Taking photos for disabled people
Na Jong-min / Courtesy of Na Jong-min
By Chung Hyun-chae
Na Jong-min, 54, a businessman-turned-photographer, is running his own photo studio where people with disabilities are able to have their photos taken, including family and ID pictures, taken in a relaxed atmosphere.
“When I was taking photos as a volunteer at a sports festival for handicapped children in 2011, a mother of a participant told me that taking family photos at a photo studio was inconceivable for them,” Na said.
“Not many people recognize the inconveniences disabled families experience, nor did I,” he added.
The mother’s remark led him to open a photo studio named Baravom, which means “viewing” in Korean, in Seongbuk-gu, northern Seoul, in 2011 with the aim of helping families with handicapped children take family photos. The studio moved to a location near Hongik University last November.
Na worked for private companies from 1987 to 2007. His last job was senior managing director at Oracle. At that time he was paid hundreds of millions of won in annual salary.
“One day I wanted to stop devoting myself to making money and to pursue different values,” Na said.
Other projects
Na’s photo studio is not only for disabled people but also for those without disabilities.
If one non-disabled person has a photo taken there, the studio will take of one disabled person for free.
“You can make donations just by having your photos taken,” Na said. “I remember a retired teacher who came to our studio for his ID photo and donated 1 million won.”
As a non-profit organization, Baravom has been supported by about 200 individual donors.
The studio does business for profit too. For example, it is cooperating with companies including POSCO and Seoul Housing & Communities Corp. on their corporate social responsibility programs.
With such funds, Baravom has carried out various social contribution projects.
“I have come to realize more about what physically and mentally challenged people need,” Na said.
After visiting a facility for the disabled on the outskirts of Seoul, he decided to visit provincial facilities with his camera to help disabled people there.
“Those living outside Seoul also need help. Some want to have photos taken for their student identification cards and some others need photos for their funerals,” Na said.
This is why he travels the nation to donate his talent once a month.
The studio also began its Aurora Project in February 2015 in collaboration with Kim Chung Kyung Oterre, a hair salon, Cafe Slobbie, a restaurant, and Benjamin Care, an environmental improvement company.
In this project, they invite one family every month for hairstyling, have family photos taken and a free meal, while Benjamin Care cleans the family’s house.
“I plan to connect more disabled people with those who are willing to help them,” Na said.