The earliest surviving photographs of Indochina are those of military or diplomatic missions. They document the period of French conquest without ever depicting scenes of conflict.

One of the pioneers was the professional photographer Emile Gsell (1838-1879). Accompanying the Mekong exploration mission, he stayed in Hanoi in the mid-1870s, following Commander Kergaradec, who was tasked with studying the Red River.

In the last decade of the 19th century, an increasing number of photographs were taken thanks to improvements in photographic processes and the increased French presence in Indochina.

Postcards enabled the popularization and travel of these photographs to mainland France.

Photographic studios and postcard publishers were established in Tonkin’s two main cities, Hanoi and Haiphong.