Nguyen Thanh Hai (Maika Elan) was born in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 1986.
After receiving her bachelor’s degree in sociology at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Maika started to use the camera to take pictures of her daily and private life in 2006.
She turned to professional photography soon after, starting collaborations for editorial clients and fashion firms in Vietnam.
In 2010, Maika moved to documentary photography and her first project, The Pink Choice, focuses on the personal lives of gay couples in Vietnam.
