Today we’d like to introduce you to Jai Mayhew.
Hi Jai, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always been drawn to imagery that feels elevated, cinematic, and a little fashion inspired. What started as a creative outlet eventually grew into a portrait experience centered around helping women embrace a version of themselves that feels elevated, confident, and fully seen.
My work today is very editorial at its core. I love blending strong styling, lighting, emotion, and storytelling to create portraits that feel polished without feeling overly manufactured. I want people to walk away feeling like themselves, just turned all the way up.
Over the years, I’ve also learned how important it is to really lean into your own voice creatively. The more specific I became with my style and the experience I wanted to create, the more everything started aligning naturally. Now I spend my time photographing incredible women, mentoring photographers, speaking at industry events, and chasing new ideas creatively, which honestly is probably my favorite part.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not a smooth road. I think one of the biggest challenges creatively was learning to trust my own style enough to fully commit to it. Early on, there’s a lot of pressure to shoot everything, appeal to everyone, follow trends, compare yourself constantly online, all of it. I think a lot of creatives go through that phase.
There’s also the reality that running a creative business and being an artist are two very different skill sets. You can create beautiful work and still have to learn marketing, communication, boundaries, pricing, leadership, and how to not completely burn yourself out in the process. Honestly though, a lot of the harder seasons pushed me into creating stronger work. I became much more intentional over time, both creatively and professionally, and I think that’s a huge part of why my business feels so aligned now.
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?
I’m an editorial portrait photographer specializing in fashion-inspired portraits for women, brands, and entrepreneurs. My work is very cinematic, emotional, and heavily inspired by fashion photography and old Hollywood glamour.
I’ve never really been drawn to traditional portrait photography. I love creating images that feel intentional and elevated while still feeling like the person in front of the camera. A lot of my clients tell me they want to feel beautiful, confident, powerful, softer, cooler, more like themselves… usually all at once. That’s the part I connect to most.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Honestly, I’d say spend less time worrying about being “good enough” and more time developing a point of view. There are so many talented photographers now, but the people who really stand out are the ones whose work actually feels like them.
I also think it’s important to understand that creativity alone isn’t enough. Running a photography business requires communication skills, consistency, boundaries, marketing, adaptability, and a willingness to keep evolving. The artistic side matters, but the client experience matters just as much. And probably the biggest thing I wish I understood earlier is that you don’t have to appeal to everyone. The more you lean into your own style and voice, the more the right people naturally connect with your work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jaimayhew.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaimayhew/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JAIphoto
