The first prize was shared by two photographers: Hoang Quoc Tuan from HCM City for 10 photos of a charity house and Lai Hien from Hanoi for photos of people visiting the Temple of Literature.

Run by monk Thich Thien Chieu, the charity house cares for 170 orphans and handicapped children in Go Vap District's Ward 17.

Ngo Dinh Du from Hanoi won the second prize for his photo of the Dien Bien mountainous area featuring young ethnic Thai women preparing for an art show.

The contest was organised from August 2005 to February 2006 by Photography World magazine with the sponsorship of the Vietnam Artistic Photographers Association (VAPA) and Kodak film company.

More than 560 photographers from around the country took part in the contest.

Many photos capture the country's charming landscapes, traditional festivals and daily activities of Vietnamese people.