting, in-camera red eye removal and panorama review. The HP Photosmart 7660 printer offers 6-ink colour photo printing and an alternate 4800-optimised dpi mode for true-to-life printing. The HP PhotoREt 4 colour layering technology lets you print grain-free photos with a wider colour range.

© 2004 Sydney Morning Herald

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