Born and raised in Honolulu, Lisa K Cho is an award-winning film photographer and music curator. Self-taught and shooting primarily with a nearly 60-year-old camera, her debut series Ballet on Film earned an award from The Photo Review's international competition, juried by Kathy Ryan and Jessica Dimson of The New York Times Magazine. It was also recognized in the inaugural Documentary Photography in Hawaii exhibition, juried by PF Bentley, known for his work documenting Bill Clinton's first presidential campaign. The series was featured on the cover of Hana Hou! with a 12-page spread, and has been exhibited in Honolulu and New York City.
A USC graduate with a degree in Music Industry, Lisa has spent over 15 years crafting bespoke soundtracks for more than 100 brands worldwide — including Lululemon, Dig Inn, ALDO Shoes, Four Seasons, and Arden Waikiki. Her approach is rooted in emotion rather than era or genre; each playlist is built around the feeling a brand wants its guests to carry with them long after they've left. The right soundtrack, she believes, doesn't just fill a space — it creates atmosphere, builds connection, and becomes inseparable from the experience itself.
Learn more about me in the interview for Asian Archives.
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“Ballet on Film”
2023 Series Award (2nd Place)
Documentary Photography Exhibit
Judge: PF Bentley
“Mourning Lia”
2023 Finalist in The Lucie Foundation
Portrait Project Take Two (B/W Category)
“Mirror Mirror”
2020 Winning Class
The Photo Review’s International Photography Competition
Judges: Kathy Ryan & Jessica Dimson from The New York Times Magazine
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2023 “Documentary Photography”
Downtown Art Center, Honolulu
2023 “Hana Hou! Stories from Hawaiian Airlines”
Downtown Art Center, Honolulu
2022 “Through the Looking Glass”
Brooklyn Film Camera, New York City
2022 “Ballet on Film”
Kahala Mall, Honolulu
2022 “Ballet on Film”
Treehouse, Honolulu