Vietnamese photographer receives global recognition for coral reef snap

A photo titled “Hon Yen Coral Garden” taken by Vietnam's Thien Nguyen Ngoc finished runner up in the “Coral reefs of the world” category at the Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year Awards 2023.

Hon Yen island in Phu Yen province, south-central Vietnam is popular among photographers across different seasons of the year. The photo taken by Nguyen Ngoc Thien has also been included in the “Beautiful Photo of the Day” section of the prestigious magazine National Geographic.

Vietnam has a 3,260 km coastline stretching from North to South, with over 1,100 km2 of coral reefs. April to August is the best time for coral reef diving in the central region. Hon Yen, located off Nhon Hoi village in Tuy An district, is a rocky island that was recognized as a national scenic relic in 2018 for its rare coral reefs.

The coral reefs in Hon Yen are considered “miniature cities” and an ideal habitat for marine species such as fish, jellyfish, and starfish, creating enchanting beauty.

Thien Nguyen Ngoc also won a consolation prize in the “Animal portrait” category for his photo of puffer fish and plastic cups taken during a scuba diving trip in the Nam Du archipelago, Kien Giang province.

Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year Awards (OGPICOTY) is an annual photo contest organized by the U.S.-based Ocean Geographic Society and the magazine. The competition is supported and judged by leading experts in the fields of contemporary ocean science and art, with the aim of honoring the most impressive works related to the ocean.

2023 is the 10th year the contest has been held, with 17 photo categories ranging from coral reefs around the world to marine animal portraits, marine animal behavior, and the relationship between humans and the ocean, with a total prize pool of $90,000. The results were announced last weekend.