Korean American photographer Juliana Sohn, whose portraits and photo essays have been published in The New York Times, Time, and The Wall Street Journal, has generously donated a family portrait session ($3,300 value) to benefit KACF. Enter the drawing to win this special opportunity to capture priceless moments with your family! Scroll down for the details and browse Juliana’s portfolio of work here or on her website.

Portrait Session Details

1. The family portrait session includes: (3) fully retouched high-resolution digital files, (3) 8×10 inkjet prints, and retouching requests (small files will be available for review within 48 hours of the shoot for you to make requests and selections).

2. The session will require three hours (minimum) of your time and must be redeemed within one year of the drawing date.
3. The photographer can travel within one hour of New York City. If the shoot requires over one hour of travel from NYC, the winner must cover the cost of travel.
4. Additional set ups and grouping are available upon request for $500 per grouping.

How to Enter the Raffle: To enter the raffle, make a donation directly to KACF through the form linked below. Every $25 you donate earns you one raffle entry. You’re allowed unlimited entries (ex: $50 = 2 raffle entries, $100 = 4 raffle entries). Please add “FAMILY PORTRAIT” as a note when making your contribution.

Entry Period: Monday, July 18, 2022 – Monday, July 25, 2022

One winner will be selected in a random drawing and announced on Tuesday, July 26, 2022.

Funds raised will support KACF’s work to promote the economic empowerment of Korean Americans.

Meet Juliana Sohn

Tell us about yourself!

I immigrated to America when I was five years old and grew up in suburban new Jersey, the middle daughter of three girls. I studied photography at RISD and currently live in NYC where I make my art and commerce. My great clients like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, LinkedIn, and MIT enable me to make personal work centered on capturing and creating memories. Family portraiture and Legacy Portraits are the heart of this work. Additionally, I co-created and co-host K-Pod, a podcast featuring Korean Americans in arts and culture for the nonprofit, Korean American Story.

How would you describe your family portraits and process?

Every family is unique so I listen to each family’s ideas and needs before discussing locations and art direction. We talk through groupings, order, and pacing of the shoot with the aim to best reflect their family and fit their needs, which helps everyone feel comfortable, enjoy the experience, and results in natural expressions, allowing the personalities in the family to shine. I encourage relaxed rather than formal set ups. I’m happy to document the next family gathering in the city, at the weekend house, or favorite park outing.  

How did you first start giving back through photography? 

As a creative artist and small business owner, I’ve often had more expertise than funds to contribute to a cause. I have used my creativity to fundraise or volunteered for communities I wanted to support, like my kids’ public school. I’ve offered Legacy portraits to the elderly at Korean churches and senior centers, photographed dogs in need of adoption for the animal rescue non-profit, Social Tee’s, to name a few. Giving back through photography is time consuming but also an incredibly enriching experience; I meet people I wouldn’t have met otherwise and it expands my understanding of my community. 

What inspires you to support KACF? 

Many years ago, a friend suggested I reach out to KACF to apply for funding to support my Legacy Portrait project. I had never heard of KACF and when I was connected with Brennan Gang, she kindly informed me that KACF did not fund individual artists but she introduced me to a few organizations she thought may be interested in my project. Those introductions resulted in me making some of my best work and it was the start of a close relationship with the amazing people behind Korean American Story, with whom I started the podcast, K-Pod. I am still thankful that instead of just turning me away, Brennan connected me with people whose continuing support and friendship have been priceless.  

What is your hope for our community? 

The Korean American community is incredibly diverse, though I used to think of it was mainly an overachieving monolith because the achievers receive a lot of media attention. I recently learned that many of these achievers formed a wide network of Korean American nonprofits to actively engage in helping our community. I’ve been to a few fundraisers for KA organizations and it’s an indescribable feeling to sit in a room full of hundreds of Korean Americans coming together to celebrate and support each other. I hadn’t realized that I had been a little lonely for more Korean community and now that I’ve found it, I am feeling more comfortable being a little, in the words of Min Jin Lee, “extra Asian” these days. This means mainstreaming my Asian side instead of keeping the Korean and American parts of me compartmentalized, which I hadn’t realized I had been doing.  So, I hope other Korean Americans who are seeking more Korean community go to an event at one of the many organizations, volunteer, or find a way to connect with other KA’s that feels comfortable for them.