Photographer Rick Kim was suggested to me as a possible interview for Serial Optimist by a mutual friend. After one look at his work, I knew we had to speak with him. Not only are his fashion photos stunning, but he has beautiful portrait work and has traveled extensively – over 15 countries in 4 continents. He started out in advertising, but like a true Serial Optimist left to pursue his dream of fashion photography in the city he loved. Read on to be inspired!

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Serial Optimist: Hi, Rick! Thank you SO much for taking time to speak with us! Please tell us where you grew up, and how long you have been based in New York.

Rick Kim: I grew up in small Chicago suburb north of the city. I moved to NY after five years in Chicago working in advertising. I’ve now been here for about almost four years come Christmas. It’s a hustle but I love this city to the heart.

SO: From stalking you online, I learned that you were Art Director both at Ogilvy & Mather and Digitas. Can you explain what exactly that entails, and how and why you made the transition into a full-time fashion photographer?

Rick: Oh – advertising is a brutal business but a good one. 🙂 I worked as an Integrated Art Director working on anything from print, digital campaigns, to online video productions. It’s really about story telling and cross selling a product in your campaign to really tie emotions to a product or service.

I gave blood and sweat to agency life and had the ideas of leaving before I moved to NY. But the transitions was smooth as it could be, I guess. I just one day wanted to just focus primarily on photography.  It’s a great industry as I can always go back and freelance.

SO: So then at what point did you realize that you wanted to do photography professionally? What made you specifically focus on fashion?

Rick: I was standing in front of Buckingham Fountain on my first fashion shoot. I couldn’t believe that someone was actually paying me to photograph this girl. It didn’t feel like work at all, and I loved it. My cousin got married in New York that fall which really showed me how much I love this city, and shortly after I moved here to pursue fashion photography.  Fashion photography is so ever changing and beautiful in the stories you can tell. It’s a fast moving target cause the new lines are always running right behind the next and there’s always new talent. Although fashion portraiture and fashion erotica is something I’m moving my work towards.

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SO: That sounds amazing! But now as a professional photographer, do you feel like you’re doing “work” or is it still just as exciting and satisfying as if it were a passion/hobby?

Rick: Great question –  there is some grind that does feel like work. Like writing proposals, pitching business, and long edits from really big shoots.  But I rarely ever refer to shooting as “work”. It’s just amazing being able to capture a moment whether it’s fashion or portrait and know that you have that image and know when you captured them in the best possible way. It’s always so fun to photograph people that don’t like to be photographed. It a challenge and I love getting to know that person and the image. This part is beautiful.

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SO: How collaborative are you shoots? For example, with a fashion catalog shoot, I don’t imagine you would have a lot of creative freedom. Are you able to create your own concepts, or do you have to seek approval from the client? What other challenges do you face?

Rick: Actually coming from an Art Direction background, I tend to have a lot of say and opinion on how things should or shouldn’t look. It all depends on the client and how you build that relationship. I also photo direct sets for Ralph Lauren and work closely with the photographer as well. So I move back and forth from art direction and photography from time to time.

I love collaborating with idea people, ’cause it’s all about the idea and story you want to tell in your images. If I’m shooting editorial I usually present the idea and the the magazine will pick it up if they like it or enjoy the fashion styling.  Other challenges are a meeting the right client that fits my photographic style. Working as and art director previously –  I know that people hire photographer for their consistency style. They wanna expect the same results as they saw in your book. Or they hire you cause you shot something unusual and unique and that’s what they are looking for specifically.

SO: Tell us about one of your favorite photo shoots. Do you get a pretty good idea of how the photos will turn out as you are shooting (digital) or is it generally a surprise? Do you ever use film?

Rick: One of my favorite shoots – hmm a tough one. I really love portraits actually. Recently photographed Nary Manviong and Ally Hilfiger who launched fashion label NAHM together. They were a lot of fun and easy to photograph. I have a pretty good idea of what the image will look like cause I shoot mostly digital, but I shoot a lot of high speed BW film on my Yashica T4. I love this camera and it’s so unassuming but creates some of my best shots.  Also photographed a good friend’s father and former lyricist of the Grateful Dead – John Barlow. I did a two day session with him and that was a great story and very real.

