Portrait of grandmother and grandchild in Lao Cai wins prestigious photography award

An emotional portrait of a Dao woman embroidering with her niece in a dark, smoky house has won the 2025 National Geographic Traveler Photography Contest.

The photo was taken by British photographer Justin Cliffe in Lao Cai , Vietnam. The work won out over thousands of entries and was described by the judges as “a moment between generations, fully expressing beauty and profound humanity.”

“The colors, light and materials are coordinated very harmoniously,” the judges added about the winning work in a press release on May 29.

Photographer Justin Cliffe and his winning entry. Screenshot

According to National Geographic, embroidery skills have been passed down through generations in the Red Dao community in Vietnam.

Cliffe's winning photo was one of six winners in the landscape, people, wildlife, food , city life and series categories.

“Our competition is growing from strength to strength, and this year has been one of the best yet,” Pat Riddell, editor-in-chief of National Geographic Traveler (UK), said in a statement.

“From majestic landscapes in Iceland and Italy to stunning wildlife moments in Spain and Canada, the 18 finalists, selected from thousands of entries, have raised the bar for travel photography with incredible creativity and skill,” added Riddell.

Two other winning entries in the contest. Photo: CNN Travel

In addition to Cliffe's photo, other winning entries in the categories include: a mesmerizing image of an eye-shaped geothermal lake in Iceland, a family restaurant in Tibet, and a dramatic encounter between a Bonelli's eagle and a fox in Spain.

This annual competition celebrates the best travel photography from around the world, taken by both amateur and professional photographers from the UK and Ireland.

Vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/buc-chan-dung-2-ba-chau-o-lao-cai-gianh-giai-thuong-nhiep-anh-danh-tieng-2406467.html