Vietnam’s spring colors dazzle in annual Tet photo contest

The HOPA contest, titled “Mua Xuan Nham Dan 2022” (Spring in the Year of the Water Tiger 2022), had two themes: “Xuan Que Huong” (Hometown Spring); and “Chim, Dong vat thien nhien, Hoa, Ca kieng, Con trung” (Birds, Animals, Flowers, Fish, Insects).

The “Xuan Que Huong” theme attracted over 2,500 entries from 300 photographers. Of these, 87 were chosen to be exhibited.

The award ceremony and the exhibition are set to take place on January 26 in HCMC’s District 1.

The “Email ve cham soc suc khoe” (Email on healthcare) photo by Dinh Tat Canh in Quang Nam won the Colorful Award, the contest's top prize. Canh said the picture of hundreds of yoga practitioners was composed like an email message to everyone to take care of their health, especially in Covid-19 times.

A panoramic shot of HCMC against a brilliant sunset, “Sac mau thanh pho vao xuan” (City’s color in spring) by HCMC resident Tran Le Huy got a second prize.

“I took the photo at 5:45 p.m. on December 31, 2021, with a mystical sky painted above modern buildings, especially HCMC’s Bitexco, Landmark 81 and the Thu Thiem Bridge,” Huy said.

One of the judges, Hoang Thach Van, said the photo has managed to portray itself in multiple ways around the main theme.

“I hope the contest could spread spring messages and bring joy to people in the New Year,” Van said.

Another second prize winner was “Phoi la bo de” (Drying sacred fig leaves) by Nguyen Duc Nguyen in Ninh Binh. Nguyen said the photo presents a Buddhist concept that serenity and luck would come to people if they learn to find joy in the simplest things in life.

The “Mua quyt Tet” ( Tet mandarins) photo by Hieu Minh Vu in Dong Thap won third place. The southern province is known for its mandarins, mostly cultivated in Lai Vung District.

Tet (the Lunar New Year), Vietnam's most important holiday, would last from January 29 to February 6

“Viet Nam se thang” (Vietnam will win), a photo taken by Vo Van Hoang in HCMC also won third place. Taken on the Nguyen Hue Walking Street, the photo is an appreciation of doctors' and nurses’ efforts in fighting Covid-19.

Yet another third prize was claimed by “Xuan que huong” (Hometown spring). Taken by Pham Quoc Dung in Hanoi, it presents a classic Tet picture with a family dressed in traditional attire engaged in making banh chung (square shaped sticky rice cakes), peach blossoms and fruits associated with the Lunar New Year festival.

“Xuan ve tren canh dong co nang” (Spring on a field of spikerushes) by Bui Thanh Trung in Quang Ngai with two boats laden with beautiful flowers won a consolation prize.

A shot of border guards on patrol against a background of a Ha Giang village with pink, white and yellow flowering trees in bloom, “Xuan mien bien vien” (Spring at the border), taken by Do Thi Tuyet Mai on January 3, 2021 won a consolation prize.

"Sac xuan” (Spring color) by Tran Hung Hoa Hiep, featuring a young woman in a white ao dai holding up a branch of peach blossoms in Hanoi's Nhat Tan Village, which is famous for cultivating them, won another consolation prize.

"Khi xuan ve” (As spring comes) by Dang Hong Long, an aerial shot of the My Phong Flower Village in Tien Giang Province, won a consolation prize.

“Peach blossoms at sunset,” a stunning landscape shot taken by Indian expat Prabu Mohan in Sau Chua Village, Lao Cai, was another consolation prize winner.