Hot shot: The Girl Alone in the Storm by photographer Nguyen Hoang Hiep.

HA NOI (VNS)— Vietnamese photographer Nguyen Hoang Hiep beat thousands of international competitors to win a prestigious award at the 2013 Sony World Photography Open Competition.

His photo The Girl Alone in the Storm was one on 55,000 entries sent to the World Photography Organisation for the competition, and was selected as one of the ten best pictures received. It was named the Best Enhanced Photo.

The other categories were Architecture, Arts and Culture, Low Light, Nature and Wildlife, Panoramic, People, Smile, Split Second, and Travel.

The 21-year-old Hiep, who is studying architecture in Ha Noi, will now compete with the nine other winning photographers for the Sony World Photography Awards Open Photographer of the Year title, which will be revealed at a gala ceremony on April 25. This photographer will also receive US$5,000.

All category winners will receive a Sony A77 and will have their images exhibited at Somerset House, London, from April 26 - May 12 as part of the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition. — VNS