Rising Stars: Meet Andrew Bui of Orange County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Bui.

Hi Andrew, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was part of the junior high generation where camera phones were just becoming a thing—I think my first one was a plasticky Samsung with a 0.3 megapixel camera. Considering today’s iPhone has 48 megapixels it was basically a toy but I was hooked, taking mediocre photos of the sky or a palm tree and adding a very intense filter before uploading it to Facebook. No one told me though that outside of shooting weddings being a photographer was a legitimate career path.

I ended up going to college for business but then took a few post-grad detours cooking professionally and working in food journalism; I finally gave photography an honest chance after getting laid off from my staff editor position. That pivot was back in 2019 and so far it’s been the career I’ve stuck with the longest and still genuinely enjoy when I wake up. (I was also able to retire my running joke that I just really love climbing the ladder of low-paying jobs.)

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think anyone who goes on the freelance journey has this idea the first three years will be rough but then it magically transitions to non-stop bookings, smooth-sailing, and maybe a loyal Instagram following. I’m six years into this career and there’s still slower months where I’m bed-rotting and wondering if I should’ve followed a more traditional route. There are days where I’m in a shame spiral because I absolutely messed up on a shoot (a ‘when’, not ‘if’ scenario if you consider yourself a creative in any capacity). I even question the longevity and sustainability of this field in the advent of A.I.

While I won’t sugarcoat that the lows can be trying, the highs, after all this time, are still absolutely worth it. I’ll never forget cashing my very first freelance check and to get to wake up on a Monday and look forward to what I do is a perk I don’t take for granted.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an interiors, food, and still-life photographer splitting my time between Southern California and New York. I’m drawn towards creating timeless work that’s been featured in titles including Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Food & Wine, and Modern Luxury.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Back in college I read “The Crossroads of Should and Must” by Elle Luna and make it a point to re-read it annually to remind myself why I continue to do what I do. I’ve also been on a big queer literature kick lately: ‘Swimming in the Dark’ by Tomasz Jedrowski is a shorter but devastating story with excellent prose; ‘Out of the Shadows’ by Walt Odets, which explores gay identity in the U.S. had me highlighting every other line.

And even if it’s not directly photo-related, I think consuming any form of media that can hone your worldview (and thus your creative perspective) is such an important practice as an artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.andrew-bui.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/andrew.bui
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewtbui/

Image Credits
Andrew Bui