Established on March 15, 1953 in the Viet Bac resistance zone with the original name of "Vietnam National Cinema and Photography Enterprise," over the past 71 years, the Vietnamese photography industry has always accompanied the country's development.
Through the photos, we have encouraged, motivated, and communicated strongly through vision and emotion, bringing to all classes of people realistic and vivid images, praising the beauty of nature, the country and the Vietnamese people in combat, in labor, production, construction and development of the country.
Effectively serving the struggle for independence and national unification
World history records 1839 as the official year of photography. Only 30 years later, photography was introduced to Vietnam.
Since then, in addition to the function of simply recording souvenir images, photography also had a propaganda function, effectively serving the struggle for independence and national unification.
Every stage, every important moment of the country and the nation has the presence of photography artists.
Especially the generations of resistance photographers - historical witnesses who directly took cameras to the battlefield, to record the heroic images of our army and people.
Many artists and photographers have sacrificed their lives on the battlefields to bring valuable photographic works that will live forever.
During the period 1945-1954, Vietnamese photography was a sharp tool contributing to the victorious resistance war against French colonialism.
With patriotism and political vision, many photographers took to the streets, using their cameras as "weapons" to capture many valuable photos such as: "Occupying the Northern Palace" (Vu Nang An), "President Ho reading the Declaration of Independence" (Vo An Ninh), "The Southern Army" (Nguyen Ba Khoan), "The Bamboo Stick" (Tran Phuong)...
The resistance war against French colonialism broke out, many photographers followed army units and agencies to the base, organizing forces to participate in the resistance.
At the National Literature and Arts Congress held in Viet Bac (September 1949), the photography community exhibited a number of resistance photos such as: "Battle of Pho Rang," "Attack on Giom Fort" (Tien Loi); "Marching Soldiers," "Popular Education" (Nguyen Hong Nghi); "Battle of Hai Bang's Khach Pass" ...
In November 1949, the Vietnam Literature and Arts Association held a conference to establish the Photography Group under the Literature and Arts Association, officially recognizing the role of photography in the cultural and artistic life of the resistance war.
With the historic Dien Bien Phu Victory, the resistance war against French colonialism ended in victory. The famous photo series about the Dien Bien Phu Campaign by photographers Trieu Dai, Ngoc Thong, Tien Loi... and many other photographers are invaluable documents, contributing to the historical evidence of the war and revolution of the country.
On taking over the capital Hanoi, photographer Nguyen Dinh Uu had a valuable photo collection of the French army withdrawing from Hanoi. Photographers Vo An Ninh and Vu Minh took photos of the people of Hanoi joyfully welcoming the troops who returned to liberate the capital. A new atmosphere when the North was free of enemies was an attractive subject for photographers.
During the resistance war against the US to save the country, especially during the period of 1965-1975, reporters and photographers closely followed the battlefields against the destructive war of the US imperialists in the North and on the battlefields in the South to produce lifetime photos.
Typical examples include: "Gunfight at Khe Sanh base," "Fighting against the swamp" by martyr Luong Nghia Dung; "Twelve Dong Loc girls" by Van Sac; "Splitting Truong Son to save the country" by Le Minh Thuong; "The prestige of the US air force" by Phan Thoan; "From the thunder god to the buffalo cart" by Van Bao, "Phuc Tan calls for revenge" by Vu Ba; "Field operating room" by Vo An Khanh; "Uncle Ho sets the rhythm of the song of solidarity" by Lam Hong Long...
The photos recorded have both documentary and artistic value and have effectively contributed to the victory of the resistance war against America to save the country.
Many authors have heroically sacrificed themselves like real soldiers for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland. They are martyrs: Dinh Thuy, Luong Nghia Dung, Tran Binh Khuoi, Duong Thanh Van, Huynh Minh Thien, Ly Way, Doan Phi Hung, Ho Ca, Dinh De, Vo Quy...
Through the Liberation News Agency, the photos were published in the North and the world, contributing to making the world's people understand and support the just fight of the Vietnamese people.
And even though the country was at war during the difficult times, many artists-soldiers still sent their photos to international competitions in the former Soviet Union, Hungary, Germany, Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Cuba, the Netherlands, France, etc. and won many high awards. It can be said that the generation of artists-soldiers at that time contributed to creating a "golden age" for Vietnamese photography.
