MJ KIM: Paul McCartney’s Photographer On The Journey From a Forced Coincidence To Finding His True Self In Photography

MJ Kim is a photographer who believes that the most important thing in portrait photography is for people to be truly seen; that landscapes should be more than just a beautiful visual — they should convey atmosphere; and that concert shots should evoke new feelings every time and remain unique.

For him, photography is about living moments. Not about perfection, but about that very frame he captures during the many years of touring with Paul McCartney — even when it’s the completely unglamorous view from a hotel window.

In portrait photography, it always starts with a conversation — with contact and presence. Only then does everything become real.

MJ Kim has been Paul McCartney’s personal photographer since 2008 and recently returned from McCartney’s months-long Get Back 2025 tour across North America. He has created profound portraits of Johnny Depp, Michael Jackson, Natalie Portman, and many others, and has documented key moments that have become part of music history.

His path in photography began by chance. He simply needed a job — and became a photojournalist in London. That decision became a turning point, the very accident that shaped his future and led him to who he is today.

About how he senses “the moment,” the hardest and most important part of touring with Paul McCartney, his project Rooms Without A View, and the mission he carries as a photographer — shared with Asya Radko, founder of Drive Music Media.

Interviewer: Your career began with a forced job as a photojournalist at a media outlet — a coincidence that became your calling. At what point did you realize that photography was an inseparable part of your life, and what draws you to this field the most?

MJ Kim: I never dreamed of becoming a photographer or a photojournalist. While studying film in the UK as an international student, I found myself working as a photojournalist almost by accident — and, to be honest, I didn’t have many other options at the time. I had to work hard simply to survive, and somewhere along that path, I began to enjoy it. That enjoyment slowly turned into an obsession.

In the beginning, I was deeply inspired by war photographers such as Don McCullin and James Nachtwey. I had enormous respect for the courage, integrity, and honesty in their work. Over time, however, my focus gradually shifted. I became increasingly drawn to portraiture — to the quiet intensity of a face, the stories held in someone’s eyes, and the kind of human truth that often can’t be expressed in words.

Interviewer: What exactly did you photograph during your work at the newspaper — what stands out the most? What has stayed in your memory from that time forever?

MJ Kim: I photographed all kinds of news happening in London every day — both big and small. Starting around 2000, entertainment photography really began to boom, and I found myself covering more and more film premieres and celebrity events. Over time, I ended up shooting entertainment assignments even more often than general social news.

Interviewer: Does your working principle align more with a photographic artist or a photographer? How do you feel during the process, and what do you pay attention to first when you arrive at a shoot?

MJ Kim: What’s the real difference between a “photographic artist” and a “photographer”? To me, it’s mostly a difference in wording, not a difference in what we actually do. In the end, we’re both making images.

When it comes to portraiture, the most important thing for me is connection. I focus first on building real rapport with the subject — because once that trust is there, everything opens up. After that, the key question becomes: how do I paint this person with light? That’s where the portrait really takes shape.

For live performances, my mindset shifts. I’m constantly thinking about where to stand and which lens to use to capture the energy in front of me in the most alive, dynamic way — without ever getting in the artist’s way or disrupting the performance.

 

Interviewer: Do you prefer candid photography or staged, artistic or glossy? Why do you lean that way?

MJ Kim: I don’t really see it as an either/or. Depending on the project, you need to be able to use all of those approaches well — candid or staged, artistic or glossy.

For me, the key is to match the visual language to the purpose of the work. In a way, you have to be like a chameleon: adapt your style to the subject, the brief, and the story you’re trying to tell.

Interviewer: What behind-the-scenes moments do beginners in photography not expect? What did you yourself not anticipate, what came easiest, and what was most difficult? Why?

MJ Kim: What beginners often don’t expect is that photography is only a small part of the job. A lot of the real work happens behind the scenes — waiting, negotiating access, dealing with strict time windows, permissions, releases, and approvals. On bigger jobs, you’re also navigating a whole ecosystem of people: managers, publicists, producers, security, clients. You can have the skills, but if you don’t understand how to move respectfully within that system, you won’t last.

What I personally didn’t anticipate in the beginning was how much success would depend on trust and communication — not just the camera. Especially with portraits, the image is rarely about the “perfect” lighting first. It’s about making the person feel safe enough to be themselves. And in live concerts, it’s about being invisible, reading the rhythm of the show, and still delivering something powerful under pressure.

What came easiest for me was reading people and sensing the moment — knowing when the real expression is about to appear, or when the energy is about to peak on stage. I think that comes from being present and genuinely interested in people, not just the shot.

The most difficult part has been consistency over time: delivering at a high level every single time, no matter the conditions — bad light, tight access, long hours, unpredictable situations — and still making the images feel fresh. That’s the challenge, because the job demands both discipline and sensitivity at the same time.

 

Interviewer: Your collaboration with Paul McCartney began a decade ago. Can you recall your first shoot and how you got the job? What did you feel when you saw the shots — not in terms of success, but in the meaning you found in them?

MJ Kim: My very first shoot with Paul wasn’t a concert. It was at a gallery in London, photographing him as he curated an exhibition of Linda McCartney’s photographs.

I got the job through Stuart Bell, Paul’s long-time publicist. Stuart and I had worked together on the Spice Girls tour, and when that went well, he introduced me to Paul.

When I saw the shots, I wasn’t thinking about success at all — I just genuinely hoped Paul would like the photographs I’d taken of him.

Interviewer: Which of the photographs you’ve taken with Paul holds the most special significance for you? Why?

MJ Kim: There are honestly too many to choose from, because each period has meant something different. But a few stand out immediately.

