The 13th International Photo Contest 2025 (VN-25) features four themes: Open Colour, Open Monochrome, World in Focus, and Portrait, with artistic patronage from the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP).
The organising committee received 13,236 entries from 1,054 authors from 31 countries and territories, reaffirming the strong appeal of the “VN” contest system on the global photography map. The number of entries increased by nearly 30% compared with the VN-23 edition.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, photographer Tran Thi Thu Dong, Vice Chairwoman of the Viet Nam Union of Literature and Arts Associations and Chairwoman of VAPA, said that the International Photo Contest in Viet Nam, held biennially, has become a prestigious gathering for the global photography community. However, the 2025 contest takes place in a particularly challenging context as the world continues to face the aftershocks of the economic crisis and unpredictable fluctuations.
“VN-25 was organised in accordance with the highest international standards. Along with the prestigious awards of VAPA, the contest continues to receive artistic patronage from FIAP. The organising committee invited four independent judging panels, including highly accredited and experienced photographic artists from Viet Nam, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Spain, and Indonesia,” she said.
“All assessment processes were conducted on a specialised online platform, ensuring absolute objectivity and independence among judges. This is a significant step forward in the digital transformation and professionalisation process,” Thu Dong added.
As a result, the Jury selected 664 outstanding works by 383 authors from 22 countries for exhibition and awarded 47 prizes of VAPA and FIAP to authors from nine countries: Croatia, Taiwan (China), Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Türkiye, and Viet Nam.
A highlight of this year’s contest is Dutch photographer Marcel Van Balken, who won the FIAP Blue Ribbon for receiving the largest number of awards with 10 winning works displayed at the exhibition.
The entries in VN-25 were highly appreciated for both artistic and technical quality, showcasing the diversity of creative thinking among authors from different cultures.
In all four themes, photographers deeply explored the aesthetics of light, composition, and moment, while conveying humanistic stories and fresh perspectives on life, people, and landscapes. Many works made a strong impression with modern and experimental approaches, demonstrating Viet Nam’s integration into the global creative photography movement as well as the significant maturity of domestic authors.
The exhibition opened in Ha Noi features 250 of the best works of the contest, including 47 award-winning works. It presents a vivid picture of nature, the country, and its people; celebrates the beauty of diverse cultures; and reflects the unique creative styles and perspectives of photographers from 31 countries and territories around the world.
