Erwin Canlas is a Filipino photographer and visual artist based in Manila, Philippines. He is best known for his documentary-style photography, which often focuses on the lives of marginalized communities in the Philippines.
Canlas was born in Manila in 1988 and grew up in a working-class family. He developed an interest in photography at an early age, and began taking pictures with his father's camera when he was just 12 years old. After graduating from high school, he enrolled at the University of Santo Tomas to study photography and visual arts.
In 2010, Canlas began working as a freelance photographer for various publications and organizations. His work has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, TIME Magazine, National Geographic, and many more. He has also worked with organizations such as UNICEF and the United Nations Development Programme to document their projects around the world.
Canlas' work often focuses on social issues such as poverty, inequality, displacement, and human rights violations. His photographs have been exhibited around the world including at the International Center of Photography in New York City and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo. In 2017 he was awarded the Prix Pictet Award for his series “The Unseen” which documented life inside a slum community in Manila.
Canlas continues to work as a freelance photographer while also teaching workshops on documentary photography around the world. He is passionate about using his art to tell stories that are often overlooked or ignored by mainstream media outlets.