Alahattin Kanlioğlu captures Inle Lake fishers and monks in award-winning iPhone photo
Turkish photographer Alahattin Kanlioğlu, a photography specialist who worked at Ege University in Izmir for over two decades, took a striking iPhone 13 image on Inle Lake in Myanmar's Shan Hills in December 2025 during a photography workshop he hosted. The photo shows two fishermen using foot-controlled oars, a local woman selling flowers, and three Buddhist monks receiving food donations. Kanlioğlu staged the shot to demonstrate the fishermen's skill and the monks' daily alms routine. He first visited Myanmar in 2019 and was captivated, returning in 2025 with a group of six. The image was published by The Guardian in May 2026.
Key facts
- Photographer Alahattin Kanlioğlu worked at Ege University in Izmir, Turkey for over 20 years.
- He first visited Myanmar in 2019 and returned in December 2025 to host a photography workshop.
- The photo was taken on Inle Lake in the Shan Hills, Myanmar.
- It was shot on an iPhone 13.
- The image features two fishermen using foot-controlled oars, a woman selling flowers, and three Buddhist monks.
- Kanlioğlu staged the shot to demonstrate the fishermen's skill and the monks' daily alms.
- The monks walk from temples early in the morning carrying earthenware bowls to receive food donations.
- The photo was published by The Guardian in May 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Alahattin Kanlioğlu
Institutions
- Ege University
- The Guardian
Locations
- Izmir
- Turkey
- Myanmar
- Inle Lake
- Shan Hills