Nguyễn Minh Vũ, a photographer based in New York, stands apart from others in his field by focusing on century-old porcelain vases, Renaissance paintings, and luxury handbags that go under the hammer at Sotheby’s, one of the world’s leading auction houses.

At Sotheby’s, Vũ works as a professional photographer, specialising in producing catalogues for a wide range of items, including antiques, Chinese porcelain, luxury watches, high-end jewellery, and contemporary art.

Vũ’s work, known as reproduction photography, gives him the privilege of encountering many great works of art. It also allows him to employ his artistic talents within a prestigious organisation with a 300-year legacy.

Reaching this point was no easy task. It took years of learning and gaining experience since his school days.

Some of Vũ’s photos capturing auctioned items for Sotheby’s. Photos sothebys.com

Gap year

After graduating from high school, Vũ applied to study abroad but didn’t achieve the desired results. Despite receiving financial aid from several institutions, he wasn’t satisfied and waited for admission to better programmes.

His parents urged him to seize the opportunity and study abroad immediately, but Vũ chose to remain in Việt Nam, despite their encouragement.

After a year working as a freelance video producer, Vũ realised that Việt Nam’s creative industry was still young but held significant potential.

On his second attempt, Vũ was accepted early by Oberlin College in the US, receiving a generous financial aid package. He officially became a student of the Film programme, a field he had been passionate about since high school, in the autumn of 2017.

“It was at that moment that I finally dared to breathe a sigh of relief, realising that taking a year off, which could have easily led to nothing, turned out to be a wise decision,” Vũ recalled.

The insights gained during his gap year became a key stepping stone for his university journey. With a strong foundation, he studied economics and expanded his knowledge in photography, filmmaking, sculpture, and visual arts.

While pursuing his studies, Vũ saw part-time work as an invaluable opportunity to gain hands-on experience and build his skills.

Over four years, he held various roles, including teaching assistant in the Oberlin Photography Department and videographer and photographer for Oberlin Communications. He also worked as video director for the Oberlin A&S Symphony, post-production specialist at artist Pipo Nguyễn-Duy’s studio, director of photography for Press Play (an independent film in Prague), and intern at the Center for Photography in Woodstock (CPW).

“To get my current job at Sotheby’s, I believe no line of experience on my CV is too small or unimportant. All the accumulated experiences have equipped me with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed and grow in my current environment,” Vũ said in an interview with Dân Trí newspaper.

Behind the scenes of one of Vũ’s photoshoot sessions for Sotheby’s. Photo courtesy of Nguyễn Minh Vũ

Now, Vũ manages the photography of items sold at Sotheby’s, ranging from fashion products and luxury jewellery to antiques and classical and contemporary artworks. His work goes beyond capturing beautiful images; the critical aspect is ensuring accurate colour reproduction and presenting the products from an objective perspective. Maintaining the quality of the photographs in the catalogue is paramount.

For instance, when photographing Chinese porcelain antiques, Vũ meticulously adjusts the camera height to align the mouths of vases, bowls, and plates perfectly. When shooting paintings and prints, he carefully designs the lighting setup to ensure even distribution across large surfaces.

At just 26 years old, Vũ has access to some of the world’s most advanced tools and technologies. He has also had the opportunity to witness renowned classical works and rare items, such as sculptures by Rodin and Picasso, a first edition of The Lord of the Rings, a printed copy of the US Constitution from 1776, and the Himalayan Birkin bag made of crocodile leather – one of the most expensive bags from Hermès.

With these rare opportunities, however, comes considerable pressure. The heavy workload requires him to meet strict deadlines, while the risk of damaging priceless artefacts looms large.

“I know that just one improperly hung light could fall and ruin everything. While these antiques are insured, the responsibility of a reproduction photographer is to document witnesses of history. There would be nothing worse than being the one to destroy that history,” Vũ said.

Vũ has achieved significant milestones in his career. His projects have been featured in Vogue and Rfotofolio. He received the Denis Roussel Award for unconventional photography, and his work has been showcased at various exhibitions, including the In-Between Exhibition and the Glasgow Photography Exhibition in Scotland.

Vũ believes that photography and the visual arts are growing in Việt Nam and receiving more recognition.

“I am more than willing to share my experiences because I believe that if more people succeed, the creative industry and the art environment in Việt Nam will also have greater opportunities for growth,” he said. VNS

The job enables Vũ to have the opportunity to see many precious items, such as Chanel Green Gripoix Glass (left) and a white jade carving of ‘boy and goose’ group, Qing dynasty, 18th century. Photos sothebys.com