"Anchovy Catching" by Nguyễn Ngọc Thiện.

HÀ NỘI — Three Vietnamese photographers have won prizes at the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year, the world's leading food photography competition.

The Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year (South East Asia) Award is a new award category within the contest that recognises outstanding work by Southeast Asian photographers.

Photographer Nguyễn Ngọc Thiện from Việt Nam won first place in this new prize category for Anchovy Fishing, a shot taken in Phú Yên Province that displays smoke emanating from fishing boats and layers of fishing nets under the water.

This photograph was also highly praised by the jury in the Bring Home the Harvest category.

The second prize went to photographer Thông Nguyễn's Meal With Meat, which depicts a H'mông family cooking a meal and the children's excitement when they are offered meat.

"Meal With Meat" by Thông Nguyễn.

Photographer Lý Hoàng Long received third place for his photo Charity Meal, which depicts a young boy enjoying a bowl of soup at a church in Kontum, Việt Nam.

"Charity Meal" by Lý Hoàng Long.

The jury also praised photographer Prabu Mohan's photograph Fish Farm, which was taken in Lan Ha Bay, Việt Nam. Another Vietnamese photographer, Trần Việt Văn, made a sensation with his piece Going To The Market During COVID-19, a shot documenting the implementation of social distancing at a market in Hà Nội's Old Quarter during the fourth wave of COVID-19 outbreak.

Monica Galetti, a renowned professional chef and Masterchef's co-representative in the UK, announced the list of Best Prize Winners during the Awards Ceremony, which was broadcast live on the contest's YouTube channel on April 26.

"As the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year Contest enters its second decade since its start, the more we appreciate the value of photography and food in life," said Phil Turnbull, CEO of APAL, the contest's main sponsor since 2011.

"Wars, famines, lockdowns lifted, hospitality revived, the ability to celebrate with friends and family post-pandemic – all are documented in the entries, demonstrating the unmistakable presence of gastronomy in all parts of life. Once again, the contest was a success, and it became a place to appreciate the culinary arts in life."

An exhibition of all the 2022 finalists will be premiering at The Royal Photographic Society, one of the world’s oldest photographic societies, in Bristol, England. — VNS