Meet Jenna Kim | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenna Kim and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenna, why did you pursue a creative career?
Passion for me has never been loud or all-consuming, but quietly persistent and gratifying in myriad ways.
The joy of the craft was always enough, before it was income-producing or garnering any kind of positive feedback. I’d be so drawn to examples of excellence that struck me with wonder and that “how did they do that!” feeling, and I’d scour ever resource possible to try and figure out how to emulate what I saw.

Eventually, friends started asking for grad or family photos, and even started offering to pay for it, and I was like maybe there’s something here!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It’s been a journey through varied genres of photography and varied levels of intensity. I’ve settled into a balance between my business and a day job that I also love that allows me more freedom and flexibility in taking on the kind of photo gigs and projects that I want.

Owning a creative business is fulfilling but challenging, but it’s up to every person to determine where they want to fall on the hustle spectrum. Aspiring higher comes at a cost but may be worthwhile. Having a separate source of income limits the scope of my business but allows me to take on more personal projects that may be less lucrative.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Activities:
– Hiking through Malibu Creek State Park to try and catch some of the wildflowers
– Biking down Marvin Braude in Santa Monica
– Beach picnic at El Matador

Eat/Drink:
– Double matcha from Stagger Coffee
– Hojicha latte from Thank You Coffee
– Boba from Chun Yang Tea
– Breakfast burritos from Antojitos
– Street tacos from Tacos Tamix
– Sullungtang (Korean bone broth beef noodle soup) from YukDaeJang
– Jade noodle bowl from Luv2Eat
– Drinks & biscuits at Thunderbolt

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people I have to thank from across the years, but one standout is my harabuji (Korean word for grandpa), who gave me my first little Olympus point-and-shoot digital camera when I was 11 years old, having a love of photography himself. I was over the moon and carried that camera with me everywhere I went and falling in love with capturing memories visually. Despite the cultural leanings of his upbringing, he always believed in me and my capacity for pursuing excellence in academia, hobbies, and all facets of life, even as a girl.

Website: https://www.jennakimphoto.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennakimphoto

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-kim-76686958

Image Credits
Jenna Kim Photography