“My journeys have taken me deep into Myanmar's heart, allowing me to capture its traditional culture and lifestyle with a touch of artistic finesse,” says Aung Chan Thar. Today we are pleased to announced that Aung is the grand prize winner of the American Photography Open 2023  competition for his image “Night Fisherman,” which depicts a fisherman plying his trade on Myanmar’s Inle Lake in the quiet of the night. “I am constantly seeking unique and captivating subjects,” says Aung.

Aung wins $5,000 and prizes from the contest’s sponsors: a Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (model A063) lens for Sony mirrorless cameras ($899 value); a SanDisk 1 TB Extreme Pro Portable SSD; the choice of an 8x10 open edition print with a certificate from Vital Impacts, an organization whose mission is supporting groups that protect people, wildlife and habitats; a PhotoShelter 2-year Pro account; and a 2-hour business consultation with The Photo Closer.

“Winning the grand prize in this competition has been a long-standing aspiration of mine,” Aung says. “While I have entered this competition in previous years without success, I was optimistic about the results this year.”

Based in Myanmar, Aung describes himself as “a young ASEAN storyteller and travel photographer.” (ASEAN is an abbreviation for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a political and economic union of 10 states in Southeast Asia.) “Travel and photography are my life's passions, and I devote the majority of my time to exploring new destinations and capturing their essence through my lens,” he says. He is also a photography teacher.

Aung Chan Thar

“Supported by the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB), I successfully organized the Conservation Photography Workshop for Myanmar Youth, while also curating a Conservation Photo Exhibition in Yangon, Myanmar,” he notes at his website. At present, he is mentoring a group of ten aspiring photographers under the age of 25 in Myanmar. “We are planning a photography expedition scheduled for December that promises to be an exciting opportunity for creative exploration,” he says.

From Aung Chan Thar’s Instagram page

Aung says his winning photograph in this year’s American Photography Open competition “encapsulates the serene beauty” of life at Inle Lake. The second largest lake in Myanmar, it has a surface area of about 45 miles. But it isn’t deep: During the dry season, its deepest point is 12 feet, and during the rainy season that can increase by 5 feet. Fish caught from the lake are a staple of the local diet, and local fishermen are known for practicing a distinctive rowing style which involves standing at the stern of their boats on one leg and wrapping the other leg around the oar.

Aung photographed one such fisherman earlier this year, creating a complex nighttime image that was seemingly shot from above and below the waterline. In fact, he did not submerge his camera—a Sony a7R IV with a 16-35mm lens.  “I devised a creative solution by placing a small glass mirror partially into the water and positioning my camera to shoot through the mirror. This innovative approach allowed me to capture the image,” he explains.

“Thank you for providing a platform for photographers like myself to showcase our work, and I look forward to the opportunity to potentially share my vision with a wider audience through your competition,” Aung says. You can see more of his work and learn more about Aung at his website   and at his  Instagram  page.

We want to send our congratulations out to all of this year’s finalists. And on behalf of the judges of this year’s competition, we send our thanks out to everyone who entered the American Open 2023 competition. Our goal is to spotlight the talent of photographers at every level using all types of devices, and once again we were impressed and inspired by the remarkable images we saw from all around the world.