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. 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 photojournalism. 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.

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...

Christmas w/ the Kim Family

December 27, 2009 Miscellaneous Goodness

Found a card reader! Update time, baby.

You met my family for Thanksgiving and one month later we congregrated once again for dinner at the Kim home. My mom outdid herself this year with a superfluous feast of ham, roast beef, cabbage & bacon salad, corn bread, kimchi (you’d only understand if you’re korean or “cultured”), rice and much, much more to satisfy our Korean-American taste buds. She usually whips up a fusion of foods from both traditional backgrounds. Best of both worlds, what can I say?

This season, for me, screamed DIY-themed Christmas presents…meaning I made most my gifts (pictures of those to come later). I love making things for my loved ones but it takes a lot more time than just running to the store and purchasing a gift card (although gift cards are amazing, i’m not gonna lie) which is the temptation for the busy-body in me. Due to the great length of time involved in creating something worth oohing and ahhing about I never have anything to show for my DIY projects other than pictures. Since I have no tangible display of my made-with-TLC creations, I get super excited when I receive gifts that are hand crafted; a certain giddiness sparks within me and the world just begins to look better! This is all to say that my good ‘ol faithful ‘lil grandma knitted me a pair of socks that I’m currently wearing. I love homemade wearable/usable/practical gifts!