Leg Rowers of Inle Lake: Series of 10

SERIES

Inle Lake is 13.5 miles long and 7 miles wide, although the floating gardens and the marsh land make it difficult to be exact.

One of the reasons tourists come to Inle Lake is to see the unique leg rowing fishermen, where they wrap one leg round the oar to row, helping them to keep hands free for the fishing nets and the conical fish traps. I can only marvel at their incredible balance as they stand on one leg on one end of the boat

The images in the series were taken at different times of day on two different days while travelling quite quickly in a long boat. It was very hazy all the time.

I have over 50 images of leg rowers so I thought I would put my favourite 10 in a series. My favourites are the first two, but I would be interested in hearing which are your favourites.

Hi Kath.
Finally a series on your stay in Burma. And what a series!
A mythical place of Burma, with these rowers Intha who row in a unique way up on a leg in the stern and the other one wound around the scull(wedeln) to to see over the plants which cover a big part of the lake (or at least it is that our guide explained me). What I like at first it is the unity of the set, I believe that it is important and that is the spirit of these series, more than the quality of such or such embellishes with images. But puique you ask for it, I am going to choose.
1, for the tight centring, colors and the neatness,
2, for the precision of the movement of the leg, and
3, for the bow net of a shape so particular. I look forward to the other series.
Good week.
Friendly.
Pierre.

Hi Kath,

I must agree with Pierre - what a fantastic series! These leg-rowing fishermen are amazing, what a technique they have. What hard physical work they do. I marvel at their balance too, just like you. And I can understand that you have over 50 images. I probably would have had even more because digital photography is free and I just can't hold back. :-)

I really like all of your images, but I also would have picked this one as the main post. The light and the details are wonderful, we can feel the action, cool too with that guy in the b/g, and it's a nice, close crop.

I can't really pick favorites because they all have a special aspect. In some we can see the conical traps, in others we see the legs so well.

Great work, fantastic series! Hugs,
Linda

Bonjour Kath ,

I looked at this series repeatedly. This is really superb. That is the kind of photos that makes envious! A magnificent theme, captured with much talent. My favourites are #7;#9,#1 , but no one is a miss.

Amicalement ,

François.

Hi Kath, I am waiting so impatient for your Myanmar photos. So you are back home, I suppose. Fantastic capture of the leg rower. I can't imagine how they can row like this. Wonderful colours and light. You were very close to him. Our long boat was father and I have no such good photos.

WArm regrads

MAlgo

Hello Kath, This is a real treat and pleasure to view something so interesting and well done as this presentation. The shots are excellent and surely tell the story of how they manipulate their boat with their one leg. I would be wet the minute I lifted one leg. ha ha. However looking this through several times, I would opt for the last photo. Certainly not the most colorful and maybe a little bland, but look at the way that fellow is holding his leg. Magic. Yep that would be my choice as the best of the lot, or the pick of the litter. I think the second shot would be a close first in my book. The entire series is a splendid post for others to view. My compliments. Regards, Roger

Hallo Kath!
It's really great how you could show this man against the blurred background. It nearly creates a 3D-efect in the picture. One wonderfully can see the very special kind of locomotion here. I think this needs a lot of body control and sense of balance and it even looks a bit elegant. You have had a wonderful light - and you really took advantage of it.
Greetings from springlike but wet Germany! Have a good week!
Frank

Dear Kath,

Wise to post this one, for sure the best of that whole series of images. The place is famous and for sure a must see. But that doesn't mean you can make great shots there from these people, but you really nailed this one....love the warm light and the blue of the shirt!

Hugs,

Henk

Hi Kath,

You are making me green with envie with this shots. It takes me back to those wonderful couple of days I spent there, unfortunatly it rained for part of the day, and we had only film camera at the time.

Anyway, each on of these are as good as the main post. I love seeing each with different background and light. It's like I'm on the ride along side you, seeing all this beautiful scenery and the talented leg rowers. I would fall into the water the moment I have my feet around the pattle :)

Way

Dear Kath! You are making me DOUBLE green :)))) I spent a lovely afternoon on this lake myself many moons ago when you had a visiting permit of less than a week, I think it was only five days. I like your close-up version a lot and how the green shirt makes a powerful contrast ... AND I love the boat in the back and how he leans in speeding home I guess ... LOL ... I could not say which one is my favorite really because I find each is unique and you could upload them alone but I do love 4 and 5 also a lot because of the not-much aspect and the overall blue tone. They do quite a balancing act, don't they, I guess most tourists would fall in and swim home :))) Great series, very nice! Have a lovely spring day, Barbara.

Hi Kath,

first of all, we must thank you for sharing such beautiful shots. It's pretty hard to chose one as the best. I won't make that mistake. Light is really pleasant in all of them, it looks Burma is illuminated by another Sun. Very fine photographs. TFS!
Abraço,
Carlos

I am always impressed by that skill of using the leg to row the boat and your series here offers a lot to see about that (for me) unusual transportation. But they may even think that others do that unusual because of why blocking the hands in use of a rudder instead of keeping them free for other necessary things.
I have to favourites, Kath, the first is this main one as it also shows wonderful the question of balance on those boats and - astonishing - the second one because of that relaxed impression the guy has. Superb series.
Lieben Gruss, Ulf

Very good scene captured, nice gestion of light , natural position of this fisherman, amazing and intersting picture
i am waiting others
francine