German photographer Reinhard Hennig offers TTO readers a view of his work documenting life in Laos

Reinhard Hennig began his career in photography in Madrid in the mid ‘80’s. His profession has seen him travel much of the world, working alongside notable artists such as David Bailey.

Today he uses Bangkok as a base to travel the region.

The following images are part of a long term project to capture all aspects of Lao life in one volume. Documenting the people of southern Laos in their natural environment the pictures record a world on the cusp of change.

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The Fisherman.

This fisherman was living in a little bamboo hut at the southern end of Don Det. Most of his time would be spent on braiding baskets. The fish he caught were for his own consumption. Don Det, together with Don Kohn and Don Khong have become prominent spots on the traveler’s route through Southeast Asia.

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Waterfall

Sunset over a waterfall on a Xe Kong tributary river in Sekong Province. The mighty Xe Kong, fed by numerous rivers, has its source in the Annamite Mountain range and stretches for several kilometers across southeast Lao and into Cambodia.

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An old woman selecting herbs in the village of Toum Lan near Salavan

In this region family clans of around 30 people live together in longhouses. At night, a concert of noises fills the air. Privacy as we know it doesn’t exist here. Some battery driven CD players are announcing the modern times. The kitchen is often located in a small hut beside the longhouse, if not inside the longhouse itself. This old lady stoically ignored my presence while I photographed her.

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Old men drinking

Drinking and smoking is a big pleasure for these old fishermen on Lopardi Island. They start with Lao Lao (rice whisky) at midday and while away the lazy afternoons in a state of mild inebriation. Meanwhile, the women take care of the houses and cook the meals.

Lopardi is part of an area called 4000 islands, where the waters of the Mekong River form a giant delta before descending into several huge waterfalls. Lopardi Island has no tourism yet, but electricity has finally reached the island, making the islanders lives a little easier.

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Girl in Toum Lan.

She was very shy in front of the camera but after several attempts I managed to get a nice picture of her.

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Boy with a bird – Lopardi Island & Woman preparing material for braiding baskets – Lopardi Island

The boy caught this little bird himself and tied it to his hand. From time to time he’d throw it into the air and watch the bird do a series of pirouettes in an attempt to fly away. After a while, this game got boring, and the little bird was plucked alive and placed on a charcoal grill.

Lopardi is well known in the southern regions of Lao for its artistic braiding work. This young woman is smoking a mix of home grown tobacco and herbs.

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Six o’clock, road block & Tribe’s people at the river, in Attapu Province

This militia man blocked the road together with a colleague near a village called Patao Namho, in the beautiful mountainous region between Paksong and Sekong. Normally, a few cigarettes are enough to allow you through.

This place was pretty busy because a dirt road to Attapu started here. People from the villages would cross the river to access a small market. Some of the travelers were Vietnamese people, whose influence is very strong in Attapu.