Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Kim.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My journey has taken me from South Korea to all around the world and now here in California. Since I graduated high school I’ve lived and worked in Canada, Australia, New Zealand. I’ve always had a toy or disposable film camera with me for fun since I was a little kid. I bought my first mechanical SLR camera when I was in New Zealand for the last trip to South island before I left the country in 2016.
I brought my camera to L.A in 2017 as I always do, to capture and document my trip. I would always go to Downtown L.A, to shoot random stuff like portraits of strangers. Street photography stretched to fashion and editorial shoots. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay long enough in America due to visa issues so I was only staying for three months in 2017 and 2018.
I came back last year as a student and now I’m getting more into the community and building up my professional career in photography and videography.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I think one of the most challenging thing for me in L.A or America, in general, is understanding the different cultures and languages. I grew up in a totally opposite environment. Everything is fast pace, uptight and conservative. Compared to my hometown in Korea, Los Angeles is a city where dreams come true, people love to express themselves through fashion and art, everyone I met here is laid back and slower-paced.
On top of that, I’ve had to figure out what people in America like to see in a photo or a video. But at the end of the day, I do what I want to do and see what I want to see through my viewfinder. So I ended up just doing me!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Taste Of Asian Spice – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
They know me as a colored-hair Asian girl whose IG name is ‘Taste of Asian Spice’. They might not know my real name but they would still remember my IG name. Let’s be real, it’s hard to forget.
My photography all comes down to finding humanity in the subject. That one moment in life, that one quick second is when me and the strangers connect through the lens. I try my best to capture who they are as a person or a human being. What do I want to tell the audience through my work, what does my object want to express to me and the world.
I try my best to put sentimental values in my visuals and I want people to feel my love and sweet memories in the moment.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
In 2020, I am so ready to shoot on bigger scale and more well-planned editorial photoshoots. I would love to work with a whole team. I’ve been shooting a lot on the streets, straight up just me and the models but now I feel like I am ready to move on to the next step. And also, I am planning on collaborating with some talented artists out there to create some amazing visuals.
Contact Info:
- Email: ohnikkishotthis@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/tasteofasianspice
Image Credit:
Annie Noelker
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