Every day, thousands of vendors descend on the Vietnamese capital Hanoi with their goods-laden bicycles. They make the trip from the countryside to the city to sell fruits, flowers, food and a whole variety of other goods. The merchandise is carefully displayed in baskets, and balancing these on their bicycles the vendors walk the streets of Hanoi in search of customers. Dutch photographer Loes Heerink became intrigued with the vendors and their stories, but photographing them in the overcrowded streets proved a challenge. Until she decided to change her vantage point. Perched high on a pedestrian bridge or other overpass she captured the merchants from above, eliminating the usual distracting street clutter. The resulting images are mesmerising and colourful pieces of art; shapes, colours and textures drawn on the grey canvas of the street. Complimented with portraits of some of the vendors Merchants in Motion offers a unique perspective on a fascinating subject.