In the field of foreign affairs, since the 1950s, the image of a Vietnam fighting steadfastly against foreign invaders has been introduced to foreign countries.
Through these photos, international friends can better understand the country and people of Vietnam - not only resilient and heroic in defending the Fatherland but also with many achievements in labor and production.
Vietnamese photographers have provided hundreds of newspapers, magazines, publishers, exhibition organizers, tourism and cultural companies with hundreds of thousands of images praising beautiful nature, friendly people and creativity in economic development, improving the cultural and spiritual life of the people.
Affirming position in major international competitions
Since the reunification of the country in 1975, the photography forces of the North and South have reunited. In the new revolutionary situation, Vietnamese photography has reorganized its team to carry out the task of building and protecting the unified, socialist Vietnam.
To date, the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists has more than 1,000 members in 63 provinces and cities across the country. They are a creative force that is regularly present in activities, from local, regional, national to international; contributing to enriching cultural life, enriching local and national literary and artistic activities, actively bringing the image of the country and people of Vietnam to the world.
In particular, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the country's photography team promptly stepped in, capturing authentic and vivid images, contributing to motivating, encouraging, and inspiring society in preventing and fighting the pandemic, creating consensus among the people, while spreading positive energy in society, contributing to making Vietnam one of the first countries to achieve a "new normal state."
With the rapid development of digital technology and the internet, photography today has no borders and has the conditions for strong exchange, integration and widespread dissemination.
Photography is gradually becoming an art form for many people with a nearly limitless creative space.
Alongside the veteran authors, a generation of young, agile and dynamic photographers has emerged, with many discoveries expressing new thinking.
In recent years, Vietnamese photography has made new progress when many Vietnamese photographers have been named in international competitions, bringing glory to the country. Typical examples include: the photo "Long Coc Tea Hill" by Vu Trung Huan won the 1st Runner-up prize at the Weather Photographer of the Year 2020 photo contest in the UK; the work "Van Nui 5" by Vu Manh Cuong won the Gold Medal in the Tourism theme at the Shadow International Photo Contest 2021 sponsored by the Photographic Federation of India - FIP, International Federation of Photographic Art - FIAP.
Notably, photographer Khanh Phan won two awards at the Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) 2020 in Japan... Also in 2021, at the annual photo contest organized by the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), Vietnam continued to receive 2 National Honor Certificates for the two photo series "Traditional Crafts" and "Vietnam from Above," and 1 personal Honor Certificate for the work "Drying Sedge Mats" by author Dzung Nguyen.
In particular, the two photo collections feature the participation of many photographers across the country, including four works by five photographers from the Mekong Delta region: Phan Thanh Cuong (Bac Lieu), Dinh Cong Tam (Soc Trang), Ly Anh Lam (Hau Giang), Ngo Phuong (Kien Giang), and Pham Thanh Vinh (Long An).
At the 7th international photo contest "Two Country Circuit" - 2022 organized by the Novi Sad, Kotor and Podgorica photography clubs of Serbia and Montenegro under the auspices of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), Vietnamese photographers Nguyen Dang Hao, Tran Anh Thang, Ngo Thanh Huong and Vu Hai won 13 awards and honorary certificates for the topics: travel, portrait, freedom. In which, the works that won high prizes mainly recorded beautiful moments of nature and Vietnam such as: "Stork season in Van Long" by Nguyen Dang Hao, "Welcoming the dragon to the wharf" by Vu Hai (gold medal), "Phong Dien floating market" by Tran Anh Thang, "Water pouring season in Mu Cang Chai" by Ngo Thanh Huong (honorary certificate)...
At the 2022 Drone Photo Awards, the photo series “Beauty of Vietnam from above” by Cao Ky Nhan won the consolation prize. Cao Ky Nhan is also the only Vietnamese person to win an award in this category.
It can be said that over the past 71 years, Vietnamese photography has created an extremely valuable photographic history of the war against foreign invaders, the war to defend the country, the country and people of Vietnam; and the cause of industrialization and modernization.
That history book not only glorified Vietnamese photography, but more importantly, it made the stature of Vietnam and the Vietnamese soul greater and more beautiful; and affirmed the Vietnamese spirit more in the international arena./.
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