This is a life in San Francisco as seen by Sandy Kim. I’m guessing her photography may be a love/hate thing with readers, but like them or loath them her images slap you in the face and drag you into her world. There are the parts of life that are beautiful, those that are mundane and those that are hands down nasty.
Documentation is something pretty much everyone tries to do in one way or another, especially when you are young and each happening holds so much significance in your ever-evolving life narrative. But it’s the genuine honesty in Sandy Kim’s photos that sets her apart. You can’t fake this shit! Her images tie together a clear portrait of both herself and her life. It’s not perfect but everything remains colourful, she never takes herself too seriously, doesn’t massively idealise and never acts like an angsty tween who only talks in third person.
Sandy Kim is obviously in love and just wants to have fun. She explained a few of her images and answered some quick questions for us.
Have you been on any adventures lately?
My boyfriend Colby left on tour 1 week ago and I’ve been going insane. So today I felt really impulsive and bought a ticket to Nashville to meet up with him in one week and do the rest of their tour. I’ll be documenting bands The Smith Westerns, Girls, and Magic Kids.
Where’s your favourite place to hang out in San Francisco?
My room. I love my room, and I never wanna leave my room. Sometimes I pile 10 people on my bed, 10 people on the floor and we party all night.
What do you shoot with?
Right now I have a simple point and shoot I bought from thrift town. It’s an olympus stylus zoom.
What’s your approach to photography?
Surround yourself with beautiful people.
What does this decade hold for you?
I wish I knew…
You can see some more here and follow her documenting the tour of Girls, The Smith Westerns, and Magic Kids.
Hope you enjoy, folks.
Colby and I got stoned and went on a late night ice cream journey. I was frustrated because I didn’t want to get dressed, then colby told me that I didn’t need to wear pants to the store and I knew he was right. I was on my period so you can see my pad sliding out of my underwear in this photo.
San Francisco at night.
Andrea and Jessica had been wrestling in the mud and decided to take a short smoke break. I thought they looked sexy so I took this photo.
Brett Nelson getting a midnight night snack.
Don’t hide it, everyone’s done this before.
Colby getting stoned in the meat refrigerator.
Colby pumping gas. I took this photo because I’m obsessed with taking Colby’s photo.
We had stayed up until the sun came up and I thought Joe looked really beautiful so I snuck a photo of him.
My friend Sterling was making a spare key at the hardware store. I was really bored so I rearranged the alphabet.
Colby at sunset in San Francisco. I like this photo because the sky looks beautiful and Colby looks scummy.
Sandy has just released an 80 page book of photographs, published by Unpiano Books. It’s in a limited edition of 500 so hurry and get it from here.