The first commercial studios in Vietnam opened in Saigon, the centre of French rule in Cochinchina, shortly after the ending of the 1858–62 war. From early 1863, an increasing number of French and other foreign traders were establishing themselves in Saigon. With a significant military presence, together with growing numbers of missionaries and diplomatic personnel, there were sufficient potential customers to ensure that it was just a matter of time before an enterprising professional photographer would take the commercial risk of opening a studio.

Succeeding as a commercial photographer in nineteenth-century Asia was not easy. Adequate financial resources would be necessary to cover the high costs of maintaining suitable equipment, chemicals and premises. But that would not be enough. A considerable talent was essential, as was personality, marketing flair and business acumen. Being well-connected to the military was a decided advantage, as was having good relations with the various missionary orders and colonial administrators. Of those who had opened studios in Vietnam in the 1860s, the only ones to survive into the 1870s, as far as we can tell from the current state of research, were Émile Gsell, Pun Lun and Dang Huy Tru

Gsell is likely to have enjoyed patronage from the military. Pun Lun no doubt benefited from the existence of a large Chinese community in nearby Cholon and the willingness and ability to compete with Gsell on price. Dang had very close connections with the Vietnamese court officials and higher classes. Others were not so fortunate, and would soon move on to other fields or leave the country.

Émile Gsell, the subject of Chapter 3, is the most famous of the early commercial photographers, but first we will consider his contemporaries, both foreign and Vietnamese.

CLÉMENT GILLET ( fl. 1863–1867)

Although we know very little about Clément Gillet, it looks as though he opened the first commercial studio in Vietnam in 1863. His studio is mentioned, probably for the first time, in the 10 April 1864 issue of the Courrier de Saigon. The newspaper then carried intermittent advertisements of his studio at rue Catinet until 20 June 1865. Interestingly, they indicate him as being an ex-photographer to the War Ministry in Paris.