what's with the 'you'll also need two passport photos"

i've seen this mentioned on websites and in lonely planet. is a us passport simply not enough to get into laos or other countries??

No, Laos, Cambodia & VN attach your photo to the visa form you fill out.

thanks mike. so am i supposed to carry copies of 2x2 photos with me?

Quoting bmil23

thanks mike. so am i supposed to carry copies of 2x2 photos with me?

Yes, carry several with you as you'll normally need 2 for each border crossing and it could be a hassle trying to get them while you're travelling.

is ok to just carry multiple copies of the same head shot or am i supposed to have two different photos with multiple copies?

Multiple copies of the same is fine.

Multiple copies of the same is good. You need to bring Vietnam visa approval letter + 2 photos and Pay the stamping fee ($25 for single entry, $50 for multiple entry) directly to the Vietnam Immigration Officers to get visa stamped into passport. You can visit some sites online to have more information.