A photo series of Hanoi's 36 Old Streets - 30 years after the war 1985 - 2015

Photographer William E. Crawford is known as one of the first Western photographers to visit North Vietnam after the war ended (1975), using photography primarily to document the changes and human development in this land of a thousand years of culture during the post-war era. Crawford came to Hanoi with four American veterans in 1985 and took photos from then until 2015, focusing on scenes of daily life combined with exploring and capturing landscapes rich in cultural identity, which partly reflected the life and lifestyle of local residents at that time.

William E. Crawford holds a bachelor's degree from Yale University (USA). In 1995, he participated in the exhibition An American's Photographs of Hanoi organized by the Hanoi Museum. In 2010, Crawford's works were featured in the 1000 Years of Hanoi exhibition.

Check out a selection of photos from his series below:

174 Hang Bong (Cotton Street), 1986

222 Hang Bong (Cotton Street), 1986

Hang Gai, 1988.

72 Ma May (Rattan Street), 1988

Soviet-era collective housing complex, 1988

19 Nguyen Quang Bich, 1991

Hang Gai (Hemp Street), 1994

54 Hang Ga, (Chicken Street), 1994

143–145 Hang Bac (Silversmiths Street), 1995

103 Hang Bong (Cotton Street), 1995

35 Hang Trong (Drums Street), 1995

154 Hang Bong (Cotton Street), 2000