Beautiful photos of a doctor in Ho Chi Minh City that caused an international stir

Dr. Hoai Anh finds a balance between the pressure of his medical career and his passion for photography. For him, happiness is the journey of capturing simple, everyday moments of life.

Doctor Dang Hoai Anh, 37 years old, working at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Thu Duc City Hospital (HCMC), is the only Vietnamese author to win the " World Food Photography Award 2025", category "Dishes associated with festivals and celebrations" with the work "Banh Hoi"

"Banh hoi" was taken during a trip to Phan Thiet with his family, Dr. Hoai Anh visited the famous traditional banh hoi making place Phu Long. "The moment the baker took the cake out of the oven and the light on the roof shone on the steam escaping from the steaming workshop moved me and I took the camera to record it," he told Tri Thuc - Znews. As a photographer who values ​​creativity, but with competitions like this one, he chose to spread the value of national culture, about the dish imbued with the identity of Central Vietnam. The photo belongs to the series "Sun and Smoke" - a work he devoted a lot of effort to creating in memory of his grandmother who passed away nearly a year ago.

Before "Banh Hoi", Dang Hoai Anh had made his mark with a series of impressive photography awards in the international arena. The work "Chang Twilight" won third prize in the "Photographs of People" category of The Chromatic Photography Awards in 2023. More than 8 years ago, Hoai Anh was an emergency doctor, always stressed with the race to save his life every minute and every second, making him gradually feel unbalanced, as if separated from the outside world. Photography came as a way for him to reconnect. "Every year, I pursue an idea, a perspective and try to perfect it through visual language," he said.

To date, the doctor has taken 9 photo sets, which are part of his photographic novel called The Secret Forest. He said that these photo sets seem separate but are not separate, the photo that ends this set is the beginning of the next set. It is a continuous flow of ideas, endless over the years. He believes he is the first person in the world to take photo sets in this way, a form that can be considered the birth of a new genre called "photographic novel". In the photo, the work "Dragon Dance" at the Lantern Festival in Ho Chi Minh City, belongs to the photo set "Soul Flow", which helped him win the first prize - Promising Author at Noirfotocontest 2024.

Photographer Dang Hoai Anh won the 2023 International Monochrome Photography Award with his work "Autumn Sunlight". The photo captures the scene of an old man fishing with his small dog on a dugout canoe on Tuyen Lam Lake (Da Lat), illuminated by the autumn sunlight, creating a mesmerizing image. For Hoai Anh, medicine and photography are two complementary aspects of life. In medical work, doctors focus on caring for and advising patients to help ease the burden of illness. In photography, he finds happiness in seeing and capturing moments of healthy people, passionate about work or enjoying life to the fullest.

"Cherry Blossom Sky" in Da Lat, honored at Asahi Shimbun 2023 - a prestigious and long-standing award in Japan. According to the doctor, the medical profession helps him practice his ability to observe acutely even the smallest details. Sometimes, he doesn't need to ask many questions, just when the patient walks through the clinic door, the assessment process begins: from the patient's alert or drowsy expression, rapid or steady breathing, pale or rosy skin... All of these help the doctor get a rough idea of ​​the severity of the health problem.

The work "Sunshine in the morning mist of Dalat" helped him win the Life Frame Award 2024, "Color" category.

From his work as a doctor, Hoai Anh developed a quick reflex for moments in photography. His ability to observe and judge helps him recognize precious moments before they actually happen. On the contrary, photography also helps him appreciate the value of health and life even more. In each frame capturing healthy, happy people, he loves the medical profession even more, where he is contributing to bringing that to life. "I practice medicine to heal the body, make art so that people who look at my frames feel relaxed and heal their souls," he confided.

The photo "New Year's Story" was taken in Y Ty ( Lao Cai ) during Tet, capturing a rustic and warm moment in the Northwest mountains and forests in early spring.

The work "Rush Hour" at the Ho Chi Minh City Metro Station is part of the photo series "Soul Flow" - one of two abstract photography projects he is pursuing, along with "Fade Out". Both explore the way people perceive time in visual art, while also seeking to decode vague and abstract concepts in life.

Dang Hoai Anh feels happy and proud to represent Vietnam at international photography competitions. For him, it is clear proof that Vietnamese art can compete directly and fairly with other countries in the world. However, he understands that fame or success from competitions often does not last long. "It is just an opportunity, a stepping stone for a smooth start. Everything is only truly meaningful when it serves a long-term career. For me, happiness is the journey, not the final result," he said.

znews.vn

Source: https://lifestyle.znews.vn/anh-dep-gay-sot-quoc-te-cua-bac-si-tphcm-post1567016.html