Photographer from Myanmar earns a major photojournalism award

A Myanmar photographer earned the top prize at the world’s largest annual photojournalism festival for his coverage of the turbulent country’s pro-democracy riots and violent military crackdown.

The photographer, who did not want to be identified for security reasons, won the Visa d’Or for News, the most prestigious award given out at the “Visa Pour L’Image” festival in Perpignan, southwestern France.

Mikko Takkunen, The New York Times’ Asia picture editor, received the award on the photographer’s behalf.

Takkunen stated, “He is probably the strongest photographer in the country. He is extremely happy and honored to win this prize.”

Takkunen stated that the photographer dedicated the award to his colleagues in his country who operate under incredibly challenging conditions.

His images show civilian demonstrators wielding stones, military firing live rounds, and bereaved families mourning their loved ones.

According to an advocacy group, more than 1,000 civilians have been killed in Myanmar as a result of the ongoing military crackdown.

The unnamed photographer said in a message that he was “on the streets every day since February 1.”

“I encountered many difficulties, working between bullet shots, tear gas, and deafening grenades.”

“On the ground, we stopped working with helmets marked PRESS as we realized the soldiers were targeting photographers,” he added.

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