He was awarded the silver trophy in the International Monochrome and Colour Print category for his photograph titled An African Sunset, which featured a stark tree against a bright red sky.
'I took it in Namibia in 1993 when I spent almost a year travelling around Africa before starting university,' he said.
John said it was the only photograph he shot at that particular spot.
'With photography you can capture something that was only there for a split of second and keep it forever, and show everyone what you've seen,' he said.
In the Hong Kong Student Group, St Gloria College student Chi Ching-lei took the gold trophy, while Chan Kwok-kan from the University of Hong Kong and Hung Kong from the Polytechnic University shared the silver trophy.
Kwok-kan, 22, first entered the contest when he was a schoolboy and he has been picking up either gold or silver trophies every year since.
'I like to take part in photo contests and see what others think about my pieces. Sometimes you are content with your own work, but you need comments and feedback from other people,' said the environmental science student, who also received several acceptance and merit awards.
Kong impressed the judges with his photograph showing a People's Republic of China flag in the foreground and a reflective high-rise in the background.
'I just happened to spot the scene when I walked past in Wan Chai one day. It had a fine composition, and that's an important criterion to come up with for a nice picture,' said the building services engineering student.
In the colour slide section, Patrick Tong Wai-ho from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology in Canada swept up the Adviser's Cup, the silver and bronze trophies. The graphic design student captured the essence of autumn in his series of scenic photographs.
The Salon, organised by the Photographic Society of the University of Hong Kong to promote the art of photography among students from across the world, attracted about 900 entries from countries including Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, Taiwan and the US.
This year was the first time in 35 years the Salon received the patronage of the International Federation of Photographic Art.
