The photo series 'Soldiers wade through mud searching for victims' bodies in Lang Nu' by author Pham Ngoc Thanh was awarded first prize at the 7th 'Golden Moment' Press Photo Award in 2024.
At the award ceremony on the morning of December 25 in Hanoi, the author said he was moved when looking back at the photos taken three months ago. He started taking the photos on September 11. The day before, a flash flood flattened the houses of 37 households at the foot of Con Voi Mountain, Lang Nu village, Phuc Khanh commune, Bao Yen district, Lao Cai.
At the time the soldiers searched for the missing victims, there was heavy rain, a lot of water was pouring in, and there was a risk of landslides at any time.
To get to the scene, the reporter had to cross a muddy road that stretched for several kilometers. When he witnessed the soldiers working hard to complete their mission, he was impressed by their spirit and took a series of photos.
"The first difficulty I had to overcome was my health. At that time, after four days of work, I lacked sleep and had to carry a lot of heavy equipment such as telephoto lenses and flycams. Mentally, I had to suppress my emotions and obsession when I saw dead bodies, witnessed death and separation," the author said.
The judges evaluated the photo series as touching to viewers, demonstrating the author's sensitivity and skill.
In the single photo category, the work "Music connects people" by author Pham Tuan Anh, capturing the image of General Secretary To Lam interacting with American artist Kenny G, won first prize.
"Golden Moment" is a press photo contest initiated by Vietnam News Agency. In its seventh edition, the event attracted 3,435 works by 431 authors, in two categories: single photo and photo series.
The jury consisted of many prestigious names, including Mr. Ma The Anh, Director of the Department of Fine Arts and Photography, journalist Nguyen Thang, Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam Pictorial Newspaper. The jury organized four rounds of judging, including online and in person.
TB (according to VnExpress)