Pyae Phyo Thet Paing
Pyae Phyo Thet Paing (Burmese: ပြည့်ဖြိုးသက်ပိုင်; born April 22, 1993) is a Burmese travel and documentary photographer known for his visual storytelling that explores cultural identity, human resilience, and environmental themes. He received international recognition after winning the Grand Prize at the 2024 Xposure International Photography Awards and being named a finalist in the 2025 Wellcome Photography Prize. His work often focuses on rural communities and traditional practices across Asia, and includes travel and landscape photography that documents the people and places he encounters during his journeys.
Early life and education
Pyae Phyo Thet Paing was born on April 22, 1993, in Yangon, Myanmar, and raised in the small canalside township of Twantay. He studied marine engineering at the Myanmar Mercantile Marine College (MMMC), formerly the Institute of Marine Technology (IMT). After working as a ship engineer, he resigned from his maritime career in 2013 to pursue photography full-time. He first studied at the Dynamic Digital Photography Course in Yangon, then continued to develop his skills through self-teaching and independent fieldwork. In the same year, he received his first international photo award, which launched his professional career.
Career
Pyae Phyo specializes in documentary and travel photography, with a focus on rural communities, traditional cultures, and environmental transitions. His long-term projects include documenting Myanmar’s water-based livelihoods, ethnic textile practices, and cultural resilience.
In addition to personal storytelling work, he also engages in client-based photography projects. He has collaborated with organizations such as Turquoise Mountain on textile heritage documentation across Myanmar, and has worked on commercial assignments for brands including Fujifilm, TTArtisan, Viltrox, and OPPO. His photography combines natural light and narrative depth, aiming to preserve cultural memory while raising awareness of ongoing social and ecological change.
Awards
- 2024 – Grand Prize, Xposure International Photography Awards[1]
- 2025 – Finalist, Wellcome Photography Prize[2]
- 2018 – First Prize, UNESCO Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads[3]
Media coverage
His photography has been featured in:
- The Guardian – Wellcome Photography Prize 2025 gallery[2]
- Sharjah24 – Interview after Xposure Award win[4]
- Digital Camera World – Feature on Xposure 2024 winning image[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hamptonpublished, Niall (March 23, 2025). "Beautiful black and white shot of boys fishing wins 9th Xposure International Photography Awards". Digital Camera World.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Technicolour lakes and butterfly brains: Wellcome photography prize 2025 – in pictures". the Guardian. July 17, 2025 – via www.theguardian.com.
- ↑ "Winners Gallery". Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads.
- ↑ "Xposure Award pushes Pyaephyo to explore more in photography". Xposure Award pushes Pyaephyo to explore more in photography.
External links
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