Fish vendors in Hoi An

Along with including the writing of expatriates, experienced travelers, and in-the-know locals, each volume in the To Asia With Love series also showcases a photographer. Our photographers come from around the globe and use their unique perspectives to capture the spirit of their books. It’s fair to say that Pacific Northwest native and current Los Angeles and London resident, Julie Fay Ashborn, is our inaugural photographer. Her photographs are featured in the book that inspired the series, To Asia With Love: A Connoisseurs’ Guide to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, and the first book in the series, To Vietnam With Love: A Travel Guide for the Connoisseur.

Julie seeks scenes that tell a story, as you can see from the sampling of photographs from To Vietnam With Love displayed here: the eagerness of a seafood seller in Nha Trang, the comaraderie of two produce sellers in Dalat, the rustic simplicity of the historic Cha Ca restaurant in Hanoi, and the hard work that it takes to hawk wares every morning at the market in Hoi An. She also specializes in photographing the food of Vietnam, and her images can be found in The Little Saigon Cookbook and the upcoming Communion: A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam (December 2009).

If a picture speaks a thousand words, then the photographs in the To Asia With Love series would fill an entire volume of encyclopedias. While each book has the same beautiful design, it also offers its own distinctive mood through the originality of its photographs.

Fresh crab at the market in Nha Trang

Selling vegetables on the steps of the Dalat Market

The kitchen of Hanoi’s historic Cha Ca La Vong restaurant