Vietnam takes home second prize at an international photo contest

The National Geographic magazine has chosen the photograph "My Balloon" by photographer Vo Anh Kiet as the second prize winner at the National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest 2025.

The National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest is a renowned annual competition organized by the US National Geographic Society. It seeks to celebrate unforgettable moments, stunning landscapes, and wildlife, capturing the essence of travel. In 2025, the contest features four categories for submissions: Travel Portraits, Outdoor Scenes, Sense of Place, and Spontaneous Moments.

This year, 11 outstanding photographs were selected from over 12,000 submissions by nearly 7,000 photographers from 152 countries worldwide. Each entry encapsulates remarkable moments and the unique perspectives of the photographers from various regions of the globe.

The award-winning photo "My Balloon" by Vo Anh Kiet captures a poignant moment when three young H'Mong children are joyfully playing with balloons on a misty day in Moc Chau, located in the northern mountainous Son La Province. The image has a dreamlike quality and a timeless essence—it's monochromatic and evokes a sense of nostalgia, illustrating a universal childhood enjoyment of balloons. Photographer Alexandra Avakian, a member of the judging panel, remarked that the photograph feels dreamlike and timeless because of its black-and-white composition, making it seem as though it belongs to another world while portraying a simple, joyful activity that resonates with children everywhere.