{"id":41306,"date":"2025-07-24T08:40:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T08:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/muse.international\/?p=41306"},"modified":"2025-07-21T08:25:46","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T08:25:46","slug":"inside-the-frame-with-chris-ha-2025-muse-photography-awards-category-winner-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/muse.international\/index\/inside-the-frame-with-chris-ha-2025-muse-photography-awards-category-winner-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside the Frame with Chris Ha, 2025 MUSE Photography Awards Category Winner of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris Ha is a self-taught photographer in Miami, originally from Canada. He began shooting live concerts, capturing fleeting energy, before shifting to travel photography inspired by everyday beauty. His style uses symmetry, texture, and light to tell stories that make viewers pause and connect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q1. Congratulations on winning in the MUSE Photography Awards! Can you share a little about yourself, what inspired you to pursue photography, and how has your journey evolved since your first shot?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am an ordinary woman living in New Zealand. I got my first digital camera when I went to university and loved using it to capture the beautiful things I encountered\u2014like a small flower or a fallen leaf. In 2008, I went to the UK to pursue a master\u2019s degree in design. During my time there, which lasted over a year, I took photos almost every day, documenting everything I saw: British plants, animals, landscapes, historical architecture, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2016, my family and I immigrated to New Zealand. I stopped working full-time and began staying at home to take care of my children. However, I never gave up photography and continued to pursue it actively. In 2024, I started writing my first photography book, Land of the Long White Cloud, which was officially published in January 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q2. Can you share the story or inspiration behind your award-winning piece? How does winning this award make you feel about your journey in photography?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since moving to New Zealand, my photography has primarily focused on fine art. One day this year, while playing with my family by the seaside in Auckland, my son pulled out a small weed. I noticed that its roots and seeds were intact, which struck me as very unique. At the time, I was working on a series titled Gaze Up, so I held the plant above my head against the sky to create a visual narrative blending figurative and abstract elements. Through this image, I aimed to capture the fleeting nature of life and the passage of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This photograph received the Silver Award in the Fine Art Photography \u2013 Open Theme category at the 2025 MUSE Photography Awards. Winning this award is a recognition of my accomplishments in fine art photography and has given me greater confidence in my artistic work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q3. How do you decide which photo to submit for a competition?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gaze Up is a new series I created in 2025. I really love this theme and enjoy this form of artistic exploration, so I chose to submit works from the series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q4. What first made you pick up a camera?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started learning painting in primary school, which made me very sensitive to colors. Later, when I got my own camera, I discovered that photography is also a wonderful way to express art. In particular, capturing the changes of light and shadow through the lens brings a kind of joy that painting with a brush cannot offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q5. What\u2019s your favorite type of photography, and why do you love it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My favorite type of photography is fine art photography, and I have consistently focused on creating within this field. This preference stems from my early experience learning painting in primary school, which helped me develop a strong sensitivity to color and composition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through fine art photography, I seek a deeper level of artistic expression\u2014it is not merely documentation of reality, but an exploration of emotion, concepts, and atmosphere. I see it as a continuation of my artistic journey, a powerful way to communicate ideas and emotions through visual language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gaze Up<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore the journey of Lei Gao<\/a>, the Silver Winner of the 2025 MUSE Photography Awards. She got her first camera at university and grew passionate about everyday beauty. After moving to New Zealand in 2016 and pausing her career, she kept photographing. In 2024, she began writing her first book, Land of the Long White Cloud, published in January 2025.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chris Ha is a self-taught photographer in Miami, originally from Canada. 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