A photo portrait of a Hà Nhì ethnic woman. The photo is from a collection The Ethnic Diversity of Northen Việt Nam by American photographer Alden Anderson.

HÀ NỘI — A collection featuring photos of people from different ethnic groups living in northern Việt Nam has bagged the top prize at a photography contest organised by Vietnam Airlines in flight magazine Heritage.

Entitled The Ethnic Diversity of Northen Việt Nam, the works by American photographer Alden Anderson, who currently lives in Việt Nam, won in the collection category.

The top prize in the cover photo category was awarded to A New Day in Tuyền Lâm Lake by Nguyễn Tấn Tuấn.  

A Tẩu Sai Ritual Ceremony of Dao Sơn Đầu Ethnic Group by photographer Thành Thế Vinh.

Also in the collection category, a prize was awarded to the Tẩu Sai Ritual Ceremony of Dao Sơn Đầu Ethnic Group by Thành Thế Vinh. 

A New Day in Tuyền Lâm Lake by Nguyễn Tấn Tuấn.

The organisers also handed prizes for The Phú Tân Craft Village of Sedge Mat Weaving by Lê Việt Khánh, Fansipan – The Meeting Point of Heaven and Earth by Ngọc Vũ, Furrows Made in the Cloud by Nguyễn Vũ Hậu, Sunrise on Đà Lạt Mountainous Street by Trần Ngọc Anh, and Lùng Tám Linen Weaving Village by Nguyễn Văn Trực.

In the cover photo category, a photo depicting the iconic Long Biên Bridge by Tuấn Đào grabbed the runners-up prize.

Long Biên Bridge by Tuấn Đào.

A Mountainous Cultural Feature by Nguyễn Việt Hồng, A Church in Frost by Phi Long, Sàng Ma Sáo in the Field Water Pouring Season by Trần Quang Quý, Expedition of Waterfall in Én Cave by Phan Thị Khánh, and Sunset by Hoàng Văn Tuân made up the rest of the winners.

According to organisers, the contest, which ran from March 1 to August 31, was widely supported by individuals and photographic communities nationwide. More than 180 collections featuring 2,500 photos were submitted to the contest, and the eight judges had their work cut out to select the best cover photo from more than 500 entries.   

Speaking at the awards ceremony on Saturday in Hà Nội, Heritage Editor-in-Chief Lê Hoàng Dũng, who was also head of the organising board, said: “All the entries show fresh expressions as well as up-to-date photographic techniques.”

The winning photos will be featured in different publications of Heritage, aiming to offer readers, including a large number of foreigners, a panoramic view of the Vietnamese people and their rich culture, as well as the country's stunning landscapes.

Alongside the photo contest, the organisers also held photo tours to Myanmar in April and the Central Highlands in November. Since the first photo tour in 2015, 10 trips have been organised, gathering hundreds of photographers. — VNS