Today we’d like to introduce you to Seus Ku.
Hi Seus, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in a small village in Southern Thailand, and from the age of 8, I was transfixed by TV documentaries about planet earth – my window to the breathtaking beauty of nature and its rich colorful landscapes; the dramatic contrasts between the different continents through the changing seasons. There was just so much out there in the world to see, to experience, to capture.
Something clicked. I knew I couldn’t stay in this village forever; I had to get out and explore the world. A fierce determination grew inside me to travel everywhere, to see as much as possible. Picking up a camera was the next logical step; a way of recording my memories.
My adventures began after finishing university in Bangkok. First, I flew to New Zealand and travelled extensively around the stunning North and South islands, (and polished my English skills!). From there, I visited the USA To this day I love America, it’s like a second home to me. I visit often with my stays mostly divided between Los Angeles or Dallas and I always take my camera.
In 2010 I arrived in Sydney Australia, surely one of the most beautiful cities on the planet. Not long after arriving, I decided to make it my home.
Being a creative, searching soul, I’ve found my passion in photography. To hone my skills, I’ve since studied at the Sydney Australian Centre for Photography and upgraded my camera to one of professional standard.
I’ve also found the ultimate job – a flight attendant! Of course, it’s no accident; flying both nationally and internationally gives me fantastic opportunities to see more of the world and of course, my camera is always with me – the perfect way to express my two great passions: travel and photography.
After seeing my images on social media, friends, and colleagues starting making requests for prints, which ultimately led to me opening my online store: www.oblongshop.com
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It certainly hasn’t always been a smooth road. Being of Asian descent and moving to a western culture definitely has its challenges
I found it virtually impossible to land the kind of jobs that were similar to what I had been doing in Bangkok.
In Thailand, I had been working as a production assistant for a large event company, which I thoroughly enjoyed – It felt as if these types of jobs were now only available to people with a western upbringing, where English was their first language. This led to me working in hospitality, which was not a direction I had ever intended to go.
But I guess in some ways It was a blessing. Because even though it took a good many years to find my groove living in a new culture – I have now landed on my true path and truly love the work that I do as well as the opportunities it brings.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
From my online store, you can purchase my original photography prints as Wall Art Decor for modern interiors.
We specialize in exclusive images, like landscapes shot in exotic locations across the globe. As well as still life images, such floral and botanical prints which I photograph in my home studio.
We’re different to other online wall art stores as most of them are all selling the same stock images available from image libraries. Our customers love that when they purchase from Oblong Wall Art that not only are they buying exclusive prints, but also that they’re coming direct from the source.
How do we do it? We took the direct-to-consumer approach. Our prints and frames are made with quality, sustainable materials. By purchasing direct from the photographer our overheads are much lower, so we pass the savings on to our customers
We have teamed up with Lab partners USA, UK, Europe, and Australian locations. All of our print lab partners are using identical printers, papers, inks, and frames. The future of the environment is something we take very seriously. We have ensured that all of our products are sourced sustainably, our wood and paper are created from FSC-certified forests and all our inks are eco-friendly. Having set up production partnerships worldwide allows us to greatly reduce our carbon emissions.
I am so proud of the wonderful reviews I receive from my customers all around the world.
What do you think about luck?
I guess you could say that starting the online store just before the start of a pandemic was fortuitous timing
This was a time where millions of people around the world were all stuck in their homes, looking at the walls. It was also a time when online shopping exploded.
So being a wall art store available globally online, during this time, it was definitely a case of offering the right product at the perfect time.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@oblongshop.com
- Website: https://oblongshop.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oblongshop_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oblonghshop
Image Credits
Seus Ku
