Vietnamese photographer Nguyen Ngoc Hoa claimed the grand prize at his very first entry to the Vietnam Heritage Photo Awards (VHPA) with his portrayal of labor and grace in Tuyet Diem Village, located in Phu Yen Province.
Hoa’s photo series 'Muoi Ham Tuyet Diem' (Tuyet Diem Salt) is not the only entry in the photo series category of VHPA 2020 that explores the scenery of the salt-making village in Phu Yen.
His photos, however, have convinced the panel of judges the most, leading to his triumph in the photo series category this year.
A trade village of over 150 years old, Tuyet Diem is famous for its pure and sharp-tasting brand of table salt from the mine of its own land.
An enormous amount of labor is required in the traditional salt-making procedure in Tuyet Diem. The first step is mining salt, followed by transporting salt into workshops, pouring it into clay pots, and broiling the substance with firewood in clay ovens for 12 hours.
The grace of hard labor in the artisan way of salt-making in this village was poignantly captured through Hoa's lens, which paved his way to the special prize – the most prestigious VHPA award – in the photo series category.
A total of 16 photography works have also been honored in the VHPA 2020, including two special prizes and two first prizes under the photo series and cover photo categories.
Two equal first prizes have been awarded in the single photo category.
VHPA 2020 winners were announced in a ceremony held on September 21 at the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum of Hanoi.
Speaking at the ceremony, Vu Quoc Khanh – president of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists – worded his approval of the quality of VHPA entries this year, in which the artists’ diligence in image selection and style of expression was evident, proving excellence in both journalistic and artistic perspectives.
On the day, the 16 awarded works, together with 30 other photos taken in a photo tour throughout Vietnam’s coastal localities, were put on display at the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum.
Below are more photos from Hoa’s series:
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