We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nick Ahn. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nick below.

Hi Nick, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

With the improvement of photographic technology over the past few decades, nearly all photography is created with digital cameras these days. Between the iPhone’s artificial intelligence, digitally enhanced images straight out of camera, and mirrorless cameras capable of taking over 20 shots in a second, there is no doubt that photography has become easier and more accessible than ever before.

This new technology has brought so many advantages to the hands of photographers. Some of these advantages, among many others, include being able to hold down the shutter button and fire hundreds of photos to ensure never missing a moment, tack sharp autofocusing in a fraction of a second, and high-resolution images that can be cropped easily in post.

With all these advantages in modern day photography, it would seem there would be no reason to go backwards to the days of analog film. Film is expensive, developing takes time, effort, and even more money, old film cameras need to be maintained more due to their age, there are a limited number of shots before you run out of film, and digitizing takes even more time and money.

However, the more film photography I consumed, the more I fell in love with the look. The slightly off-color shifts, grain, artifacts, all make me feel like I am peering into a memory as opposed to seeing a “true to life” sterile image from a digital camera. Seeing so much character in film images gets me excited to try to find interesting subjects in what I would otherwise ignore.

To me, this is the beauty of the film medium. It brings out mystery and interest in places I would have never found with my fancy digital camera. The shooting experience forces me to look at the world differently. The process of developing and digitizing also makes these images feel so much more precious and real as compared to going through my SD card of 1000 digital photos and throwing out hundreds without a second thought. Being able to hold an image straight from light focusing through a lens and onto a sheet of film is also a special feeling. Film photography has opened my eyes to so many things I never thought I would find and I’m loving the journey.

In a fast-paced world in which immediate gratification is the norm, film photography fights against the grain (pun intended) and forces you to slow down and think more creatively. The images feel nostalgic and more real. Currently, the industry standard is crystal clear, true to life photography. Film challenges this standard and exposes a different way to view the entire photographic experience.

Nick, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Nick Ahn. I like to think of myself as a curious creative. I have so many interests that it’s hard to keep track of them all at times. My primary passion is photography and film photography. I love documenting life and being able to capture moments for others. My work is warm, colorful, and bold. I want my photos to elicit emotion and connection.

Film work is my primary focus these days. I love exploring the world of analog art. The character in film photos is something that just can’t be replicated. Taking film photos of clients is perhaps my favorite thing to do.

In line with my interest for analog and practical art, I have taken up animation in the past year. I try to merge stop-motion-animation with my life-long hobby of cardistry. I’ve recently started to do commissioned animation work for playing card brands in the community.

Overall, I love merging all my interests in creative ways and always try to create something new and unique. I consider myself a jack of all trades in that sense. Running wild with ideas and having the technical knowledge to bring them to life is what I hope to be known for.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative has to be bringing ideas to life. This is what also excites me about analog and practical art. Concepts that are just floating around in my mind can be brought into the world in a tangible form. Being able to touch light’s fingerprint on a roll of film or the paper that is used to create an animation is a surreal feeling.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

This is a really interesting question and something I’ve actually struggled with before. I used to think I wasn’t creative for the longest time. I had always looked at my older brother as the creative one. While he absolutely still is a juggernaut of creativity, I learned over the years that my creativity just takes on a different form. My creativity revolves around curiosity and lust for learning. I look at a new skill and think, “Man, wouldn’t it be neat if I could do that? And not only do it but do it differently than anyone else?” I think that staying curious breeds a certain type of creativity and wanting to learn enables it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nickahn.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickahnphoto/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nickahnphoto

Image Credits
Sam, Asia, Kaitlyn, Lara, Shruthi