Paw Kyi Lay htoo

photographer

photographer

BIOGRAPHY

Paw Kyi Lay Htoo, known affectionately as “Paw” to her friends and community, is a passionate emerging artist with a growing body of work in portrait photography and photo-based storytelling. Born in Myanmar, Paw’s early life was shaped by the conflict between her people and the government, which forced her family to flee to a refugee camp when she was just five years old. At the age of twelve, she and her family resettled in the United States, first in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, before eventually finding their home in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

After completing her secondary education, Paw pursued studies at Saint Paul College with the goal of becoming a Registered Nurse. However, it was through her older brother Kri—himself an In Progress artist—that she was introduced to the world of digital storytelling. Paw quickly found a deep love for photography, particularly portraiture, which allowed her to combine visual aesthetics with personal and cultural narratives.

Since joining In Progress, Paw has explored both the technical and creative aspects of photography, embracing tools like Adobe Photoshop to experiment with photo manipulation and digital collage. Her work often reflects her lived experiences and her aspirations to honor identity, resilience, and community through imagery. With every photo, she aims to challenge stereotypes, elevate beauty, and tell meaningful stories that connect with and uplift others—especially those within the Hmong and immigrant communities.

Paw is committed to deepening her artistic practice and hopes to expand her impact by creating more community-centered artworks in the years to come.

QUALIFICATIONS

Paw Kyi Lay Htoo has foundational experience in digital photography, with a focus on portraiture. She is trained in basic DSLR camera operations and has developed early proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, particularly in the area of photo manipulation. She has completed several small projects that demonstrate her creative vision and technical growth and continues to refine her post-production and visual storytelling skills through hands-on learning and mentorship.

Skills

  • basic DSLR camera operation

  • portraiture photography

  • basic software skills