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Nguyen Ngoc Son (30 years old, from Ninh Binh), currently living and working in South Korea for nearly 5 years, shared with Travellive about his inspiration for photographing nature in South Korea: “My original purpose for taking photos was that South Korea was just a place for work, not a long-term stay. Therefore, I decided to buy a camera and go to places with beautiful scenery to capture memories of my time in South Korea.”
Ngoc Son captures and showcases the beauty of Korea with a completely unique perspective.
The photos taken by Ngoc Son are mostly from various provinces in South Korea (except for Jeju Island, which he hasn't visited yet but plans to go in March next year). Among them are famous cities such as Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, and Daejeon... but Gangwon Province is Ngoc Son's favorite destination because of its majestic mountains and sea. Next is North Jeolla Province, a place everyone wants to visit at least once in autumn or during the snowy season because of its incredibly dreamy scenery.
According to Ngoc Son, the best time to "hunt" for beautiful moments is mainly in the early morning or late afternoon because these are the golden hours of sunrise and sunset. The difficulty in creating the photo series probably lies in the travel time; he has to arrive at the locations at night, often around 11 PM, sometimes even 2 AM, depending on the distance to the destination. And he mainly works on weekends.
The windmills are shrouded in a hazy mist under the morning sun. This is also the image that won Ngoc Son the fog-themed prize in the 35AWARDS competition.
Sunrise at the Igari Anchorage Observatory, South Korea
The Igari Anchor Observatory is located in Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk Province, South Korea. It features a blue sea pine tree and a ship anchor near Igari Beach, attracting many visitors who come to watch the sunrise.
"I often travel alone and drive. Sometimes I have to drive for up to 5 hours because the location is far away, to remote, less-visited places to capture the most pristine scenery. During the snowy season, the journey is very dangerous and slippery. The weather in Korea is very cold, sometimes -20 degrees Celsius and even higher when on mountaintops. Overall, it's quite challenging, but because of my passion and hobby, I don't mind the difficulties," Ngoc Son recounted.
Participating in the annual 35AWARDS international photography competition, organized by a team of professional photographers from around the world with a rigorous judging process by a panel of judges from 50 different countries, Ngoc Son has won many awards in various categories such as: fog in the air, nature under snow, lakes, sky...
Ngoc Son considers himself someone who enjoys "hunting" for every beautiful moment of nature in the land of kimchi.
A pair of boats on a river lined with snow-covered willow trees on a misty early morning in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province.
Snow-covered pine trees line a sheep farm, as seen from above, in Gangwon Province.
The ancient temple, called Hwaeomsa, is located on the slopes of Mount Jirisan in Masan-myeon, Gurye County, South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Within the temple grounds is a very famous pink plum tree, attracting many visitors who come to admire and photograph it. They believe the tree is sacred, and that anyone who comes to see and photograph it will receive good fortune.
Romantic sunlight on Hambeaksan Mountain in Gangwon Province
"I love nature, because it's gradually diminishing due to the impact of weather and human activity. I also like quiet, peaceful places in the mountains or countryside. So, capturing these moments in the present brings me a feeling of comfort and enjoyment. For me, every place in Korea has its own unique beauty. The important thing is that the photographer can fully capture its beauty at different times. Especially, autumn in Korea is a time everyone wants to visit at least once," Ngoc Son further shared.
Join Travellive in admiring these dreamy photos from South Korea by Nguyen Ngoc Son:
Sheep farm in the snow in Gangwon Province - Daegwallyeong Sheep Farm
Autumn in a soy sauce-making village, Chungcheongnam Province
A hazy atmosphere over Anseong farm, South Korea
The mysterious appearance of the magnolia tree in full bloom nestled among ancient tombs within the Daereungwon tomb complex.
Golf course at Baekbongsan Mountain, Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province
The cypress trees are covered in white snow in Damyang, Jeollanam Province.
Cherry blossoms are blooming everywhere, showcasing their beauty.
Suwon Old Town at sunset, beside a small waterfall.
The last remaining cherry blossoms on the green meadow.
It would be a waste to miss the cherry blossom season in Gyeongju, the ancient capital. It's the only city in South Korea where cherry blossoms can be found everywhere.
Sunset over Incheon Bridge
Sunset over Hambeaksan Mountain in Gangwon Province