One is the moment at the White House when Paul received the Gershwin Prize and met President Obama — it felt like photographing a piece of cultural history, not just a performance. Another is the first time he played a concert in Seoul in 2015. Being there to document that milestone was incredibly meaningful to me, both personally and professionally.

And then there are the portraits. Concert images capture energy and scale, but the portraits feel more intimate — they reflect who Paul is in the quieter moments. Those photographs carry a different kind of weight, and that’s why they stay with me.

Interviewer: Beyond this, you’ve photographed famous people like Johnny Depp and Michael Jackson. Can you tell us about Michael? You took some of his last photos during the announcement of This Is It. What was that experience like for you?

MJ Kim: Michael Jackson’s music was the soundtrack of my life growing up, so meeting him didn’t feel completely real at first.

The first time I met him was backstage at the O2 in London. We were introduced and shook hands — it was only a brief moment, but I still remember the warmth of it. There was a gentleness and kindness that stayed with me.

We were meant to meet again because I was going to be the photographer for the This Is It tour. That’s why the whole experience is still painful to think about. It was heartbreaking — not just because of what happened, but because there was so much anticipation and promise in that moment, and it ended far too soon.

Interviewer: People. Many people are afraid of the camera — how do you handle this? How do you help someone open up?

MJ Kim: Even if someone is a professional model or actor, most people still feel tense in front of a camera. My first step is always to ease them in with small talk, then quickly find something they genuinely care about and build the conversation around that. When people start talking about what interests them, their guard drops naturally — and that’s when the real expressions come through.

To do that well, you need more than technical skill. You need a natural sense of conversation and the ability to make someone feel comfortable and seen.

Interviewer: Paul McCartney’s concerts are a completely different kind of photography. The energy is insane, and the pace is totally different… which moments are the most important to you, and which were the most challenging from a photographer’s perspective? What challenges do you face during a shoot, and how do you handle them? Can you recall a particular moment?

MJ Kim: I’ve been photographing Paul’s concerts since 2008, so I’ve shot hundreds of shows. Over the years I’ve photographed from almost every possible position, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I know the flow of the show — and the venue spaces — inside out.

But the biggest challenge, every single time, is this: even though the concerts are often similar in structure, I still have to create something new — images that feel fresh and alive, and that will genuinely make Paul happy. That means I can’t just repeat what I did last time. I have to stay fully present, keep searching for different light, new angles, and those small, unrepeatable moments of expression and connection that happen only once.

That constant pressure — to deliver something familiar yet completely new — is what makes it the most intense kind of photography, and it’s also what keeps me sharp.

Interviewer: Being a photographer isn’t just about capturing great shots — it’s about feeling the shot, knowing that this is the one. Perhaps you could share works from any period, of people or nature, that represent that moment for you.

MJ Kim: Photography isn’t only about capturing something that looks “good.” It’s about recognizing a moment that feels true — the kind of moment where you just know this is the frame. That feeling usually comes before you even check the screen. It’s instinct, timing, and emotion lining up at once.

For me, those “this is the one” moments have happened in very different situations. With people, it’s often a split second when the mask drops — when someone stops performing and you see something honest in their eyes or posture. Some of my most meaningful images are portraits made in quiet, simple settings, where the connection between the subject and the camera becomes almost invisible.

With nature or city landscapes, it’s similar. I’m not chasing a postcard view — I’m chasing atmosphere. A certain light, a certain emptiness, or a feeling in the air that matches what’s inside me at that moment. Sometimes it’s the calm before a storm, sometimes it’s a lonely street that suddenly looks like a scene from another world. When all those elements align, the photograph feels less like something I “made” and more like something I was lucky enough to witness.

Interviewer: I really like your series of city photographs in Project 1. They feel alien, almost like a hint at the kind of disaster we’re slowly heading toward. Gray buildings built fast, with no deep foundation, pipes, empty spaces… how did the idea for this project come about? What feelings does it evoke for you?

MJ Kim: The core of the project is the “hotel room,” presenting views photographed through the windows of countless rooms I stayed in while touring with Paul McCartney since 2008.

Over many years, I consistently documented these everyday scenes and introduced the series publicly through this show.

The title 'Rooms Without A View' points to spaces without a glamorous “view,” focusing instead on ordinary windowscapes shaped by unfamiliar rooms, unfamiliar time zones, and the repetition of travel.

The work began not as something to show others, but as a straightforward act of pressing the shutter — without tricks — on whatever was in front of me.

Through the window frame, the emotions behind the spectacle of touring quietly surface: solitude, fatigue, and jet lag.

Each city’s atmosphere becomes a reflection of inner state — bright, cold, or empty — so that place reads like psychology, and landscape becomes feeling.

Interviewer: What projects are you working on right now? What are you able to share so far?

MJ Kim: I’m currently in the early stages of developing a few new projects. It’s still in the planning phase, so I can’t share too many details yet, but I’ll be able to say more once the direction is finalized.

Interviewer: What is your mission as a photographer? What do you hope to convey to people through your images?

MJ Kim: My mission as a photographer is simple: I hope my images can make people a little happier. No matter what kind of photograph it is — portrait, performance, or documentary — if someone feels even a small lift, a moment of comfort, or a spark of joy from my work, then I’ve done what I came to do.

Interviewer: What word do you associate with your journey in photography and with your photographs? Why that word?

MJ Kim: The word I associate with my journey—and with my photographs — is “gift.”

Photography came into my life like a gift, unexpectedly, and it has stayed with me ever since. And when I give my photographs to others, I’ve seen how they can make people genuinely happy — so in many ways, the work becomes a gift I can pass on.

 

The interview was written by Asya Radko. Pictures were provided by MJ Kim