Shot taken in Hue wins second prize at UK photo contest

Walter Monticelli’s shot taken during his trip to Hue in central Vietnam shared the runner-up award in the People category with India-based photographer Rajiv Joshi.

Photo taken by Walter Monticelli in Hue, Vietnam.

"While walking between temples in the Imperial City, I heard a faint melody playing in the distance," Monticelli told National Geographic.

"Following the sound, I reached a room in which a group of women wearing traditional clothing were playing music with traditional Vietnamese instruments.

"I'd been standing there for a while, taking in the sound, when I noticed this lady sitting next to the entrance enjoying the music her friends were playing."

Hue was the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last royal family to rule the country from 1802 to 1945. It is home to royal tombs, ancient palaces and pagodas that attract millions of foreign visitors every year.

The winner of the category was Claire Waring for a shot of ice fishing on the frozen sea in Hokkaido, Japan.

The contest, which is in its 10th year, seeks "to highlight the best in travel photography," its organizer said when announcing the winners on the National Geographic website.

This year's competition opened for entries in March 2021 and received thousands of submissions across all categories.