Photographers capture picturesque Sanya on camera, Zhuan Ti reports

The winners of the "Discovery of the Most Beautiful Sanya" photography competition have been selected, and an award ceremony is set to take place in late October, organizers said.

Out of more than 20,000 entries, 170 photographs have been named winners of the contest.

The winning compositions vividly showcase the urban attractions, natural beauty and cultural customs of Sanya, a noted coastal city of Hainan province, organizers said.

They demonstrate that Sanya has all the charms and attractions that are the hallmarks of an international tourism city, a member of the organizing committee for the contest said.

The grand prize will be awarded to Dazzling Attractions Are Everywhere in Sanya, a photography collection by Jiang Jurong.

Finnish photographer Markku Saiha will be granted first prize for his work Fishermen from Sanya.

"The compositions cover a wide range of topics, from natural scenery and modern features to the local life," a committee member said.

"Jiang's collection focus on Sanya's attractions, while Saiha put more emphasis on the lives of locals and their characteristics."

Since Sanya is also known as a city of romance, many couples choose to hold their wedding ceremony there.

Photographer Shi Yuebin, for instance, won a prize by composing a series of wedding photographs in Sanya.

The photos not only show the love between couples but also present Sanya's breathtaking scenery to the audiences, according to the committee.

Hosted by Sanya's tourism authority, the competition lasted a full year and attracted attention from all over the world.

The selection process of the contest is very strict, a committee member said.

The judges of this contest include Wang Wenlan, vice-chairman of the Chinese Photographer's Association, and Wang Miao, chief editor of Hong Kong China Tourism Press.

To ensure the procedural fairness, the committee invited Sanya Notarization Bureau to notarize the contest.

One photo in a series titled Dazzling Attractions Are Everywhere in Sanya, winner of the grand prize. Jiang Jurong / for China Daily

One in a series of photos titled Fishermen from Sanya by Finnish photographer Markku Saiha, winner of the first prize. Markku Saiha / for China Daily

One in a series of photos titled Love in Sanya, which won the prize in the category of culture. Shi Yuebin / for China Daily

Love You to the End of the World, winner of the prize in the holiday category. The picture is taken at Tianya Haijiao, or "the end of the earth", a popular tourist destination in Sanya. You Bisheng / for China Daily

Sport, one of three winners of the third prize. Lin Yiqing / for China Daily

Fortune Gulf at Dawn, winner of a prize in the nature category. Ni Jun / for China Daily

Touching the Sea, one of two winners of the second prize. Ye Xiuchun / for China Daily

High-Speed Train Running in Sanya, a winner in the urban landscape category. He Jianqiang / for China Daily

One in the series titled Beauty of Sanya, a third prize winner. Long Quan / for China Daily

(China Daily USA 10/21/2013 page15)