Cat Ba Storyteller with Pictures

As a son of Cat Ba, photographer Nguyen Hoai Son chose his hometown as the center of his creations.

Photographer Nguyen Hoai Son (right) won second prize in the fine arts and photography contest " Hai Phong - Faith and aspiration to rise up".

For photographer Nguyen Hoai Son, each photo both preserves memories and reflects the changes of the world natural heritage site.

Portraying the homeland through every angle

Nguyen Hoai Son was born in 1993. He came to photography around 2014 - 2015, after a short time working in the tourism industry. From his love of taking photos with his phone, when this trend began to become popular, he gradually improved his skills, joined online creative groups and accumulated experience. In 2017, when he owned his first Canon 6D camera, he officially pursued a professional photography career.

Photographer Nguyen Hoai Son.

In the art and photography contest "Hai Phong - Faith and aspiration to rise up" organized by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Nguyen Hoai Son won second prize with the work "Green Cat Ba Festival - tourist highlight".

The photo was taken during the April 1st Fishing Village Festival, the day the islanders commemorate Uncle Ho’s visit to the fishing village. “I wanted to capture the joyful, enthusiastic and hospitable atmosphere of the Cat Ba people, along with the typical activities of the festival,” he said.

The bustling atmosphere in Cat Ba during the fishing village festival through the lens of Nguyen Hoai Son.

The photo was taken from a high angle, covering the whole space of the town center, bright and vibrant during the festival. With clear light, rhythm and composition, the work not only achieves visual effect but also records the development milestone of Cat Ba in the new era - when tourism, culture and community become one whole.

The other three works selected for exhibition - “Cat Ba Natural Heritage Core Area”, “Pearl Island - Green Lan Ha” and “Flying Over the Heritage Area” - were all taken in my hometown. “I want to record the development stages of my hometown, each photo is a different perspective of Cat Ba”, Mr. Son shared.

"Flying over the heritage area" by Nguyen Hoai Son

For Nguyen Hoai Son, these works are not only the result of technique but also a way to preserve memories and express feelings for the place where he was born.

Since 2018, Nguyen Hoai Son has begun to reap the first results through photography competitions inside and outside the city. During the period 2018 - 2019, he participated in taking photos under the project "Experiential education about the National Assembly", expanding his direction in documentary photography.

During the Covid-19 pandemic (2020 - 2021), despite the interruption of his work, he still maintained his compositions whenever possible, focusing on landscape and street photography. From 2022 onwards, he continued to develop his career, continuously participating in exhibitions and winning many awards.

Preserving and spreading heritage values

Nguyen Hoai Son chose photography to preserve memories and convey his feelings for the place where he was born.

Nguyen Hoai Son’s creative trips were not simple. He said there were times when he and his friends rented a boat to Long Chau Island, brought equipment, food and slept on the boat.

“At night, I took pictures of the starry sky and the light under the sea, holding the camera in one hand and swatting mosquitoes in the other. Although it was hard work, when I saw the beautiful scene, everything was worth it,” said Hoai Son.

For him, those trips are part of his career and also part of his personal memories - where the artist lives closer to nature and understands more about the people of the coastal region.

When asked about the most important factor in photography, Hoai Son said briefly: "It must combine many factors - light, weather, technique, mindset and moment, but the most important is mindset, because each person will have a different way of looking at and choosing moments."

Through the photos, the author affirms his love for his homeland and his belief in the value of Vietnamese heritage.

Besides Cat Ba, Hoai Son also traveled to many other places to broaden his perspective. However, he always returned to his home island - where he believes there are still many stories to tell. After each exhibition or award, what he thinks about is not the title, but how to have a new perspective, so that viewers can see Cat Ba in a modern state while still maintaining its identity.

“Photography helps me build relationships, broaden my perspective and makes me live a more positive life,” he said. Nguyen Hoai Son not only creates beautiful photos, but also contributes to shaping the image of Cat Ba in public perception. For him, photography is a journey of continuous observation, each time he presses the shutter, he affirms his love for his homeland and his belief in the value of Vietnamese heritage.

Some awards of Nguyen Hoai Son

Second prize in the fine arts and photography contest "Hai Phong - Faith and aspiration to rise up" (2025).

Encouragement Prize of the art photography contest "Beauty of Hai Phong Border Guard soldiers in the Port City" organized by the Propaganda Department of Hai Phong City Party Committee (2024).

Third prize in the photo contest "Ha Long - heritage city" organized by the People's Committee of Ha Long city, Quang Ninh province (2023).

Encouragement Prize of the photo contest "Biodiversity and natural landscape of Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve" organized by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hai Phong (2023).

Participated in many photo exhibitions in and outside the city, including exhibitions on the theme of Vietnam's heritage and natural landscapes.

HA LINH

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/nguoi-ke-chuyen-cat-ba-bang-anh-523312.html