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Meet Joshua Chun

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Chun.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I got my first DSLR in 2014 when I was 19: Canon 70D with an 18-135mm kit lens. After watching YouTubers like KevJumba, NigaHiga, and WongFu Productions, I was inspired to make my own YouTube videos. I heavily underestimated my responsibilities as I was swamped with my college classes, tutoring job, and extracurricular organizations, so my dreams of being a videographer were quickly extinguished.

Since I had a camera, I figured that I might as well learn how to take pictures.

My photography journey began as a documentary of my friends, family, dogs, affiliated organizations, and travels. It definitely wasn’t a love-at-first-sight thing. I struggled a lot with the technicalities of photography, but I really enjoyed documenting people, places, and things that were important to me.

In 2016, some friends asked me to take their graduation photos. I was hesitant, but I did it anyway. Soon, random people were inquiring about my photography services, and that’s when I first started making money from taking pictures.

In 2017, I graduated from the University of California, Irvine with two undergraduate degrees: Education Science and Sociology.

I wanted to pursue a Ph.D. in Sociology; that was my plan throughout college, but as much as I loved school, the idea of spending the rest of my 20s in school sounded terrible.

I was offered an analyst job out of college, but I decided to move back home to think about what I truly wanted in life. I quickly grew depressed, not clinically diagnosed, but I lost my ambition to live. I had no appetite, and it was difficult to do simple tasks like getting out of bed and cleaning my room.

In the summer and fall of 2017, I worked two part-time jobs (social media strategist for a non-profit and an inventory assistant for a clothing brand) and I did a few freelance gigs on the side. I also contemplated applying for USC’s cinematography program.

My friends knew that I was in a rut, so they pitched in for plane tickets for my birthday, which is in December. I spent my savings on a new camera and lens (Canon 6D II + Canon 24-70 f2.8 USM ii) and told myself to simply enjoy the trip.

For a month, I traveled to Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara. My spark for life came back. I was surrounded by my good friends, exploring amazing cities, and documenting every moment. I wish life were always like this, and that’s when I realized I wanted to pursue photography.

After my trip, I entered 2018 with a new mindset. I searched for photography jobs on Indeed and Craigslist.

In May, I landed an intern position at Lin & Jirsa Photography, one of the best wedding photography studios in Orange County. I had also just started working full-time as a marketing strategist at a kitchen appliance company.

I stayed at the desk job for a month. I hated it. I turned in my letter of resignation and I took my paycheck to buy a new camera (Canon 5D Mark IV). As soon as I quit, I worked for Lin & Jirsa Photography whenever I could.

I was also working my own gigs, shooting whatever I could get my hands on. From June to December of 2018, I worked as many gigs as I could take, and I used most of my income to buy more gear (speedlites and strobes, more lenses, stands, tripods, a gimbal, a drone, a new computer, new monitors, etc.).

2019 was my trial year. My goal was to prove that I could provide for myself with this career path. I ended up making the same amount as my marketing 9-5 desk job as a freelance photographer. That’s when I realized that my passion for photography is also economically sustainable.

Now it’s 2020, and I am a proud wedding/event/commercial photographer/videographer. I’ve worked over 80+ weddings and shot for companies like UPS, Adobe, and EastWest Bank. And recently, I’ve had more free time to make videos for fun, too!

Has it been a smooth road?
Definitely not. Choosing to become a freelance photographer was mentally exhausting. I was constantly doubting my ability to make enough money to support myself, my parents, and my future family. It was like driving through deep fog. I could not predict how this was going to play out.

Being raised by Chinese immigrants in a predominantly Asian environment, pursuing a creative “unstable” job is highly frowned upon; it probably the worst socioeconomic decision one could make.

I always compared myself to my peers, especially after college. Postgraduation was rough. Most of my colleagues were either working full-time as consultants, educators, or engineers, or they were applying to school to pursue becoming a doctor, nurse, lawyer, or pharmacist.

In hindsight, I wish I didn’t worry so much. Everything worked out (thank God), and my company has been seeing continual growth. To this day, many people still negatively judge my career choice. Honestly though, I couldn’t care less because I’m proud of what I do and how far I’ve come. There will always be bumps along the road, but I love what I do and I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Joshua Chun Photography – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
My photography business consists of me and a few other photographers. We specialize in wedding photography and videography, and our style is sharp and vibrant, with a balance of candid and stylized posing. I think what separates us from a lot of other wedding photographers is that we’re comfortable with off-camera lighting, which means we can shoot in all kinds of lighting conditions unlike “natural light photographers.”

Apart from weddings, we also shoot corporate events, products, family portraits, and editorial/fashion portraits. I think that’s what sets us apart as well. We take pictures of everything that’s important to our clients, whether it’s their wedding day, family, business, dog–you name it.

I’m confident in our abilities and work-ethic shows it. The most important thing to me as a photography business owner is ensuring that my clients are happy with their photographs.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Being raised in Los Angeles definitely has its perks. People from around the world reside here in LA. The diversity of ethnic backgrounds brings different perspectives, cultures, and of course, delicious food. LA is also filled with cool locations for photography/videography; you can be up in the mountains, immersed in the city, and then chill at the beach all in one day!

Everyone in LA is pretty much everyone is a creative, which is perfect for collaborations and staying inspired. However, some may say that’s a bad thing because there’s a lot of competition.

If there’s one the I hate, it’s LA traffic, and parking is expensive and difficult to find. Also, it can be a dangerous place, especially at night.

Overall, LA is a cool place, like every city it has its pros and cons, but I definitely think the pros outweigh the cons!

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Anna Ger, Jasmyn Bagonghasa, Joshua Chun

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