Seung Michelle Photography bio picture

Michelle Seung-Mi Kim

Good day! My name is Michelle.  My Korean name is Seung-Mi (the "eu" of "Seung" is pronounced like the "ou" in "would").  Put the two names together and you get Seung Michelle.  

Moving on...

I grew up in front of the camera.  My photo-hobbyist mother loved taking pictures of me and I loved having my picture taken.  I eventually transferred my ability to be in the center of attention to pursue the entertainment industry and got a bit of television-time.  I had always had a natural inclination to entertain and be under the spotlight...you would never find me behind the scenes.     

My dreams, goals and much of what I grew up to know about myself began to take a shift when I atypically picked up a newspaper and came across this image taken by Pulitzer Prize winner Renee C. Byer.  Chills permeated through my body.  My heart simultaneously smiled and ached.  This photograph had got my attention to say the least.  After reading the supplementary article I found out it was part of a photo essay.  I had never seen a photo essay before nor had I ever heard of a photojournalist.  My gut had decided for me that I was supposed to be a photographer so I could capture moments like that.      

As I started my first year at UC Irvine as a Literary Journalism major, I put my mini-revelation on the back burner.  

I eventually purchased my first DSLR and began to awkwardly and uncomfortably expose myself as an amateur photographer.  I took my camera everywhere and took pictures of everything.  I faced more discouragement than auspiciousness, more insecurities than confidence...but I was determined to get better.  

I have been shooting professionally for the past year now and have been blessed with so many neat opportunities.  Whether I'm capturing moments and producing images at a wedding, for non-profits, on the street, or in the studio I am exercising a God-infused creativity and craft.  It's incredible the joy that I receive from actively pursuing a gift that doesn't require me to be at the center of it.

I am still developing my style and I thank you for partaking in the beginning stages of this process.  I disclaim that you will see many changes (good and bad but hopefully more good) in the next coming months and years as I grow as a person and a photographer.  I don't consider myself an artist because I am not creating anything new or beautiful out of nothing.  I essentially take what is available and attempt to visually maximize it's content.  I am the first to point out that I am not the best but I can say that I do and bring forth my best. 

In my perfect world, once I graduate, I would like to expand my photographic endeavors by traveling the world, working with various organizations that advocate issues I am passionate about and visually documenting for them.  This would, of course, be in addition to working full-time as a freelance photographer for weddings, fashion, food, music, commercial, editorial, etc.  Maybe I will end up doing all these things, maybe not...but I'm not worried about it because God always exceeds my greatest hopes, dreams and expectations.    

Look what he did to a girl who never thought would spend a day behind a camera...     

Inspiration & Aspirations

Since the dabbling stages of my photo trek, I have come across a countless numbers of photographers.  Most bad, some good, few great.  Below is a compilation of people who inspire me to continue challenging myself as a young photographer.  It’s a diverse group of talent and style that simultaneously discourage and uplift me.  Discouraging because how in the world can I ever get that good??  I should just throw in the towel and succumb to mindless, unprofitable shutter clicking for the rest of my life.  Uplifting because I end up getting over my lame pity parties and realize that at 20 years young, I have come a long way, have a lot to learn and better not quit now!  Anyways, I hope that the following photographs and its brilliant capturer stirs up a certain euphoria through its beautiful and intentional aesthetic.  Don’t stop after scrolling, take the time to click through the links and experience for yourself the entirety of each photographer’s gift & glory.

Afton Almaraz

007

Trevor Hoehne

Screen shot 2010-02-05 at 12.09.13 AM

Esther Havens

esther

Sean Flanigan

sean

Christian Rios

IMG_2110

Richard Avedon

Veruschka, Dress by Kimberly, New York, January 1967

Annie Leibovitz

annie-leibovitz1

Mario Testino

testino

NOTE: the images were cropped in order to fit this post and thus some images are poorer in quality and content as originally produced by the photographer

Engagement//Kayti & Nick

Part 1: Kayti & Nick were friends from youth.  Just friends.  Not friends with benefits.

Part 2: Kayti developed a hushed crush on Nick but thought nothing of it because he ended up leaving town for ROTC and school.  Nick realized that he fancied Kayti.  He comes back home during a holiday break, asks her out to coffee and the rest is history.

Part 3: Despite their simple and beautiful love story, the engagement was anything but mundane. After much planning, decorating and making contacts Nick gathered his closest friends to help in propose to Kayti at one of their most special locations–Disneyland!  They spent the day together in the happiest place on earth and come evening time, they enter a lobby where Nick nervously asks the fatigued Kayti to dance.  Nick had asked the pianist to play a Michael Buble tune and as Kayti spins around and releases her hand’s grip with her beau’s, Nick bends down on one knee, ring in hand and his friends from up above drop down a long poster asking the bride-to-be to marry him.

Such a sweet, loving couple.

