Moving images: A victim of Agent Orange looks at photos taken by photographer Nguyen Van An, including some of himself, during the opening ceremony of an exhibition at the War Remnants Museum in HCM City.— VNS Photo Van Dat

HCM CITY (VNS)  — An exhibition of 50 photos of Agent Orange victims opened yesterday at HCM City's War Remnants Museum on the occasion of Agent Orange Day (August 10).

The photos donated to the museum were taken by senior photographer Nguyen Van An, who traced the locations of the victims to Tu Du Hospital's Peace Village and other orphanages in HCM City.

An, who has won several international photography prizes, said he visited some of the victims as his house is only 500m away from the hospital.

He also had an opportunity to accompany the victims to Ha Noi.

After taking photos, An said he vowed to return and meet them again.

"At first I took photos about them with my mind. Later, when we became more friendly, I took them with my heart. Fortunately, my photo collection has moved people," An said.

Twenty of the 50 photos have been sent to a photo contest at the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP).

He said that a group of German tourists cried when seeing the photos.

"That makes me think that donating the photo collection to the museum is appropriate, because many people will see them here," he said.

For An, each photo has left a memory, including those taken of a couple at their wedding. The woman was paralysed and the man was about to undergo a serious operation.

Beside local awards, An was awarded prizes from FIAP in 1996, 2000 and 2013. — VNS