The picture of patience
On June 12, National Geographic unveiled the grand prize winner of its 2019 Travel Photo Contest and among the thousands of entries from around the world, across three categories-nature, cities and people-Chu's photo was chosen.
According to the National Geographic website, the photos were judged by a panel of expert photographers and National Geographic staff. As the winner, Chu received $7,500 and a post on the National Geographic Travel's Instagram account.
"It felt so harmonious. The whole land was covered by white, cold snow and the blue tint at dusk made it even cooler, but the light from windows, streetlights and the families living there made the world warm again," says Chu.
"I love the contrast and mood of this scene. I was busy taking continuous pictures at that time, trying to capture the best moment."
Dutch landscape photographer Max Rive, thinks Winter in Greenland deserved to win, but he is more impressed by Chu's nature photos.
Rive, a winner of the 2017 International Landscape Photographer of the Year title and a judge of the same competition a year later-recalls that Chu almost won that prize in 2018, and he finished with more photos in the top 100 than any other photographer.