IMG_1174

IMG_1296

IMG_1231

IMG_1319

IMG_1389

IMG_1400

IMG_1591

IMG_1442

IMG_1434

IMG_1474

IMG_1625

IMG_1667

IMG_1639

IMG_1524

Olivia

My dear and beautiful friend from back home.  She was my very first model “way back when” I just started photography.  I am going to need to go through my archive and find some of those pictures to compare how she’s matured into the stunning women that she is and how I’ve (hopefully) improved as a photographer!

IMG_9731

IMG_9751

FIG Fashion Shoot #2

Last quarter, the UCI Fashion Interest Group and I came together for our first editorial shoot.  Winter quarter has arrived and the Diana Kang, the president of FIG, collaborated once again for an edgier, “color” take.  Here is the initial vision Diana pitched via email:

“I am thinking dark clothes or bright & colorful. big dresses…BIG BIG everything!”

Visual inspiration:

modeloftheweek6

I had in mind a twist between the new Juicy Couture ads and the latest Badgley Mischka line which is a bit more on the demure side.  Diana does not mess around when it comes to fashion so when she pitches a vision, I take it seriously and know that if I do my part the rest of the FIG team would do theirs to make it happen on an uber-budget.  We shot in a UCI student’s girly vintage home which was just fantastic.  Mirrors, frill, pillows, pastel hues everywhere!  Love.

Clothes were provided for from Miss Kang’s closet and the accessories were from Anna Belen, a fabulous jewelry store located in the East Coast.

Natalya worked her magic and busted out the brows for our female models.

I hope you enjoy what you what pretty things you see…

IMG_0231

IMG_0195

IMG_0144

IMG_0327

IMG_0488

Anyone care for a cup o’ edge?

IMG_0131

IMG_0021

IMG_0094

IMG_9932

IMG_9955-1

Ha. Ha. HA!

In preparation for a fashion shoot tomorrow, I gathered up a few friends to partake in a mock photo shoot in my very humble, college-student-esque abode.  Here are some shots from tonight that simply ooze pure silliness and fun.  I love a good guffaw.  What I love even more is capturing it…

IMG_9499

IMG_9419

IMG_9531

Thanks to my lovely room mates, Jenny & Katrina, for not only dealing with me as I turned our living room into a large makeshift studio but also stepping in for a bit of modeling fun.  Thanks to Jeremy & Viet for being such masterful and geometrically savvy lighting assistants. Thanks to Olivia for always being my go-to girl/model.  And finally, thank you Steven for coming in at the tail end of the shoot to rock a hot pink wig…you truly pulled it off.

Kristen & Jordan Wedding

IMG_8460

The time had finally come for the young couple to tie the knot.  The getting ready process was much calmer and peaceful than any pre-wedding experience I have ever shot.  I guess that’s what happens when you’re friends with the bride!  It was somewhat of a mini-reunion since I ended up seeing old friends from high school.  From the moment Kristen ran into my arms at Bare Escentuals from the last time I saw her (at the engagement session we did a few months prior) to the sparkler send-off finale, I felt completely at ease; feelings like these are often hard to come by during high-stress and demand events so I was extremely thankful to have had the privilege of documenting Kristen & Jordan’s special day.

Here we have the (then) bride to be …

IMG_8129

Bree (aka Tease Master) at work

IMG_8106

Just a little surprise for the bridesmaids right before slipping into her dress

IMG_8146

Such a classic beauty she is, right?

IMG_8300

Yup, they worked it.

IMG_8308

This was the first shot of this look…these ladies had natural sass & class, that’s all.

IMG_8272

Yeah, they worked it too…

IMG_8020

Because that’s what guys do…risk their lives just hours before making one of the most important decision of their lives!

IMG_8050-1

Handsome bunch indeed.

IMG_8074

Twas a Tim Burton-esque wedding…

IMG_8457

IMG_8513

& now for the bridal party!

IMG_8607

IMG_8639

IMG_8588

They are just so presh…yes, I said presh.

IMG_8713

IMG_8757

IMG_8747-1

IMG_8784

A few detail shots.

IMG_7912

IMG_8905

Candy bar? WHAT? I was totally all over that!

IMG_7884

Toast time

IMG_8879

Single ladies stick t-o-g-e-t-h-e-r during the couple dances.

IMG_9011

IMG_8950

IMG_9104

IMG_8996

These people know how to PAWTTTTY!

IMG_9190

IMG_9205

IMG_9236

IMG_9022

IMG_9223

Sparkler send-off!

IMG_9276

Congratulations to Kristen & Jordan.  I hope you are both having a wonderfully nomadic honeymoon!

OC//Film Edition

Just some random shots around Orange County courtesy of an old film camera.

025_26

030_32

026_27

029_31

027_29

Have yourself a restful day and don’t forget to pay a bit of tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. today.