Sports reporters need flexibility and creativity...

The national flag flutters

Beyond the meaning of a sports festival, the 31st SEA Games has truly become a festival of solidarity and friendship. The theme of the Games “For a stronger Southeast Asia” has shone and spread strongly, leaving a good, unforgettable impression on members of participating sports delegations as well as international friends.

This Sports Festival is also a gathering place for many domestic and foreign reporters and journalists to directly attend, report on events, matches and experience life as well as learn about the country and people of Vietnam.

Attending the competition days of the Vietnamese team in this tournament, photojournalist Le Thuy Nguyen - Nhan Dan Newspaper recorded many memorable and proud moments of the country's athletes. With the work "Proud of the Vietnamese Fatherland" - Le Thuy Nguyen excellently won the Silver Prize, Sports Category at the "Press Moments" Award Ceremony in 2022 organized by the Journalist & Public Opinion Newspaper.

creative flexible gymnasium image 1 — Work: Pride of Vietnam.

Recalling that time, Le Thuy Nguyen said that the process of working at this Congress was deployed after the Lunar New Year 2022. Although he received support and facilitation from the leaders of the Sports Training Centers as well as the teams, he and his colleagues also had to be very careful in the process of contacting the athletes when everyone clearly understood that just a little carelessness could affect the entire long-term preparation of the athletes, the team, the sport as well as the Vietnamese sports delegation in general.

Le Thuy Nguyen did not start out as a photojournalist who directly covered sports, but he considered working at a major sporting event right at home a rare opportunity and was very excited about this job. In addition, this was also an opportunity for him to meet and interact not only with colleagues in the country but also in Asia.

Normally, many people imagine that sports reporters will be immersed in the large, airy space of stadiums and magnificent gymnasiums. However, to get beautiful photos, sports reporters need flexibility, creativity, especially understanding of the sports field and the ability to judge situations.

Le Thuy Nguyen was sent by his family to study Taekwondo since he was young and for about 7 years. Therefore, he proactively registered with the unit leaders, the department's organizing committee and the gymnasium to be able to work there during the days of Taekwondo competitions.

With the work "Proud of Vietnam", Le Thuy Nguyen recounted that on the afternoon of May 16, 2022, under the enthusiastic cheers of the audience at Tay Ho District Gymnasium, Hanoi , the Vietnamese Taekwondo team had an excellent competition day in the performance events when they won 4 Gold Medals out of 5 final events.

In the Men's Team Standard Martial Arts event, Tran Ho Duy, Nguyen Dinh Khoi, and Nguyen Thien Phung also brought good news to the Vietnamese Sports Delegation. Each movement was performed decisively and strongly by the athletes. After 2 performances, the athletes achieved an average score of 7.782, thereby winning the Gold Medal for Vietnamese sports.

"The moment Tran Ho Duy, Nguyen Dinh Khoi, and Nguyen Thien Phung raised the Vietnamese national flag in the stadium was captured by me with continuous shots and I was lucky to have a satisfactory photo called "Proud of Vietnam" which won the prize in the "Press Moments" Photo Contest 2022", Mr. Nguyen recalled.

For Le Thuy Nguyen, during his time working at the 31st SEA Games, he also got to live in "historic" moments. "Every time I witness the moment when Vietnamese athletes win the Gold Medal, I am always very emotional, thrilled and very proud, and our job is to convey those sacred moments to the fans of our country," Le Thuy Nguyen shared.

Choosing to be a photojournalist was the right thing to do.

Le Thuy Nguyen officially became a photojournalist in 2017, when he worked at the Photo Department, Secretariat - Editorial Board, Nhan Dan Newspaper, for nearly 7 years now. However, fate brought him to photography long before that.

"When I was a 9th grader with a film camera that my grandfather brought back from a business trip abroad, then during my high school years with a digital camera that my family bought for me, I started taking the first simple pictures, from photos of friends in class or when I wandered alone in the old town or flower market. After graduating from high school, I was determined and passed the entrance exam to the Photography Department of the Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema," said Le Thuy Nguyen.

creative flexible gymnasium image 2 — Author Le Thuy Nguyen received the Silver Prize - Sports Category at the "Press Moments" Awards Ceremony 2022. (Photo: Son Hai)

Working at Nhan Dan newspaper has helped Le Thuy Nguyen hone her skills and qualities. From a wandering student who took photos with beautiful compositions and lighting and considered them beautiful works, Le Thuy Nguyen understood that photojournalism is different from other genres of photography because it must follow a strict framework of rules and ethics.

The stories told must be true, told objectively and not influenced by the photographer’s personal emotions. The photographs are all aimed at evoking strong emotions in the viewer. While conventional journalism uses words and supporting images to narrate events, photojournalism is the complete opposite, using body language and facial expressions to build the story, something that words alone cannot do.

"Every day I see more and more that I made the right choice in this job. In 2023, I visited many places across the S-shaped strip of land from North to South, from the Capital to the Northwest highlands or down to the Mekong Delta. Everywhere I went, I left unforgettable emotions, memorable memories and recorded many beautiful moments in this life," Le Thuy Nguyen expressed.

Regarding his plans for 2024, Le Thuy Nguyen shared that, as a reporter for Nhan Dan Newspaper, he will continue to carry out the tasks assigned by the leaders and agencies. In addition, he plans to take trips to new lands, meet and learn about different people and cultures across the country to be able to produce better quality works.

"In 2024, our country will have many big holidays, along with many festivals, cultural and sports activities. This is also an opportunity for me to immerse myself in those special events and record beautiful moments about life and people in the lands I pass through," said Le Thuy Nguyen.

Phan Hoa Giang

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