A photo taken by Tran Tuan Viet of a Buddhist ritual has been selected among 70 best shots of the year by National Geographic.

‘Buddhist Prayers’ captures the scene of hundreds of Buddhist followers praying with floral garlands and colored lanterns.

‘Buddhist Prayers’ captures the scene of hundreds of Buddhist followers praying with floral garlands and colored lanterns on the Quan Am Bodhisattva Buddha Day on October 29 last year at the Dien Quang Pagoda in the northern province of Bac Ninh.

The three-hour ritual, a prayer for peace and health for all of humankind, begins at sunset.

Viet, whose Instagram user name is vietsui, posted the photo on Your Shot Photo Community of the U.S.-based Natgeo magazine on June 13 this year and it was applauded by photo editors of one of the world’s most prestigious magazines.

The top 70 Natgeo best shots of 2018 were selected from 1.2 million photos taken by thousands of photographers from across the world and posted on Your Shot Photo Community.

Viet, 35, a native of the central province of Ha Tinh, is a passionate photographer who travels around the country taking pictures of landscapes and cultural features. Many of his shots have been featured by Natgeo.

Last May, the Vietnamese photographer defeated 4,800 other rivals to claim the first prize in the travel category of the 2018 photo contest organized by the U.S.-based Smithsonian magazine for his photo of the traditional incense-making craft in Quang Phu Cau Commune, Ung Hoa District in Hanoi.

It set a contest record, drawing more than 50,000 views.

Vietnam is a predominantly Buddhist nation. It is estimated that over 70 percent of the Vietnamese population are either Buddhist or follow Buddhist practices.

Dien Quang Pagoda in Bac Ninh Province is around 50 kilometers (31 miles) to northeast of Hanoi.

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