Charlotte Piho (born 1984 or 1985) is a photographer and tourism operator in the Cook Islands.
Piho was born in New Zealand and is of Aitutakian, Rakahangan and Tahitian (Island of Moorea) descent. She was educated at Epsom Girls' Grammar School, before studying law and finance at the University of Auckland. After working in Sydney in finance and fashion she had a burst appendix, and later became a standup paddleboarder and yoga instructor.
In 2016 she represented the Cook Islands at the 2016 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship in Fiji.
In 2018 Piho returned to Rarotonga and opened a diving business. She began working as an underwater photographer at the same time. In 2021 she won the New York Photography Award, and her photograph "Bubbles" won bronze in the 2023 Paris Photographer of the Year Award in the "nature" category, and gold in the European Photography Awards. In February 2022 she opened a gallery in Muri. In 2024 she won gold and the nature/underwater category in the TIFA Tokyo International Foto Awards.
On Oct 27 2023 Charlotte Piho Won the Wildlife (Electric Kiwi Wildlife award) and Peoples Choice Awards (Ockham Residential People’s Choice award) in the NZ Photographer of the Year Awards. This was from over 8000 entries and 25,000 votes. And is regarded as NZ’s most prestigious and celebrated photography awards.
In early 2024 Piho has been one of twelve selected around the world to exhibit her work at the Xposure International Film and Photography Festival in Dubai. Piho will be the only female representing Oceania. At the festival she will be awarded for her contribution to the world of photography.
References
- "Bubble-blowing sea turtle puzzles photographer". Chelsee Yee Hawaiian Khon News. 27 April 2022.
- "Xposure The Global Focus Project Nominees". Xposure International. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
- ^ Jonathan Milne (10 May 2020). "Moana of the reef: 'The water to me is like food'". Newsroom. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- "Moorea Tahiti – My journey back to my roots Part 1". Workout on water. 17 June 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- "Escaping the corporate rat race". Australian Financial Review. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- Rashneel Kumar (24 August 2016). "Paddle surf 'queen' is off to worlds". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
- "Diving with turtles adds twist to Charlotte Piho's SUP yoga retreats". Perth Now. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- "Photographer Charlotte Piho captures Cook Islands joy of swimming with turtles". ABC News. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- Caleb Fotheringham (21 December 2021). "Piho wins New York photography award". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
- Losirene Lacanivalu (21 August 2023). "Award-winning photographer's work recognised globally again". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- "Bubbles". PX3 - Prix de la Photographie, Paris. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- "Bubbles - The turtle that blows bubbles from it's [sic] mouth". European Photography Awards. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- Caleb Fotheringham (14 February 2022). "Photographer opens Muri gallery". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
- "Piho's turtle photo captures nature prize at Tokyo International Foto Awards". Cook Islands News. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- "NZ Geographic photographer of the year Becki Moss: 10 years documenting society's most vulnerable". New Zeaalnd Herald. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- "Xposure The Global Focus Project Nominees". Xposure International. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.