Photo of Uncle Ho leading the song "Solidarity" by Lam Hong Long
This is the opinion of journalist and photographer Chu Chi Thanh - former president of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists - about the famous photo of Uncle Ho leading the song of Solidarity by the late journalist Lam Hong Long.
At the age of over 80, his memory has many blurred areas, but Mr. Thanh remembers very clearly the story of the respected senior taking a photo of Uncle Ho to the rhythm of the song "Ket Doan" as if it were just yesterday when he heard it told to him by team leader Lam Hong Long.
Mr. Thanh said that when he first joined the political and diplomatic photography team of Vietnam News Agency (now Vietnam News Agency), as a young man eager to learn, team leader Long often told him stories about his work, including the story of taking a photo of Uncle Ho leading the song "Ket Doan" (Unity).
The photo was taken on the evening of September 3, 1960 at the Capital People's Gala Night at the Botanical Garden, Hanoi , celebrating the success of the 3rd National Party Congress. This was the first Party Congress held in Hanoi, with the goal of building socialism in the North and fighting for national reunification.
That evening, Uncle Ho led several foreign delegations to attend the program. When it came to the Solidarity performance, the musician invited Uncle Ho to lead the beat. Uncle Ho immediately stepped up to the conductor's podium, holding the baton to conduct the orchestra, leading the beat of the Solidarity song.
This was a big surprise for everyone present and a precious event for the photojournalists. The reporters all found a place to stand on the same side as the musicians to capture Uncle Ho's face. But this angle only showed the musicians' backs, in addition to Uncle Ho's image. Mr. Long expected a more vivid photo.
Having spent several years following Uncle Ho to take photos, as well as understanding the leader's personality, Mr. Long was sure that Uncle Ho would turn his face to the audience at some point because everything Uncle Ho did was directed towards the masses. He quietly moved behind Uncle Ho, set the shooting mode, focused the Rolleiflex camera and anxiously waited for the golden moment.
Some reporters also chose the same angle as Mr. Long, but because they waited too long and still did not see Uncle Ho turn around, and the music was about to end, they left their positions. Only Mr. Long patiently stayed and received a worthy reward.
He took a single perfect photo, capturing the image of Uncle Ho wearing a white silk shirt, black silk pants, rubber sandals, holding a conductor's baton shining brightly against the dark background of the orchestra and choir, also radiant and enthusiastically performing.
Mr. Thanh assessed that the photo had a tight composition, both highly general and vivid details, highlighting the portrait of the great leader who was extremely simple, leisurely and composed. It quickly became popular, becoming one of the most beautiful images of Uncle Ho.
In 1996, a year before his death in Ho Chi Minh City, journalist Lam Hong Long was awarded the first Ho Chi Minh Prize for his photo of Uncle Ho leading the way to the song "Solidarity" and the photo of Mother and Child on the day they met, taken on May 6, 1975 in Rach Dua, Vung Tau.
The photo was also previously recognized internationally, with a Certificate of Honor (Mencin Honor) at the 21st Congress of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP) held in Spain in 1991.
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* Recorded according to Mr. Chu Chi Thanh's story and referenced from the book Ho Chi Minh Prize for Literature and Arts - Authors and Works of the Central Party Propaganda Department (Tre Publishing House, 2020).
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nho-bac-nguoi-bat-nhip-bai-ca-ket-doan-20250428235402549.htm
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