But Ng Sor Luan wanted something different to record.

So the 27-year-old from Singapore searched for a location away from the hustle and bustle of the big urban sprawl and traveled to Dalanzadgad in Omnigobi - the central town of the South Gobi desert province.

“I thought it would be interesting to capture the festivities away from the capital, in a small desert city about which I could hardly find any information, “says Sor Luan, who took part in the World Press Photo South-East Asia Workshop in Jakarta in 2002 and, sometime later, began working for the The Straits Times in Singapore.

“Then I could come back with fresh images of the celebration of an ancient festival which still holds an important place in the hearts of Mongolians.”

During the festival, Mongolians engage in three “manly” sports; wrestling, horse racing and archery - activities which are intrinsically linked to individual survival and the growth of the country over centuries. The festival usually lasts for a minimum of three days.

“However, this year, in Dalanzadgad, a much warmer summer meant high temperatures led to the celebrations being reduced to half their normal length.”

“As a result, my plans to photograph the archery segment fell through but I am glad to have recorded pictures of such a lesser-known place,” says Sor Luan.

Straits Times