Another great shoot – I guess when I did a portrait series of these kids in Boliva via the Peace Corps and the older of the two who was 12 was humbly telling me how he is the head of the family cause his parents were away working in Spain and Italy sending money home. He had a broken arm and was telling me he still goes to church every sunday.

Before I shoot there is a lot of planning, scouting, storyboarding, and sometimes pose sketches. I pull swipe and try make sure everyone is on the same page so there are no surprises when we get the results. I do shoot film often and back most shoots with some high speed black a white. I love these shots the best and always try to push for them.

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SO: What artists/photographers/fashion designers inspire you?

Rick: Many older classic photographers I am inspired by. Guy Bourdin, Helmut Newton, and Peter Lindbergh are probably my favorites. Some newer modern photographers are Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, Glen Luchford, Steven Miesel, Greg Kadel, Camllia Akrans, oh and Paolo Roversi has AMAZING portraits.
David Bellemere has amazing nudes.

Designers I LOVE: Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, umm Timo Wieland a new rising star has got some awesome stuff. Oh Jason Wu amazing as well.

SO: Love Jason Wu! Who are your dream designer and model to work with and what would you shoot?

Rick: Wow tough questions, but the late Alexander McQueen. I would love to work with his team and make a beautiful story. His past work have been so inspirational and visionary. He is a master in his craft. Martin Margiela is outstanding and would love to his line along with Jason Wu.

I’d love to work with Christy Turlington – Hands down. But there are so many great models right now – Abby Lee Kershaw I think she is amazing. Fardau Van Der Wal I just discovered on models.com. She photographs incredibly well. I would also love to photograph Cate Blanchet she is an incredibly talented actor and I think she is stunning.   Enikoa Milalik looks like she’d be so kind.  Sorry but another actor would be Daniel Day Lewis, he is outstanding and also very very humble and I think he would be good to photograph. Did you know he is a cobbler?

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SO: You’ve traveled extensively. Tell us about one of your most incredible experiences.

Rick: I went to Asia twice this winter in 2010. The most recent trip I went to Singapore, Shanghai, and Seoul. My most incredible experience traveling was probably when I was backpacking in Morocco just after 9/11. I was staying in a tiny not so lavish hostel in Tangier and partly reminded me of what the bathroom looks like in the Fight Club. Tangier which is also referred to as the armpit of Morocco by many travel books. So anyways there were two gentlemen that followed my friends and I to the hostel from the boat we took from Spain. They were relentless on selling us places to stay or goods – relentless and resilient. The next morning I was awoke at sunrise by chants in the streets. I looked out the window which had no glass and only wood blind shutters and I could catch a reflection on the stone walls of people walking the streets with candles chanting prayer. I was so unfamiliar with Muslim culture and so it quite an experience.

SO: What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?

Rick: Well I am working on a portrait book right now. It’s titled “Orgasm Deconstructed: Women”. It’s a book exploring the relationship between orgasm, self expression, and self discovery. Communicating the commonalities of 24 different women in a collection of portraits- at the peak of sexual release. This is a case study of women and their personal evolution as sexual beings: their journeys, differences, similarities, and ability to enjoy or cope with the build and release of sexual tension. In conjunction with the photographs, interviews were conducted where each woman described their early sexual experiences, how these experiences have developed over time, and their emotional connection to orgasm. An accompanyment to this collection will be released as a second volume, titled “Men”. The photographic technique is shot in available light. All subjects are shot in their home, in their most comfortable environment.

I’m also working on a few fashion editorials that I’d love for you to come on set and participate. This interview and my morning coffee has inspired a new project. I’m going to work on a portrait series of people in their own space, a day in the life of people I know.  Also recently helped launch a magazine been running a column on the website called Model Friday’s. We focus on interviewing a new model every week to feature on the website and then feature in the print issue.

SO: Inspiring each other!!  We’ll definitely take you up on the offer to come on set, and thanks again for talking with us!

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SO Note: Make sure and check out Rick’s website rickkimphotography.com, and follow him on Twitter @redfoxxone. All images are owned by Rick Kim and cannot be reproduced.