Anchovy fishing shot wins prize at Siena photo contest

Taken by Vietnamese lensman Thien Nguyen, the photo captured a local fisherman casting a green net on Hon Yen Islet to harvest anchovies, considered a specialty along Vietnam's central coast and used to produce the quintessential Vietnamese condiment – fish sauce, contest organizers announced this week.

Siena International Photo Awards, launched in 2015 in Italy by Luca Venturi as part of Art Photo Travel Association’s mission, is considered one of the world’s most prestigious photo contests.

The photo taken by Thien Nguyen captures a local fisherman casting a green net on Hon Yen Islet in Phu Yen Province to harvest anchovies.

A mere 15 km to the north of provincial capital Tuy Hoa, Hon Yen has long attracted travelers with its pristine coral reefs visible during low tide. Only a small proportion of the entire catch is sold fresh, with most either dried or salted.

The winners received the Pangea Prize Crystal statuette at the recent awards ceremony. The winning images will be showcased in Siena City, Italy at the month-long "Imagine all the People Sharing all the World" exhibition.

This year’s contest received nearly 48,000 images from amateur and professional photographers from 156 countries and territories in different categories such as Journeys & Adventures, Beauty of Nature, Animals, Architecture & Urban Spaces, along with Street Photography.