Luminary

High above an empty street in central Hue, they hang like fireflies on a summer night. Strung over street corners or across empty patios they cast a soft glow that barely illuminates the ground below.

Luminaries are used the world over, but here in Viet Nam, they seem to be more pervasive and with greater importance. Part religious and always ceremonial they are found throughout the country no matter the time of year.

Shooting them as the evening sky fades to black is my usual choice, but this evening well past twilight and with a hint of a tree structure provided me the perfect expression I was looking for.

Suspended colored globes of red floating in a night sky heavy with an exotic culture on the streets blow.