Photos by Kenny Kim | Interview by KoreAm Journal | Interview of Kenny Kim Kenny Kim has always been fascinated by the visual arts - and especially the
connection between art & photography. His passion first led to the study of graphic
design at the University of Illinois, where he also became a skilled web designer and
eventually opened up his own design studio in 2003. It was during this period, he
began to realize that the greatest outlet for his artistic expression and technical skills
would be through his passion for photography.
Incorporating his own vision into the technical elements of photography, Kenny's goal
with each photo he takes is to present each moment he captures with a subtle artistry
that enhances the feel of the moment. With the launch of Kenny Kim Photography in
2006, Kenny's vision for a photographer's work instantly resonated with his audience
and within a short period of time, Kenny Kim Photography has now grown into a
nationally recognized studio. In just 3 short years, Kenny has been commissioned for
over 100 weddings in locations throughout the United States and the Caribbean. He
was also retained to shoot for the University of Illinois Menʼs Basketball & Tennis teams
along with various celebrity events featuring David Foster, Andrea Bocelli, John Legend,
Three Doors Down, Chris Tomlin, Michael W. Smith, and many others.
Kenny currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. He is thankful everyday for the privilege to
call his passion in life, his profession as well.
City: Chicago, IL | Title: Lifestyle Wedding Photographer
What do you do? About how many weddings have you photographed? Any celebrity couples? Technically,
I would be considered a wedding / lifestyle photojournalist, but most
people know me as a wedding photographer. It’s been three years since I
started Kenny Kim Photography and in that short time I have had the
opportunity and privilege to photograph over 100 weddings and dozens of
other special events, including, well-known musical celebrities and
professional athletes. People have inquired about my services several
times regarding celebrity weddings and recently, I just accepted
another inquiry and will be shooting the wedding of a former reality
television star. But to be honest, I give celebrity treatment to all
my clients. As far as I am concerned, they are the most important
people to me on their wedding day or other special occasion and with
the trust they place in my hands, I want them to feel like a celebrity
through the services I provide and the images I capture.
Describe
your path here (educational background, previous jobs, etc.) Were you
always taking photos as a kid? When did you first realize you had an
eye for photography? 2009 marks my third year going into
full-time wedding photography. I studied graphic design at the
University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana learning about composition,
lighting, framing, placement and other important skills required to
create great art. After college, I worked as a web designer for a
couple of companies. But after awhile, I decided to move on and open my
own website business. During this transitional period, I discovered
photography and began to immerse myself into the technical aspect of
creating a sound photo. I always had a personal affinity for
photography but never thought I could make a profession out of it. I
have shoeboxes full of photos I have taken since I was in junior high
and it was always my hobby to try capturing moments with a camera. It
was not before receiving numerous affirmations from friends and family
members that I decided to give this a try professionally and I have
loved every moment of it since.
What do you love about your job? Everyone
communicates in different ways. For me it was through my camera. I
love capturing the story and the raw emotion I can convey from and
through my subjects. I enjoy meeting people and learning a little about
their backgrounds and history. It helps to frame the moment I am trying
to capture and allows me to have that opportunity to walk into people’s
lives at their happiest moments and document all the details that
happen throughout the day – and hopefully communicate that story
properly through my photos.
How would you describe your photography style? My
philosophy is something I like to call “invisible observation”. It’s a
term that a friend of mine coined for me after watching me work an
event one day. It means to see everything – every nuance, subtle
detail and interaction between subjects, which combine to make a great
photo, without actually being seen yourself. This approach allows me to
blend into the natural landscape of the moment and allows my clients
and other subjects to feel comfortable being in front of the camera
because of my invisible unobtrusive approach. My logo best describes my
style and approach to photography: People, poses, position, placement
and the priority for each are just a few of the elements that need to
harmonize to produce great photography. My logo is a symbol of my
philosophy and approach to every photo opportunity I embrace. From
behind the lens, the goal is to do more than simply capture each
element – but to create that perfect balance of these elements in each
of the photos that will become the lasting memories of my client’s
special time.
What are some of the most unique locations or conditions you have photographed in? Have you had any wedding fiascos? I
have been fortunate to photograph all over United States. I also had a
chance to shoot in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Mexico. All these
weddings were incredible. But what happens during the wedding is what
makes the event unique. For example, I once photographed an outdoor
wedding where it was pouring heavily in rain all the way up to the
leading of the event. The bride was distressed and disappointed because
the backup indoor location was not as nearly as nice and her whole life
she dreamed of having an outdoor ceremony. Then all of a sudden, the
rain seemed to stop immediately and the brightest sunshine appeared to
completely dry out the ground just in time for the wedding. It was as
if God answered her prayers and paused the weather to allow the
ceremony to take place that day. There are so many stories like that
and they are the memories along with the friendships I make with my
clients, that I treasure the most.
What inspires you? Philosophically
speaking, passion, detail and greatness in any field inspire me.
