Being featured for a second time on Her Campus Laurier is the one and only Kha Vo! Kha is a hardworking Golden Hawk who takes photos for most of the clubs and events at Laurier. You can probably thank him for most of the cute candids that you’ve tagged yourself in on the Pearl Nightclub website or pictures of you cheering in the crowd on Homecoming. Let’s get to know more about the friendly guy behind the camera!
Name: Kha Vo
Program: General BA
Year: 3rd
Hometown: Waterloo (2008); Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam
Motto: “Work until you no longer have to introduce yourself”
What are you involved in at Laurier?
This year, I’m a photographer for various clubs at Laurier such as:
· Laurier Athletics and Recreation
· Laurier ALIAS Dance Team
· Laurier Competitive Dance Team
· The Laurier Letterman Club
· Laurier Powder Puffs
· The Laurier Cheerleading Team
· Laurier Make a Wish Foundation
· Laurier Fashion Show and
· Laurier International
As a photographer for various clubs, I have to travel with different teams and clubs and take photos at all their big events, games, and shows. I’ve also done freelance work for the Turret,Wilf’s, and various nightclubs in Waterloo affiliated with Cruel and XL Lifestyle, such as Maxwell’s, Sazon, Beta, and Pearl.
In addition to photography, this is also my second year as a Laurier International Ambassador. I recruit students globally and keep in touch with pen pals. Last year, I recruited one student from my hometown in Vietnam. I convinced him to come to Laurier for the business program instead of Western or McMaster.
How long have you been interested in photography? Why did you decide to become a photographer for various clubs and events at Laurier?
In my 5th year of high school, my mom bought me my first camera. I starting taking photos randomly and really enjoyed it, so I decided to take a photography class. I then got involved in photography at my high school by taking photos at various sports games as well as for my high school yearbook.
Because of my experience with photography in high school, I decided to get more involved with photography in my first year at Laurier. I was hired by The Cord as a staff photographer and took photos at various events including O-week. I spent nearly all of O-Week taking photos for the events rather than being a part of them. As a photographer for The Cord, I began to get more exposure and was asked to photograph various school events and clubs.
As more people began to contact me and tell me that they liked my work, it really inspired me to get more involved with photography and consider it as a career option.
Do you plan on pursuing photography after you’ve completed your undergrad?
Definitely. I love sports, so I really want to be a professional sports photographer for various sports leagues in North America such as the CFL, NFL, and CAA.
I don’t have any backup plans for my future as of now, so I’m working really hard to get there. Three years ago, I told my friends I wanted to get my photo featured on Sports Illustrated and, three years later, I did. I also told my friends that one of my photos would be posted by the CFL one day, and last month my photo was posted on the CFL Instagram page. I try to set specific goals and work really hard to achieve them.
Outside of photography, what do you spend your extra time doing?
I honestly don’t have that much extra time outside of school and taking photos. I’ve been really busy on the weekends this year with my freelance work taking photos at bars and nightclubs in Waterloo, so I don’t get the chance to do a lot of partying myself. It’s difficult to balance school and work, but it’s taught me how to manage my time well. If I have any extra time during the week, I usually will spend it catching up on schoolwork and resting. Last weekend during homecoming, for instance, I only slept for about 10 hours over the span of three days because I was so busy working late nights.
I’m hoping to spend less time volunteering this year however, so that I can spend more time on myself and with my friends.
You mentioned you moved to Canada from Vietnam only 7 years ago. What is it like living in Canada in comparison to Vietnam?
It’s really cold here and I hate the cold!
I do miss many things about Vietnam such as my family, the warm weather, and the food, which is delicious. I miss Vietnam, but a lot has changed for me since I’ve moved here. In Vietnam, I planned on going into engineering. Once I moved to Canada however, I began to love sports such as soccer and decided to study Kinesiology instead. Unfortunately, Kinesiology didn’t work out for me.
However, I get the best of both worlds by being the photographer for Laurier Athletics and Recreation and taking photos at sporting events. It involves two things that I really love, sports and photography. That’s why I’ve decided that I want to pursue a career in professional sports photography.
What is your favorite part about taking pictures for Laurier?
My favorite part about taking pictures at Laurier is making people smile and capturing their memories. It motivates me when people appreciate the work that I do. A lot of international students will tell me that I’m an inspiration to them, and that only makes me want to work harder to be that person that they look up to.
Taking photos at Laurier has also allowed me to meet a lot of people. Not only is this great because I’ve made a lot of new friends, but meeting new people has opened the door to developing a lot of connections. Most of the jobs and photography gigs that I’ve done, I’ve gotten because people have seen my work on social media, or heard about me through others. To be successful in photography, you need a lot of connections, so it’s important that I get my name out there.
You mentioned earlier that people tend to recognize you as the “pose for Kha” guy. Do you go by any other nicknames?
Some of the people I know call me “Avo-kha-do” like the fruit. So whenever people say I want Avocado, they mean that they want me. It’s fun to try out new nicknames. It’s also great for social media and hashtagging because it helps people remember who I am.
Do you have any advice for students about getting involved on campus?
Yes; try something new. I never would have guessed that I would have gotten involved with photography because I never considered myself to be especially artistic growing up. However, I took the chance to try something new and really enjoyed it. So my advice to students hoping to get involved is to try something new and have fun with it, because, you never know, it might just end up influencing your career.
Well, it’s obvious why this talented guy is being featured once again as a Her Campus Celebrity. We want to thank you again, Kha, for taking the time to be interviewed and for all of the amazing memories that you have captured of us here at Laurier.
Don’t forget to #Pose4Kha!