Passion for anything is inspiring and makes me curious about where that
passion comes from and how it affects people. Details are the
subtleties that often make the difference between good and great. And
frankly, if you have a high level of passion and detail, it seems to
often translate to greatness. So when I see greatness, I wonder what
combination of both allowed them to achieve that greatness. On a
tangible level, I often enjoy walking the halls of museums to view
greatness on display. I like spending time dissecting the details and
nuances of each piece to find what makes each of them so different and
so special. But the same can be said for any great businessmen,
athlete, architect or poet. I like to think that if I spend enough
time around great, detail-oriented, passionate people, some of it might
rub off on me as well!
Do you have a favorite shoot of all time? Please describe. What about a favorite photo? I
know it might sound a bit trite and corny, but I really believe that my
favorite shoot is the next one I have scheduled. To me, the process of
setting up each shoot and the execution of that shoot is the best part.
I try and look back from time to time and reflect on some of the great
times, photos and execution elements on certain shoots, but I do this
to see what adjustments I can make to improve on those elements for the
next client. I want to stay humble, hungry and keep striving for that
elusive perfect shot and perfect session.
Is there a particular moment during a wedding that you make sure to capture? There
are the basic shots you have to capture in each wedding, such as the
first look, ring exchange, kiss, family photos, etc. But the ones I
make sure to capture are the moments that occur between the obvious.
Sometimes the photos that people expect to be taken tend to be staged
and unnatural. But when you linger around long enough and allow
yourself to eventually blend into the environment, you would be
surprised at just how many genuine, defining moments you can find
before, in between and/or after the basic shots.
Have you had any wedding shoot disasters? Well,
though I hate to share this story, once during a shoot, my pants ripped
as I bent down to get a great angle on a subject. I knew my pants were
a bit tight that day but when the opportunity arose for the perfect
angle on the shot I didn’t think and bent down suddenly to try and
capture that moment. Well I got the shot I wanted, but let’s just say
that the full moon came out a little early that afternoon. Luckily it
was towards the end of the shoot and while we were heading back to the
church I stopped by Nordstrom Rack to pick up a pair of pants. I put
the new one on, walked up to the counter and asked the register clerk
to remove the tag from my pants. My assistants were cracking up the
entire time. I don’t think I told my couple about the incident. J I
also shot a wedding in Indiana once and I completely forgot about the
time zone change. On my way to the wedding, I got a call from the
coordinator wondering where I was. As soon as she asked that question,
I realized what happened and sped to the location as quickly as
possible. Fortunately it was a small wedding and they decided to wait
until I arrived. It really helps to have great clients!
What qualities does one have to have to be a good wedding photographer? Earlier
on in my career, after photographing a wedding, the mother of the bride
came up to me, gave me a huge hug and told me that I was the best
photographer that their family had. This compliment came before she
even saw a single image I captured that day! It occurred to me then,
that it takes more than just great images to make it as a wedding
photographer. You need personality and some compassion, which comes
from loving what you do and making each moment about your subjects and
not yourself. You also have to love being around people and possess the
ability to make friends quickly!
What equipment do you use? I
use top of the line professional Canon gear. All my images are captured
digitally. They are then sorted, edited and processed on Apple
computers.
There are a lot of wedding photographers out there. How do you market yourself and stand out from the rest? Like
all industries, we are currently in an interesting era for wedding
photography due to the current economic crisis and many couples are
looking to cut their wedding budget, which I completely understand.
But what I try to get people to realize is that the photography is the
most important thing you can have on your wedding day, even though
sadly, this is the first area that they try to trim. At the same time,
due to the rise and emergence of digital technology in the past couple
of years, many people are picking up photography as their hobby and
willing to shoot weddings at a fraction of the cost to almost nothing
just simply to gain experience. So the big challenge for many
professionals is to stand out from the rest and these days that
separation has gotten emphasized even more.
I believe the
solution is to focus on branding yourself. Anyone can take a decent
photo with the help of today’s technology. But to create great
photography takes more than just a good camera. It is an art that
requires a person with creativity, vision, experience and personality –
and that, cannot be replaced by technology.
What are your goals? My
goal is simple: It is to be the best I can be. My joy comes from
serving people and photography has allowed me to provide images that
will help them capture memories that they can cherish for years down
the road. I want to continue to be excellent at what I do and use that
platform to be an example to those around me.
Are you married? If not, who would be your dream wedding photographer? I
am not married so I get this question a lot. I have some really
talented photography friends that I am sure would love to help out by
photographing my wedding. What I will probably do is ask some of them
to capture certain moments of the day and just enjoy the rest. That way
I will have different perspectives of my wedding from them. What I am
more concerned about is who will my dream wife be!
Thank you Kenny, for giving us a glimpse into your life. We wish you much success with your career.
Please feel free to leave Kenny a comment here or contact him at:
Email: [email protected] | Tel. 800.539.1294 | Kenny Kim on facebook
by: Kenny Kim
